How to Fix a Shower Leak Behind the Wall: Trace the leak to the shower arm and elbow connection, remove the arm, clean and wrap the threads with plumber’s tape, then reinstall the shower arm. This project is continued from How to Fix a Shower Leak Behind the Wall.
Shower Arm and Elbow Connection is Leaking
I reattached the shower head then turned on the shower. The shower leak was plainly seen. The leak was coming from the threaded joint at the shower arm and the drop ear elbow:
Shower Leak behind the Wall Repair: Shower Arm and Elbow Joint Leaking
I unscrewed the shower arm from the elbow and observed that:
- The shower arm was threaded-in very tightly – this is good.
- The threads were sealed with pipe joint compound – also good.
- The pipe joint compound had become brittle and dry, this caused the shower leak.
The shower arm is pictured below. The pipe joint compound is the white stuff in pipe threads:
Shower Arm Leak Repair: Old and Brittle Pipe Joint Compound
Shower Arm Leak Repair
A brass-bristle wire brush was used to clean the old pipe joint compound from the threads of the shower arm. Brass is a soft metal and won’t scratch the nickel finish. The shower arm was polished with a cotton cloth.
Fix a Shower Leak: Shower Arm after Cleaning the Threads
The shower arm threads are sealed with Teflon plumber’s tape. Wrap the tape clockwise (with the pipe end facing you) so the tape won’t unwrap as the shower arm is threaded into the drop ear elbow inside the wall:
Shower Leak Repair: Wrap the Shower Arm Threads with Teflon Plumbers Tape
The shower arm threads wrapped after Teflon plumber’s tape is shown in the following photo. I prefer Teflon tape for this job over pipe joint compound because I wouldn’t be able to get a wrench on the elbow to really tighten the joint and I felt that Teflon tape does a better job of sealing gaps in the pipe threads.
Show Leak Repair: Shower Arm Threads Wrapped in Teflon Tape
The old pipe joint compound was cleaned from the drop ear elbow with the brass wire brush before reattaching the shower arm:
Drop Ear Elbow for the Shower Arm
The shower arm was threaded into the drop ear elbow inside the wall and the shower head reattached. Then the shower is turned on to watch the plumbing joint for leaks. No leaks! Problem solved!
Shower Leak inside the Wall Repair: Check the Shower Arm for Leaks
Install a Shower Plumbing Drywall Access Panel
The ugly inspection opening in the drywall was covered by 12 inch by 12 inch white return grill purchased from Lowes. The grill can be easily removed for maintenance or repair if needed in the future.
Drywall Plumbing Access Panel: White Return Air Grill
Here’s a better perspective of the bathtub/shower and wet wall with the newly installed white grill.
Shower Leak behind the Drywall Repair: Wet Wall and Bathroom
Update: bauco softline Access Panels
I was later introduced to the bauco softline access panels and replaced the air return grill for a better and more professional solution.
bauco softline Access Panel: Shower Plumbing Drywall Installation
The final task is to paint the downstairs closet ceiling to cover the water stain.
Thanks for reading,
Bob Jackson
Copyright © 2019 HandymanHowTo.com Reproduction strictly prohibited.
Thanks for the great tips and photos!
What do you do if the threaded joint at the shower arm and the drop ear elbow are rusted?
Take a bath. :-)
Remove the shower arm and clean the drop ear elbow threads with a small wire brush and blow clean with compressed air. Is the rust mainly cosmetic or are the threads heavily corroded and about to fail? If the drop ear elbow interior threads are still in OK condition, coat the threads with pipe joint compound and install a new shower arm.
Otherwise, you’ll have to replace the drop ear elbow. That could be a major task if there’s no access panel and you have to tear open the wall.
My shower arm broke-off and the very end is stuck/glued into the pipe. Nipple extender can’t get it out. What is my next step besides tearing out a tile wall? Do I have one?
Desperate in NJ
Is the drop ear elbow and broken shower arm made of metal or plastic? Are you sure the shower arm is screwed into the drop ear elbow?
If you’re certain the shower arm is screwed into the elbow, try a different pipe nipple extractor tool as different brands may be work better:
Cobra PST167 Pipe Nipple Extractor Set
An internal pipe wrench may work where a nipple extractor won’t:
General Tools 139/4 Internal Pipe Wrenchs
Thanks for the really good instruction and pictures – will give it a try tomorrow!
