How to Replace a Shower Head

Replacing a shower head is the easiest plumbing upgrade you can do. A clogged, leaking, or outdated head wastes water and money—and swapping it out requires no special skills, no soldering, no callbacks to a plumber. You're just removing one fitting and installing another. The real choice is what kind of head you want: rainfall style, low-flow, adjustable spray pattern, or the basic chrome ball. Once you pick one, the install is genuinely straightforward. Even if you've never held a wrench, you'll be done before your coffee gets cold.

1. Turn off the water and clear the area. Shut off the water supply to your shower by closing the valve in your wall or at the main line. You don't strictly need the water off for this job, but it keeps drips off your floor. Clear the tub surround so you have room to work and grip the pipe without bumping your knuckles.
2. Unscrew the old shower head by hand. Grip the shower head close to the wall and turn it counterclockwise. Most heads come off by hand without tools. If it's stuck from mineral buildup or old tape, wrap a cloth around it to improve grip and try again. Don't use excessive force—a stuck head usually comes loose with steady pressure and a few small rocking motions.
3. Use a wrench if the head won't budge. If hand-turning doesn't work, use a 12-inch adjustable wrench or pipe wrench on the hex nut where the head meets the arm. Wrap a rag around the fitting to protect the finish, then turn the wrench counterclockwise. The shower arm itself should not turn—if it does, you're likely twisting the wrong direction or the fitting inside the wall is loose. Stop and brace the arm with your other hand if this happens.
4. Clean the shower arm threads. Once the old head is off, you'll see the pipe threads on the shower arm sticking out of the wall. Use a cloth or old toothbrush to wipe away any leftover plumber's tape, mineral deposits, or debris. The cleaner the threads, the better the seal on the new head and the easier it is to screw on.
5. Wrap the new head's threads with plumber's tape. Take your new shower head and examine the threads at the base where it will screw onto the arm. Wrap plumber's tape (also called thread seal tape or PTFE tape) around the threads three to four times, going clockwise. Press the tape down firmly so it doesn't bunch or slip. This tape creates a watertight seal and makes the head easier to remove next time.
6. Screw on the new shower head by hand. Align the new head with the shower arm opening and turn it clockwise by hand. Feel for resistance as the threads engage—when you feel slight tension, stop and let your hand tell you how tight it is. Don't force it. The tape and threads will seal themselves with just hand-tightness. You want the head perpendicular to the wall and pointing straight down.
7. Tighten with a wrench if needed. If the head still drips when you turn on the water, use a wrench to tighten it a quarter-turn more. Wrap cloth around the fixture first. Turn the wrench slowly and stop as soon as you feel firm resistance—no need to muscle it. A quarter-turn is almost always enough to stop leaks without damaging the seal.
8. Turn the water back on and test. Open the water valve slowly and watch the connection where the new head meets the arm. Let the water run for 30 seconds on both hot and cold to check for drips. If the joint is dry, you're done. If it weeps slowly, use a wrench to give it one more careful quarter-turn.