Save water: Fix the shower leak

It’s rather unfortunate to have a shower leak in the middle of a drought, even if we were catching most of the water for re-use. No matter, it’s fixed now. Because I found the directions out there in the internets to be too jargon-y, here are some I like better. This is for a single-handle ball faucet, but if you were Googling you might look for leaking tub faucet crystal knob Delta.
1. Do not cut the sheetrock on the other side of the wall to get to the back of the faucet. Tubs are not like sinks. (But you can skip this step if you are interested to see what the builder hid back there.)
2. Use a flat-tip screwdriver to pop the button out of center of the faucet handle.

3. Unscrew the screw that was behind that button and remove knob.
4. Oops, quick, turn off the water for the whole house at the main. This is probably in a closet somewhere. Righty tighty.

5a. Go to Home Depot and get a big (for 2″ wide) pipe wrench. Pick up some “seals & springs” in the plumbing section while you’re there. The generic ones work as well as the name-brand Delta ones.
5b. There’s a metal collar that has to come off next. It doesn’t look like it comes off–it’s tight. Wrap it in duct tape for a grip and use the pipe wrench to twist it off.

6. Unscrew the plastic ring. Pull at that stob sticking out and it will pop right out, ball attached.
7. Point a flashlight up into the hole and you’ll see two rubber washers (seals, Os, circles). Pluck them out. Plumbers probably have a tool for this, but skinny fingers work, too. They will have a spring attached. Note the direction of the old seals and springs, and poke the new ones in just like that.

8. Replace everything back in order (ball, plastic ring, metal collar, knob, screw, button), tighten very well, and turn water on at the main slowly to test. Tighten and re-test if needed. It might leak a tiny bit for a few minutes until the new rubber expands in there. *
9. Voila! 60 gallons a month saved.

* If it still leaks, you might need to replace the ball itself.