This has nothing to do wth what I’m going to ask….the plumber fix the leak but our homeowners is to repair the drywall. The hole has been open for a month right at our tub.
Can this cause mold in the wall if not closed soon. Please email me. I would so much appreciate an answer Judy.
It won’t cause mold and should aid the drying out process by exposing the wall cavity to the air.
Hi Bob,
This was the best explanation I have ever read! My son was upstairs taking a shower and I was below and felt drip, drip. I knew it was coming from the shower above. I’m having a waterline guy coming to inspect Sunday. There is so much water-mine might not be the shower arm it might be the water line we will see. Thank you!
I changed the shower head arm with a new used teflon tape put it back on and still have a leak behind the shower wall , could I have done something wrong?
Maybe. Are you certain the shower arm threaded connection to the drop ear elbow was leaking? Can you see the leak now?
If so, remove the shower arm, clean the threads on both the shower arm and inside the drop ear elbow. Check the shower arm for damaged threads, mineral deposits, etc. In fact, you might just buy a new shower arm at the home improvement store – it’s inexpensive about $10. Rewrap the shower arm threads with plumber’s tape and install it. Check for leaks and try tightening the shower arm one full turn if it’s still leaking.
Thanks,
Bob
Shower (2 sided glass with a door style) leaking onto bathroom floor? I reapplied caulk around base of shower inside, no change or maybe made it worse? How do I figure out where the leak is coming from? Please help. Thanks.
To check if the shower pan is leaking:
1. Towel dry the shower pan.
2. Remove the shower drain strainer.
3. Install an inflatable drain test plug. Inflate the rubber test plug with a bicycle tire pump.
4. Measure 1 inch above the shower pan and place a 3 inch piece of duct tape on the curb above the 1 inch mark. This is your fill line.
5. Fill a bucket with water from the kitchen or laundry sink and pour it in the shower pan until the water level meets the bottom of the duct tape fill line. DO NOT operate the shower when filling the bucket in case there’s a shower plumbing leak.
6. When the shower pan is filled with 1 inch of water, look for leaks around the base of the shower. 30 minutes should be sufficient.
If you see a leak deflate & remove the drain plug to empty the water. You now know there’s a leak in the shower or possibly the shower drain. Tracing the leak source will depend on your shower pan construction – is it tiled or fiberglass? If fiberglass is the curb molded into the pan or as it appears with your shower separate pieces glued & caulked in place.
You can e-mail photos to bob[at]handymanhowto.com replace the [at] with the @ symbol.
Thanks,
Bob
Hi Bob,
I am changing shower heads. For one I am adding an extension to adjust the hight of the head. the old hand held shower head leaked at the head / arm connection. The arm is tight to hand & is facing downward- normal. When I attached the extension set up I turned to wrench tight. now the extension arm is lop-sided-
not in proper alignment. Do I take the extension arm off the arm & put lots+ of teflon tape on it so that it snugs up hand tight & properly in-line?
The other project is a tub & changing a normal shower head to a handheld. When I removed it, the arm was loose & tightened hand tight to a 9 o’clock position. Do I remove it, clean & rewrap with lots+ teflon tape applied clockwise & clean the drop ear elbow & reattach the arm to snug hand tight & aligned? Do you think it may have been so loose that it leaked? there is no evidence of same.
Thanks a lot for all your help.
Dave
Shower arm extension: Yes – I would wrap a few extra layers of tape around the shower arm extension so it doesn’t drip when aligned but not completely tight. The good news is any drips will fall to the shower floor so it’s only a cosmetic issue. If it’s still not satisfactory try a shower arm extension from a different manufacturer because the thread start o’clock position may be more favorable and/or quality and taper.
Bathtub shower arm: Best to buy a new arm. The drop ear elbow female threads are tapered. The new arm will get progressively tighter as it’s turned in the elbow and it’s not necessary to over tighten it. Wrap 4 or 5 turns of plumber’s tape around the arm threads, turn it hand-tight (snug) into the elbow, then no more than 1/2 to 1 extra turns – you should feel a rapid increase in resistance at this point – until it’s properly oriented. The tapered threads and tape will make a water tight seal. Wait 15 mins and check for leaks.
