Water is leaking from my shower head. ?
Water is leaking from my shower head. (walk-in stand up shower – 2 handle). Home Depot / Lowe’s and local plumbing supply houses did not have the valve inside the cold water hande. I took pictures of the handle and I was able to get the part on the internet from “HardToFindPlumbingParts.com. However, after putting in the new valve water still leaks from the shower head. I am in a real pickle because the bathroom was built in the basement right up against the cinder block wall. There is no access to the pipes without ripping out walls and probably replacing the whole stand up shower stall? Any suggestions out there from what else can I do to repair the leak……or if not could a plumber cut holes in the shower large enough to get to the pipes and then somehow patch it up?? With the economy I do not have much money? Please Help !!
Tagged with: Lowe S • Pipes • Plumber
Filed under: Maintenance & Repairs
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You need to replace the ’seats’, which are the removable brass parts inside the shower valve that the stem (which has the rubber washer on the end) makes contact with, thus stopping the water.
Since you still have a leak after installing a new stem (with new rubber washer), the seat probably has a defect in it and is allowing water to pass.
Home Depot sells a tub and shower wrench, it’s a chrome colored tool that is in the shape of an ‘L’, or 90 degrees, and on one end there is a 4 point square, and the other end is a hex, six sided. After turning the water off to the valve and removing the cold stem, shine a flashlight into the hole and see if it’s a 4 point or a 6 point, then place the appropriate end of the wrench into the hole- tap on the end of the wrench to make sure it’s seated properly and with steady pressure unscrew the old seat- be careful not to strip it out, if you do you’re screwed. Carefully unscrew the old brass seat, take it with you to an ACE hardware or home depot and match it up perfectly.
Stop freaking. Turn off the water and replace the head.