A dripping bathe head isn’t simply annoying: It’s additionally a waste of water with environmental and monetary penalties. There are a variety of various points that would lead to a leaking bathe head, together with some greatest left to plumbing professionals.
That mentioned, in case your bathe head begins dripping sooner or later out of nowhere, you would possibly as properly strive these easy options first. That approach you gained’t find yourself hiring a professional for one thing primary that you would have carried out your self for a fraction of the fee. Right here’s what to do.
The best way to repair a dripping bathe head
Three frequent causes of a leaking bathe head are a buildup of minerals, a worn-out O-ring, and deteriorated plumbing tape on the bathe arm. Right here’s easy methods to take care of every drawback:
Clear your bathe head
The minerals in arduous water can construct up over time, forsaking deposits like limescale, which might clog the little holes in your bathe head. When that occurs, the water nonetheless has to go someplace, and since it could’t stream out by the holes, it might be compelled out between the arm and bathe head, leading to a leak.
Whereas it’s technically doable to wash your bathe head with out eradicating it by soaking it in a plastic bag, that ought to solely be a final resort, within the occasion that your bathe head is so corroded that it gained’t budge. It’s far more practical to take away the bathe head and soak it in answer of white vinegar and water, utilizing a toothbrush to assault any significantly cussed mineral deposits.
This Lifehacker article walks you thru the entire course of.
Substitute the O-ring
If cleansing your bathe head didn’t cease the drip, and it’s time to show your consideration to the O-ring or washer. These small components create watertight seals between the bathe head and bathe arm, however they don’t final perpetually, and may crack or deteriorate over time, leaving you with a leak.
To change yours out for a brand new one, first take away the bathe head from the arm, then the O-ring or washer from the bathe head. Your new one must be precisely the identical because the one you’re changing, so the best factor to do is carry the outdated one with you to the ironmongery store and ask for one to match it. Upon getting it, pop within the new O-ring or washer, then reassemble and reattach your bathe head.
Swap out the plumber’s tape
While you eliminated the bathe head from the arm, you in all probability observed some tape left behind. That’s plumber’s tape (also referred to as thread seal tape, and beforehand generally known as Teflon tape), and it too turns into much less efficient over time, and could also be no less than partially answerable for your dripping bathe head.
First, gently unwrap the outdated tape, eradicating it from the bathe arm. Then, use a toothbrush to clean away any sticky residue. Subsequent, wrap new plumber’s tape across the grooved part on the finish of the bathe arm (the threads) two or thrice in a clockwise path, urgent it firmly into the grooves as you go. Lastly, reattach your bathe head.
If none of this works, it’s in all probability time to usher in a plumber. And even in case you didn’t handle to cease the dripping, your makes an attempt weren’t a waste of time: You now have a clear and correctly sealed bathe head.