Swap your old shower head for a new one safely, with the water off, in about fifteen minutes.
SH-01Turn off the water supplyFind your shower's isolating valve if it has one — usually behind a small access panel near the shower or on the pipework under the bath. If there isn't one, turn off the water at the stopcock, usually under the kitchen sink, and run the shower briefly to check it's off. Keep a cloth handy to catch drips.
SH-02Remove the old shower headUnscrew the old head by hand, or with pliers if limescale has stuck it fast. Hold the hose or arm fitting steady with one hand so you don't twist the hose itself. Wrap the pliers' jaws in a cloth to protect the chrome finish.
SH-03Clean the connection and check the washerWipe old limescale and grit off the thread on the hose or shower arm. Check the small rubber washer inside the connection — if it's cracked, flattened or missing, fit a new one. A good washer and a clean thread stop leaks, not brute force on the tightening.
SH-04Wrap the thread with PTFE tapeWrap PTFE tape clockwise around the male thread three or four times, pulling it tight and flat as you go. Skip this step if your new shower head has a push-fit or quick-release connector instead of a screw thread — check the instructions that came with it.
SH-05Fit the new shower headScrew the new head onto the hose or arm by hand until it's snug, then give it a quarter turn more with pliers wrapped in a cloth. Don't overtighten — too much force can crack the plastic housing inside the head.
SH-06Turn the water back on and check for leaksTurn the isolating valve or stopcock back on slowly. Run the shower for two or three minutes and check the joint for drips, especially where the head meets the hose or arm. If it leaks, turn the water off again, add one more wrap of PTFE tape, and retest.
SH-07Tidy upDry off the shower area and give the new head a wipe. Recycle the old shower head and packaging if your council accepts them. Hold onto the old head for a week or two in case you need to check the thread size for spares.
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