Hi Bob,
Your site here is a godsend. I read with interest the 2nd part of this column, as I seem to have that exact problem: shower arm leaking(I think). Maybe at the same place as pictured in your post. We noticed the shower was leaking behind the main floor shower wall – from dripping down under it in the basement and from the fact that you can see water leaking out also from behind the trim plate in the shower stall itself.
So from your column I am guessing I have to remove the shower arm and inspect it and possibly replace it(hopefully that is all, anyway). I was just wondering if there was a certain tool which would be helpful in removing it, and this may seem a stupid question, but also which way to turn it… the usual left-to-loosen and right-to-tighten? I know some pipes can be differently threaded, that’s why I ask that.
Thank you immensely for any help you can give!
No tools are needed to remove and install the shower arm. A wrench would mar the finished, too.
Grasp the shower arm with both hands – one at the base and the other past the bend; the bend provides enough off-center leverage to turn the arm. The shower arm has a standard right-hand thread: lefty-loosey (counter clockwise) and righty-tighty (clockwise).
Ok, I will try that, thanks again!
Hi,
This is the best article I could find describing my problem. :) But, I’ve noticed the drywall at the top of my fiberglass shower wall is showing water stains, almost all the way around the wall. It seems to be getting higher and higher. I was trying to avoid having to take the whole shower and tub out. It is one big piece. Could it be the shower head leak you are talking about above? I’m a single mom, so I can’t really afford a plumber, so any help would be greatly appreciated! I can send pictures if you need me to. Thanks!
Is the shower head mounted on the drywall above the top of the fiberglass shower stall? I’m thinking it’s cause by one of two things:
1. Water is dripping from the shower head or arm onto the top of the shower stall and running horizontally around the wall.
– or more likely –
2. Heavy condensation on the drywall from a steamy shower is dripping down the wall, pooling on the top rim of the shower stall and soaking into the drywall. From there the water is wicking up the porous drywall via capillary suction.
If the shower head or arm were leaking per situation #1 it seems unlikely the water would travel around the corners of the shower stall, instead it would spread out several inches left & right below the shower head before running down the side of the stall.
For situation #2 the warm moist air from the shower can condense on the cooler drywall above the shower stall and wick down evenly on all sides to the top rim of the stall. Take a close look at the drywall before and after a shower. Do you see beads and streams of condensate? If the caulk seal between the fiberglass stall and drywall is missing or deteriorated, the condensate water will eventually soak through the drywall and wick upward creating the water stains on all sides. Best get a step ladder and inspect the top rim of the shower stall. Is the caulk missing, cracked or the drywall paint peeling? If so the repair is to remove the old caulk and chipped/lifting paint, wait several days for the drywall to thoroughly dry, apply a high quality shower & bath paint, then recaulk the joint with a silicone mildew resistant non-paintable caulk.
You can e-mail photos to bob[at]handymanhowto.com, replace the [at] with the @ symbol.
Thanks,
Bob
Hello,
Your opinion needed, I have a leak somewhere in my shower wall, it will leak when the shower is not being used, so I cant turn the water on in the house. Before I go into the drywall should I replace the shower arm? Your thoughts.
Thanks, John
If the shower arm were leaking the leak would stop a short time after the water supply to the house is shutoff or the shower valve closed. The shower arm screws into a drop ear elbow and shouldn’t being holding water. My shower arm only leaked when the arm was pressurized with running water.
It’s easy enough to remove the shower head and escutcheon (trim plate) to look for a leak. If you don’t see a problem you’ll need to open up the drywall to trace the source.
From the helpful descriptions you give, it appears our shower leak may well be coming from the drop ear elbow. However, the leak seems to only occur if the shower head is removed from the holder and is moved around by the person taking the shower. Does this indicate the shower valve may be at fault? Thank you.
OK – you have a handshower (shower head on a hose). Because the shower only leaks when the head is removed from the holder and moved around, it’s probably caused the shower arm to loosen a bit and leak at the drop ear elbow. The drop ear elbow takes all the stress & load from the shower arm and handshower.
The drop ear elbow has two plumbing connections: 1) The water supply inlet pipe which is normally a solder joint connection and almost never leaks; 2) the shower arm threaded outlet. The shower arm joint is way more likely to leak.
