How to Install a Rain Shower Head, and When You Need a Plumber

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You can install a rain shower head on the arm already coming out of your wall in one short job. It usually takes under an hour. All you need is a wrench and thread seal tape, plus a little patience with the angle. A ceiling-mounted head or a full system is a different job, and this guide says where that line is.

What are you installing? Check before you start

Look at what came in the box, then at your bathroom.

• A head only screws onto the arm already coming out of your wall. That is the job below.
• A head plus a new arm (an extension or ceiling-style arm) also screws onto the existing pipe, so it is still a do-it-yourself job.
• A ceiling head where no pipe comes out of the ceiling needs a new supply run through the ceiling. That is a plumber's job.
• A full system with its own valve, body jets or a waterfall spout is fitted into the wall. Call a plumber.

In the US, shower arms use a 1/2-inch NPT thread. Check the box says the same.

What you need

• Adjustable wrench or slip-joint pliers
• A soft cloth, to protect the finish
• Thread seal tape (PTFE tape)
• An old toothbrush
• A step stool

How to install a rain shower head in six steps

Step 1: Take the old head off

Turn the shower off first. Wrap the cloth around the nut where the head meets the arm, grip it with the wrench and turn counterclockwise while your other hand holds the arm still, because twisting the arm can loosen the pipe inside the wall. Once it moves, finish by hand.

Step 2: Clean the thread

Pull off the old tape. Then scrub the thread with the toothbrush until the metal is clean, since scale and scraps of old tape are the usual cause of a slow leak later.

Step 3: Wrap new tape

Wrap it clockwise. That is the same direction the head screws on, so the tape tightens instead of bunching up. Two or three turns is plenty; keep it flat and stop short of the open end of the pipe so nothing hangs into the water path.

Step 4: Fit an extension or ceiling arm, if you have one

A standard arm points up and out at an angle, which is fine for a small head but leaves a wide rain head hanging low or tilted. An extension arm lifts it and brings it out over the middle of the shower. Screw the arm on first. Tape its far end the same way.

Step 5: Screw on the rain head

Hand-tight first. After that, a small extra turn with the wrench over the cloth is all it needs. Many heads are plastic, such as the ABS Aqua Square Pure Rain Shower Head, and too much force can crack the nut. If there is a rubber washer inside the head, check it sits flat before you tighten.

Step 6: Level the face and test

Turn the water on and watch the joint for a full minute.

• A drip at the thread: turn off the water, give it a quarter turn more. If it still drips, take it off and tape it again.
• Water falling at an angle: most heads have a ball joint. Tilt the face until it is flat.
• Outer nozzles barely running: your flow may be too low for a wide face. Clean the small screen inside the inlet in case it is blocked, and see whether a smaller head suits your supply better.

When do you need a plumber or an electrician?

Some rain showers are not a swap at all.

• Thermostatic and multi-jet systems. The Waterfall Thermostatic Massaging Rain Shower System Set and the Dream Spa Multi-Jet Rain Shower System have valves and body jets that go into the wall.
• Big flow. The Waterfall set's maker lists 16 to 28 litres a minute. A plumber can tell you whether your pipes and water heater keep up.
• Lights powered from the mains. The Waterfall set lists LED power of 100 to 240 volts AC. Mains wiring in a wet room is a job for a licensed electrician.

If you only want to try the feel of a rain shower, start with a head on an extension arm. Love it? A full system can follow when you next redo the bathroom. Every set we carry is on the Shower Sets page.