How to Change a Shower Head, Step by Step

How to Change a Shower Head, Step by Step

ByKen

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How to change a shower head: unscrew the old head counterclockwise, clean the arm threads, wrap them with thread seal tape only if the head’s instructions call for it, hand-tighten the new head, and check for leaks with the water on. Turn off the water supply first where you can, and do not over-tighten. The sources differ on tape and on how tight to go, so this guide says where the manual decides.

Quick answer

  • Turn the head counterclockwise by hand first. If it will not move, wrap the arm with a rag, hold it with pliers, and use an adjustable wrench on the head.
  • Remove old tape and clean the arm threads. Use thread seal tape if the head’s manual calls for it. Some Moen kits say not to use it.
  • Thread the new head on by hand, with the “This Side Up” label facing up, and hand-tighten it. Use a wrench only if it leaks, and do not over-tighten.
  • Turn the water on and check the connection for leaks. Check the washer while you make the repair.

How to change a shower head

Before you start

Check the new head against your shower valve first. Kohler’s install and care sheet says to verify that the new head is compatible with the shower valve behind the wall, and it warns of a scalding risk when a head is used with a valve that is not compatible. Lay out the new head’s parts, including its washer, and have thread seal tape ready in case the manual calls for it.

Shut off the water supply before you start, if you can find the shutoff. The head-removal sources we opened do not say to do this, but a Kallista arm sheet says to “Shut off the main water supply” before installing an arm. The sources do not explain how to find a shower’s shutoff.

If you are choosing a new head rather than swapping one, see our guide to showerheads for low water pressure before you buy.

Remove the old head

Try the head by hand first. The New Jersey Department of Health guide says, “First try removing the shower head by hand.” Grip the head, or its connecting nut where the design has one, and turn it counterclockwise. If it does not move, wrap the arm with a rag and hold it in place with pliers. Then use an adjustable wrench to loosen the head and finish unscrewing it by hand. Delta’s removal step is the same: turn the head counterclockwise with an adjustable wrench or pliers, and “Use care not to unscrew the shower arm.” DOE’s job aid also says to take care not to loosen the shower arm while removing the head.

Clean the arm threads

Once the head is off, remove any old tape and clean the threads. The New Jersey guide says to remove existing thread sealant tape, clean off rust or mineral deposits with a cloth or toothbrush, and then “Turn off the water and completely dry.” DOE’s job aid says to clean the arm threads well to remove old residue before you wrap new tape. Clean, dry threads are the starting point the sources describe before any new tape goes on.

Put the new head on

Thread the new head onto the arm by hand, turning clockwise. Delta’s sheet says to “Hand tighten the shower head onto the shower arm.” Kohler’s sheet asks you to position the head so that its “This Side Up” label faces up before you tighten it. Check the washer too. Delta’s sheet says to “Ensure the washer is installed in the female nut on the shower head,” and EPA suggests that while you do the repair you “check and, if needed, replace the washer or “o” ring inside the showerhead.”

Then turn the water on and check the connection. Kohler’s sheet says “Turn on the water and check connections for leaks.”

How to remove a stuck shower head

A stuck head usually needs a steady arm, not more force on the head. The New Jersey guide’s order is: try by hand, then hold the arm with a rag and pliers, then use an adjustable wrench on the head. DOE’s job aid adds one step for a connection that still will not move: use a pipe wrench or channel locks on the connection at the shower arm. It gives no force limit, so stop if the arm starts to turn.

DOE also says that if the old head has no flat sides at the connection, you should wrap the connection with buffer material, such as a piece of rubber, before you use a wrench. American Standard’s care page recommends a cloth for the same job. It says to wrap the nut and shower arm in a small cloth “before using the wrench to protect the finish and avoid scratches.” That is the only finish-protection step we found in the sources for removal.

How to remove a shower head without tools

Often you can, if the head turns by hand. The Moen sheets for combination and handheld kits begin their removal step with “Remove existing showerhead. Use wrench if necessary.” That order matters: hand first, wrench only if needed. The New Jersey guide also starts with the hand, and it reaches for pliers and a wrench only when the hand fails.

The sources do not describe a tool-free method for a head that will not turn. If it stays stuck, use the rag, pliers and adjustable wrench described above, and do not twist the arm. Delta and DOE both caution against turning the arm.

How to tighten a shower head

The sources mostly say hand-tight, with a leak check afterward. Delta says to hand-tighten the head onto the arm. Moen’s handheld bracket step reads “Hand tighten handheld bracket to shower arm,” and its arm sheet says “Hand tighten until secure.” Kohler’s install sheet is different. It says to “Thread the showerhead onto the shower arm and wrench-tighten.” Start by hand, check for leaks, and only if the connection still drips, snug it carefully with a wrench.

When a connection does leak, the New Jersey guide says to “re-wrap the threads with thread sealant tape and carefully tighten again with an adjustable wrench.” Over-tightening is a risk the sources name in several places. Moen’s combination and handheld sheets say “Do not overtighten,” and Kallista’s arm sheet warns against over-tightening its setscrews.

Teflon tape on a shower head

The sources call the product “thread seal tape,” “thread sealant tape” or “thread tape.” None of the sources we opened uses the word Teflon, and none says whether one brand works better than another.

Do you need Teflon tape on a shower head?

Often yes, but check your kit, because the sources do not agree. Kohler’s head sheet says to “Apply thread sealant tape to the threads of the shower arm.” DOE says to “Use thread tape at all connections.” Moen’s arm sheet and magnetic handheld sheet both call for tape on the arm threads. Two other Moen sheets say the opposite for their own products: “Thread seal tape is not recommended for this project,” and both sheets are for handheld or combination kits. So the rule is not universal. Use tape when the head’s manual calls for it, and when you reuse an arm, take off the old tape first, as the New Jersey guide says.

