leaking shower head

i have a low end kohler single handle shower faucet ( installed in a cheaply built condo development) that has recently begun to allow water to drip from the showerhead when the water is off... i have been told that it's either a pressure balance issue or a cartridge issue.... was wondering if anyone knows where to start.

planb said:

i have a low end kohler shower faucet ( installed in a cheaply built condo development) that has recently begun to allow water to drip from the showerhead when the water is off... i have been told that it's either a pressure balance issue or a cartridge issue.... was wondering if anyone knows where to start.

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Is this a tub/shower? If It is a tub/shower you should flip the diverter to let the shower head drain.

If it is just a shower then you need a rebuild.

Unless your pressure is very high I would doubt it is that

it is just a shower..... when you say rebuild, are you talking about replacing the entire diverter? that would be a costly project ( new plumbing, tile replacement, etc...)

No remodeling required! You should be able to replace the guts of the valve and restore it to like new condition. Problem is that with Kohler, there is very little consistency from model to model...their parts book looks more like a phone book so you'll either need the exact model number or to take the offending part to a good supply house to get matched up with the right part. If you are lucky, they'll have it, otherwise, you may need to reinstall the old one until they can order the part you require. If you are really lucky, and you post a picture of it, somebody will know what the part it needs is, and you can forgo tearing it apart right away.