Try removing the shower arm, clean the threads, wrap it with plumber’s thread seal tape and reinstall as explained in the project. It’s an easy repair and plumber’s tape only costs a couple of dollars.
Hi Bob I think this is probably my problem as well. I’ve had a few plumbers over who have tried to do minimal repairs such as one that replaced the cartridge and the most recent one just caulked around my spout. The first one mentioned opening the wall and I agreed to do that but they keep putting it off. This has been going on since March and it’s getting really frustrated. I am to the point that I’d like to do it myself. If it’s not this particular problem, what else could it be and is that something I can try to do myself? Do you have any idea how much it would cost for a plumber to do the job? Thanks!
“caulked around the spout” is like sweeping dirt under the rug! Try cleaning and reinstalling the shower arm first because it’s a fairly simple and inexpensive task.
If you’ve not done drywall and plumbing work before then I don’t recommend trying it yourself. It’s too easy to get in over your head and end up calling a plumber after all.
The best way to get an idea of the cost is to contact three licensed plumbers, explain the problem – persistent hard to find leak, probably need to cut the drywall, install an access panel for future contingencies – and ask for the diagnostic fee. Once the leak is found they can tell you how much it’ll cost to fix it.
Hi Bob I have a leak also only when we take showers. We’ve been taking baths to prevent water from leaking into my bedroom. When I pull the knob on the bathtub faucet to shower, the leak happens. Also there is still water coming out of the tub faucet when the shower is on. Major problem or not? I’m gonna start by replacing the shower arm. What do you think?
> When I pull the knob on the bathtub faucet to shower, the leak happens.
That’s strong indication the shower arm is probably leaking where it screws into the drop ear elbow.
> Also there is still water coming out of the tub faucet when the shower is on.
The flow diverter in the bathtub spout is wearing out and leaking, a common issue that’s unrelated to the leaky shower. When you pull pop-up knob on the tub spout it closes a gate and redirects the water to the shower head. See the Tub Spout Installation Guide by PlumbingSupply.com for replacement instructions.
Bob,
I have a water issue in my shower as well. It happens when I turn on the water knobs in my shower. But the water is leaking from behind the gasket where the knobs are attached and water is falling down the wall into the shower and behind the wall. Please help!
Your shower has separate hot and cold water knobs, correct? If so, it’s probably a bad bonnet or packing washer on the shower faucet stem. My advice it to call a plumber because you’ll need special wrenches and tools to remove the faucet stem and match it the correct repair parts.
See:
Shower Faucet Repair (thorough step by step.)
How to Repair a Leaking Tub Faucet
Bob,
I have a similar issue ( I guess). We have a walk in shower with tiled walls. We have occasional leak from this bath room to the dining room in first floor. We have a hand held shower similar to what you have shown and we have splashed water on all the walls and directly on the shower valve and the shower arm but no leak occurs. When we close the shower valve, we notice that a handful of water leaks into our dining room downstairs. Few months back we had got new plumber’s teflon tape put and maybe that is given way and maybe we are having a leak at the same location as what you have shown. Before opening everything, I want to get your opinion. I too don’t have an access window to look at the joints.Please let me have your opinion on possible cause and a solution.
Hold a bucket under the shower head, fill and empty it in the sink. Repeat until you’ve used 5 gallons of water. It’s important that no water goes down the shower drain.
Is water leaking on the ceiling?
* If yes, the leak is in the supply plumbing. Maybe the shower drop-ear elbow & shower arm joint, shower valve or possibly elsewhere due to a bad solder joint. Remove the shower arm and shower valve escutcheons to shine a flashlight and look for drips. Note the shower arm elbow joint will only leak when the shower is running.
* If no, the shower drain may be the culprit.
Bob,
My shower arm elbow behind the shower wall has come loose, how do I retighten or reattach it back to the studs or wall it was attached to. my plumbing access point is in a closet behind the bathroom, but it only allows for access down by the tub and so I cant reach up to where the elbow is loose.
am I forced cut another acess port up high from behind or make a larger hole in the shower wall to allow for a long drill\screwdriver to reach the place where the elbow is loose.
Im afraid that if I completely remove the shower head neck from the elbow, it will move to a point left or right, that I wont be able to retread it again. its loose but not leaking but Im looking to replace the fixture\showerhead soon.
