To fix a leaking showerhead, first find where it leaks. Water spraying from the joint at the shower arm needs fresh thread seal tape and a new washer or O-ring. A head that keeps dripping long after the handle is off has a worn valve cartridge or stem washer, and that part gets replaced.
Where it leaks tells you what's broken
Look before you buy parts. Run the shower, watch the head, then shut it off and keep watching for a few minutes. Where and when the water shows up points straight at the cause.
| Where and when it leaks | Most likely cause | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| Spraying from the nut where the head meets the arm, shower running | Worn thread tape, loose connection, or a flattened washer or O-ring | Remove the head, clean the threads, re-tape, replace the washer |
| Dripping from the head for a minute or two after shutoff, then stops | Residual water draining out of the head | Nothing, or clean the head so it drains faster |
| Dripping from the head steadily with the handle off, for hours | Worn valve cartridge (single-handle) or stem washer and seat (two-handle) | Replace the cartridge, or the washers and seats |
| Water from the head while you fill the tub from the spout | Diverter or rough-in problem, called "stacking" or "shower rise" | Diverter or tub spout repair, see shower diverter not working and how to replace a tub spout |
| Leaking at the ball joint, swivel, or handheld hose | Worn swivel gasket or hose washer | New gasket or hose washer |
| Spray from the face going sideways, water squirting around the nut | Clogged nozzles pushing water back toward the connection | Descale the head, then check the washer |
| Water behind the tile, stain on the ceiling below | Leak inside the wall at the valve or shower arm | Stop and call a plumber |
The two rows that matter most are the first three. A running-shower leak at the connection is a five-minute, cheap-parts job. A shutoff drip is a valve repair. The rest of this page walks through both.
### Normal drip or real leak?
Kohler draws a useful line in its own troubleshooting guide: "A leak is a continuous flow of water." A drip, by contrast, comes in separate drops with space between them. Kohler also says that "Showerheads can experience residual water drips/leaks for up to 90 seconds after the valve is turned off," and that changes in water pressure around the home can cause a short drip too.
So time it. If the dripping tapers off within a couple of minutes, the head is just emptying. Kohler notes that cleaning the head with a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water might reduce the amount of residual water it holds, which helps here in Phoenix, where hard-water scale narrows the nozzles and slows draining. If the drip is still going ten minutes later, or you find the tub wet in the morning, the valve is leaking. That's a different fix.
Kohler's guide has a neat test for tub-and-shower combos: take the showerhead off the arm and watch. If the drip stops, it was residual water draining out of the head. If water keeps coming out of the bare arm, the problem is a seal inside the valve.
Fixing a leak at the shower arm connection
This is the leak most people mean, and it's the easy one. EPA WaterSense says some leaky showerheads can be fixed by making sure there is a tight connection between the showerhead and the pipe stem, and by using pipe tape to secure it. EPA also suggests you check and, if needed, replace the washer or O-ring inside the showerhead while you're at it.
### What you need
- Thread seal tape (PTFE tape, sometimes called Teflon tape)
- A replacement washer or O-ring sized for your head (bring the old one to the store)
- An adjustable wrench or slip-joint pliers and a rag to protect the finish
- An old toothbrush, plus white vinegar if the threads are crusty
### Step by step
- 1Turn the shower off. You don't need to shut off the house water for this one, since the arm isn't under pressure when the valve is closed.
- 2Unscrew the head. Turn it counterclockwise by hand. If it won't budge, wrap the nut with a rag and use the wrench, and hold the shower arm with your other hand so you don't twist it inside the wall.
- 3Clean the arm threads. Peel off every bit of old tape and scrub away scale with the toothbrush. Old tape shreds left in the threads keep a new seal from seating.
- 4Replace the washer. Pry the rubber washer or O-ring out of the head's inlet with a small screwdriver. If there's a small screen behind it, rinse that too. Press the new washer in flat.
- 5Wrap fresh tape. Wind 3 or 4 turns of tape clockwise around the arm threads, the same direction the head tightens, so it doesn't unravel as you screw the head on.
- 6Reinstall the head. Thread it on by hand until snug, then add a small turn with the wrench and rag. Don't crank it. Overtightening can crack a plastic nut or crush the new washer.
- 7Test it. Run the shower at full flow for a minute and watch the joint.
That's the fix. If the leak is still there, it's usually one of three things: the washer is the wrong size, the nut is cracked (common on plastic heads), or the shower arm threads themselves are corroded. A new shower arm is inexpensive and unscrews from the fitting in the wall the same way, but go gently: if the arm is stuck, forcing it can break the fitting behind the tile.
