Please can anyone advise on a dripping shower?

kitty08

I've got a power shower, about five years old, that has recently developed a drip. I have changed the washers at either end of the hose and replaced the shower head, but it's still dripping. As far as I can tell, the drip is coming from the "rose" part of the showerhead. I've checked all the other connections, and they appear to be watertight. The shower is over the bath, but the other end from the bath taps (if that makes sense!), and the drip means that if I want to relax and read in the bath, I get dripped on!! Please does anyone have any cheap, easy, straightforward solutions to stop the dripping? I don't have very much money, so don't think I'll be able to afford a plumber, (it's not really an emergency, after all!) and my DIY skills are virtually nil! Thank you for reading this.

twohooter_2

Hello Kitty


We had exactly the same problem with our Mira (over the bath)power shower a couple of years ago and like you, we changed the washers and shower head in the hope that we could fix it. Unfortunately, the problem was to do with a part within the unit which shuts off the water supply to the hose so there was really nothing we could do except call out a plumber. We coped with the drip for about 6 months but it just got worse and worse and we felt we were wasting a lot of water which, as we are on a meter we pay for, so had to bite the bullet and get if fixed.


Sorry, if this is not the answer you were looking for. Maybe, telephone the shower manufacturer and explain the problem - they should be able to sell you the part direct which may save a few pounds and then just get a local plumber to fit it if, like me, you are not into DIY! I can't remember exactly how much it cost but I don't think it ended up being as expensive as we feared. Good luck.

kitty08

Thank you, twohooter, for taking the time to reply. Just knowing it's happened to someone else and they managed to get it sorted out makes me feel so much better. (Hubby is even worse at DIY than me, and wouldn't care if the house fell down around him, so long as the tv still worked!!:)) I'll start getting some quotes on Monday, as at least then I'll know how much it would be likely to cost. I did think of trying to buy / make a water tight cap or cover for the end of the shower head when it's not being used, to stop the dripping, but I haven't been able to track one down yet, or find anything suitable that I could adapt. I tried using the plastic cover that protected the new showerhead, but the build up of water made it drop off. (At the moment the showerhead is tied up with clingfilm and a plastic bag, which at least as stopped the dripping sound that was driving me mad, but is a pain to take off every time I want a shower, and isn't really a long term solution!):)

odd_socks

Just a thought trace back from the shower head.

Take the shower head off and the hose if you can and see if it still drips from the unit if it does then the drip is coming from the unit, if it don't you may have a problem with your shower head or your shower hose.

kitty08

Thank you, oddsocks! I'll go and do that now.

odd_socks

kitty08 wrote: »

Thank you, oddsocks! I'll go and do that now.

No problem,let us know how you get on

kitty08

It still dripped even with the hose off, so it looks like it's the unit that has the problem :sad:. But, on the plus side, it has narrowed down the source of the drip.This may sound a bit crazy, but I've been looking online to see if I could find a waterproof cap or cover to put over the showerhead when it wasn't in use, to provide a cheap temporary way to stop the dripping, but can't find one anywhere.

cyclonebri1

You are getting advice that is a little off track. It's simple.

If the shower drips when shut off then the main valve is leaking. It's not user serviceable unless you know what you are doing, may need a a new cartridge/capsule, but bottom line is it will need fixing by a plumber or good diy bloke.

odd_socks

The advice that i gave was right,always track back to find what the problem is first to find the root of the problem.

She did and now she knows where the dripping is coming from.

A good handy man could sort this out for you to save you on the price of a plumber.

cyclonebri1

odd_socks wrote: »

The advice that i gave was right,always track back to find what the problem is first to find the root of the problem.

She did and now she knows where the dripping is coming from.

A good handy man could sort this out for you to save you on the price of a plumber.

No, I'm sorry but you are wrong, if it drip from the rose it's passed all the other seals, only the cartridge seal can allow water in from the mains.

If you care to read what the OP now says you will see I'm right.

(which makes you wrong:rotfl:):o:o:o

Applying a little logic saves any "back tracking"

googler

kitty08 wrote: »

This may sound a bit crazy, but I've been looking online to see if I could find a waterproof cap or cover to put over the showerhead when it wasn't in use, to provide a cheap temporary way to stop the dripping, but can't find one anywhere.

All that will do, if it fills with water, is put strain on the rose once it fills up.

Put a bucket or basin under it.