Install A Water Saving Shower Head

4 Parts:

Materials and equipment you will need

Tips Tricks & Warnings

Questions and Answers

Comments

Water-saving shower heads reduce water usage and still give you a satisfying shower. Taking a shower is actually one of the big ticket water-using activities in your household. An older, unrated shower head can use up to 25liters of water per minute. A new, "WELS STAR" rated water-saving shower head only uses about seven liters of water per minute. So you could be saving yourself up to 18 liters of water for every minute that you shower! Plus, installing a water-saving shower head will not only help you save money on your water bill, it will also help you save on your electric or gas bill. This is because you won't be using as much power to heat loads of water every time you shower. An additional benefit is saving water is great for the environment!

1. 1
   A New Shower Head

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   There is a wide variety of different water-saving shower heads available at any hardware or home improvement store. They should all have a star-rating system displayed somewhere on the packaging. A star rating indicates how efficient each shower head is. A shower head that has a high star rating means that it is very efficient at saving water.

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2. 2
   Adjustable Wrench / Spanner

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   Sometimes you will need an adjustable wrench (called a spanner for UK folk) or multi-grip pliers to remove the old shower head. In some cases you will be able to just use your hands to unscrew the old shower head.

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3. 3
   Teflon Tape (commonly referred to as plumber's/thread tape)

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   This is needed to make a watertight seal in between the male and female ends of the shower head fittings.

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4. 4
   Old Rag

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   This will be used to help protect the old shower head from damage while being removed.

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Instructions on how to install a water-saving shower head

1. 1
   Remove The Old Shower Head

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   Using your adjustable spanner or hands, gently remove the old shower head by turning it in a counterclockwise direction (right to left). If you plan to on reuse the old shower head, protect it from scratches by wrapping an old rag around the chrome parts of the fixture before applying your adjustable spanner.

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2. 2
   Clean The Thread

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   Once you have removed the old shower head, gently remove any old thread tape. You can do this by peeling it off with your fingers or by lightly rubbing your adjustable spanner around the thread. Make sure you do this step very carefully and DO NOT damage the existing thread, as this can affect the installation of your new shower head.

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3. 3
   Apply New Teflon Tape

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   After you have cleaned off any old thread tape from the thread, you then need to apply some new tape. Tightly wrap the new tape, five to seven times, around the thread in a clockwise direction (left to right).

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4. 4
   Screw On The New Shower Head

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   When screwing on the new shower head, turn it in a clockwise direction (left to right), making sure that the Teflon tape you have just applied stays on the thread and doesn't get pushed off. The Teflon tape needs to make a watertight seal in between the male and female ends of the fittings. If the Teflon tape loosens or is somehow not making a watertight seal, just repeat step three above until you are satisfied. Next, you need to line up the shower head ensuring that it is pointing in the correct direction.

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5. 5
   Turn On The Shower And Test For Leaks

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   Once you have finished screwing on your new shower head, turn the shower on and test for any leaks from the threaded area. If water is dripping from the threaded area, just repeat steps three and four above until there are no water leaks.

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• Don't Overtighten The Shower Head. Make sure you don't overtighten the shower head because it might crack the thread.
• Don't Apply Too Much Teflon Tape. If you apply too much Teflon Tape around the thread, this will prevent you from screwing your new shower head all the way on and leave you with an exposed thread at the back of your shower head.
• Choose The Right Shower Head. There is a wide variety of different shower heads available so, do your research first and make sure you choose one that is suitable for you.

Shower arm is upside down and at a 45 degree angle?

Screwed the new shower arm home, but it is upside down & at a 45 degree angle. How do I get it to line up properly without leaking. I have tried: More thread tape. I think it was caused by: Unsure

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