shower head causing leak downstairs

[jose cotelo]

Hi all,

I live in an apartment building (4th floor) and a couple of days ago I went to shower and without realizing I budged the shower head down too much and heard a snap. Shortly after, the pressure decreased from the shower head and water started leaking just outside my bathroom door and from another tenants bathroom (on the 1st floor). Note that if I don't turn on the shower head, and just use the base that there is no leakage, which leads me to believe that it may just be something near the shower head. I am wondering if anyone could give me insight into what's happened and/or how to go about fixing this?

Thank you in advance.

 

[havasu]

You need to open the wall up to confirm what damage you caused. Sometimes, it's easier to go through the back side rather then ripping the interior of the shower out.

 

[House Doc]

What you have done is break the shower head "arm" or pipe at the threads inside the wall. I've run into this problem a few times. Especially on ones from China. The threads are cut too deep and thin pipe walls leave very little brass to support the shower head.
Not a big problem. First remove the shower head. You'll probably break the pipe off in the wall. Get a 1/2 inch "internal pipe wrench" (General Tools 139B Internal Pipe Wrench, 1/2-Inch at Amazon, $6.36) or Home Depot.
Get a new shower arm while you're there, and some Teflon tape.
Use it as directed (try You Tube)
As long as you know what a wrench is you're home free>