If water is staining the ceiling below your shower, pooling around the base, or the faucet drips after you turn it off, you have a shower leak. Most start at the cartridge, the shower arm, the drain seal or the tile joints, and a plumber finds out which with a water test. Start by closing the valve and drying the area. Our page on faucets, sinks, showers and disposals covers the nearby fixes.
What causes a shower to leak?
A shower leaks from a worn cartridge or valve seat, a loose or cracked shower arm, a failed drain seal, cracked grout or caulk, or a pinhole in a supply pipe inside the wall. Where the water shows up tells you the cause: dripping from the head points to the valve, a stain on the ceiling points to the wall or pan.
Here is how to read the clues:
| What you see | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Showerhead drips after you shut it off | Worn cartridge or valve seat |
| Water at the base of the wall or the shower arm | Loose arm, bad thread seal |
| Water beside the tub or shower pan | Drain seal, cracked grout or caulk |
| Stain or bubbling paint on the ceiling below | Leak inside the wall or under the pan |
| Water only while the shower runs | Drain or pan leak |
| Water even when nothing runs | Supply pipe leak |
Our guides on a leaky shower faucet and a leaky bathtub faucet walk through the visible fixes.
How do I find out if the leak is behind the wall?
Turn the shower off and watch your water meter: if the dial or low-flow indicator keeps moving while every faucet is closed, a supply pipe is leaking somewhere. Then look for stains, soft or bubbling drywall, a musty smell, or tile that has loosened. A plumber narrows it down with a pressure test.
Home checks that cost nothing:
- Close every fixture, read the meter, wait 15 minutes, read it again.
- Run only the shower for five minutes while someone watches the ceiling below. Then plug the drain, fill the pan or tub a few inches and watch again. Different results separate a supply leak from a drain leak.
- Press gently on the wall next to the shower. Soft drywall means water has been getting in for a while.
If the stain appeared without a clear source, read water spots on the ceiling but no leak for the other possible causes, such as condensation and roof leaks.
What should I do if a shower pipe bursts?
Shut off the water at the main valve, then open a faucet at the lowest point to drain the pipes. A burst or sprayed pipe in a shower wall is not a tape-and-wait repair. Move out what you can, call a plumber, and leave the wall alone. Photograph the damage for your records and any claim.
Steps in order:
- Close the main shut-off, usually where the water line enters the house or at the meter box.
- Switch off electricity to the room if water is near outlets, lights or a ceiling fixture, and only if you can reach the panel without standing in water.
- Mop, run fans and open windows to start drying.
- If the water heater is on the same line, it can stay on, but do not run it dry.
The damaged section has to be cut out and replaced by a plumber. Our emergency burst pipe page covers what to expect, and how to know if a pipe burst helps when you are not sure.
There is water leaking from the ceiling around a light fixture. What do I do?
Turn off the power to that light at the breaker, stay clear of the fixture, and catch the water in a bucket. Water and electricity in one ceiling is a hazard. If it is raining and there is a bath above, the leak may come from the bathroom, not the roof. Call an electrician and a plumber before you turn anything back on.
Do not flip the light switch to test it. Water collected in the fixture can short out a circuit. Poke a small hole in a bulging drywall bubble to drain it into a bucket if you can do it from a safe angle, because trapped water brings the whole panel down.
If the bath above is in use when it drips, a plumber can trace the shower drain, tub overflow and supply lines. Otherwise your roof or an air-conditioner drain line may be the source.
Why is there no water pressure in the tub but plenty everywhere else?
When only the tub or shower is weak, the problem is at that fixture: a clogged showerhead, a failing cartridge or diverter, a partly closed stop valve, or scale in the lines going to it. If all other faucets run strong, the main supply is fine. Clean the showerhead first, then suspect the valve.
A quick sequence:
- Unscrew the showerhead or tub spout aerator and soak it in a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water for an hour. Mineral scale is the common cause.
- Check the tub spout diverter. A stuck diverter sends the water to the wrong outlet and weakens the flow.
- Take the handle off and look at the cartridge. Debris or a failing seal can choke the flow on one side.
Our page on shower water pressure that is low goes through each cause. If hot is weak and cold is fine, the issue may be your water heater, so also check hot water pressure that is low.
Why did the water pressure in my bathroom sink suddenly drop?
