How to Change a Shower Head

Knowing how to replace a shower head starts with choosing a new one. Popular options include rain shower heads, wall mount shower heads, ceiling shower heads and multi-spray pattern varieties.

Next, gather the basic tools you need:

• Adjustable wrench or pliers
• Shower head and parts
• Thread seal tape

Protect your bathtub or shower floor from dings or scratches with a drop cloth. Be sure to cover the drain to prevent anything from falling into it.

Tip: Some shower heads will have flat spots on the connection for use with a wrench, others have grooves to help grip by hand or with pliers.

Before changing your shower head:

• Turn off the shower head’s water valve or shut off your home's main water supply. This will save you time and frustration while working on your shower head.
• Clean up any buildup or residue around the shower using a mild cleaner and cloth.

Next, turn the shower head by hand counterclockwise to remove it. If you can remove it by hand, proceed to Step 3. If not, follow the instructions below on removing a shower head.

• Wrap the jaws of the pliers with electrical tape or place a towel around the shower arm to protect the finish.
• Grip the shower arm with the pliers. Use an adjustable wrench to loosen and unscrew the old shower head.
• Clean off any rust or mineral deposits, old tape or leftover sealant on the shower arm threads.

• Wrap thread seal tape in a clockwise direction two or three times around the threads of the shower arm.
• Press the tape into the threads.
• Look at the washer inside the new shower head connection to make sure that it is in place and flat.

• Screw the fixed shower head replacement onto the shower arm in a clockwise direction and tighten.
• The threads should engage smoothly and it should be easy to turn before it starts getting tight.

Tip: If it requires force to turn at the beginning, loosen the nut and start over.

• Attach the diverter that routes water to the shower head to the shower arm and hand-tighten.
• Screw the fixed-mount shower head onto the end of the diverter in a clockwise direction and hand-tighten.
• Attach the hand-held unit mount to the shower per the manufacturer’s directions.
• Connect the flexible shower hose to the diverter and to the hand-held shower. Hand-tighten the connections.
• Place the hand-held shower in the mount.
• Turn on the water and divert water from the fixed to the hand-held unit.
• Check for and fix any leaks.

• Screw the hand-held shower mount onto the shower arm and tighten by hand.
• Connect the flexible shower hose to the mount and to the hand-held shower. Hand tighten the connections.
• Place the hand-held shower head in the mount.
• Turn on the water and check for leaks.

When you finish installing any new shower head, always turn on the water and check for leaks.

If leaks occur, carefully apply more pressure with pliers or an adjustable wrench. Be careful not to over-tighten. These fixtures are usually designed to work with hand tightening. A tool should only be used if you're having trouble gripping by hand.