I've replaced plenty of washers over the years, and honestly, visual inspection rarely tells the whole story. Sometimes they look perfectly fine but have hardened or compressed just enough to cause leaks or erratic spray patterns. It's one of those cheap fixes that's worth trying first before diving into more complicated (and expensive) repairs. Glad it worked out for you—DIY plumbing can be a gamble sometimes...
"Sometimes they look perfectly fine but have hardened or compressed just enough to cause leaks or erratic spray patterns."
Fair point, but honestly washers aren't always the culprit. Had a similar issue last year—tried swapping washers first, no luck. Turned out mineral buildup inside the showerhead was causing chaos. A quick soak in vinegar overnight did the trick. Cheaper and more eco-friendly than buying new parts every time... might be worth checking before assuming it's always the washer.
Good shout on the vinegar soak, but I've had showers go haywire from cracked or warped plastic parts inside the head itself. Sometimes buildup isn't the only villain... plastic bits age badly, especially with hot water running through them daily. Worth checking those internals too before ruling anything out.
Good point about the plastic internals—seen that happen a few times myself. Have you checked if the spray plate itself is cracked or warped? Sometimes it's subtle, but even a tiny crack can send water spraying everywhere. Also, is the rubber gasket sealing properly? If that's worn or misaligned, it could cause similar issues. Might be worth taking the head apart carefully and inspecting each piece closely... could save you from replacing the whole thing unnecessarily.
"Have you checked if the spray plate itself is cracked or warped? Sometimes it's subtle, but even a tiny crack can send water spraying everywhere."
Yeah, good shout on the spray plate. Had one last month that looked totally fine at first glance, but when I held it up to the light, there was this hairline crack—barely noticeable. Also, don't overlook mineral buildup around the nozzles. Even a small blockage can redirect water in weird directions. Quick soak in vinegar sorted mine out... worth a shot before buying new parts.
