If you’ve been having problems with your shower faucet, it’s time to get on with repairing it as soon as possible.

Leaking faucets can not only cost you a lot in water bills (and not mention water wastage), but can also lead to more extensive damage to your shower unit. If water is continually running, even if only a little, in your shower recess, it can seep into cracks in your grout, then into your walls, house frame and even the carpets or floorboards of adjoining rooms.

Shower taps come in a range of types, so the first step to repairing any leak is to know what kind of tap you have. For example, a single cartridge-type of tap is one that is pulled to turn on and pushed to shut off. Each manufacturer of cartridge-type taps has a different way of securing the inner cartridge, but essentially the idea for each is the same.

Make sure the isolated pipe to your tap is shut off, or if that’s not possible, turn off your water at the mains. Then pry off the front cover, under which is usually a screw that secures the tap. Undo this, and then pull off the stop tube to reveal the cartridge. Every tap has some kind of retaining clip, and although it’s different for each, you should be able to find it easily enough. Lift this up, then pull out the old cartridge and replace it with a new one. Replace the stop cap, handle, screw and finally the cover.

Other tap types include single-handed ball-type faucets, which are constructed very differently to cartridge types, and have dome-shaped casings. If you have two taps in your shower, chances are you have either a ceramic disc or stem type valve tap. If you’re unsure what type of tap you have, ask a bathroom professional for help. They can not only help with the faucet repair, but also check to see if the leak has caused any damage to your bathroom.

Some leak repair companies, such as Megasealed, will include a free tap service as part of their shower leak repair service. However, there are some states in Australia where only a licensed plumber is allowed to service taps.