A sudden drop at one bathroom sink is usually a clogged aerator or a partly closed shut-off valve under the basin. Unscrew the aerator and rinse out debris. Then check that both stop valves are fully open. If other fixtures also lost pressure at the same time, look at the main valve or a failing pressure regulator.
Debris often gets into the aerator after plumbing work or a water-main shutoff, because loosened scale flows into the faucet. If the aerator is clean and the valves are open, see our guide to bathroom sink low water pressure and pressure regulators.
What if I live in a mobile home and the sink or fixtures are leaking?
Manufactured homes are built to a federal HUD code, and many use flexible PEX supply lines with shut-off valves at each fixture. Kitchen and bathroom sink leaks there usually come from the same causes as any home: slip nuts, supply lines and valves. Pipes under the floor, or older polybutylene lines, are a plumber's job.
For mobile home sinks and fixtures:
- Close the fixture's own shut-off valve first. Each sink usually has one, so you do not need to shut off the whole home.
- Loose fittings from vibration and PEX crimp rings are a frequent cause of drips. Plumbers often cut out the damaged piece and splice in new tubing.
- Quick-connect push fittings can be a short-term fix, but some plumbers avoid them in concealed places.
- If your home has polybutylene piping (gray plastic), read polybutylene pipe replacement.
The HUD standard for manufactured home plumbing is 24 CFR Part 3280. Say you live in a mobile home when you ask for a visit, so the plumber brings the right parts.
How much does a plumber charge to fix a shower leak?
Published guides put a shower cartridge replacement at about $100 to $350, with Angi listing $170 to $398 in Los Angeles. A full shower valve replacement is listed at $225 to $575. If tile or drywall has to be opened, add roughly $7 to $25 per square foot for tile repair. These are a guide: your quote is the real price.
| Job | Typical range (published guides) |
|---|---|
| Shower cartridge replacement | $100 to $350 |
| Full shower valve replacement | $225 to $575 |
| Tile repair if the wall is opened | $7 to $25 per square foot |
| Leak inside a wall (any room) | $500 to $5,000 or more |
Prices climb when the access is poor, the valve is old and needs parts, the leak has damaged the wall, or a tub or pan has to be removed. For the general picture, read plumber cost and leak detection cost.
Do I need a permit to replace a shower valve in Los Angeles?
A simple cartridge swap is a repair. Replacing the valve or other fixtures can require a plumbing permit in the City of Los Angeles. LADBS lists replacing plumbing fixtures as an express permit with no plan check, which means it is quick, but it is not nothing. Ask the plumber if a permit applies to your job.
Because rules differ between the City, the County and other cities nearby, and between a repair and a replacement, check with LADBS at ladbs.org for your address. A plumber hired for a valve replacement should tell you who pulls the permit before work begins.
When should I call a plumber for a shower leak?
Call as soon as you see a ceiling stain, a soft wall, a leak that appears when nothing is running, or a meter that keeps moving. Cartridge drips can wait a few days if you close the valve, but water inside a wall does damage every day. Ask for a visit on our quote page and we'll arrange it.
You can see more of what we arrange on the home page and in our leak repair section.
Common questions
How long does a shower leak repair take?
A cartridge or showerhead fix takes roughly an hour. Replacing a valve takes longer, often two to four hours, because the plumber must reach it from behind the wall or through a hole cut in the drywall. If tile or drywall has to be repaired, drying and finishing add days, usually a different tradesperson.
Should I stop using the shower with a leak?
Yes, if water is escaping outside the tub or pan, or if there is a stain below. Using the shower pushes more water into the wall. If the only leak is a drip from the showerhead, you can keep using it but close the valve between uses. When in doubt, stop and call.
What should I ask before I hire a plumber for a shower leak?
Ask how the plumber will find the source, whether a wall may need to be opened, what the written quote covers and what it excludes, and if a permit is needed. Ask who repairs tile or drywall afterward. We'll arrange a visit and a quote through our quote page.
Does someone need to be at the property?
Usually yes, at least at the start, so the plumber can see the leak, enter the bathroom and agree the work with you. The shower should be dry and clear of toiletries. If you cannot be home, tell us when you ask for the visit.
Will my home insurance cover a shower leak?
It depends on your policy. Sudden, accidental water damage is often covered, while gradual leaks and wear are often excluded. Photograph everything, keep the receipts and call your insurer before repairs begin, because they may want to inspect. Our page on insurance and burst pipes explains what to ask.