How do I fix a dripping shower?
Stopping a shower that drips after it is switched off, including mixer cartridges and thermostatic valves.
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Time
- 1 hr
- Read
- 2 min
- Safety
- caution
Short answer
A shower that drips after use usually needs a new cartridge in the mixer valve. Isolate the water, remove the handle and retaining collar, pull the cartridge out and match it exactly for a replacement. A little residual dripping for a minute after use is normal.
Modern showers use a cartridge rather than washers, and when they drip it is nearly always the cartridge seals hardening. The part is inexpensive; the awkward bit is identifying the exact model, because cartridges are rarely interchangeable between manufacturers.
Safety
What you'll need
- Allen keys and screwdrivers
- Adjustable spanner
- Replacement cartridge
- Silicone grease (optional)
- Towels
Step by step
- Check whether it is a mixer shower or an electric shower.Electric showers — a box on the wall with its own heater — are not a DIY repair. Stop here and call an electrician.
- Wait a minute after switching off and see whether it stops.A short drip as the riser rail drains is normal. Continuous dripping is not.
- Isolate the water — look for isolation valves behind an access panel, or use the stopcock.Open the shower afterwards to confirm the water is genuinely off.
- Remove the handle: usually a small cap hiding a grub screw or a retaining screw.Photograph each stage. Reassembly order matters.
- Unscrew the retaining collar and withdraw the cartridge.Some pull straight out; some have a retaining clip. Do not force it.
- Take the old cartridge to a supplier and match it exactly.Cartridges are not standardised. Model number, or the physical part, is what you need.
- Fit the new cartridge with a smear of silicone grease on the seals and reassemble.Silicone grease only — petroleum-based grease degrades rubber seals.
- Turn the water back on slowly and check for leaks before refitting the handle fully.Slowly, so a mistake appears as a trickle rather than a jet.
Tips
- Photograph the valve at every stage of dismantling. It is far harder to reassemble from memory than it looks.
- If the shower is old and the cartridge is unavailable, replacing the whole valve may be the practical answer.
- Limescale is a common cause of cartridge failure in hard water areas — descaling the shower head and fittings regularly extends valve life too.
Common mistakes
- Opening an electric shower — It combines mains water and mains electricity. This is not a DIY repair under any circumstances.
- Buying a generic cartridge — They are rarely interchangeable. Match the physical part or the model number.
- Using petroleum grease on seals — It degrades rubber. Silicone grease is the correct product.
Questions people ask
Why does my shower drip after I turn it off?
A short drip as the hose and riser drain is normal. Continuous dripping means the mixer cartridge seals have hardened and the cartridge needs replacing.
Can I fix an electric shower myself?
No. Electric showers combine mains water and mains electricity in one unit. Any fault needs a qualified electrician or the manufacturer.