We participate in Amazon Services LLC Associates, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and its affiliate sites, and part of owning a home is maintaining it. These responsibilities are amplified if you have an old home. In fact, you might not even realize how much work you actually need when purchasing it. If the problems you are facing include showering leaking behind a wall, you could end up damaging your walls and a very high water bill. Ironically, it’s the shower leaks you see that are relatively easy to fix. The leaks you can’t see are the real danger. Often times, you don’t even know there’s a problem until you notice the damage. If you are experiencing these issues, we have some quick tips on how to fix the problem yourself and prevent further damage. A word to the wise: if leaking showerheads behind walls is a bigger project than you feel comfortable dealing with, then there is no shame in contacting a reliable plumbing service. There are times when you need to contact a professional, and this might be a good one. Delta Faucet R10000-UNBX MultiChoice Universal Tub and Shower Valve … Complete flexibility: The Delta Universal MultiChoice Valve gives you the flexibility to upgrade your shower cabin without … Recommended use: Compatible to meet the needs of most commonly used plumbing methods and is ideal for shower units … Connection options General: 1/2-inch universal entrances accept 1/2 inch brass, 1/2 inch iron pipe, PEX or CPVC adapters 1. Shower Leak Signs Behind the Wall Shower Leakage Behind Walls are not always easy to notice. In these cases, your police skills will be just as important as your handyman skills. While you may not “see” an internal leak, you will find its evidence. If your shower is on the first floor and you have a basement, you may find water dripping from the ceiling to the basement. Water leaks can be difficult to track. How water moves is interesting. It can hit a wall, it can run along a stud or keel and end up in a completely different place. So you have to be diligent in your police duties. A telltale sign of water leaking from the shower valve behind the wall is water stains. If you have an upstairs bathroom, you may notice dry water stains on the ceiling under the shower. When someone is taking a shower, you may see water dripping from the ceiling. Most of the time, the leaking shower valve behind the wall is very slow. They are usually leaks with holes from a defective valve or dirty weld from the connection points of water to the valve. Over the years, the joint wears out or a malfunction in the casting process of the valve causes its ugly head to appear. Another sign of a shower leak behind the wall is that the drywall / tiles in front of the valve are getting spongy. This is usually caused by spraying water from the seepage into the back of the wall. 2. Determine where the shower is leaking If the shower water is leaking behind the wall, most of the time you cannot tell from the front of the shower. So you have to do one of two things. Remove the shower panel to see if you have enough space around the valve to check valve connections. If you can, remove a portion of the wall behind the valve so you can inspect the valve and all associated tubes. Sometimes builders or homeowners (especially someone who has encountered problems in the past) install an access panel in the wall behind the shower so you can easily inspect or repair the water pipes that go into the bathtub and shower. If this is the case for you then simply take off the plate for inspection. For most homes, it is necessary to cut a small drywall window to see the plumbing. It’s an easy fix, considering the damage that can happen if you don’t seal the leak. 3. Cut the inspection window The stud finder will be an excellent aid for this project. To determine where to cut the window into drywall, you must determine the location of the studs in the wall. If you don’t have a stud finder, go old school. Most homes have 16 centers. Which means they have a nail every 16 ″ from center to center. You can measure 16 ″ from the inner wall and knock on the wall. You can hear the difference in the way a drywall looks when there is a nail behind it. Please note that most showers are not large enough at least along the side with the shower head and valve so that there are two screws in the correct position, a carpenter may only use two in the middle of the wall with the valve so they can support and secure the valve. Use a reciprocating saw to cut a small drywall window. 