The new high-pressure rainfall showerhead you just bought is all ready to use. Right now, the only thing standing between you and relaxation is an old, calcified shower head that won’t budge! You won’t have to worry about it. We have put together this guide to show you how to remove and replace your stuck showerhead like a pro. Enjoy your new showerhead in no time.
Table of Contents
You’ll need these tools to replace your showerhead
- Garbage bag or tarp
- Tools such as pliers or a wrench
- The plumber’s tape
- Vinegar
- One gallon bag
- Stainless steel wool
How to remove, replace, and maintain your showerhead
How to protect your bathtub and other bathroom fixtures
Preparing the bathroom area is the first step in replacing your showerhead. Be sure to shut off your water supply before you begin. You should then cover your bathtub with a tarp or garbage bag. Rust shavings can ruin a tub, and it is always a good idea to make sure falling metal won’t scratch it.
Get rid of your old showerhead
One more time, try removing your showerhead by hand before picking up your wrench or pliers. Whenever you can’t twist it off, cover the sharp teeth of your wrench or pliers with plumber’s tape so that rust, mineral, or metal shavings will fall to the ground as you work. You will also be able to preserve your showerhead if you decide to keep it or install it somewhere else.
Now that you have more leverage, try twisting the showerhead with your wrench or pliers. You can remove the showerhead by hand once the showerhead has begun moving.
In case it still doesn’t work, fill up a gallon bag with vinegar, tie it to the showerhead, and let it soak overnight. You can easily remove your showerhead the next morning after the vinegar has eaten away the rust and other minerals.
Pipes in showers should be cleaned
Since the showerhead is removed, this is a great opportunity to clean the threads in the pipe so that your new showerhead won’t be corroded right away. Make sure all crevices of the pipe threads are free of rust and mineral buildup by scrubbing them with steel wool and vinegar.
Install Your Replacement Showerhead
Showerhead leaks can be prevented by wrapping the threads of clean pipe with plumber’s tape and installing your new showerhead as instructed.
Reconnect your water main, pull back your tarp, and take a shower to test your new showerhead. Make sure there are no leaks. Add another layer of plumber’s tape if you’re still experiencing leaks after installing the new showerhead.
It is possible that you have a more complex plumbing problem that only a professional can diagnose if plumber’s tape doesn’t solve your leaks.
Keep Your Showerhead Clean With Vinegar
Once a year, perform a quick vinegar cleanse on your showerhead replacement to keep it clean and working. Any rust or mineral buildup in the showerhead will dissolve with just tying a vinegar bag around it and leaving it overnight.
Would you prefer to have your showerhead replaced by a professional? Any brand, make, or model of showerhead can be repaired or installed by Winchester’s best plumbers. It is their goal to provide exceptional service. Their plumbers arrive quickly and possess the tools and expertise to resolve any plumbing issue on the first visit.
