How to Fix a Leaking Shower Head
Drips from the shower once the water is shut usually come from the wall, not the head. How to fix a leaking shower head comes down to one question: is the head just draining, or is a seal in the wall giving out? A licensed plumber handles the in-wall side of that on every visit.
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At the last census Kippa-Ring counted 3,676 dwellings, and most are detached houses from the 1960s to 1980s building wave. A shower here is often working with its second or third set of in-wall fittings. Our Kippa-Ring plumbers renew those tired mixers every week, and this guide sorts the harmless from the faults worth a call.
Is a Dripping Shower Head Normal
Some dripping after a shower is normal; dripping that never stops is not. Water left up in the head runs out for a minute or so once the shower is shut off, and that is nothing to worry about. A drip that carries on long after, with the taps closed, comes from the mixer, the in-wall unit that blends the hot and cold feeds, where a worn internal seal is letting water slip by.
Time separates the two. Run the shower, close the taps, then check the head after ten minutes.
Still dribbling at the ten-minute mark
worn mixer internals are passing water.
Dry by then
the head was simply draining, and nothing needs a plumber.
A stiff handle or the wrong temperature alongside the drip also points at the mixer, because the cartridge controls how much water flows and how hot it runs.
Head, Joint or Mixer Behind the Wall
A dripping shower head comes from three places, and each has its own tell:
The arm collar
Water appearing at the threaded collar only while the shower runs means the joint has loosened or the seal there has gone hard and cracked.
The mixer
A head that keeps dripping after the water is shut is telling you the fault sits in the wall: worn internals in the mixer are letting water past, and the head itself is fine.
The bath diverter
On a bath-shower combo, water dropping from the head while the bath fills, or the spout running during a shower, means the diverter is worn or the spout is restricted.
Scale sits outside that list of three. Scale can block a few of the spray holes, sending water sideways through the rest and mimicking a leak.
Mixers two generations old still serve plenty of bathrooms in homes of those build decades, so the in-wall answer turns up constantly on our runs here.
The Shower Head Swap the Law Allows
Yes, you may swap the head yourself. The QBCC lists a head replacement as unregulated work, which any Queenslander with the needed knowledge and skill may do.
No licence is needed, neither the QBCC nor Council requires approval, and nothing has to be reported. The finished job is still held to the minimum standards set out in the legislation and the codes.
Two boundaries stop the DIY licence at the wall:
The mixer stays licensed
The QBCC's unregulated list stops at the head, so the mixer's cartridge or valve remains work for a QBCC licensee, needing neither a permit nor a Form 4.
The label to check
A replacement head sold in Australia has to be registered under the national water-efficiency labelling scheme (WELS), and its stars and flow figures have to show wherever it is sold, online included.
Still Dripping After a Repair Attempt
A drip that outlasts a replacement washer or cartridge usually means the sealing surface is the problem. A washer presses onto its seat, and a cartridge closes inside the mixer's body. Wear or damage to either surface stops the new part sealing, so the water keeps coming.
A licensed plumber takes over at that stage, because that repair is minor work under the QBCC's categories and needs a licensee. The price depends on the part and on how much wall access the mixer needs, and a fixed quote before any work starts settles the figure.
When to Call a Plumber
Ring when the drip continues after the taps close, when a replacement part has not cured it, or when water is escaping the shower recess itself. The shower repairs page steps through the mixer, the diverter and the arm work behind those faults, and every job is done by a licensed plumber.
Dripping Shower Questions People Ask
Call (07) 3523 6484What makes a shower head drip?
Where the water escapes decides the cause. Seepage at the arm collar while the shower runs points to a loose thread or a seal gone hard there. Water still leaving the head once the taps are closed comes from the mixer, and scale or a worn diverter explains the odd leaks.
Can I replace a shower head myself in Kippa-Ring?
Yes, you can. Queensland's regulator treats a head swap as unregulated work, open to anyone with the right knowledge and skill for it. No approval is required, nothing gets reported, the finished job is still held to the minimum standards, and the mixer stays licensed.
Why does my shower still drip after a new cartridge?
The sealing surface is worn, not the part. A washer presses onto its seat and a cartridge closes inside the mixer's body, so a scored surface defeats the new part. A licensed plumber checks the mixer and does the repair, which is minor work needing a QBCC licensee.
Who fixes a dripping shower head in a Kippa-Ring rental?
The tenant tells the property manager or owner about the drip without delay. Queensland tenancy law then makes the repair the owner's or manager's job, since they must maintain the rental in sound condition throughout the tenancy. Swapping the head is one of the very few jobs exempt from the licensee rule; the mixer is not.
Call Us About That Dripping ShowerWe'll call you back.
Book on (07) 3523 6484 for plumbing anywhere in Kippa-Ring. We're available 24/7, there's no extra charge for nights, weekends or public holidays, and every job comes with $0 call-out fees.
To claim your $0 call-out fee, call (07) 3523 6484 today.