A dripping shower wastes water, damages surfaces, and often indicates a deeper issue. Here is what you can check and when professional help is needed.
Shower leaks fall into two categories: visible drips from the shower head or taps, and hidden leaks behind the wall or under the floor. Visible drips are usually caused by worn tap washers or cartridges, a deteriorated shower head seal, or a loose connection. Hidden leaks are caused by failed waterproofing membrane, cracked grout allowing water behind tiles, corroded pipes in the wall cavity, or a leaking shower base/hob.
Hidden leaks are more serious because the damage accumulates unseen — by the time you notice water staining on the ceiling below, significant structural damage may have already occurred.
Some shower issues are straightforward DIY repairs: replacing a shower head (unscrew the old one, apply thread tape, screw on the new one), tightening a loose shower arm connection, and cleaning mineral deposits from the shower head (soak in vinegar overnight). These do not require a plumber and do not involve any work on the water supply.
However, anything that requires turning off the water supply, accessing pipes in the wall, or working with the waterproofing membrane should be done by a licensed plumber. Incorrect work on waterproofing can void your building warranty and cause thousands of dollars in water damage.
Call a plumber when: the shower drips continuously after the taps are fully closed (worn cartridge or seat), water appears on the ceiling below the bathroom, tiles are loose or grout is cracking and water is getting behind, the shower base leaks (water appears outside the shower area), water pressure has dropped noticeably, or the mixer tap is difficult to operate or does not hold temperature.
These issues involve either the water supply (which requires a licensed plumber by law) or the waterproofing system (which requires specialist assessment).
The waterproofing membrane behind your shower tiles is the critical barrier preventing water from entering the wall structure. When this membrane fails — due to age, movement, or poor original installation — water penetrates behind the tiles and causes timber rot, mould growth, and structural damage.
Signs of waterproofing failure include: loose tiles, crumbling grout that keeps returning despite re-grouting, musty smell in the bathroom, water stains on adjacent walls or the ceiling below, and bubbling or peeling paint outside the shower area. A failed membrane typically requires the shower to be stripped and rebuilt — there is no reliable patch repair for compromised waterproofing.
Modern showers use either individual hot/cold taps or a single mixer cartridge. When these wear out, the shower drips, does not shut off completely, or cannot maintain temperature. Mixer cartridges are brand-specific and must be matched exactly to the valve body installed in your wall.
We carry common cartridge brands on the van (Caroma, Dorf, Methven, Grohe) and can usually complete the repair in a single visit. For older or discontinued mixers where cartridges are no longer available, a full mixer replacement may be required.
A shower dripping once per second wastes approximately 20,000 litres per year. At current Sydney Water rates, that is over $50 per year in wasted water — plus the cost of heating it if it is the hot tap.
Legally, any work on the water supply (including cartridge replacement) must be performed by a licensed plumber in NSW. The water supply must be isolated, and incorrect installation can cause flooding.
Signs include: loose tiles, grout that keeps cracking, musty smell, water stains on walls or ceiling below, and bubbling paint. A plumber can perform a flood test to confirm.
A simple cartridge or washer replacement is typically $150–$250. Waterproofing issues requiring shower rebuild start from $3,000–$5,000+ depending on the extent of damage.
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