### Swivels, ball joints and handheld hoses
Many heads leak at the ball joint that lets you aim them, not at the arm. Most have a small gasket or O-ring in the swivel that you can replace once the collar is off. Handheld showers add two more washers, one at each end of the hose, and those flatten over time. A dribble from the hose ends while the shower runs is almost always a worn hose washer.
### Clogged nozzles can push water out the joint
When scale plugs the spray holes, water backs up inside the head and looks for another way out. The joint is often the weakest point. If your head sprays sideways or has dead nozzles, descale it before you blame the washer. Our guide on how to clean a clogged showerhead covers the vinegar soak step by step.
Fixing a showerhead that drips after it's turned off
A head that drips all night isn't really a showerhead problem. Water is getting past the shut-off parts of the shower valve in the wall, and the head is just where it comes out. Moen's own leak guides list that exact symptom, "The shower system continues running or dripping with the handle in the off position," and for its PosiTemp, Standard and two-handle valves the fix Moen gives is a new cartridge.
EPA's Fix a Leak guidance is direct about this one too. For more complicated valve leaks in showers that drip when not in use, EPA suggests contacting an experienced handyperson or licensed plumber. It's a real repair, but a very doable one for a handy homeowner.
### Single-handle valves: replace the cartridge
On a single-handle shower, one cartridge controls both flow and temperature. Its rubber seals wear and harden, and hard water speeds that up, so water seeps through even with the handle off. The job is: shut off the water, pull the handle and trim, remove the retaining clip, pull the old cartridge, and slide in the matching new one. Match the part to the valve brand and model. For Moen, the PosiTemp valve uses the 1222 cartridge and the older push-pull Standard valve uses the 1225. Kohler's Rite-Temp valve is repaired with a Mixer Cap and Pressure Balancing Unit kit.
The full walkthrough, with brand notes, is in our guide to how to replace a shower cartridge. If you aren't sure which valve you have, start with what type of Moen shower valve do I have.
### Two-handle valves: washers, seats or cartridges
Older two- and three-handle showers usually close with a compression stem: a rubber washer on the end of the stem presses against a brass seat to stop the water. When the washer flattens or the seat gets pitted, you get a steady drip. The fix is a new washer, and often a new seat too, since a new washer on a rough seat wears out fast. Newer two-handle valves use a cartridge in each handle instead; Moen, for example, uses its 1224 cartridge for this.
Figure out which side is leaking first. Shut off the hot supply (or the stop for that side) and watch. If the drip stops, the hot side is your problem. If not, check the cold. Only rebuild the side that leaks, or do both while the wall is open if they're the same age.
### High pressure makes drips worse
Kohler notes that excessive inlet pressure can also contribute to a leak or drip, and that the fix may be adjusting the stops or installing a pressure-reducing valve. If you've replaced the cartridge and a drip comes back quickly, check your house pressure. Our guide on what home water pressure should be explains how to test it with a gauge on a hose bib.
How much water a leaky showerhead wastes
More than you'd guess. EPA WaterSense puts a number on it: "A showerhead leaking at 10 drips per minute wastes more than 500 gallons per year." EPA compares that to the water it takes to wash 60 loads of dishes in a dishwasher.
A drip after shutoff runs 24 hours a day, so it adds up faster than a leak that only happens while you shower. It also wastes heated water if the hot side is the one leaking, and in hard-water Phoenix every drip leaves a little more scale on the tub, the drain and the valve itself.
If your head is old and worn anyway, replacing it is a reasonable call. EPA says WaterSense labeled showerheads use no more than 2.0 gallons per minute, against 2.5 gpm for standard heads, and they're independently certified for spray performance. See are low-flow showerheads worth it for the trade-offs.
When a leaking showerhead needs a plumber
Most showerhead leaks are homeowner jobs. The connection fix takes a roll of tape and a washer. A cartridge swap is a bit more work but manageable with the right part.
Call a licensed plumber when the evidence points behind the wall:
- Stains, soft drywall, or a damp ceiling below the shower. That's a leak at the valve body, the shower arm fitting, or the pipes, not the head. Our guide on a leaking shower valve behind the wall covers the signs.
- The shower arm won't come loose or the fitting in the wall moves when you turn it. Forcing it can break the fitting inside the wall.
- The cartridge is fused in place and the brand's puller won't move it, or the valve is so old its parts aren't made anymore.
- No shutoff you can find, and you're not comfortable closing the house main.
HQ Plumbing & Air is licensed and insured, gives upfront pricing and free estimates, and offers 24/7 emergency service if a drip turns into water in the wall.