How to replace a shower head

Video by Mira Showers. This guide is based on the clear walkthrough "How to Change any Shower Hose & Shower Head" from Mira Showers, one of the UK's longest-established shower manufacturers. Their video covers fitting a replacement head and hose in a way that applies to most UK showers, not just Mira models. The section on thread types is particularly useful if you have ever bought a replacement only to find it does not fit.

1. Work out your connection type

Most UK shower heads connect to a flexible hose via a standard ½ inch BSP (British Standard Pipe) thread. The hose itself connects to either a wall-mounted outlet or to a riser rail at the bracket end. Before buying a replacement, check whether the existing fittings are hand-tight metal, hand-tight plastic, or fixed with a small grub screw.

Some electric shower handsets use a proprietary fitting that only works with spares from the same manufacturer. If in doubt, note the brand and model number from the shower unit label and look up compatible spares before you buy.

2. Turn off the shower

You do not need to turn off the main water supply to replace a handheld shower head and hose. Simply make sure the shower is off at the control. For thermostatic showers, set to the off position and do not touch the temperature control during the swap.

If you are replacing a fixed overhead shower head that is plumbed directly into the wall, you will need to turn off the water at the isolation valve (usually a slotted screw behind the shower panel) or at the mains stopcock. That is a different job from replacing a handheld head.

3. Unscrew the old hose from the wall outlet

Grip the hose fitting at the wall end and turn anticlockwise. It should come off by hand. If it is stiff from limescale build-up, wrap a cloth around it and use grips — but be gentle. Overtightening to free it can crack plastic fittings, especially older ones.

Also unscrew the hose from the shower head end. Keep the old rubber washers from both ends — if the new hose does not come with washers, you will need these to prevent drips.

4. Clean the thread at the wall outlet

Limescale and old PTFE tape tends to build up on the wall outlet thread over time. Remove the old tape, rinse the thread with warm water, and dry it. A soft toothbrush helps get into the thread grooves. A clean thread gives you a leak-free seal with the new fitting.

Check the thread for damage while it is clean. Crossed or stripped threads will never seal properly and will need replacing by a plumber. That said, most wall outlets are robust enough to last the lifetime of the shower.

5. Wrap the wall outlet thread with PTFE tape

Wind PTFE (plumber's thread seal) tape around the male thread at the wall outlet, working in the direction of the thread (clockwise when looking at the end). Three or four full wraps is enough. This gives the joint a positive seal and makes it far easier to remove the hose next time without it being seized solid.

Do not wrap PTFE on the hose connector itself — just on the wall outlet thread. The rubber washer inside the hose connector does the work at that end.

6. Attach the new hose and shower head

Screw the new hose onto the wall outlet hand-tight, then give it an extra quarter turn with a cloth-protected pair of grips. Firm is right — over-tight risks cracking the fitting. Attach the other end of the hose to the new shower head in the same way.

Hang the shower head on the riser bracket or holder. Make sure the hose is not kinked or twisted along its run — a kink will restrict flow and eventually crack the hose at that point.

7. Run the shower and check for drips

Turn the shower on and let it run for a minute. Dry the wall outlet and hose connections with a cloth, then watch carefully for drips. A slow seep at the wall outlet usually means the washer is not fully seated — turn the shower off, check the washer is flat in the fitting, and retighten.

If there is a fine mist of water spraying from the shower head at a point other than the nozzles, that points to a cracked head or a bad seal between the head and hose. Most new heads come with a replacement washer for this joint — check it is in place before assuming the head is faulty.

When to call a handyman

Call Richard if the wall outlet is damaged or corroded, if there is a drip inside the wall rather than at a fitting, or if the fixed overhead pipework needs replumbing to fit a new style of shower. A hose-and-head swap is simple; anything behind the tiles is a plumbing job.