How to Fix a Leaking Shower Head
Hours of drips after the taps shut usually blame a head for a fault inside the wall. Working out how to fix a leaking shower head starts with one check: does the drip stop by itself, or keep falling?
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We sort these jobs across Nudgee, from the older houses toward Nudgee Cemetery on St Vincents Road to the newer townhouse streets. Every job is done by a licensed plumber, and you get a fixed quote before any work starts.
Normal Drips Versus a Failing Seal
Some after-shower dripping is just the plumbing emptying itself. Water left in the head and arm drains away over the next few minutes, and that short trail of drips is nothing to worry about.
A drip that still falls an hour later tells a different story. The mixer's internal seal has worn thin, and water slips past it to the head, so the head cops the blame for a fault it never caused.
Watch the clock, not the head. A few minutes of drips is normal; a steady drip hours later means the mixer needs a licensed eye.
Head, Joint or Mixer Behind the Wall
A drip can start in three places: the threaded join between arm and head, the mixer hidden behind the tiles, and the spout on a bath and shower sharing one set of taps. Each fault has its own calling card.
The join with the arm
Water seeping from that connection during a shower means the joint has worked loose or its seal has gone hard. Shut the taps and it goes quiet.
The in-wall mixer
A drip that persists once the shower is off is the signature of a washer or cartridge worn past sealing. The cartridge also blends hot and cold, so a grinding handle or odd temperatures often ride along.
The spout and diverter
Where the bath and shower share a mixer, water coming out of the shower while the bath runs, or a spout that dribbles mid-shower, blames the diverter or a blocked spout.
Crust over the spray holes
Mineral build-up can seal some holes and force water out of others, which looks like a strange leak. Galvanised supply lines in the old houses on Railway Street shed the same crust downstream.
Worn Seats and Bodies Behind the Wall
If a brand-new washer or cartridge leaves the drip running, the sealing surface is what's worn. A washer presses against its seat inside the mixer, and a cartridge seals within the mixer's body, so damage to either surface defeats any new part.
Stop swapping parts at that point. Repairs inside the mixer count as minor work that only a licensee may do, so a licensed plumber assesses the seat and body and quotes before touching anything.
Older bathrooms deserve that check early. Bathrooms in the station-side houses here have seen several refits, and a mixer body that has served two renovations carries wear no cartridge can cover.
What Counts as Unregulated Plumbing Work
Yes, the head itself is yours to swap. The QBCC treats a shower head replacement as unregulated work, open to anyone who has the knowledge and skill for it, so no plumbing licence applies.
Nothing needs approving or reporting. Neither the QBCC nor the local government has to sign off on the job, and there is nothing to lodge afterwards. The result still has to reach the standard the plumbing laws and codes require.
The unregulated list covers the head and stops there. A cartridge or valve inside the mixer stays with a licensed plumber, because the list names no part behind the tiles. Check the label before buying too. Any head offered for sale here has to be registered under the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards scheme, shown as WELS. The label must display its star rating and water use.
Renters get a simpler version of the same rules. A head swap ranks among the few jobs a Queensland rental allows without a licensee, while the owner or agent has to keep the place in sound condition throughout the tenancy. Tenants should still report a dripping shower promptly, since a drip that persists can point to licensed work.
When to Call a Plumber
Call once the drip outlasts the normal drain-down, or once a new part has failed to stop it. Water where it should not be, such as dampness at the wall plate, also belongs to a plumber.
Those signs point past the head to the mixer, the diverter or the pipework. Our shower repairs page goes deeper on mixers and stubborn drips.
Dripping Shower Questions From Nudgee
Call (07) 3523 7172What makes a shower head drip in a Nudgee bathroom?
Most drips come from one of three faults: a loose join with the arm, a worn washer or cartridge in the in-wall mixer, or mineral crust blocking the spray holes. A faulty diverter can also cause it where a bath and shower share one mixer.
Can I legally change my own shower head in Queensland?
Yes, the QBCC treats a shower head replacement as unregulated work needing no licence, no council approval and no report. The finished job still has to reach the standard the plumbing laws and codes require, and the new head should carry its WELS label.
Why does my shower still drip after fitting a new cartridge?
The sealing surface, not the part, is worn. A washer presses onto its seat and a cartridge seals inside the mixer's body, so a damaged seat or body defeats the new part. A licensed plumber assesses the mixer, because that work is licensed.
What does fixing a leaking shower head cost in Nudgee?
Price comes down to two things: whether the fault is the head or the in-wall mixer, and how easily the plumber can reach that mixer. You get a fixed quote before any work starts, so the quote settles the price for your bathroom.
Talk to Us About That Dripping ShowerWe'll call you back.
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