Shower repairs and replacements are a lot more complicated than most people would assume!
The Beehive Plumbing team supports countless Northern Utah homes with tub and shower repairs on a consistent basis, and we also want people to understand what goes into these types of replacement procedures just in case you’re keen on going the DIY route.
What tends to happen is someone will purchase a fancy, new showerhead, but they’ll have a calcified, old showerhead standing in their way that simply won’t budge. Our Master Plumbers have put together this comprehensive guide to support you in this common scenario so that you can safely remove and replace your old showerhead just like the pros!
Tool List For A Showerhead Replacement
You’re going to need the following tools to safely and successfully remove and replace your old showerhead:
- Pliers or a wrench
- Plumber’s tape
- Garbage bag or tarp
- Vinegar
- Steel wool
- A gallon bag
Plumbing Pro’s Guide To Removing, Replacing And Maintaining Your Showerheads
Our plumbing specialists are always there for you when you think this type of DIY project is a bit complicated and may be putting your plumbing system at risk, but here are some tips for the DIY homeowner:
Fully Protecting Your Other Bathroom Fixtures & Bathtub
When you’re in the process of replacing an old showerhead that seems to be stuck, you’ll first need to fully prepare your entire bathroom area. This means shutting off your water supply just to prevent the off chance that any surprises occur. You’ll then need to lay down a large garbage bag or tarp inside your bathtub, because you won’t want any rust shavings scratching up your tub!
Removing The Old Showerhead
Before you fully resort to pliers or your wrench, try to remove your showerhead fully by hand once more. If you really can’t twist it off, then you’ll need to wrap plumber’s tape around your wrench/pliers teeth in order to reduce the overall amount of metal and rush shavings. This precautionary step will also help you to preserve your old showerhead just in case you want to keep it and install it in a different bathroom.
You’ll likely have much more leverage when you’re attempting to twist your showerhead off with pliers or a wrench, and you’ll be able to fully remove it by hand once you’ve noticed some movement.
However, if your showerhead still doesn’t budge at all when using a wrench or pliers, you’ll likely need to fill up a gallon bag with vinegar and wrap it around your showerhead. You’ll then let the vinegar solution soak overnight so it can eat away at mineral and rust deposits. This step will likely make your showerhead much easier to remove the next day!
Cleaning Your Shower Pipe
Once you’ve removed your old showerhead, you should take this opportunity to thoroughly clean out your pipe threads so your new showerhead doesn’t experience the same type of corrosion problems. This means scrubbing your shower’s pipe threads with vinegar and steel wool, and making sure that there is no visible mineral or rust buildup.
Installing Your New Showerhead
One good tip to keep in mind during your DIY installation process is to wrap your newly cleaned pipe threads with plumber’s tape prior to following the manufacturer’s installation instructions for your new showerhead.
You’ll then want to test out your new showerhead by turning your bathroom’s water supply back on, taking your tarp out of the bathtub and turning on the shower. At this point you’ll want to look very closely to see if there are any leaks coming out of the showerhead, and if you do notice leaks you’ll want to unscrew the showerhead and add an additional layer of plumber’s tape to the pipe threads.
It’s important to note that you may have a more complicated plumbing issue if additional plumber’s tape doesn’t eliminate your initial leaks, and this is when you’ll undoubtedly require a professional diagnosis.
Be Sure To Maintain Your New Showerhead With Regular Vinegar Cleanses
One of the best ways to ensure the full functionality of your new showerhead for years to come is to do vinegar cleanses once or twice each year. All you’ll need to do is tie a bag of vinegar and water solution around your showerhead and let this solution sit overnight.
This cleansing process does wonders for a showerhead that may be experiencing mineral buildup, which just so happens to be a common problem for many households in Northern Utah!
You Can Always Put Your Showerhead Replacement Needs In Beehive Plumbing’s Professional Hands!
If you’d prefer to have a professional come to your home and replace your showerhead, you can put your trust in our certified plumbing specialists to conduct these types of installations and repairs for any specific showerhead model you prefer.
Reach out to us online or call us at 801-661-8155 today to let us know how we can support you with showerhead repairs and replacements!
