How to Fix a Dripping Shower Head
Updated February 20, 2026
Fix a shower head that keeps dripping after you turn it off -- figure out if it is a normal drain, a worn cartridge, bad washers, or a loose connection, and fix it.
Overview
First thing to know: if the shower drips for a minute or two after you shut it off and then stops, that is just water draining from the arm and head by gravity. Not a leak. But if it keeps going -- even slowly, one drip every few seconds -- the shower valve is not closing all the way. The cartridge or washer inside the wall is worn and letting water seep through. Single-handle valves (Moen, Delta, Kohler) need a new cartridge. Two-handle valves need new washers and possibly new seats. There is also the much simpler scenario where the drip is just at the threaded connection between the shower head and the arm -- that is a 5-minute Teflon tape fix.
What You'll Need
Safety First
- Shut off the water before you touch the valve. Most showers do not have their own shut-offs, so you will need to kill the main. Open the shower valve afterward to drain the remaining pressure.
- When you pull the handle and trim plate off, the valve body is exposed inside the wall. Do not push debris (tile chips, grout, drywall dust) into the open ports -- that stuff gets into the water supply and clogs other fixtures.
- Pressure-balancing or thermostatic valve? Use only the manufacturer's specified replacement cartridge. A generic cartridge can disable the anti-scald protection, which is a serious safety issue.
Step-by-Step Instructions
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Determine the Source of the Drip
Turn off the shower and watch. Drips for 1-2 minutes then stops? Normal -- just gravity draining residual water from the arm and head. Keeps dripping indefinitely, even one drip every few seconds? The valve cartridge or washer is worn. Water dripping from the threaded connection where the head meets the arm? That is just a loose connection that needs Teflon tape.
Tip: Quick test: unscrew the shower head from the arm. If water still drips from the bare arm pipe, the problem is the valve inside the wall. If it only drips with the head attached, the issue is the connection or the head itself. -
Fix a Leaking Shower Head Connection (Quick Fix)
Unscrew the shower head (counterclockwise, by hand or with cloth-wrapped pliers). Clean the threads on the shower arm with a rag. Wrap fresh Teflon tape around the threads -- 3-4 wraps clockwise so it does not unwind when you screw the head back on. Reattach the head hand-tight plus a quarter turn with pliers. Turn the water on and check. Done in 5 minutes.
Tip: Stretch the Teflon tape slightly as you wrap it -- this makes it conform to the threads for a tighter seal. Loose, wrinkled tape bunches up inside the connection and can actually make the leak worse. -
Replace a Single-Handle Cartridge Valve
Single-handle shower? The drip is a worn cartridge. Shut off the main water. Pry off the decorative cap on the handle, remove the screw (Phillips or Allen), and pull the handle off. Remove the escutcheon plate (trim plate). Now you can see the valve body and cartridge stem. Remove the retaining clip or nut -- Moen uses a U-shaped brass clip, Delta and Kohler use a bonnet nut. Pull the cartridge straight out with pliers or a cartridge puller. Bring the old cartridge to a plumbing supply store to match it. Grease the O-rings on the new cartridge, insert it in the same orientation, and reassemble everything. Turn the water on and test.
Tip: Moen shower cartridges (1222 and 1225) are free under warranty -- call 1-800-289-6636. Seriously, free. Just tell them the model and they ship it to you. Shower cartridges sit deeper in the wall than faucet cartridges, so you may need a longer-reach cartridge puller ($15-20) if it is stuck. -
Replace Washers on a Two-Handle Valve
Two-handle shower? The drip is a worn rubber washer -- usually on the hot side. Shut off the main water. Pop off the cap, remove the screw, pull off the handle. Use an adjustable wrench to unscrew the packing nut behind the handle, then pull out the stem assembly. At the bottom of the stem, there is a rubber washer held by a brass screw. Remove the screw, pry out the old washer, and press in a new one of the same size. While the stem is out, look at the valve seat (the brass ring inside the valve body). If it is pitted or scored, it needs grinding with a seat tool or full replacement. Reassemble in reverse and repeat on the other handle if needed.
Tip: Bring the old stem to the hardware store to match the washer exactly. They come in sizes from 1/4 inch to 5/8 inch and in flat or beveled shapes. Wrong size means it keeps dripping. A washer assortment kit ($3-5) covers all common sizes and is worth having around. -
Test and Verify the Repair
Turn the main back on slowly. Run the shower for 30 seconds to flush debris, then shut it off and watch the head for 5 minutes. You should see 1-2 minutes of normal gravity drainage and then nothing. If it keeps dripping, the cartridge may not be fully seated, the valve seat may be damaged (two-handle), or the other handle's washer needs replacing too. Also check behind the escutcheon plate for leaks at the valve body connections.
Tip: Hot and cold reversed after the cartridge swap? Pull the cartridge back out, rotate it 180 degrees, and reinstall. This happens all the time with Moen cartridges when the orientation tab is not lined up correctly.
Pro Tips
- Even a slow drip wastes 5-10 gallons per day -- that is 1,800-3,600 gallons a year. Worth fixing for the water bill alone, plus it stops the mineral staining on your tub, tile, and glass.
- Shower drips while the tub faucet is running? That is usually the diverter (the pull-up knob on the tub spout), not the shower valve. Replacing the tub spout ($10-25) fixes it.
- When buying a replacement cartridge, know whether you have a pressure-balancing valve (single handle controls flow and temperature) or a standard mixing valve. Pressure-balancing cartridges cost more but include the anti-scald mechanism.
- Older two-handle shower with badly damaged seats? If you are doing a bathroom renovation anyway, upgrade to a modern single-handle pressure-balancing valve. The anti-scald protection alone is worth it for family safety.
- Keep the old cartridge or stem even after the repair. Having the old part makes matching the replacement easy years from now when you need to do this again.
When to Call a Pro
Call a plumber if you have a thermostatic or pressure-balancing valve and are not sure which cartridge to buy, if the valve body inside the wall is corroded or damaged (not just the cartridge), if the entire valve assembly needs replacement (that means cutting into the wall and soldering or running PEX), or if the drip continues after a new cartridge and you suspect the valve body itself is worn.