I've had a slow drip leak under my shower for a week now. It's gotten really annoying with the water bill. I looked into it a bit, and it seems to be coming from the cartridge in the shower valve. Can I replace it myself or do I really need to call a plumber?
The thing people often forget is to turn off the water BEFORE you start, otherwise you'll end up flooded in two seconds once you unscrew it. After that, it's true that changing a cartridge isn't rocket science if you have a wrench that fits your model, but heads up: before you buy the replacement part, make sure you write down your mixer's brand and model (check underneath or behind the handle), because each manufacturer has its own cartridges and they're not compatible with each other. If you struggle to identify it or you're worried you'll get it wrong, just taking a photo and sending it to the hardware store usually does the trick.
I've already had the same problem at home and I managed to change the cartridge myself, so it's totally doable without a plumber if you have some basic tools. Most cartridges can be changed in less than an hour. First, shut off the main water supply (the main valve), then remove the trim ring of the mixer - there's often a hidden screw under a small chrome or plastic cap. Once you have access to the cartridge, unscrew it and take it out. Before you throw it away, bring it with you to the hardware store to get the exact reference number, otherwise it's gonna be a nightmare finding the right one.
Keep your eyes on the seals and small parts that fall during disassembly - honestly that's where you lose time searching for stuff on the floor. When you put it back together, make sure everything goes back in the right order and that you've put the seals back properly, otherwise you're gonna have leaks again. The new cartridge costs like 15-50 euros depending on your brand, so it's way cheaper than calling a plumber. If after the change you see there's still a leak somewhere else (like at the main connection), then you can think about calling a pro, but generally it's just the cartridge that's the problem.
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