Can I fix my own leaking shower?
A leaking shower is a problem that needs to be fixed as soon as it’s identified.
If you find your property has a leaking shower, it may be tempting to fix the leak yourself.
What you may not realise is, there are a number of possible causes on why your shower is leaking. There are tests your plumber can do to help narrow the cause. This information will help the plumber work out how to fix the leak. Some leaking showers may be easy to fix, but until the problem is located, it can be hard to estimate how long it will take to fix, and how much it may cost.
Causes of a shower leak
Showers are notorious for leaking after a number of years. Unfortunately, showers aren’t built to last forever.
The most common shower leaks include:
- Shower rose leaking.
- Water leaking from the hot or cold water pipes in the wall
- Leaking shower tray
- Cracked or deteriorated drainage pipes
If you find you have a leaking shower, it is important to get it fixed straightaway. The moisture can attract termites and this can cause more damage and lead to more expense.
How to fix a leaking shower rose
In Australia, anyone can replace the tap washers in their taps, however, most people don’t use the right washers or they fail to re-seat the tap combination to ensure the new washers sit flush on the tap seat. What may take you an hour to do will take a plumber less time to complete. If your shower is leaking from the shower rose, call your local plumber to replace the tap washers.
They will get the job done right the first time.
How to locate a shower leak
When a shower leaks outside the cubicle or underneath, a bit of investigation work needs to take place. A plumber will be able to test if the leak is coming from a water pipe in the wall OR from the shower tray.
There are two simple tests your plumber will complete.
Testing the shower tray
The plumber will test the shower drainage outlet and tray and search for leakage under the house or surrounding areas.
Testing the water pipes
The next test to determine if it’s the water pipes, the plumber will pressure test the shower rose. This will test the shower rose branch to see if the water is leaking from the t-branch.
If the shower leaks continuously before any tests are done, the water may be leaking from the cold or hot water branches in the walls OR it may even be dripping from another area in the bathroom. Water is notorious for running a long trail and pooling away from where it’s come from.
A leaking shower may be easy to fix, but in most circumstances it will need a bit of investigation work and the best person to do this for you is your licensed plumber.
If you have a leaking shower, contact the team at Gladesville Plumbing on 9817 4777. Our experienced residential plumbers will be able to find out the cause of the leak and provide a quote to fix the issue if it can’t be fixed straight away.
