Stop using the shower, contain the escaped water and check for electrical hazards. If water continues to flow, isolate the supply only if you can do so safely. Observe where the leak appears, but arrange professional assessment for persistent, substantial or concealed leaks.
Take these steps first
- Turn off the shower: Do not keep using it to test the leak.
- Limit water damage: Use towels or a container, dry the floor and move vulnerable items. Check adjoining rooms and the ceiling below for moisture.
- Stay clear of electrical hazards: Do not touch wet lights, power points, appliances or switchboards. Keep everyone away and call 000 if there is an immediate threat to life; otherwise, contact licensed electrical and plumbing professionals.
- Isolate the water supply if flow continues: Use a known, safely accessible fixture isolation valve. Otherwise, turn off the property’s main stop tap, often near the water meter. Do not force a seized or damaged valve.
- Do not dismantle fixed components: Removing taps, wastes, tiles or wall linings may be unsafe and can worsen damage. Do not cover an unidentified active leak with silicone.
Narrow down the source safely
Use these signs as clues rather than a diagnosis:
- Shower head: Dripping after the controls are firmly off may mean a tap or internal valve is not sealing.
- Tap or mixer: Water around a handle, spindle, mixer body or wall penetration may indicate a leaking fitting or concealed connection.
- Drain: Moisture appearing while water drains may involve the waste, drain body or connected pipework. Avoid repeated testing because it can increase concealed damage.
- Enclosure: Water at screen edges, door tracks, corners or wall-to-floor joints may be escaping through a failed seal or junction. Cracked grout or damaged silicone is a clue, not proof of waterproofing membrane failure.
Water can travel behind tiles, along pipes and through building materials, so the visible wet patch may not identify the source. Do not open walls, lift tiles or remove fixed plumbing to investigate.
When to call a licensed plumber
Call a licensed plumber promptly if the leak continues when the shower is off, cannot be safely isolated, or appears to involve a tap, outlet, pipe or drain.
Seek urgent help for:
- uncontrolled flow or flooding
- water near electrical fittings or wiring
- a bulging, stained or sagging ceiling; keep clear of the area below
- dampness outside the enclosure or in an adjoining room
- mould, softened materials or other signs of concealed damage.
A small contained drip may not be an emergency, but persistent leaks still need assessment. Plumbing and drainage work in NSW may require an appropriately licensed contractor; waterproofing or building defects may require another qualified trade.
If the leak persists, is concealed or cannot be safely isolated, contact our Sydney plumbing team for assessment.