Domakihub How to Fix a Dripping Shower and Stop Wasting Water
A step-by-step guide to diagnosing and silencing a leaky shower head or faucet yourself.
Reviewed by Domakihub home & decor pros · 2026-06-23 · 5 min read
A shower that drips after you turn it off can waste hundreds of litres of water a month — a real problem in Greece, where water bills and conservation both matter. The video above walks through the repair visually; the steps below give you the full process in writing so you can pause, check, and work at your own pace. Whether you manage a family home, a holiday rental, or a small hotel, this is a fix most people can handle without calling a plumber.
Why a shower keeps dripping
A dripping shower almost always traces back to one of three culprits: a worn cartridge inside the mixer valve, a corroded or cracked O-ring seal, or mineral build-up that stops the valve seating cleanly. In Greece, limescale from hard water is an especially common trigger — it grinds down rubber seals and coats moving parts faster than in softer-water regions.
Single-handle thermostatic mixers (common in modern Greek apartments and hotel en-suites) use a replaceable cartridge. Two-handle setups use individual stem valves for hot and cold. Knowing which type you have before you buy parts saves a wasted trip to the plumbers' merchant.
Tools and parts you will need
Most dripping-shower repairs require only basic tools: an adjustable spanner or basin wrench, a set of flat-head and Phillips screwdrivers, pliers, and a small pick or awl for removing O-rings. Have a cloth or small towel on hand to catch drips when you open the valve body.
For replacement parts, bring the old cartridge or O-ring to the hardware store (χαρδουάρε) so you can match it exactly. Major brands such as Grohe, Hansgrohe, and Geberit — all widely stocked in Greece — sell branded replacement cartridges. Generic O-ring kits (around €3–6) cover most two-handle valves.
How to fix a dripping shower: 5 steps
- 1
Shut off the water supply
Turn off the water to the shower at the isolation valve behind the wall panel or at the main stopcock for the bathroom. Open the shower valve briefly to release any remaining pressure and confirm no water flows. Place a towel over the drain to catch screws and small parts.
- 2
Remove the handle and trim plate
Locate the decorative cap on the centre of the handle — it usually pops off with a flat-head screwdriver to reveal a retaining screw. Remove that screw, pull the handle straight off, then unscrew or unclip the escutcheon (trim plate) behind it. Photograph the assembly with your phone before you go further so you have a reference for reassembly.
- 3
Extract the cartridge or stem valve
For a single-handle mixer, use pliers to pull out the retaining clip (a small U-shaped pin) then grip the cartridge body and pull it straight out. Note which way it faces — most cartridges are directional. For a two-handle valve, use a basin wrench to unscrew the stem anti-clockwise and lift it out. Inspect both for cracking, limescale crust, or visibly flattened rubber.
- 4
Replace the worn part and clean the valve seat
Fit the new cartridge in the same orientation as the old one and press it fully home until the retaining clip slots back in. If you are replacing O-rings on a stem valve, roll the old rings off with a pick, lightly coat the new ones with plumber's grease, and roll them into their grooves. While the valve body is open, rinse out any limescale debris with a damp cloth — a clean seat prevents the new seal from failing early.
- 5
Reassemble and test
Reverse the disassembly order: escutcheon, handle, retaining screw, decorative cap. Turn the water supply back on slowly. Run the shower at full pressure for 30 seconds, then close it completely and watch for two minutes. No drip means you are done. If it still drips slowly, the valve seat itself may be pitted and need professional resurfacing or the valve body replaced — at that point it is worth calling a plumber.
Rather have a pro handle it?
Get a vetted plumbing pro in your city — one number, booked in EN/EL/DE.
FAQ
- How do I know if the problem is the cartridge or just an O-ring?
- If the shower drips from the head when the valve is closed, the cartridge (or stem seal) is the issue. If water leaks around the base of the handle or from behind the trim plate while the shower is running, a worn O-ring on the outside of the cartridge is the more likely cause. In practice, replacing both at the same time is cheapest because you have already opened the valve.
- Can a dripping shower cause damage to a Greek property?
- Yes. Beyond wasted water, a slow drip keeps the shower tray and grout permanently damp, encouraging mould and accelerating tile-grout deterioration — both expensive to remediate in older apartments or stone-floored holiday villas. Holiday-rental owners risk guest complaints and ENOIKIAZOMENΑ ΔΩΜΑΤΙΑ (let-room) inspection issues if bathrooms show damp damage.
- When should I call a plumber instead of doing it myself?
- Call a professional if: the valve body is visibly cracked or corroded through, the hot and cold water pressures are severely unbalanced (thermostatic mixers need balanced supply), the shower is inside a tiled wall with no access panel, or you cannot source the correct replacement cartridge for an older or non-branded mixer. A straightforward cartridge swap by a Greek plumber typically costs €40–90 including parts.