Leaky shower is wasting water
- Joined: Jun 17th, 2008
- Posts: 16
I'm sorry for posting this here, but I'm at the end of my tether. My shower head leaks ALL the time. I've contacted the landlord and he said there's nothing he can do about it. I don't even care about the money I'm spending on the wasted water, but I feel terrible about this water.
Does Beijing have any kind of water department or someone who can help me? I don't know what to do.
Thanks.
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, pee in it, and serve it to the people that piss you off!
Count_zero
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
buy new shower head?
Monkey King
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
I understand the sentiment. But ecologically speaking, I don't know how you manage to live in Beijing if some wasted water gets you so worked up.
CZ is right, a DIY solution is about your only option here. If you're extremely lucky, your landlord might let you deduct the amount of the new part from your rent.
Happy New Year 2Bi! I hereby grant you early release for a month of good behavior.
Don't violate your parole though, naughty naughty!
wave
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
A new shower head won't do it. You'll need to either replace the tap washer, grind down the seating, or just replace the whole mixing valve on the wall. Depending on your setup it could be harder than just unbolting the old and putting the new one on. Either way you'll be paying for it, and shouldn't act too surprised when your land lord laughs at you when you ask for some money for it.
Sometimes the same is different, but mostly, it's the same.
Blueberry
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
I've purchased like 4 shower heads. It doesn't solve the problem. Wave is right. OK, I give up. I tried to be a good world citizen!
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, pee in it, and serve it to the people that piss you off!
wave
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
If you can find a stop valve at one of the local markets and put that on the wall, then screw the shower head on that, you can use it to stop the water. When you're finished and move out just take it with you. Get one that's got male thread on one end and female thread on the other. Screw the female end on the wall thread and the shower head over the male end of the stop valve.
You shower head might stick out an extra bit that's all.
Probably you cheapest and easiest solution for now.
Sometimes the same is different, but mostly, it's the same.
wave
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
Get one which looks something like this big chrome one in the big picture at the link
http://www.singo-brassvalves.com/Brass-Stop-Valve-Polished-Chromed-280.h...
Yours doesn't have to be chrome though, or have a fancy handle. Just take a shower head with you when you're on the hunt to make sure the thread size is the same. These valves should be quite cheap here I would guess.
Sometimes the same is different, but mostly, it's the same.
bobby_liu
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
if you call the gov responsible for water, THEY WILL LAUGH THEIR ASS TO HEAR THIS!!!!
THEY DONT CARE
Dao_of_the_Flip-flop
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
New shower head: 30 yuan.
"I am the Imelda Marcos of flip-flops."
wave
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
A new shower head isn't going to stop the problem. OP already said they bought 4 new shower heads and it didn't work.
I'm right, I'm right, I'm right.
The price of a new shower head 30yuan.
Common sense, priceless.
Sometimes the same is different, but mostly, it's the same.
HuanChu
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
Which part of the shower exactly is broken?
or
Or something totally different?
A very smart man wrote:
Dao_of_the_Flip-flop
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
OP probably didn't put it on correctly. OP sounds like a retard. Maybe OP should buy some teflon tape.
"I am the Imelda Marcos of flip-flops."
wave
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
It's very possible.
I just took it as being a leaky tap causing the shower to leak.
Sometimes the same is different, but mostly, it's the same.
silkywave3
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
Yes,the leaky shower problem is popular,because I did see the process when the workers install it. If the series is not installed precisely,the leaky shower problem will easily occur.
You need to have some worker to adjust it,if you can get one worker good at this along the road (小工). Or you can use the correct tool to fix it by yourself,maybe there is sth. is loose.
Temporary solution,use a huge bucket to contain the drops and use it every night.
Married
Monkey King
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
Wave seems to know his stuff here. Me, I'd probably go through 4 or 5 shower heads wondering why the problem didn't go away.
Happy New Year 2Bi! I hereby grant you early release for a month of good behavior.
Don't violate your parole though, naughty naughty!
wave
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
If it's leaking from the end of the shower head(where the water usually comes out), then the tap used to turn it on and off is the problem.
Unfortunately the majority of taps here are the single handled mixer valve type taps. These mostly have a ceramic disc cartridge inside, in the shape of a cylinder. Replacing this cylinder is the only way to stop it from leaking.
To find the correct part here would be hard without some local knowledge for sourcing it. You'd also need to know the make of the tap for the correct part #.
Sometimes the same is different, but mostly, it's the same.
peter123
drinking water filters
I’m impressed, you know what you’re talking about
http://www.coldwaterfilters.com
peter123
drinking water filters
I’m impressed, you know what you’re talking about
wave
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
I'm impressed that you managed to double post in the space of three minutes peter. Bump, bump, bump.