10×8 square inches should be sufficient to inspect your shower pipes. You will need a flashlight and a small mirror to get the best view of shower leaks behind a wall. 4. Look for signs of leakage If the bathroom leaks behind the wall, you will see water stains on the drywall ceiling under the sink drain. To make sure these stains aren’t from the bathtub drain, run a little bit of water in the tub and see if the drain is leaking. Feel the copper tubes out for any wetness from recent use. You will likely notice a greenish-white discolouration on the copper tube due to oxidation from water seeping into the outside of the copper tube. If you have a home that uses PEX this can be hard to tell. Delta Faucet R10000-UNBX MultiChoice Universal Tub and Shower Valve … Complete flexibility: The Delta Universal MultiChoice Valve gives you the flexibility to upgrade your shower cabin without … Recommended use: Compatible to meet the needs of most commonly used plumbing methods and is ideal for shower units … Connection options UNIVERSAL: 1/2-inch universal inlets accepts 1/2 “copper, 1/2” iron tube, or PEX or CPVC adapters 5. Turn on the shower The truth is that many homes do not access the shower valve from the back of the valve. So for many, access to the front side is a must. Whatever the case, being able to watch the valve and surrounding tubes while running the water is the true test of whether your shower is leaking behind a wall. While it’s running, look for signs of water leakage. If you feel water flowing down the sides of the tubes, you have found your source. Sometimes leaks are dulled, so you may need your lamp and mirror to look for minute drops of water forming around the water pipe joints. Check above in the access window with your flashlight. Water may leak from the tube that serves the shower head (called the shower arm). However, it can also leak from the shower valve. 6. Fixing a Leaked Shower Arm If the shower arm is the cause of the shower arm leaking behind the wall, it is not difficult. On the side of the shower wall, peel off the round metal pan and attach to the door cover that surrounds the shower arm. These safety caps have a decorative nature and they are either split and can be removed without taking off the shower head or they are rigid which means you have to loosen the shower head and take out the cap. Next, loosen and inspect the shower arm. Some of the causes of leaking shower arms are that they are not tightened properly or strings are not closed properly. To fix the leak, clean the old joint compound with a wire brush. Make sure the strands are clean and dry. Wrap the strings with Teflon plumbing tape (found at any hardware store), and then twist the lever back into the water pipe connection. Old tube dope did not have a Teflon base, so over time it yellows and cracks. Instead of Teflon tape, you can buy Teflon tube dope. You can purchase a bottle with an integrated brush. Brush all of the strands evenly covered and put the screw back in place. Related reading: Plumbing Tools A Leaky Shower Valve Repairing A Leaky Shower Valve Repairing a leaky shower valve to stop a leaking showerhead behind a wall is a little more difficult. When the bathtub / shower valve is turned on, hot and cold water enters the valve and mixes at the desired temperature. First, most brands of shower valves use similar valve fitting methods. It’s hot water inside, cold water in it, mixed water with the shower head, and mixed water in the bathtub. Unless you have a diverter valve to redirect the water to the shower head, there is usually a stop of the pull type on the tub spout. If the valve is leaking from the valve stem, you may simply have to turn off the water to the valve and replace the cartridge. If there is a leak from the valve body itself, the valve must be cut off and replaced. When cutting the valve, make sure you keep enough away from the valve so that you can cut it off with a repair connection. If you use PEX, you don’t need to be anywhere near accurate. Delta Faucet R10000-UNBX MultiChoice Universal Tub and Shower Valve … Complete flexibility: The Delta Universal MultiChoice Valve gives you the flexibility to upgrade your shower cabin without … Recommended use: Compatible to meet the needs of most commonly used plumbing methods and is ideal for shower units … Connection options GLOBAL: 1/2-inch universal entrances accept 1/2 inch copper, 1/2 inch iron tube, or PEX or CPVC adapters, Final Word on Shower Leaks Behind Walls, Repairing shower leaks behind the shower wall saves you money in bills Water and repairs are expensive. If the culprit is a leaky shower arm, the fix should be easy. A leaky shower valve may require a professional if you do not have the experience. Anytime you feel uncertain, it is best to contact a plumber rather than let the problem persist. Image Source: 1, 2, 3 Last updated 2021-05-01 15:22 / Affiliate Links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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