DIY plumbing can be a great way of saving money. Hiring plumbers is a good option if you’re not on a tight budget and you do not have the time or inclination to attempt fixing taps and showers around the home yourself. However, many repairs are surprisingly easy to do. You do not need a plumber’s tool kit, or lots of specialist equipment.
Drips and leaks are a common problem with modern showers, and quite often the manufacturer makes it particularly difficult to fix them yourself. Your shower unit may be difficult to dismantle, with hidden access points, unusual fixings or molded plastic parts. In this article we are going to show you how to fix your leaking shower, gain access to the tap which controls the flow of water, and solve leaking and dripping shower problems.
Step 1 – the Shower Handle Cap should be Removed
Make sure you turn off the supply of water and that the shower, no longer works when you turn it on. You should then be able to flip off the cap of the handle using something like a small pocket knife. This will normally give you access to the fixing screw within the shower handle.
Step 2 – Remove the Retaining Screw and Dismantle the Control Valve
Once you have removed the screw you may find there is a retaining clip which holds together the last part of the control valve. If you pull it off using a screwdriver, then you will normally find that all of the component parts of the shower water control mechanism are easy to dismantle.
Step 3 – Remove the Entire Cartridge from the Control Tap
Bear in mind that almost all shower manufacturers will have their own way of securing the cartridge into the control tap area. Normally, once you have removed the screw and a retaining clip, the cartridge should slide off completely from the shower. If it doesn’t, look for any hidden retaining clips for screws that you have yet to undo. If you are sure that you have removed everything holding the cartridge in place and it still will not pull away from the shower unit, you may require a specialist cartridge puller. In this case you should contact your local Malvern plumber for assistance.
Step 4 – Install the New Cartridge
Remove the new cartridge from all of its packaging and double check that it matches the items which you have removed. Align the new cartridge correctly and install it reversing all of the processes which you have gone through to remove the old items. Insure all retaining clips are re-installed correctly, and that there are no parts left over. Test your shower to make sure the fault has been rectified and that there are no drips or leaks. If you are still encountering the same problems as before, then you should consider getting help from a local plumber with experience of installing showers and bathrooms.
We hope this DIY plumber article helps you to save money and also learn about maintaining and fixing your bathroom yourself.
