How to Replace a Showerhead

Drop an old towel into the bottom of the tub before you do anything else. If a small part skitters out of your hand it'll land on cloth instead of vanishing down the drain, and a dropped wrench won't crack the porcelain.

Grab an adjustable wrench, slip-joint pliers as backup, a clean rag, and your new showerhead with a roll of plumber's tape. Lay everything within arm's reach so you're not climbing in and out.

Fit the wrench around the flat hex section at the base of the old showerhead. Turn counter-clockwise to loosen.

Use your other hand to brace the shower arm where it comes out of the wall. The arm is just threaded into a fitting inside the wall, and if you don't support it you can twist it loose. That's a bigger fix than what you signed up for.

Look at the threads on the shower arm. There's almost certainly leftover plumber's tape, dried thread sealant, or both wedged in the grooves.

Pick all of it off. A dental pick, the tip of a flathead screwdriver, or a stiff brush all work. Clean threads are what let your fresh tape seal properly. Old gunk on top means a leak from day one.

Point the threaded end of the shower arm toward you and start wrapping PTFE tape clockwise around it. Three or four wraps is enough.

Direction matters. Clockwise (when looking at the threads end-on) means the tape tightens into the threads as you screw the showerhead on, instead of bunching up and tearing. Press the tape into the threads with your thumb as you go so it conforms to the grooves.

Start the new showerhead onto the arm by hand, turning clockwise. Spin it on as far as you can without forcing it - this catches any cross-threading early when it's easy to fix.

Once it's hand-tight, give it one final snug with the wrench. A quarter turn past hand-tight is usually plenty. Wrap a rag around the wrench jaws so they don't scratch the chrome finish on the new fixture.

Turn the shower on and watch the connection where the head meets the arm. A few drips at first are normal as the seal seats - give it ten seconds.

If water keeps weeping out, snug the wrench another eighth of a turn. Still leaking? Shut the water off, unscrew the head, and inspect the rubber washer (if your model uses one) for damage. If the washer looks fine, add another wrap of plumber's tape and try again.