A leaky shower faucet is not just frustrating, but it can be expensive. Your money is going down the drain in the form of higher water bills. Fortunately, in most cases, a leaky shower faucet can be fixed in a few DIY steps.
Tools you may need:
- Phillips-Head screwdriver
- Slotted screwdriver
- Wrench (Some shower faucets require a specialised tool, a cartridge puller, to remove the cartridge. Read your manufacturer’s manual for more information.)
- Needle nose pliers
- Hex key (Sometimes called an Allen key, this tool is needed to remove some faucet handles.)
Materials you might need:
- Faucet repair kit with replacement parts
- Shower faucet cartridge or stem
- Silicone faucet grease
- Old towel or rag

Firstly gather your supplies and then turn off your water supply - That way, you won’t have to go without water for too long.
Step by step guide on how to fix a leaking shower with one handle
- Turn off the water to the shower faucet. You may have to turn off the water to the entire house if you don't have a shut-off valve only for the shower.
- Put a rag or old towel over the shower floor to protect it in case you drop any tools or parts. Make sure it covers the drain, too, so small parts can't fall in it.
- Open the shower faucet or faucets, if you're working on a two-handled shower faucet, to release the pressure and let any water drain out.
- If your shower handle has a cap over the screw in the center of the handle, pry it off with a flathead screwdriver and put it aside for later. Unscrew the handle and remove it.
- Next, remove the decorative faceplate behind the handle and take it off the shower wall. You may have to pry it off. If it has threads, unscrew the faceplate from the wall and remove it.
- Look behind the faceplate to find the metal sleeve over the shower valve. Pull it off or unscrew it.
- If your shower valve has a locking clip, you'll see it on the top of the valve. Not all valves have locking clips. If yours does, pull it off with needle nose pliers or pry it off with a screwdriver.
- Put a deep well socket wrench over the metal stem of the faucet and use it to grip the nut at the base of the stem. Unscrew the nut and set it aside for later.
- Loosen the cartridge with the wrench. It may come out when you pull the wrench away. If it stays in the valve, carefully pull it out with needle-nose pliers.
- If you don't already have a new cartridge, take it to the store with you so you can buy an exact replacement. Put the new cartridge on the empty valve and tighten it with the deep well socket wrench.
- Replace the locking clip, if your valve had one. Then replace the valve sleeve, faceplate and shower handle and cover, if the handle had one. Turn the water supply back on, open the faucet and let the water run. If you still have a leak, you may need to call a shower repair specialist.
If the leaks persist, or you don't have time to learn how to fix a leaky shower faucet you may want to replace the shower faucet with a new or updated model. If you need further assistance, if the problem persists or are unsure and would prefer to leave it to the experts, please contact us on 1300557227. Saba Seal has over 15 years experience in Shower Sealing and Repairing Leaking showers. We pride ourselves on having the highest quality workmanship in the industry and use only quality products. With that said we confidently provide our clients with a lifetime warranty on all shower seal repairs that are completed by a Saba Seal specialist.