Shower head - dripping water

Arsenal2019

Hello

I am wondering if anyone can please offer me some advice on what may be wrong / how to fix (if it’s simple) as I want to keep the cost down

I have two shower heads on my bathroom, a normal one which hangs down above your head and a smaller detachable one which is on a long hose which can move around- pretty much the set up I imagine most households have.

My shower drips randomly at night and it is extremely annoying. When the shower is completely off. This is only for the larger shower head. It can do a this randomly…  10 minutes after someone’s used the shower or 2-3 hours later.

To fix it I sometimes have to keep turning the shower on and off to fix it. it can be extremely annoying when I’ve been in bed for a few hours and wake up to the loud l, annoying sound of the water dropping.

Do I need a totally new shower head / hose or is there something more to it? Thanks

Rodders53

Exact make and model of the shower, shower heads, and controls may help with this.

Option 1.  The water is held in the rainfall head... if you can tilt it to allow air in and water out after use, every time, it may not do it and random times later?  It's pretty normal for some water to remain/escape in such heads, I encourage mine to drip out by having the head angled a bit.

Moving the diverter to/from the two heads positions may allow water to drain from the rainfall head/pipes via the hand held if kept low?  Depending on the design of the shower (some may not cross connect or have one way valves incorporated).

Option 2. The shower on/off control is 'letting by' --- i.e. not shutting off properly.  May be scaled up and need maintenance of the control set / descaling according to the makers' instructions.  Probably far less likely than option 1.

ThisIsWeird

Nicely covered by Rodders.
Does it continue to drip for hours/all night if you don't intervene? If so, it's most likely the on/off/flow cartridge - they do tend to do this after a few years.
Meanwhile, can't you leave the diverter in the handset position, and leave the handset lying on the shower tray?

Arsenal2019

Rodders53 said:

Exact make and model of the shower, shower heads, and controls may help with this.

Option 1.  The water is held in the rainfall head... if you can tilt it to allow air in and water out after use, every time, it may not do it and random times later?  It's pretty normal for some water to remain/escape in such heads, I encourage mine to drip out by having the head angled a bit.

Moving the diverter to/from the two heads positions may allow water to drain from the rainfall head/pipes via the hand held if kept low?  Depending on the design of the shower (some may not cross connect or have one way valves incorporated).

Option 2. The shower on/off control is 'letting by' --- i.e. not shutting off properly.  May be scaled up and need maintenance of the control set / descaling according to the makers' instructions.  Probably far less likely than option 1.

Hi

Thanks for such  quick response!

I’ll be honest, I don’t know what make and model the shower is. I’ve only been living here three months and there’s no paperwork/ or anything to Suggest what it is.  I also can’t see any logos.

I do sometimes tilt it and even shake it after use or when dripping and that doesn’t seem to do much. 

Secondly, I’m not sure what the diverter is on the shower as my knowledge with this is next to none… it is a very large shower head tho (if that’s anything to do with it)

I’ve closed it off as tightly as it will go without forcing it. I’ve brushed around the seals for it to clean any debris out too

Arsenal2019

ThisIsWeird said:

Nicely covered by Rodders.
Does it continue to drip for hours/all night if you don't intervene? If so, it's most likely the on/off/flow cartridge - they do tend to do this after a few years.
Meanwhile, can't you leave the diverter in the handset position, and leave the handset lying on the shower tray?

Hi thanks for replying

Id say the longest I’ve known to to drop would be around 15 minutes before I’ve intervened 

In regards to the components you’ve spoke of, (flow cartridge, diverter) I don’t know what these are… SORRY!!

knightstyle

We had to fit shower hose drains to prevent Legionnaires contamination in little used showers, fitting one should help 
Here is one on Amazon.   Similar to the Grohe ones we fitted.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/SANTRAS®-DELUXE-draining-standing-shower/dp/B07B2K8CGM?th=1

ThisIsWeird

Arsenal2019 said:

Hi thanks for replying.

Id say the longest I’ve known to to drop would be around 15 minutes before I’ve intervened 

In regards to the components you’ve spoke of, (flow cartridge, diverter) I don’t know what these are… SORRY!!

Ha-ha, no problem

By 'diverter', I mean the control on your shower that you turn to divert the flow to either the rainhead (the shower above yer 'ead) or the handset. This is usually either a small lever, or a push-pull button.

All I'm suggesting is, turn that to the handset position, so the drips come out the handset only, and then leave the handset on the shower tray = no sound.

Post a photo of the shower, and we'll hopefully ID the make or equivalent. But, a DIY repair might not be easy.

We can hopefully advise whether to go replacement unit, or get someone in to fix.

Rodders53

Pictures will help us.  Are you the Owner or Tenant/Renter of this property? 

Arsenal2019

ThisIsWeird said:

Arsenal2019 said:

Hi thanks for replying.

Id say the longest I’ve known to to drop would be around 15 minutes before I’ve intervened 

In regards to the components you’ve spoke of, (flow cartridge, diverter) I don’t know what these are… SORRY!!

Ha-ha, no problem

By 'diverter', I mean the control on your shower that you turn to divert the flow to either the rainhead (the shower above yer 'ead) or the handset. This is usually either a small lever, or a push-pull button.

All I'm suggesting is, turn that to the handset position, so the drips come out the handset only, and then leave the handset on the shower tray = no sound.

Post a photo of the shower, and we'll hopefully ID the make or equivalent. But, a DIY repair might not be easy.

We can hopefully advise whether to go replacement unit, or get someone in to fix.

Ahhhh yes that makes perfect sense now! Okay, I shall do that from now and see if it makes a fiffefence

last night, I turned it half way, and it made like a bubbling sound which led to some quite a bit of water coming out of the big shower head? I don’t know if that makes a difference . I then put it back to how I usually leave it (fully on the main shower head)

I’ll attach photos in my next message 

Arsenal2019

Rodders53 said:

Pictures will help us.  Are you the Owner or Tenant/Renter of this property? 

I am the owner of the property 

Arsenal2019

Please find attached