Shower Handle Leaking: Tips for Fixing It

You step into your shower and discover that your shower handle is leaking, and you can almost see the money slowly drip dripping out of it. You can also imagine what the repair bill will look like if you have to call someone in to fix it. But wait a minute, you’re no Bob Vila, what are you supposed to do about this? Don’t panic! With a few simple steps, some household tools, and a kit you can pick up at any hardware store, you can handle this.

What Are You Going To Need?

First off, make absolutely certain what type of shower handle you have so you can get the right kit to repair it. If you’re no expert, it wouldn’t hurt to snap a picture of it to show them at the hardware store. After you do that, you’re going to want to pry off the little plastic covering over the central screw holding the handle on to make sure you have the type and size of the screwdriver you need. You can usually do this with a pocket knife or flathead screwdriver. In addition to your replacement kit, you are probably also going to need a cartridge puller. Ask if you don’t know what that is.

Caution: Don’t Forget This!

Before you plunge into the replacement process, you need to be sure that that the water supply to your shower is OFF. You can usually find the valve in your bathroom or basement. If that doesn’t work, you can typically turn off the water supply for the whole house out front. Either way, try turning on the shower to confirm that the water is off before you do anything!

A Few Simple Steps

Now you’re going to want to remove the central screw (it’s going to be a long one), and take the handle off. Bonus tip: If you find the handle is stuck on there, try heating it up with a hairdryer until it loosens. This should expose a big metal ring flush up against the wall. This is your cartridge, and you want to use the cartridge puller mentioned above to remove it. From there, you simply need to reverse the process to install the new cartridge followed by the new handle. Once everything is securely in place, turn your water back on and give it a try.