Software
Houzz Logo Print
jally1

Leaky shower hose?

4 months ago

My BIL had given me the below-pictured hose and sprayer. After I screwed the hose onto my Delta Lahara shower arm, then turned on the faucet, water began leaking out the area where my white-arrow is pointing (though granted, water ran thru the sprayer too).

I've a feeling this hose is quite vintage, so if washers are indicated to fix this, would compatible ones be available?


Comments (10)

  • 4 months ago

    washers/o-rings are cheap, you can get a pack of multiple sizes for under $10 at your local hardware store. If the problem is the threads, you can use plumber's tape on the threads.

  • PRO
    4 months ago

    That fixture with the showerhead and hose is a.......dated. It should have the rugger washers mentioned and there should be one also between the hose and the showerhead or that will leak also.


    It's a great feature to have in a shower. Do you have the bracket to hold it in place?




    jally thanked BeverlyFLADeziner
  • PRO
    4 months ago

    Jumping into the mix here. It’s a nice gesture from your BIL, but these "vintage" kits can be a bit finicky when you try to pair them with a modern Delta Lahara arm.


    Since you're here in Ontario, you can find a fix easily, but there’s a specific reason why it’s leaking right where you pointed that white arrow.


    1. The Washer is likely missing or compressed

    As the others mentioned, that connection relies entirely on a rubber washer to create a seal. Because the hose is older, the original washer has probably flattened out or dried up.


    The Fix: Head to a local hardware store and look for a pack of "1/2-inch Shower Hose Washers." Most modern hoses use a flat rubber washer, but some older ones actually use a thicker, cone-shaped washer.


    Pro Tip: Don't just buy one; get a small variety pack. Sometimes these older fittings need a slightly thicker washer to "reach" the seat of the Delta arm.


    2. Check the Delta Shower Arm

    The Delta Lahara series often has a very specific thread length on the shower arm. If that vintage hose nut is particularly deep, it might "bottom out" before it actually compresses the washer against the arm.


    If you put a new washer in and it still leaks at the arrow, try adding a second washer on top of the first one. This acts as a spacer and helps the threads grab earlier.


    3. A Quick Note on Thread Tape

    I noticed Sigrid mentioned plumber's tape. Just a heads-up from a pro: Do not put tape on these threads. On a shower hose, the threads don't do the sealing—the washer does. If you put tape on the threads, it can actually prevent the nut from screwing on deep enough to squash the washer, which can actually make the leak worse!


    4. Is it worth the fix?

    If the hose itself is stiff or has any cracks in the outer casing, be careful. Older hoses can sometimes burst under the pressure of our modern GTA water systems. If a new $2 washer doesn't do the trick, it might be time to treat yourself to a new Delta hose that matches your Lahara trim—it'll save you the headache of looking for "vintage" parts down the road.

    jally thanked Rosedale Plumbing
  • 4 months ago
    last modified: 4 months ago

    Thanks so much everyone, sorry for the delay but my laptop got so slow i suspect i'm major infected, and hope to bring for repair when/if i get a chance.

    Firstly, as for my setup, please see attached photo. (As you see, my BIL didn't have a bracket, rather just gave me what an elderly woman had gifted him. I don't think he had even used it. Any particular bracket you recommend? bearing in mind that i was a shrimp even before my scoliosis, so every extra inch counts. I'm finding that out with a lambswool duster i got. Just a few years ago its wood handle was approx 2 or 3 inches longer on Ebay. I now realize its barely longer than the one on HomeDepot, if at all. See, the Overton Window of what's called "short" has changed drastically recently. Its VERY hard.)

    Secondly, to Rosedale, your thorough rundown is much appreciated! Can you please clarify (the bold text) of where you stated:

    • Most modern hoses use a flat rubber washer, but some older ones actually use a thicker, cone-shaped washer.


    BTW, what looks like a white-washer in my pic. (where my arrow is pointing at) actually seems to be a hard-plastic piece that's the end-part of the hose itself, except the hose is on the outside, whereas the white plastic-part is recessed on the inside.

    For now, I've only been using the shower hose seldomly, such as to wash out my fridge drawer, and so forth.


  • 4 months ago
    last modified: 4 months ago

    P.S. I'd appreciate if you can please point me to a HomeDepot link for the variety pack washers you were referring to. I saw 1/2" and 5/8" washers on HomeDepot's site, some of which were Danco,

    but their descriptions didn't state "variety pack".

    So is there any brand/item in particular you'd recommend? Sorry for the nuisance, but contacting HomeDepot is usually a dead end.

  • 4 months ago

    You would be better off, to just take the hose with you to the home depot or Ace Hardware, or Lowes, whichever is closer to you, and have them help you to get the exact one that you need.

    jally thanked cat_ky
  • 4 months ago
    last modified: 4 months ago

    Uh, here's an update (per below photo's). After twiddling a bit, I got a better view, and it looks as if the culprit is that its warped. In which case, would washers work?

    Also, when I measured the inner diameter (of the white-plastic-area where my white-arrow is pointing to), it's more like 3/4-inch.

    Most of the pics weren't too clear due to the shiny glare of the metal.



  • 4 months ago

    I would trash it and go to the hardware store, and buy a new shower hose. They are not that expensive, and they last years, if you take care of them.

  • 4 months ago
    last modified: 4 months ago

    Thing is, they apparently don't make them like they used to even just a few years back. Just read all the reviews of all sorts of hoses (and sprayers), and your head will swim with frustration. The low-star reviews often tell the bald truth that the others don't.

    For example, read all the ONE-STAR & TWO-STAR reviews here:

    https://www.amazon.com/AquaDance-Experience-Officially-Independently-Performance/dp/B01H2DG1SW

    That's why i was hoping for a solution for this vintage hose.

    And why i posted the 2nd set of updated pics above.