How to Fix a Leaking Shower Fixture

A leaking shower is no fun at all – in fact, it can be pretty costly. If your showerhead is leaking, it might be time for a new one. Or at the very least, time for a bit of plumber’s tape.

New or Old Shower Fixtures

Take a look at your showerhead – is it worth keeping? If it’s a special showerhead that perfectly matches your bathroom fixing, there is no need to replace it. But if you have a standard showerhead that is less than superior, you might use this leaking opportunity as a chance to replace it. You might be surprised at how affordable a nice massaging or rain effect shower head can be. Almost all showerheads install the same way, anyway.

The Hardware Store

In the hardware store you’ll be buying at least one, possibly two things:

• Plumber’s tape (white, very light tape sold in the plumbing and pipe areas)
• A new showerhead (optional, but very fun)

You might also need a wrench if you don’t have one at home.

Removing Your Old Shower head

Removing the leaking showerhead by twisting it off the same way you would a bottle cap. Twist it gently to the left and it should come right off. It was screwed on tightly, you might use your wrench for a bit of leverage, but be very careful to NOT twist the pipes – just the showerhead itself.

Once the head is off, you should see a bare, threaded pipe coming out of the wall. This is perfect for your next step.

Apply Plumber’s Tape

Your small white roll of tape is now used to cover the threads of the exposed pipe. If there is yellowed, old tape present, remove it first before apply a new wrapping. The tape is very thin and almost weightless, so be careful to wrap a few rounds of tape keeping it flat and covering all the threads.

Affix New Showerhead

Now that your pipe has been treated with plumber’s tape, it is ready for the new showerhead. If you’re keeping your old head, simply screw it back on. You’ll be placing it on top of the white plumber’s tape. Screw it on as smoothly as you can – the tape will be sealing any gaps between the threads.

If you’re using a new showerhead, you’ll need to remove it from the packaging before screwing it on. Again be smooth. Tighten your showerhead by hand and don’t use the wrench this time as you might damage the plumbing if you tighten the head too much. Tighten the showerhead and then turn on the water – does it leak? If so, remove the head by twisting it off and put on another few rounds of plumbing tape. Twist the showerhead back on a try again. The leak should be gone and you’ll now be able to enjoy a new, invigorating shower!

Easy Step By Step

• Remove the old shower fixture by twisting the showerhead to the left and removing it from the pipe.
• Wrap plumber’s tape around the exposed end to seal the threads.
• Screw a new showerhead on over the treated pipe.

Warnings, Advice, and Suggestions

If you are renting and choose to replace the showerhead, keep the original showerhead for when you move out. Simply unscrew your shower head, screw back on the boring original version and you can take your deluxe model with you and not be in trouble with your landlord.

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How to Unclog a Toilet

If there was ever an emergency you were unprepared for, it’s the inevitable clogging of the toilet. Without going into too much detail, there are many things that can go into a toilet that are too much for the plumbing to handle – large wads of toilet paper, paper towels and sanitary products come to mind. When this happens, you’re job is to help force the stuck spot through the plumbing or break it up enough to let the toilet flush normally.

You Know You’re In Trouble When:

The toilet keeps running and water threatens to overflow the bowl. (If this happens, immediately turn the water off at the back of the toilet bowl where the plumbing comes out of the wall.) You might also have a problem if you flush and the water doesn’t do much – nothing goes whooshing away, in essence. If what you put in the toilet is still there, it’s time to take action.

Learning to Use a Plunger

If you don’t have a plunger, don’t be embarrassed to be caught unawares. Nobody buys a plunger until they need one. And you now need one. Head to the drug store or to a grocery store right away to buy a basic plunger. Keep the plastic shopping bag handy as you take your new plunger to the bathroom to tackle the toilet.

Your plunger should have a thick rubber bowl shaped head on a sturdy stick. The sturdier your plunger, the more effective it will be in a short amount of time. Carefully put the plunger in the bowl of the toilet so that the bowl part is covering the hole in the back. Your goal is to have the hole where the water usually goes completely covered by the plunger.

Press on the plunger handle to depress the bowl part. Push straight down so that pressure is applied evenly. After a deep press (you’ll know it’s deep when the plunger almost turns itself inside out), carefully let the handle back up to release the pressure. Continue to plunge the toilet in these presses until the water suddenly goes whooshing down on its own or it goes when you press the flusher.

Easy Step By Step

• Turn off the water to the toilet if it’s going to overflow
• Purchase a plunger and assemble it as needed
• Place the plunger in the bowl of the toilet and press and depress it a few times
• Try flushing again to see if water is able to move through the plumbing now

Warnings, Advice, and Suggestions

Please don’t try to clean your plunger – it’s only going to be back in dirty toilet water next time. Instead, place the nasty part inside the plastic grocery sack to avoid drips and carry the offending items out to your garage or storage shed. Put it in a corner to stay safe until you need it again.

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