How to Replace a Shower Head (and Which One to Buy)

Most shower heads get replaced because the pressure dropped. Sometimes the head is the problem. Often it is just clogged. Here is how to tell, how to swap one in about ten minutes, and which one to buy.

By Household Plumbing, 310 Adelaide St S, London  |  7 minute read

A shower head is one of the few plumbing jobs almost anyone can do. No shutting off the water, no special tools, no plumber. It unscrews, and a new one screws on.

The harder part is knowing whether you need a new one at all, and which of the dozens on the shelf is worth your money. That is what most of this post is about.

Do you need a new shower head, or a clean one?

London's tap water is moderately hard. The Lake Huron system averages about 114 mg/L of hardness and the Elgin Area system about 141 mg/L. Every time a shower dries, it leaves a little of that mineral behind on the nozzles. Over months, the holes narrow, the spray turns weak or starts shooting sideways, and it feels like the shower head has given up.

Usually it has not. Unscrew it and look at the face. If the nozzles are ringed with white crust, clean it first. A foam limescale remover like HG Scale Away Foam Spray, $9.95, clings to the head, works for up to five minutes, and rinses off. Soaking it overnight in white vinegar also works, just slower.

Replace it if:

• The body is cracked, or it drips from the face when the water is off.
• It still sprays badly after a proper clean.
• It is a cheap builder-grade head and you want a better shower. That is a perfectly good reason.

Drag to compare. Illustration of a scaled shower head and a new rain head on the same arm.

How to replace a shower head

You need an adjustable wrench, a soft cloth, a roll of thread seal tape (the thin white plumber's tape), and an old toothbrush. You do not need to turn the water off at the main. Just make sure the shower is off.

1. Unscrew the old head. Turn it counterclockwise. If it will not move by hand, wrap the cloth around the connection nut so the wrench does not scratch the chrome, and give it a firm turn. Hold the shower arm with your other hand so you are not twisting the pipe inside the wall.
2. Clean the threads. Peel off any old tape and scrub the threads on the arm with the toothbrush. Old tape and scale are the usual cause of a new head leaking.
3. Wrap new tape. Wind thread seal tape clockwise around the threads, three or four times, pulling it snug. Clockwise matters: it is the direction the head tightens, so the tape stays put instead of unravelling.
4. Screw on the new head by hand. Most heads have a rubber washer inside the connection. Check it is seated, then thread the head on clockwise until it is snug.
5. Snug it, do not crank it. A quarter turn with the wrench, cloth in place, is usually enough. Over-tightening can crack a plastic nut or split the washer.
6. Run the water and check the joint. A drip at the connection means another quarter turn or another wrap of tape. A drip from the face for the first few seconds is just water clearing the head.

The shower arms in North American homes use a standard thread, so a standard shower head fits a standard arm. Where people get caught out is with rain heads and 2-in-1 units, which is covered below.

The four types of shower head

• Fixed. The standard head that screws onto your arm and stays there. The cheapest to replace and the most common.
• Rainshower. A wide, flat head that drops water straight down in a soft, soaking spray. Best mounted high and far enough from the wall that you can stand under it.
• 2-in-1 handshower. A fixed head with a handheld wand that lifts off on a hose. Handy for rinsing the tub, washing kids or pets, and for anyone who finds a handheld easier to use seated.
• Combination. A rain head and a separate handheld on a hose, run one at a time or both together. The biggest upgrade you can make without opening the wall.

What GPM means on a shower head

GPM is gallons per minute, the most water the head will let through. You will see four numbers on our shelf: 2.5, 2.0, 1.8 and 1.75. A lower number uses less water, and less hot water, every minute you stand there. A higher number puts more water on you.

If you are replacing an older head you liked and want the same feel, stay at 2.5. If you want to stretch the hot water tank further, a 2.0 or lower is the choice. Some models come in more than one flow rate, like the Moen Verso, which is sold in both 1.75 and 2.5.

Before you buy a rain shower head

The usual mistake with a rain head is mounting it too close to the wall. A standard shower arm is short and angled down, so a wide head on it can sit almost against the tile, where you cannot get under it.

• Measure first. Look at how far your current arm reaches out from the wall. If a wider head will hang right against the tile, you will want a longer arm.
• Check what is in the box. Some heads include the arm and flange, like the Kalia Basico and Sobrio. Others do not: the American Standard Spectra Duo lists its arm and flange as sold separately. The product page says which.
• Look for soft nozzles. On London water, a head with soft rubber nozzles is worth it, because you can clear scale by rubbing them with a thumb. The Kalia heads and the Master Plumber Touch-Clean both have them.

Which shower head to buy

These are the ones we would point you to, by budget. All of them ship, and you can also pick up at the store. A few finishes are special order, 2 to 4 weeks, and the product page shows which.

Chrome, matte black or nickel?

Chrome is the least expensive finish on every model here that comes in more than one. Matte black, brushed nickel and the gold tones cost more: the Moen Verso is $246 in chrome and $320 in its other finishes, and the Kalia Basico is $77 in chrome and $99 in matte black. The best finish is the one that matches your tub spout and valve handle. Mixing a matte black head with a chrome handle tends to look accidental.

When it is not the shower head

If the pressure is low at every tap in the house, or the shower runs hot and cold on its own, a new head will not fix it. That points to the valve in the wall or the supply lines, and it is a job for a plumber. Call us at 519-438-1121. We have been answering that question in London since 1972.

Household Plumbing is family owned, BBB accredited with an A+ rating since 1986, and has been on Adelaide Street for over 50 years.