How to remove a stuck shower head. Whether you’re a home DIY pro or you’re looking for your first real project to get started, taking on the task of replacing your shower head could be a great first start for you.
In a perfect world, installing your new shower head should be quick, easy, and painless. Today, the best shower heads do not need a plumber to be installed. And without any hassle, installation can only take a few minutes.
That being said, you need to make sure you install it correctly, if you do it wrong it could take a lot more time and effort.
It could also damage your new shower head. Worse still, it could cause a leak that could cause other problems.
How to remove a stuck shower head
We’ve put together a guide to installing your shower head, which includes common pitfalls and problems, and how to overcome them.
Tools needed
You will need a few things to get started. Most showerheads require the following (check the label to verify):
- New shower head
- Adjustable wrench or pliers
- Plumber’s tape (Teflon tape)
If some potholes occur on this DIY road, you may need a few extra things to fix them. We’ll wait to cover that while we get into trouble with the delete section.
Preparation
With this shortlist of tools put together, here are some steps you need to take to prepare your shower for your new showerhead.
Turn off the water
There are many different opinions on whether you should turn off the water when learning to replace a shower head pipe.
Unless you are familiar with plumbing work, it is best to go ahead and turn off the water while you are working.
Visually Inspect Your Shower Head
Take a moment to save yourself the hassle of having to deal with a clogged shower head.
Look for any clues that must tell you if there is rust or calcium buildup around the connection that could make your simple task a bit more strenuous.
If you see an orange or copper-colored ring around the connector, it could be rusted.
A mineral buildup will look like a white ring around the area where the showerhead is connected to the plumbing. If there is, be sure to clean the pipe with a good cleaner to avoid further damage.
Calcium oxide and lime
You can also use a Calcium Lime Rust (CLR) product in your shower head if you prefer chemicals. It will work just as well as vinegar.
Clean the threads
Use an abrasive tool such as a wire brush or a steel wool pad to get into the grooves of the wire.
Make sure to remove any rust if there is any on the threads, so the new shower head doesn’t start to have rust around it.
Conclusion
If you’re lucky, removing the showerhead will be as simple as unscrewing it from the pipe.
However, your specific head is most likely not that easy, which is why you are reading this article” How To Remove a Stuck Shower Head”.
Follow these steps to remove clogged showerheads, and you should be on your way to installing a new one.
Remove a Stuck Shower Head (Video)
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