How to put Teflon tape on a shower head

Put the tape on the arm’s threads, not on the head. The New Jersey guide says to “Wrap thread seal tape in a clockwise direction two or three times around the threads of the shower arm (or as many times as recommended by the manufacturer).” Press the tape into the threads, as the same guide says. Then thread the head on by hand. If the manual gives a wrap count, use that count, not the three-wrap guide.

How to change a shower head arm

A simple arm swap means unscrewing the old arm from the wall fitting and threading the new one in. Moen’s arm sheet says to “Apply thread seal tape to end of Shower Arm,” then to install the arm into the wall opening, connecting to the plumbing fixture, and “Hand tighten until secure.” The sheet is for a full install, so use it as a guide for the tape and the hand-tight step only.

Any work beyond that is plumbing. Kallista’s shower arm sheet calls for shutting off the main water supply, installing a supply adapter on a nipple at the wall, drilling a wall plate, and securing the arm with setscrews. If the job needs a new supply line, a drilled wall plate, or a fitting inside the wall, call a licensed plumber.

Check the arm before you buy. Delta’s sheet warns that if the arm has a ball on the end, “it will not work with this shower unit” and must be replaced with a standard arm. The sources we opened do not give a thread size for every arm, so read the old arm or its manual before you buy a new head.

How to change a shower head in an apartment

The steps do not change in a rental. A standard threaded head comes off by hand or with a wrench, goes on by hand, and is checked for leaks the same way. The sources do not cover rental rules, so check your lease, or ask your landlord, before you replace a fixture. Keep that check in mind even for a simple head swap.

Keep the old head so you can put the original back. That is our practical suggestion, not a step from a source. If you want a handheld on a bar instead of the arm, see our guide to shower bars for a handheld head. Any arm change that needs wall or supply work belongs to a plumber, as covered above.

How to adjust shower head height

For a fixed head, the sources do not give a standard height, and they do not describe a way to raise or lower a fixed head on its own. Changing a fixed head’s height would mean changing the arm, which is covered above and is a plumbing job when wall work is involved.

A handheld on a slidebar is different. Kallista’s slidebar sheet has you release the grip on the holder, move it, and lock it again. It says to “Release the gripping mechanism by rotating the handle clockwise until the handle is vertical,” then to “Move the handshower holder up or down to the desired height,” and then to let the handle spring back. If the holder does not stay put, the sheet says to “firmly pull the handle counterclockwise to lock the gripping mechanism.” The same sheet says the bracket holes are oversized, so the bar can be nudged up or down slightly before the screw is retightened. For buying a bar, see our guide to slide bars. For mounting a handheld on one, see handheld shower heads on a slide bar.

How we chose

We opened manufacturer install sheets from Kohler, Moen, Delta and Kallista, the EPA WaterSense showerhead page, a DOE job aid, a New Jersey Department of Health guide and an American Standard care page. We kept the steps that cover removal, tape, tightening and leak checks, and left out retail listings and blog articles. Each quote was checked against the text of the page we downloaded on 2026-10-22. Where sources disagree, we show both sides. No products are ranked or linked here.

What we could not verify: what the sources do not say

  • No source we opened gives a tool-free method for a head that will not turn.
  • No source gives a standard height for a fixed head, or a way to move a fixed head up or down.
  • No source covers rental rules for changing a fixture.
  • No source explains how to find or operate a shower’s shutoff valve.
  • No source gives a tape wrap count for every head. The New Jersey guide’s “two or three” wraps is a general figure, and it defers to the manufacturer.
  • No source gives a thread size for every arm, and none says whether the tape brand matters.

FAQ

Should I shut off the water before I change a shower head?

Shut it off where you can. The head-removal sources we opened do not say to, but a Kallista arm sheet tells you to shut off the main water supply before installing an arm. Close the supply before you loosen any connection, and turn the water on again only to check for leaks.

Should I replace the washer when I change the head?

Check it. EPA says to check and, if needed, replace the washer or o-ring inside the showerhead while you make the repair. Delta’s sheet says the washer belongs in the female nut on the head. If the new head came with a washer, use that one.

What if the new head leaks at the arm?

Turn the water off and dry the threads. Then re-wrap them with thread seal tape and tighten carefully with an adjustable wrench, as the New Jersey guide describes. Turn the water on and check again. If it still leaks, check the washer and the manual, and do not keep tightening, because the sources warn against over-tightening.

When should I call a plumber?

When the job goes past a head or arm swap. Delta’s sheet says that “Delta Faucet Company recommends using a professional plumber for all installation and repair.” Kallista’s arm sheet covers a supply adapter, a drilled wall plate and a nipple at the wall, so an arm that needs those is a plumber’s job. Call one if the arm is loose inside the wall, if the supply connection leaks, or if the arm has to be moved.

What thread size does my shower arm use?

The sources we opened do not give one for every arm. The Kallista arm sheet calls for a 1/2-inch NPT nipple at the supply, which is a supply fitting and not the head or arm. Read the markings on the old arm, or its manual, before you buy a head.

Bottom line

Unscrew the old head by hand first, and reach for a rag, pliers and a wrench only if it will not move. Use thread seal tape when the head’s manual calls for it, hand-tighten the new head, and check for leaks with the water on before you walk away. If the job needs new wall work or a supply change, stop there and call a plumber.

Sources

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