How Do I Fix a Leaky Shower Head?

A shower head that drips long after you turn the water off — or leaks from the connection while you shower — is wasting water and money around the clock. The fix is almost always simple: a worn washer, a loose fitting, or mineral buildup. No plumber required for the vast majority of cases.

Quick diagnosis: where is it leaking from?

• Drips from the shower head face after shutoff → worn washer/seat in the valve, or mineral-clogged nozzles. See Steps 1–3.
• Leaks from the connection (where the head meets the arm) → bad thread seal. See Step 4.
• Leaks from the shower arm (where the arm meets the wall) → failed seal inside the wall — more involved, see Step 5.
• Weak flow + dripping → clogged nozzles from hard water. See Step 2.

What you will need

• Adjustable wrench or pliers
• Teflon (PTFE) thread tape
• Replacement rubber washers/O-rings (a $5 assorted pack covers all sizes)
• White vinegar and a plastic bag
• Old toothbrush
• Cloth (to protect the chrome finish from wrench marks)

Step 1: Tighten first — the 10-second check

Before taking anything apart, try hand-tightening the shower head onto the arm. Many leaks are just a fitting that worked loose from vibration and temperature cycles. Snug it firmly by hand — if the leak stops, you are done. Do not crank it with a wrench yet; overtightening cracks plastic fittings.

Step 2: Clean mineral-clogged nozzles

Hard water leaves calcium deposits that block the spray holes, raising pressure behind them and causing drips.

1. Fill a plastic bag with white vinegar — enough to submerge the shower head face.
2. Rubber-band the bag around the shower head so the face soaks in vinegar. Leave it for 1–2 hours (overnight for heavy buildup).
3. Remove the bag and scrub the nozzle face with the old toothbrush.
4. Run the shower hot for a minute to flush loosened scale.

If flow is dramatically better and the dripping stops, mineral buildup was your problem. In very hard-water areas, repeat every few months.

Step 3: Replace the washer

A worn or flattened rubber washer is the most common cause of a persistent drip.

1. Unscrew the shower head from the arm by hand. If it is stuck, wrap a cloth around the fitting and use the wrench — the cloth protects the chrome.
2. Look inside the head’s threaded end. You will see a small rubber washer (and possibly a flow restrictor disc — note its position).
3. Pry out the old washer. If it is cracked, flattened, or hardened, it was leaking.
4. Press in a new washer of the same size. A dab of plumber’s grease (or even petroleum jelly) helps it seat.
5. Reattach the head hand-tight, then a quarter-turn with the wrench (cloth-protected).

Step 4: Reseal the threads

If water leaks from the connection between the head and the arm while running:

1. Unscrew the head and remove any old thread tape.
2. Wrap Teflon tape clockwise around the arm’s threads (looking at the end of the arm) — 4–6 wraps. Clockwise matters: wrapping the wrong way unwinds the tape as you screw the head on.
3. Press the tape into the threads with your thumb.
4. Screw the head back on hand-tight plus a quarter-turn with the wrench.

This seals the tiny gaps between threads that water forces its way through.

Step 5: When the arm itself leaks at the wall

Water seeping from where the shower arm enters the wall means the seal inside the wall failed — or worse, the pipe elbow cracked from someone yanking the arm.

1. Unscrew the shower arm from the wall fitting (counterclockwise; use a cloth + wrench).
2. Inspect the threads — if the arm is cracked, replace it ($10–$20).
3. Re-wrap the arm threads with Teflon tape and screw it back in, being careful not to cross-thread.
4. If water still comes from inside the wall, the elbow fitting behind the tile may be cracked. That requires opening the wall — a plumber’s job unless you are comfortable with tile repair.

What this costs

Mistakes to avoid

• Overtightening with a wrench. Hand-tight plus a quarter-turn is the rule. More than that cracks plastic nuts and deforms washers.
• Wrapping Teflon tape the wrong direction. Counterclockwise tape unwinds when you screw the head on — useless.
• Scratching the chrome. Always pad the wrench with a cloth on finished surfaces.
• Ignoring a wall leak. Water inside the wall rots framing and grows mold. A drip at the wall is urgent; a drip at the head is merely wasteful.
• Throwing away the flow restrictor. It is tempting for “better pressure,” but it is often required by local code and it keeps your water bill sane.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my shower head drip for a while after I turn it off? A few minutes of dripping is normal — water drains from the head and hose. If it drips for 30+ minutes or never fully stops, the washer or valve seat is worn.

Can I use plumber’s putty instead of Teflon tape? No — putty is for drain flanges and basket strainers, not threaded pipe joints. Use Teflon tape (or pipe dope) on shower threads.

My shower head leaks only on the massage setting — why? The internal diverter seal in the head is worn. Soaking rarely fixes this; replace the washer first, and if that fails, replace the head.

How do I know if I need a new shower head? If cleaning and a new washer do not stop the drip, the internal valve seat is worn. Replacement heads are cheap enough that further repair rarely makes sense.

When to call a pro

• Water leaks from inside the wall — the elbow or supply pipe may be cracked; opening the wall is plumber territory.
• The drip continues with a brand-new head and fresh tape — the problem is in the shower valve behind the wall (worn cartridge), a $150–$300 valve repair.
• You need to solder or replace in-wall copper pipe — not a beginner job.
• Low pressure throughout the whole bathroom, not just the shower — could be a supply-line issue worth a professional diagnosis.