The appliances in and around your home will make your life much easier. However, we may sometimes take for granted how easy it is for these utilities to become inadequate. All it takes is one careless action to make your shower’s faucet go out of order, for example.
Thankfully, many of the solutions that can be used are not hard to implement. The shower above faucet example can be remedied with just a few short steps. All you need is time on your hands, the right supplies, and manual labour. Should you find that the leak issue still affects the faucet, you may need to get a second opinion. A plumber is the best person to reach out to professionally diagnose the problem. It may cost you a bit more to get this sorted out, but it will stop the dripping.
Either way, you want to stop a dripping shower faucet as quickly as possible. Use these steps to stop your shower’s faucet from dripping consistently.
Step #1: Get Your Supplies
Unfortunately, using our hands alone will not bring the shower’s faucet back to its operative condition. On the other hand, all you need to make the dripping cease are a few key tools and supplies. A screwdriver, pliers, a wrench, and a cartridge puller will generally be required.
In addition, the shower’s faucet cartridge may need to be replaced; grab a replacement cartridge when you can. This is a very important component, as it allows the shower faucet to function at full capacity. You may also want to grab some clean rags if your workstation becomes wet and messy.
Step #2: Prepare the Shower Faucet
Once the right materials have been gathered, you can then kickstart the process into high gear. First, you must turn off the water supply inside of your home. If this is left on while you conduct the work, it will not allow you to gauge how well the repair has gone. For those living in a home, head down to the basement to find the valve.
Sometimes, you may have a shut-off valve that only works in conjunction with the shower. Whatever your circumstances, ensure the shower’s water does not come on while the repair is conducted. At this point, allow any leftover water from the shower’s faucet to drip out completely.
Step #3: Disassemble the Shower Faucet
Using the tools you have in your possession, you will now have to get into the faucet’s inner parts. To begin with, you should remove the faceplate connected to the shower handle. Use your screwdriver to loosen it, and then manually remove the component. The handle should also then be removed afterwards.
There may be an instance of a locking clip being present inside of the shower’s faucet. This component will generally be placed at the top of the valve. However, it is not present in every shower. If it is present, simply take it out using the pliers you have in your toolkit.
Step #4: Replacing the Shower Cartridge
As mentioned previously, the cartridge is one of the most important components of the shower. You may find your shower’s faucet acting strangely without it working in good condition. Usually, a defective cartridge can result in the faucet dripping consistently.
Loosen the defective cartridge with your pliers, and then use your wrench to forcefully pull it out. Just be sure to employ a sense of caution here; any sudden movements could damage the faucet. Your new replacement cartridge can then be fitted into its position with ease.
Step #5: Replace with Double Handles
If you have a shower with two handles, a different method could be used when repairing the dripping issue. Thankfully, all you need to do is repeat the process above for both handles. Make sure you remove all the necessary components and replace the washer if it appears damaged.
Step #6: Reassemble the Shower Faucet
You are almost there! Now, it comes down to repeating the repair process in reverse. Using the tools you have in your possession, you need to reattach all components of the faucet. Make sure they are all fastened and secure so you can test out the faucet without worry.
Step #7: Testing the Shower Faucet
Once everything has been put back into its original position, you are now in a prime position to test it out. Head back to your water supply, and turn it back on. Then, turn the shower on using the handle. Once you turn it off, wait to see if the shower is still dripping.
