Bathroom · DIY guide
How to replace a showerhead
A like-for-like showerhead swap onto an existing arm is maintenance, and you can do it yourself in Victoria. Changing to a rail shower, a ceiling-mounted head, or anything that needs the wall opened is installation work and needs a licensed plumber.
Legal in Victoria for a like-for-like screw-on replacement
What you need
- New showerhead with the same thread (almost always 1/2 inch BSP)
- Thread seal tape (plumber's tape)
- Adjustable spanner or multigrips
- Cloth or masking tape to protect the finish
Step by step
Check what you actually have
Look at how the head attaches. If it screws onto a protruding arm, this is a DIY job. If it comes straight out of the wall with a concealed connection, or it is part of a rail set with a mixer, stop here.
Remove the old head
Wrap the arm in cloth or masking tape so the spanner does not mark it. Hold the arm still with one hand and turn the head anticlockwise. If it is seized, a few minutes with vinegar on a rag around the joint usually frees it. Do not lever against the wall — you will crack the tile.
Clean the thread
Strip off all the old thread tape and any mineral build-up. Anything left behind stops the new tape sealing and you will get a weep at the joint.
Tape the thread correctly
Wrap the thread seal tape clockwise as you look at the end of the arm — the same direction the head screws on — three to four turns, pulled firm into the thread. Wrapped the wrong way it simply unwinds as you tighten.
Fit and test
Screw the new head on by hand until firm, then a quarter turn with the spanner. Do not gorilla it — these are usually brass or plastic threads. Run the shower and check the joint for weeping; another quarter turn usually settles it.
Common mistakes
- Wrapping the thread tape anticlockwise
- Overtightening and cracking the fitting
- Levering against the tiles
- Not checking the flow rate — a high-flow head on a low-pressure system disappoints
When to stop and call someone
Anything that involves opening the wall, changing the arm, moving the outlet, or installing a mixer is licensed plumbing work in Victoria. So is fitting a rail shower where none existed.