Water appearing where it should not is the most common shower complaint after poor pressure. Most of it comes from a small number of places, and several are fixable without any specialist knowledge.
Locate It Before Doing Anything
Water travels, and the point where it appears is frequently not where it originates. Drying everything, running the shower briefly and watching carefully identifies the actual source.
The usual candidates are the joint between head and arm, the hose connections at each end, the diverter, the valve, and the sealant around the tray or bath.
The Joint Between Head and Arm
The easiest and most common. A drip here almost always means the sealing tape has degraded or was insufficient.
Unscrew the head, clean the thread completely, wrap fresh PTFE tape three or four times in the direction of tightening, and screw it back on hand-tight plus a small turn.
Overtightening is the frequent error and it cracks fittings, particularly plastic ones. This is one argument for all-metal construction, of the kind in the veken range, since metal threads tolerate handling that plastic does not.
Hose Connections
A handheld hose has a connection at each end, and each contains a rubber washer that hardens and shrinks over time.
Replacing the washers is a matter of pence and resolves most hose leaks. Check that a washer is present at all, since they are frequently lost during a previous installation.
What Is Fixable and What Is Not
- Fixable: head joints, hose washers, a worn hose, a blocked head
- Fixable with care: replacing sealant around a tray or bath
- Not a home job: leaks from the valve body, from behind a tiled wall, or from pipework
- Not a home job: anything involving a boiler or a pressure vessel
Sealant Failure
Water appearing at the base of a shower or along the edge of a bath is frequently failed silicone rather than a plumbing leak.
Old sealant shrinks, cracks and lets water behind, where it causes considerably more damage than the visible dampness suggests. Removing and replacing it is straightforward for anyone reasonably practical and should not be postponed, since water behind a tray reaches structure.
When It Is Urgent
Water appearing on a ceiling below, damp patches on adjacent walls, or any smell of damp indicates water reaching structure rather than dripping into a tray.
These warrant prompt attention from a plumber rather than experimentation, because the cost of delay is structural repair rather than a new washer.
Rented Properties
Leaks are generally the landlord’s responsibility and should be reported in writing promptly. Delaying and attempting a repair yourself can complicate matters if damage follows.
Photographs with dates, and a written report, protect you and produce faster action than a phone call.
Prevention
Replace hoses when they stiffen or discolour rather than waiting for failure. Check connections when descaling. And re-check any joint you have worked on a few days later, since a slow seep does not always show immediately.