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Shower drip question

Legacy_user Posts: 0 Newbie

2 May 2011 at 11:56AM in In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving

When we turn off our Mira Excel shower it drips, sometimes more than we feel comfortable with and despite raising/lowering the hand piece to try and drain it, it makes little or no difference.

But, we have noticed that if we turn the cold tap in the sink (in the bathroom) on and off, the shower drip stops. Maybe someone can offer an idea of what could be wrong as we feel we should contact a plumber but would like some idea of what to expect as we don't want to appear gullible and be ripped off.

Comments

Canucklehead Posts: 6,254 Forumite

2 May 2011 at 12:35PM

Hi,

A service kit would sort you out, identify your model here

Quite DIYable so the only person you can rip off is your partner;)

GSR

Ask to see CIPHE (Chartered Institute of Plumbing & Heating Engineering)
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googler Posts: 16,103 Forumite

2 May 2011 at 7:37PM edited 2 May 2011 at 7:41PM

On one side of the shower, you have mains water, and when you switch it on, the solenoid opens a valve which lets the water through to be heated and passes it to the shower head. The drip stopping when you reduce the mains pressure shows that either the solenoid isn't closing the valve properly, or that the valve is faulty. You need to replace one or both of these.

If you have a shut-off valve between the mains water supply and the shower, you could turn this off when not using the shower to stop the drip.

Most plumbers won't even think of opening up a shower to replace parts, and will merely say 'replace the whole shower'.

Look here for advice. I used these guys to get a replacement solenoid for our Mira a year or so back, took the shower off the wall, and replaced it myself. Total cost £25 or so for the solenoid, and 2 or 3 hours of DIY adventure for me.

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Canucklehead Posts: 6,254 Forumite

2 May 2011 at 7:56PM

Hi,

Don't suppose you bothered to look at my link did you?

The Excel is a mixer valve not instant electric.

GSR

Ask to see CIPHE (Chartered Institute of Plumbing & Heating Engineering)
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keystone Posts: 10,916 Forumite

2 May 2011 at 8:00PM

Canucklehead wrote: »

Hi,

Don't suppose you bothered to look at my link did you?

The Excel is a mixer valve not instant electric.

GSR

Question: How many people reply to the lead post on most threads without reading other responses first? Answer: Lots.

Cheers

The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits. - Einstein
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System Posts: 178,380 Community Admin

2 May 2011 at 8:52PM

I did actually look at the link and decided to wait and discuss with my wife about how we should best proceed, then company arrived and it got way-laid. I will discuss later tonight and report back. Either way, I am not an engineer and know nothing about plumbing. I have a guy coming in to service our gas boiler later this week so may ask if plumbing is in his remit. thanks anyway.

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Canucklehead Posts: 6,254 Forumite

3 May 2011 at 6:38AM

islandman wrote: »

I did actually look at the link and decided to wait and discuss with my wife about how we should best proceed, then company arrived and it got way-laid. I will discuss later tonight and report back. Either way, I am not an engineer and know nothing about plumbing. I have a guy coming in to service our gas boiler later this week so may ask if plumbing is in his remit. thanks anyway.

I was referring to Googler.

GSR

Ask to see CIPHE (Chartered Institute of Plumbing & Heating Engineering)
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