I'll even help out, because that's just the kind of guy I am.
Sometimes the same is different, but mostly, it's the same.
blossominmay
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
sorry to hear what happened to blueberry. i think you've bumped into a terrible landlord. good luck!
nothing yet...
blossominmay
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
well, i don't think all the landlords in beijing are jerks, at least mine's an understanding and reasonable one.
wish blueberry good luck again~
nothing yet...
yangsui
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
well
ui do think u are a good world citien
so what about the leaky thing now ?have u solved it or u just give up .
maybe u should find a new place to live and
good luck
Sciency
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
Right, they're going to great lengths to provide enough water for this city, so it's really absurd how much gets wasted by apathetic attitudes towards maintenance. Parts and plumbers are not particularly expensive, while the costs of NOT maintaining systems are. Landlords should get a boot up the ass for ignoring water problems and preventative maintenance. I've experienced three apartment floods since I moved to China, (and heard a lot of tales from from other people) and in every case the problems were reported and subsequently ignored long before the flood occurred. The most i ever got out of them was tape. All I can say is that if your main water valve is having any problems, replace it immediately even at your own cost. That's critical, cuz if that blows there's now way to stop a flood in time. One thing that could be blowing out your shower head/hose/connection is high water pressure. Try leaving the main valve in the half or three-quarters open position.
When I said 'death' before 'dishonor', I meant alphabetically.
wave
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
That's not going to help Sciency.
By turning the mains valve to the point even where it's just cracked open it's still going to result in a leaking shower. The flow rate will be less(maybe the same as the leak), but the pressure will still be the same as it's still an open and connected system.
I agree on the issue of water wastage here. There's plenty of people watering their plants with rainwater, reusing shower water, etc. But there's also a hell of a lot more being wasted with leaks.
Sometimes the same is different, but mostly, it's the same.
Sciency
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
Really? Worked for me. So either it must be a fluke, I'm lying, or you're full o' crap.
I'm going with you being full of crap. It's pretty clear that you failed to account for the hydrodynamic pressure to flow ratio coefficient's diminishing effect on friction and pressure distribution as determined by: C_p={p-p_\infty \over \frac{1}{2} \rho_\infty V_\infty^2}
NOTICE TO EVERYONE: Stop listening to Wave, he's a complete fraud. He just talks bigshot plumbing sh*t in the hopes of impressing gullible rubes. Don't fall for it.
When I said 'death' before 'dishonor', I meant alphabetically.
Herbz
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
Wave's right........
DJ/event info
beijingbass@yahoo.com
Mixes here - not event music
Sciency
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
No, I am. He's right that the pressure isn't reduced, but leakage *is*. And that's what we were talking about, yeah? Maybe I could have worded my earlier reply more aptly as a solution to leakage brought on by high water pressure (which obviously was the issue being addressed) rather than high water pressure per se. But whatever.
When I said 'death' before 'dishonor', I meant alphabetically.
wave
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
If you're talking about a leak which is faster than the amount your mains valve is letting though, then yes Sciency you are right in the point that it will slow it. It still won't stop that though. Once the system equalises the drip will continue at the same rate as the valve is letting pass through.
Obviously this is subject to the cause of the leak as washers can randomly seal at lower pressure, when the wind is blowing the right way and there's blue moon outside.
Notice to everyone:Don't listen to Sciency. He's a big girls blouse.
Sometimes the same is different, but mostly, it's the same.
Sciency
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
With a partially closed valve, there is a pressure difference on either side, caused by, are you ready for this... THE LEAK. See you're imagining a static system where the water never flows and pressure never changes, whereas I'm considering a dynamic holistic view of an ongoing process. All I can say is that I was having the following problems: toilet wouldn't stop flushing (ghost flushing sometimes), leaky shower, blown out shower hoses, leaky facet, malfunctioning washing machine. ALL of these problems were solved by partially closing off the main valve. So how about you explain *that* Mr. Know-it-all.
When I said 'death' before 'dishonor', I meant alphabetically.
wave
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
As I explained, different valves with react differently to lower pressure, also depending on how bad the leak is. This is why 'the majority' of leaks won't be solved my this method. Mains pressure isn't constant so it can't be classed as static. There's always a rise and fall depending on the time of day usually.
Sometimes the same is different, but mostly, it's the same.
foreign.lecturer
Re: Leaky shower is wasting water
Most of the valves in these apartments are your 10kuai at the local market variety, hardly worth replacing a washer/seat. Just grab a new one and swap it out, but make sure your main valve actually works before you dive in so you don't take a bath when you loosen the old one.
China has more pigs than America has people.