Choosing And Replacing That Crusty Old Shower Head
Barb Anderson

Defined Tag: Shower Head.

Although we don’t often think about it, a shower head requires regular maintenance and often replacement to preserve water efficiently. It’s also one of the few bathroom fixtures that can be easily replaced by the average homeowner, usually with nothing more than an adjustable wrench.

Most shower heads are designed to conserve water while delivering a powerful enough stream of water to shower comfortably. This is important to avoid wasting our natural resources as well as reducing the amount of hot water consumed during a shower. Most of these showerheads come with an adjustment know to control the type and amount of water sprayed while bathing to give you fine control.

Available in a wide variety of colors, shapes, sizes and function, choosing a shower head is entirely dependent upon your personal tastes and budgets. At the low end of the price spectrum are simple showerheads that serve the basic purpose of spraying water. Conversely, higher-end units provide temperature controls, massage features and in some cases contain more than a single water jet.

To replace a shower head you’ll need an adjustable wrench and some Teflon tape. Start by sizing the wrench to fit the flat surfaces at the base of the showerhead and twist counter-clockwise to loosen it. Then finish unscrewing it by hand. At this point, clean the threads on the pip sticking out from the wall to remove any leftover sediment or pipe compound.

Using the Teflon tape, wrap about 9 to 12 inches around the threads in a clockwise direction. Smooth the tape into the threads and be sure that it doesn’t extend beyond the top of the threads or it may be visible when finished.

Gently and carefully thread the new shower head onto the threads in a clock-wise direction. When you can no longer turn it by hand, use the wrench to tighten it. Be careful to avoid scratching the plated finish, if any when tightening. Turn on the water and test for leaks – tighten slightly until the leaking stops.

That’s all there is to replacing a shower head; in five minutes time you’ll be amazed at the difference and enjoying a hot, relaxing shower!

Barb Anderson has edited or written numerous articles for family-oriented ezines and sites on the worldwide web. Barb is Editor of the Power Learning Tips and Tricks newsletter, which is available at:   http://MastermindLearningSystem.com.