How to change a shower head

You must have been convinced that you didn’t have a cleaner and safer place in your home than your bathroom. However, some of the most dangerous bacteria are found in your shower – potentially harmful organisms, known as mycobacteria. The showerhead contains a mycobacterium that can seriously endanger your health. Some of these bacteria can cause lung problems. It is enough to breathe under the shower, and bacteria can enter the lungs through inhalation. Symptoms of a lung infection infected with this bacterium include chronic or recurrent cough, weight loss, fever, and loss of energy. Metal showers contain more mycobacteria than plastic showers. First of all, every shower needs to be cleaned regularly and properly, and after a while, you need to change a shower head. If your shower head is clogged, you need to find a way how to unclog a shower head.

How to properly clean a showerhead

Type # 1

With the help of vinegar, a plastic bag, a piece of rope or wire, you can effectively clean this detail in the bathroom. First, remove the shower head, taking care of any parts you may need to return later, and then dip it in a container or bag of vinegar. The time that the shower head must spend in the vinegar, whether in a bag or container, depends only on the amount of dirt that has settled. It is advisable to stand from 30 minutes to full night, and you will easily evaluate when the process is completed. You will easily be able to remove all the dirt if the vinegar has done its job. Then, get a toothpick and toothbrush and remove any remaining dirt, which should be easy to remove. Finish the job by wiping the shower head with a dry cloth.

Type # 2

Instead of dipping in vinegar, you can try scrubbing the shower head with vinegar and a toothbrush and then rinsing. The best option is to create a mixture of lemon juice and baking soda, which you will first grease all over the shower and let stand. After a few hours, scrub off any dirt that will be easier to remove, rinse the shower and then treat it with vinegar and a toothbrush to keep everything perfectly clean. Before doing anything, always check with the manufacturer what chemicals you can use to treat your shower head, as some materials do not withstand the touch of certain elements and thus lose quality.

Changing a shower head

If you still want to change a shower head in your bathroom because the old one is too dirty or not working properly, you will need some tools. What you need is a new shower head, a soft cloth, a damp paper towel, a wire brush / old toothbrush, a stool or ladder, channel locks, and thread tape.

Step # 1

If you purchased a new shower head, you would need to read the instructions that came in the package. Depending on what type of shower head you have, you will also need to follow the instructions to install it. Some shower heads may need to be fitted and may contain rubber washers, or you may need to attach them to the extension arm. In this article, we will focus on how to replace a wall-mounted shower head because this type of shower head is the most complicated to replace. The first step involves turning off the tap. You do not need to turn off all the water in the house, just turn the tap where you are going to change the shower head.

Step # 2

Step two involves removing the old shower head. That can be a very easy process, but if you have not unscrewed the shower head in years, you may need to do it with a wrench. Then turn the neck of the shower head counter-clockwise because you have to remove it as well. Be careful not to damage the bathtub or shower or tile around. Remember to wrap the pipe with a soft cloth.

Step # 3

After removing the shower head and the neck that holds the shower head, you will notice probably accumulated dirt protruding from the wall. With the help of an old toothbrush or wire brush and wet cloth, remove any dirt you see, including one coming from a pipe in the wall. (as far as you can reach). After the threads have dried, you can put on the thread bar.

Step # 4

This step involves applying thread tape. You have to start from the base all the way to the end of threads. Wrap clockwise in two layers, with each layer covering half of the previous one. If you wrap in the opposite direction, the strap will unroll when you put in a new shower head. This step is very important because skipping it will not prevent water from leaking where it should not leak.

Step # 5

Now it’s time to put in a new shower head. You must read the manufacturer’s instructions. You probably won’t need to use a wrench in this step. Hand-screw it clockwise onto the threads. Be careful not to twist too much so that the plastic nut does not burst.

Step # 6

The final step involves turning on the faucet and making sure everything is working properly. If you see water leaking somewhere, you probably haven’t screwed your shower head or the neck of the shower head enough, or the thread tape has peeled off somewhere. Also, it is possible that there is not enough tape on the threads or that the black eraser is not inserted (or damaged).

To summarize, this whole project is straightforward and will not take too much time. Provide the necessary tools and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. It is crucial to know how to increase the shower head flow rate because it will make every next showering more beautiful. A high-pressure shower head is always a great option if you don’t know which shower head to choose.


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