Consider yourself in deep sleep when suddenly you hear this weird sound. It is as if someone is knocking somewhere.
Then after focusing your attention towards the sound, you realize it is from your washroom. After some time of being petrified, you finally gather up the courage to check it out.
Your fear turns into utter frustration as you see the whole hassle was caused by the clogged shower with water dripping from the shower head.
A clogged shower head brings in a lot of other problems, and to avoid such annoying events, is the main focus of this article including relevant tips and information.
So, let’s get to know how to fix dripping shower head. Shall we?
What Are the Reasons Behind Clogging?
Clogged shower heads are one of the most common and frequent issues. These irritating phenomena can take place at any moment and, usually, occurs in the most inconvenient situations or times. Keep reading, and the article might save your time as well as spare you from these infuriating events.
Before we go to the fixing part, it is essential to know why and how the shower gets clogged.
Water, naturally, has calcium in it, especially hard water. Most likely, the water spraying out from your shower heads are hard waters from wells. Rich in calcium, magnesium, lime, silica and other minerals, the hard water dries after it leaves the shower head leaving minerals behind.
These deposits are left behind from an unsightly and taxing buildup. Eventually, the buildup reaches to such an extent that it hinders or at times even stops the flow of water from the faucets and shower heads.
It is this that causes the water drip from your shower head all day. Are you wondering if there is a way to stop your shower heads from clogging in the first place? Luckily, this article has that area covered for you as well.
Ways to Avoid Clogs
Here are some ways to avoid clogs:
- Towel and SqueegeeOne of the best and easiest ways to avoid clogging is to use a towel and squeegee and drying out the wet surface of the shower head after each bath. Making this a habit will keep your showers clog-free forever.
- Steam CleanerAnother method is to use a steam cleaner or a shower spray. Also, make sure to clean the scope scum left after a bath as it will stop the minerals from flowing down to the drain by allowing them to stick to the scope scum.
- WaxWaxing can also be considered a good method for preventing clogs. The smooth surface of the wax ensures no mineral sticks to the shower. You can also install softener systems in your shower which remove the excess of minerals.
In case, you knew about these, and they didn’t work which is a rare case, the next part of the article contains everything that is needed to unclog your shower heads.
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How to Clean Dripping Shower Heads?
Dripping shower heads area is a result of the clog and getting rid of it is very easy. Following these simple and few steps will make sure an easy and quick unclogging experience.
Step 1: Get the Required Tools and Some Precautions to Follow
Fixing dripping shower heads means unclogging them. Unclogging is a messy and dirty business. It as minerals – some of which can be harmful to you – are present here including billions of germs that can cause unwanted diseases. So, making sure the presence of all the necessary tools is very important.
Here are the things required; you will need a clean plastic bag, a rubber band or anything of such type, gloves, waterproof vest or clothing, and vinegar.
Clogs contain all kinds of harmful chemicals. Starting from calcium, magnesium, lime, silica, and other minerals – the clog has them all. Not to forget numerous germs capable of causing great harm to you. So wearing gloves and the right waterproof attire is important. After all that is done, we can now begin the cleaning.
Step 2: Fixing
Firstly, rinse the plastic bag with water to ensure that most of the impurities inside have been washed out. Fill the clean bag with vinegar. The rinsing is important as the vinegar is acidic by nature and is capable of causing a neutralization reaction with the impurities inside, which will form unwanted results.
The next step is to fill the bag with vinegar. There is no particular amount that has to be filled but just make sure you fill it up to at least three by four of the size of the bag. Then carefully wrap the bag around your shower head. Submerging the shower head into the vinegar filled bag is very important.
Step 3: The Final Step
Vinegar contains acetic acid. This acid is an organic compound with acidic properties that dissolves the minerals. Once the shower head is inside the vinegar, leave it for two to three hours.
Turn the shower on, and all the deposits will get washed away. Scrub the shower head with an old brush to remove the remaining deposits. Dry the shower head with a towel, and you’ll have a shower head which doesn’t drip anymore.
All that is left for you to do is to turn the shower and enjoy the full blast from it. The annoying and spooky sound from your dripping shower head, that kept you up and made you feel like a part of some horror film, is gone. Just make yourself comfortable and sleep.
An Alternative Method – How to Fix a Dripping Shower Head ?
If you don’t like the method above, then don’t worry, we have an alternative option. It has the same concept and precautions but a little difference in approach. Instead of using a plastic bag, you need to fill a pot with vinegar. But this method is a little bit more lengthy.
Though it is considered to be very unlikely as acetic acid is not that powerful, it can react with the pot or impurities and cause outcomes that are uncalled for. Still this method is close to being as efficient as the first and, hence, the article says a brief discussion about it.
- Step 1: Fill the pot just enough so the shower head can be submerged easily.
- Step 2: Unlock the shower head and drop it inside the pot
- Step 3: After two to three hours, rinse the shower head with water and scrub it with a brush to get rid of the clog particles.
- Step 4: Connect it back and enjoy.
Now you know everything about fixing the dripping shower heads.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How can I fix a leaking single handle showerhead?
A dripping shower head can lead to wastages and inflated water bills. If yours have this problem, then you should move with speed to rectify the leakage. To fix it, follow the following procedure:
a) Shut off the water from the mains connection, which is from the main valve or the meter box.
b) Unscrew the showerhead, remove and inspect it for any defects.
c) Clean it to remove any deposits on the outlet.
d) Apply the tape to the faulty part.
e) Reattach the old showerhead, or you can even replace it with a new one.
f) Turn on the water from the main supply and test the system.
Is it possible to change the washer without turning off the water?
I would advise you to always turn off the water before doing any plumbing work. If you attempt to change without switching off the water, then you may end up flooding your bathroom! The bottom line is that you can change, but expect a lot of inconvenience!
What is the cost of fixing a leaking showerhead?
It depends on the amount of work that you will do to the system. The price can also range depending on the material that you will purchase and the labor charges of the plumber! In most cases, however, the cost will range from twenty-five dollars to $250.
Conclusion
The article’s main focus was to give an efficient method to clean your shower heads and provides a clear view of every minor and major information that is required. Hopefully, the article served its intention.
While doing all this, make sure that you maintain your safety as the washroom can be slippery, and we do not want you to get hurt.
With great optimism, we hope the article was helpful. And from now on, you will be able to fix the dripping shower by yourself.
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