How to Replace a Showerhead in 10 Minutes

A new showerhead is the cheapest bathroom upgrade you'll ever make. The only tools you need are a wrench and a roll of plumber's tape.

Unscrew the old head counter-clockwise. If it's stuck, wrap the shower arm in a rag (to protect the chrome) and use channellocks on the connector, not the arm itself — twisting the arm can crack the fitting inside the wall.

Clean the threads on the shower arm with a toothbrush. Wrap fresh plumber's tape (Teflon tape) clockwise around the threads, three to four turns, pulling tight as you go. Clockwise matters: wrapping the other way unwinds the tape as you thread the new head on.

Hand-tighten the new showerhead, then add a quarter turn with the wrench. Run the shower briefly and check for drips at the joint — if you see one, another quarter turn usually fixes it.

If your water pressure feels weak after the swap, pop the flow restrictor out of the new head (a small plastic disc behind the inlet). Building code requires manufacturers to ship them in, but you can remove yours legally for personal use.