Shower arm leaking in the wall

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Miakoda

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Our shower was leaking and we thought it might have been the grout as it was old, so we redid all of it and just now showered and found out that there still is a leak, but it's coming from the shower arm connected to the pipe inside the wall.

The shower arm is metal, the pipe in the wall is plastic - PEX (?)

How tight can I tighten the shower arm into the plastic pipe?

I've put plumbers tape around the arm threads (clockwise), and if I put too much tape the arm ends up stopping tight on the left side, so I wrapped less tape to have it stop in a downwards position like it should be, but it's leaking from there. I place toilet paper inside and ran the shower to see if there was a leak.
 

Tuttles Revenge

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Even if the tube was plastic, the actual threaded fitting in the wall with threads should be metalic. Unless someone installed something really bad. But you should be able to shine a light into the wall where the shower arm is to verify the material.

You should be able to tighten it up to the point where it lines up the way you want it.. but knowing exactly how tight is tight enough is something you learn by just doing it. Too tight and you could snap the screws if they're too short.. but not likely. Too loose and it leaks.
 

Jadnashua

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If the fitting is plastic, or even metal but much less often, the female part could have split. Usually, you can tighten the shower arm a bit more as long as it isn't bottoming out in the fitting. That SHOULDN'T happen, but sometimes the threads are improperly cut and if the socket has split, neither pipe dope nor tape will make for a leak-free joint.

PTFE tape usually can make a proper seal, but sometimes, it can help to use some pipe dope as well.
 

Weekend Handyman

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Even if the tube was plastic, the actual threaded fitting in the wall with threads should be metalic. Unless someone installed something really bad. But you should be able to shine a light into the wall where the shower arm is to verify the material.

You should be able to tighten it up to the point where it lines up the way you want it.. but knowing exactly how tight is tight enough is something you learn by just doing it. Too tight and you could snap the screws if they're too short.. but not likely. Too loose and it leaks.
Could be an all plastic CPVC drop ear … they do sell those up here … I would not like to use them, but they are available.
 

Miakoda

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Even if the tube was plastic, the actual threaded fitting in the wall with threads should be metalic. Unless someone installed something really bad. But you should be able to shine a light into the wall where the shower arm is to verify the material.

You should be able to tighten it up to the point where it lines up the way you want it.. but knowing exactly how tight is tight enough is something you learn by just doing it. Too tight and you could snap the screws if they're too short.. but not likely. Too loose and it leaks.
The plastic tube does not have a metal thread fitting.

And yes, someone installed something really bad… it doesn’t surprise me as we’ve had to redo most of the pipe fittings, especially p-traps not being glued and falling off!

Is there a fitting I can add to it from the outside or do I need to cut a hole in the wall and replace that whole entire piece with a plastic tube and metal threads?
 

Weekend Handyman

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I'll take it apart tomorrow and post a photo
I am not a pro.

I don’t think there is anything you can add.

I would probably try tightening it first. Maybe with Teflon tape & dope … if you can find a dope that is ok to use with plastic fittings … some dope will degrade plastic. You will encounter pretty good resistance on your last turn. Some people stick their pliers’ handles into the arm to get leverage.

If the fitting has been cracked or cross threaded, you are going to need to replace it.
 

Tuttles Revenge

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If the threaded fitting is plastic... remove and replace. The risk is too great to even think about leaving that in place.

Does the shower arm extend from drywall or tile?
 

Miakoda

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Here's the photos. I see that there's a washer that's inside the shower arm, I'm thinking that's not supposed to be in there, but maybe inside the CPVC?

shower2.jpg
shower1.jpg
 

Breplum

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Rubber washer never goes inside a threaded fitting like you have at the wall.
Teflon/dope are appropriate. The rubber washer would have been for the shower head attachment union piece.
If it leaks with three+ wraps of good teflon, then likely a problem with the drop ear fitting in the wall.
Threaded plastic fittings suck big time and are to be avoided by anyone with any sense. Many CPVC adapters have fused-metal transitions for this very reason.
 
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