A sight no one wants to see is that of water dripping out of a showerhead or tub faucet when the water is not supposed to be running, especially in San Antonio. That drip means that repairs are in your future, along with a higher water bill as that water keeps coming. Luckily, many of the causes are very simple and take only a few minutes to fix.
Even better, some are issues that don’t require repair, just adjustment. However, you do want to have a plumber check out the shower and diagnose the problem as that will save you time. Rather than try to fix one problem only to find out the cause is something else, get a plumber in there and take care of the problem quickly.
The Cartridge Has Started to Wear Out
One of the most common causes of dripping water in the shower (either from the showerhead or the tub faucet) once you’ve turned off the water is a bad valve or cartridge. The knobs or levers in your shower are connected to valves that allow or halt the flow of water. These valves contain cartridges that can break down over time.
This is a normal issue, by the way; it’s a repair that you should expect to have to address occasionally. A plumber can easily change the cartridge for you to fix the leak. If you have an older shower where the hot and cold water have separate knobs, that plumber can inspect both cartridges to ensure that once the leaking cartridge is fixed, the other one won’t suddenly start leaking, too.
Excess Water Has Pooled in the Showerhead
Another reason why your shower may drip water after you turn it off is that water has pooled in the pipe and showerhead. When you take a shower and then turn off the faucet, the water that had already flowed into the pipe and showerhead has to go somewhere. If you don’t drain it, it could end up coming out of the showerhead.
The water in the pipe might not flow up, but water in the showerhead isn’t going to suddenly reverse course and head back down the pipe. Many times, the water will suddenly drip out of the showerhead rapidly once surface tension at the openings in the showerhead has disappeared. If so, you won’t have issues with dripping water until your next shower.
However, other times, the water doesn’t suddenly run out; instead, it leaks out ever so gradually. When that happens, you get a slow drip over several hours that mimics a leak due to a bad valve. Fixing this merely requires emptying the excess water from the pipe and showerhead. If you can’t seem to get all the water out, however, then call a plumber to ensure that nothing else is letting additional water make its way into the showerhead.
The Diverter Is Breaking Down
If the dripping in your shower happens when the tub is running but the shower itself is off, then the diverter may be going bad. In combination shower/tubs, the diverter is that knob that lets you switch between having the water flow to the shower or the tub faucet. If the assembly behind the knob is wearing out, it can’t fully close off the path to the showerhead. Water pressure can force some of the water to enter the shower pipe in addition to the tub faucet, even though the shower portion is technically off. Rosenberg Plumbing & Air can fix that easily. You can check out our website to find out more about the plumbing services we offer.
Mineral Buildup Is Interfering With the Valve
San Antonio has hard water, and the minerals in hard water can form scale on the insides of pipes. That same mineral buildup can form all over the valve and cartridge, too. Any place that the water is in contact with is at risk. If a layer of this crusty residue builds up where the valve closes off the water supply that can interfere with the valve’s ability to close all the way. You end up with tiny gaps that are just big enough to let some water seep through.
This water can exit through the tub faucet if the diverter has been set that way. But if the shower diverter is set to allow water up into the showerhead, that seeping water can eventually make its way up there, too. This is the case if the leak goes on long enough to let water build up in the shower pipe. Cleaning out the mineral buildup can be tricky, and it’s best to let a plumber take a look at it. You’ll also need to address the hard-water problem with a softener lest you want this problem to repeat itself often.
A Washer Is Breaking Down
One of the parts that allows the cartridge to shut off the flow of water is a rubber O-ring or washer. Like other rubber parts, this can gradually disintegrate over time, allowing some water to leak through even when the valve is fully closed. Just like the cartridge, the washer or O-ring is very easy to fix, and a plumber can take care of it in a couple of minutes.
A Washer Contracted After a Hot Shower
Another washer issue has to do with temperature. After you take a hot shower, for example, the washer can expand in the heat and then contract as it cools down once the shower is over. The contraction and re-expansion process isn’t always even, and that can lead to a little water sneaking past a washer that’s still reaching its normal size. If the problem becomes very annoying, look into having a plumber change the washer.
You Have High Water Pressure
Finally, the problem might not actually be with your showerhead or the plumbing in the shower. If your home has high water pressure, the leak could be from the pressure forcing water through any washers and valves. Fixing that requires addressing the problem with the pressure, and the solution typically involves installing a pressure-regulating valve.
You should ask a plumber to give the shower valve and washer a once-over after fixing the issue with the pressure. This is because the high pressure and constant force can cause the valve and washer to deteriorate quickly. It would be frustrating to fix the issue with the pressure only for the valve and washer to break down shortly afterward.
Contact Us Today
Whether you already know you’ve got a failing cartridge, or you just can’t figure out why the shower is leaking, it’s time to call a plumber. Rosenberg Plumbing & Air in San Antonio, TX can help you not only with your plumbing, but also with any other HVAC-related issue, including air conditioning, heating and air quality problems. We offer camera inspections, repiping, dehumidification and more. You can get your home’s plumbing, air, heat and humidity levels into great shape with our services. Give us a call to stop that shower from leaking now.
Tags: bathroom plumbing, shower leak