The Handheld Shower Head Is a Plumbing Job: Decide Whether to Swap It Yourself or Call a Plumber

A handheld shower head looks like a simple swap. Often it is. The part that decides it is what the head is screwed onto. If the shower arm is a standard threaded pipe, the swap is a small job. If the arm is fixed into the wall, or the bath has a diverter buried in the wall, you are working on plumbing, and a leak shows up inside the wall before it shows on the floor.

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Check the connection first

Look at the shower arm where the head meets it. Is there a threaded end you can unscrew by hand, or with a wrench wrapped in cloth? Is there a diverter, a small knob or lever near the spout that sends water to the tub or to the head? Can you find the valve that shuts off water to the shower? If you cannot find the shut-off, you are not ready to start. Find it first.

Decide yourself if all of these are true

The arm is a standard threaded pipe that comes off with a hand tool. You can shut off the water to the shower. The new head and its hose are a set that fits your arm, and the packaging says so. You have replaced a washer or a hose before and know how to stop a drip. The wall around the arm is solid, dry, and firm to the touch.

Call a plumber if any of these are true

The arm is fixed into the wall. The diverter sits inside the wall with no access panel. The pipes look old, dull gray, or patched. There are water stains, soft drywall, or a damp smell around the shower. You are not sure where the shut-off is. In that case, hire the job. Ask the plumber whether your city or county requires a licensed plumber for this work, and whether the person coming holds that license. Your local building office can answer the first question.

Ask the plumber these questions

Ask what the quote includes, whether the part and the labor carry separate warranties, and who to call if a joint weeps in the first month. Ask whether they will test the water pressure and check every joint before they leave. Ask them to check the water temperature at the mixing valve, since that setting protects the person in the shower. Get the answers in writing on the quote or the invoice.

Test before you hand it over

Run the water for two full minutes, then check each joint with a dry paper towel. Look for kinks in the hose and check the wall bracket is tight. Check the spot again the next day, because some leaks only show once the wall has warmed and cooled a few times. Make sure the hose reaches the bench or the seat without pulling your parent off balance. For other places to ask about help after a discharge, see Local Help After a Discharge.