Thanks for any help offered
It’s called a drop ear elbow. The elbow has mounting ears and is fastened to cross blocking with screws. See How to Finish a Basement Bathroom – Shower Plumbing for installation details.
If you remove the shower arm escutcheon there may be enough of a gap between the shower arm and shower wall to shine a flash to see why the drop ear elbow has come loose. You’ll likely have to cut a sizeable opening in wall behind the shower head to fix the problem. I’d install an access panel but drywall is not too difficult to replace or repair.
Thanks Bob, Ill Give a shot.
I cleaned and threaded the arm. Screwed it back in and I still see dripping water coming out through the arm. Could it be the drop ear elbow?
Did you wrap the threads with Teflon plumber’s tape? The threads will leak without the tape.
Hi Bob,
We have a mysterious leak on a side wall from the the shower stall that nobody can figure out. Is there a way to email you a photo?
Thanks, Tatiana
E-mail photos to bob[at]handymanhowto.com, replace the [at] with the @ symbol.
Have a leak inside wall of walk in shower….. Have checked drain,caulking, and pipes…..at my wits in guess I’m gonna hafta call for help ?
Unless you’re willing to open up the wall to isolate the leak, it’s time to call a plumber.
I found a water leak in my linen closet next to my shower. I called a plumber and he said my shower arm was leaking, so he fixed that. Since then I haven’t used that shower, but I still notice a very small amount of water leaking through the base board next to the tub. What could be the cause of that?
The shower arm could still be leaking. If you can wiggle the escutcheon down the arm, tape some toilet paper tissue to a drinking straw or piece of wire and dab it around the base of the arm at the drop ear elbow. Toilet paper is a great leak detector and will reveal if the joint is still leaking.
If the shower arm joint is dry then you’ll have to inspect the rest of the shower plumbing. Cutting an access panel is the best way but you could try drilling a small hole(s) and looking inside with waterproof snake camera
. The camera focal distance is only 1 to 2-3/8 inches (typical for snake cameras) so it can be challenging to see the big picture but with persistence you can crawl the pipes.
Needed a new shower arm, after cleaning people pulled it out of the wall. It looks as if the female copper threads had just a slight amount of damage. Replaced shower arm, and used teflon tape. It produced a very slight trickle of a leak with teflon tape. So I took it out. Then I used tape and pipe dope. At first I saw no leaks, but then there was an ever so small droplet forming over a couple minutes. It’s next to nothing – almost condensation. Because the pipe in the wall might have been damaged, I am tempted to leave as is. It’s really not producing much water leak at all. I will check in a few days and next week. Is this a big problem?
If it’s still leaking after pipe dope and tape, it will likely grow worse. A drop every few minutes won’t evaporate quickly enough to prevent mold and water damage.
For details of the shower arm to drop ear elbow connection, see How to Finish a Basement Bathroom – Part 7. I used plumber’s tape only and it hasn’t leaked in 11 years.
Hi Bob,
Thanks for the detailed troubleshooting! It felt so relevant not only because I have the same problem, but I have the identical hand-held shower head!! The cause of my leak may not be at the shower head, however. The shower leaks behind the wall EVEN without turning the shower on! So I suspect the leak is at the valve. It leaks even after I replaced the cartridge.
So far I’ve installed 2 ball valves at the shower water supplies so I can take my time without having to shut off the water main. I now have to decide where to cut open the drywall. In your case, had the problem been the shower valve, would you cut open the drywall at the shower valve position? TIA!
A leak when the shower valve is shutoff strongly suggests a leak in the supply plumbing. Cut a small 3 or 4 inch hole that’s large enough to see through at the shower valve. If you’ve found the leak enlarge the hole to work on the valve. If the leak is elsewhere, a small hole is easier to patch.
Thanks Bob. I haven’t cut the dry wall, but I’ve since spotted a leak on the hot water supply to the mixing valve interface. It looks like CPVC piping. I’ve uploaded a video clip to youtube: https://youtu.be/gRBmufIEHEs Do you think this is a DIY or is it time to hire a plumber now that I’ve narrowed down the problem? It seems a matter of opening a hole behind the wall to tighten the CPVC-to-valve nut?
You’re the first to make a YouTube video showing the problem! Very nice!
Cut a larger hole in the drywall and tighten the nut. If that doesn’t fix it, call a plumber. The plumber would have to cut open the wall anyway, so you’ve saved him the trouble.
