HOW TO REPLACE A SHOWERHEAD – STEP BY STEP GUIDE
There’s no doubt about it: DIY involving plumbing fixtures can be intimidating for inexperienced DIYers – and with good reason. However, replacing a showerhead is a nice, simple piece of DIY that anyone can accomplish.
Whilst things such as fitting a toilet may need a more experienced hand (but not necessarily!), you’ll find replacing a showerhead and hose to be a breeze with the right guide. Here’s what you’ll need to replace a showerhead, and how to do it.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail – the words of Benjamin Franklin can be applied in most situations, but when tackling DIY the saying is particularly pertinent. The best thing to do before attempting to replace your showerhead is to read through our how-to guide and gather the necessary materials in advance. Here is a list you’ll need to have in order to follow our simple instructions.
KIT LIST
- Your new showerhead! Whether you’ve opted for a playful Rainshower Icon 100 showerhead, or a more classic look with the Rainshower Rustic showerhead, have your new piece of equipment at the ready.
- A cleaning rag or soft cloth to protect the finish on your showerhead
- Cleaning materials, such as an old toothbrush or paper towels
- An adjustable wrench, perhaps pliers.
CHANGING A SHOWERHEAD: STEP BY STEP
1. Turn off the tap! No-one wants a flooded bathroom, so before going ham on your old showerhead, make sure the water is off! Unlike changing a bath tap, you don’t need to go as far as shutting off the water supply, just make sure the tap is closed and you’re ready.
2. Although some may consider this step unnecessary, it is a good way of preventing damage and loss of materials: Lay down your tap. This way you won’t lose anything down the drain and block it. It also means you’re less likely to scratch your bathtub or shower tray in case you drop something.
3. Unscrew the existing showerhead. This sounds simple enough, and in the best case, it will be. Unscrew the showerhead ensuring not to damage any parts. However, it might be that the showerhead is a bit stubborn, in which case you should use your adjustable wrench to gently twist it out. Use a pair of pliers to keep the pipe or hose still, making sure not to damage either – use a soft cloth. Easy does it!
4. Give that fixture a good old clean. Even when giving your home a deep clean, you probably don’t clean the shower hose or pipe, meaning that you could be faced with some grime build-up. Give it a good scrub with the toothbrush, or just wipe it down with paper towels if there’s not too much dirt. Make sure you don’t damage the threads of the shower hose!
5. Out with the old… In with the new! Now you can attach your new showerhead. You probably won’t need tools to screw in the new showerhead, so use your hands to screw the showerhead onto the hose or pipe (clockwise).
6. Turn on the tap. Make sure the showerhead is facing away from you and open the tap to let a little water through. If there are any immediate leaks, turn off the water immediately, and check where you need to adjust your fixture. If not, you’re all done. Enjoy a new feeling of freshness with your replaced showerhead!
LEAKAGE TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS
There are several reasons a new showerhead may leak. Fear not, here’s a few of the most common culprits:
- Did you install the rubber seal in the showerhead? Is there one there? If not, you need to put one in.
- You may just need to tighten the showerhead a little more
If there is still leakage it could be that a component is damaged. Bear in mind that whilst this guide has shown you how to replace a showerhead, it should not be understood as a replacement of professional services. A qualified professional should be contacted to install, and especially to plumb your bathroom fittings.
REPLACING THE SHOWER HOSE
To change the shower hose, you need a new hose, pliers, and a soft cloth.
1. Make sure the water is off and lay down a tarp or blanket, as in steps 1-2 above.
2. Unscrew the old hose. Unscrew the hose from the fixture and remove the washer. Keep it if it isn’t damaged. Unscrew the hose from the showerhead.
3. Connect the new hose. Reverse what you’ve just done – screw the hose onto the showerhead, and the other end onto the water outlet. Make sure there is a washer at both ends before screwing in.
4. Bonus step: You may want to replace your showerhead holder. Unscrew the top bracket of your shower rail, slide your showerhead holder up and off the rail, and then slip on the new showerhead holder. Replace the top bracket of the shower rail and tighten it. Voila!