Sound like a plan! Thanks Bob!
So I cut a hole on the drywall and got a good look of the piping (https://photos.app.goo.gl/fPfLHBnn626mXcQG6). Now the problem is the shower mixing valve has an adaptor on it which is in turn glued to the CPVC elbow and the whole piping fixture. So I can’t really tighten or loosen the adaptor which is where the leak is. What would you do? To tighten it, I would need to cut the CPVC pipe, but I don’t know how to detach the elbow. Perhaps I would need to replace both the adaptor and the elbow. Do you know how the adaptor is attached to the shower mixing valve?
That’s a CVPC threaded male adapter going into the shower valve. Because the other adapter to the shower head is all plastic, the water supply adapter is also plastic. The plastic threads tend to work loose and leak over time due to temperature changes. You can’t tighten it because it’s glued to the supply pipe. Replacing it is simple:
1 – Shutoff the house water supply.
2 – Cut the CPVC supply pipe about 2 inches below the elbow. A PVC pipe cutter does a great job and you’ll later need it to install new pipe.
2 – Saw off the elbow where it connects to adapter. You’ll be sawing diagonally due to the tight space and angle. Do not cut the hex head flange of the CPVC adapter.
The elbow has to be cut off because it’s so close to the shower stall cement backer board, otherwise you won’t be able to unscrew the CPVC adapter.
3 – Use a wrench to unscrew the CPVC adapter from the shower valve.
4 – Take the pieces to a home improvement or better a plumbing supply store (e.g. Ferguson).
5 – Buy new parts that match size of the old parts:
* 1/2 in. CPVC x Stainless Adapter.
* Plumber’s teflon tape or pipe thread sealant. Use either tape or thread sealant.
* 1/2 inch CPVC elbow
* 1/2 inch CPVC coupler
* 1/2 inch CPVC pipe, 2 foot length will be plenty.
* CPVC cleaner and cement
To put it back together:
A – Clean the shower adapter interior threads with a small brass wire brush.
B – Wrap the male threads of the CPVC to stainless steel adapter with plumber’s tape or apply a generous coat of pipe thread sealant.
C – Screw the CPVC stainless adapter into the shower valve. Tighten it with a wrench. Brace the shower valve if possible when torquing the adapter tight.
D – Measure and cut a short length of 1/2 CPVC pipe to join the new elbow to the CPVC side of the adapter. Dry fit the parts until you’ve got necessary alignment with the vertical supply pipe. Do not glue anything together at this point.
E – Dry fit the CPVC coupler on the vertical end of the supply pipe.
F – Measure and cut a length of CPVC pipe to span the gap between the new elbow and coupler. Dry fit the short section of new pipe, elbow and coupler.
Check that all dry fit parts are fully seated and you’re satisfied that everything is in alignment like the original setup.
Take apart the dry fitted parts. Clean the mating surfaces with CPVC cleaner. Starting at the vertical supply pipe, glue on the coupler and work your way up with the other parts. The CPVC glue sets very quickly once the parts are pressed together. The reason for beginning final assembly by joining the coupler to the supply pipe is the pipe will flex sideways and provide clearance for the final gluing of the elbow and very short piece of pipe to the CPVC/stainless adapter.
Bob,
Wow, really appreciate your step-by-step instruction. I was really helpful until the unthinkable happened — as I attempted to unscrew the adapter, it broke off, leaving the threaded portion inside the valve!! Obviously, glue was used in addition to just teflon tape. I did some research and bought a nipple extractor but the attempt was futile. Now I fear not only would I require a professional but he’d have to replace the valve… Any hope? I almost just want to melt that remaining CPVC adapter down…
Thermal cycles (heat & cold) is probably what caused the CPVC adapter to work loose and develop a leak. Applying heat to the broken adapter may cause the other two adapters (hot water supply and shower head) to leak as well. Yeah, time to call a plumber to replace the entire shower valve but this time using CPVC to steel adapters.
Thank you Bob. I appreciate all the support you’ve given!!
PS. CPVC indeed a time-bomb :( https://www.clickorlando.com/news/plumbers-warn-of-cpvc-piping-problems_20151105190735671
CPVC may be a repeat of the Polybutylene Pipe debacle.
More on CPVC problems: https://www.plasticpipefailure.com/articles