How to change a shower head yourself in five minutes

If your shower head has gone weak, furred up with limescale, or just looks tired, you do not need to book anyone or buy any tools to fix it. Replacing the head on a handheld shower is genuinely a five minute job, and it is one of the cheapest upgrades that makes a daily difference. Here is the whole process.

What you need to know first

On almost every UK handheld shower, the head is a separate part that screws onto the end of the hose. The connection is a standard size (called G1/2, or half inch), which is why a replacement head "fits any standard UK hose". You are only changing the head, not the hose, so it is a straight swap.

That is worth saying plainly, because it is the single most common question: you buy the head on its own, and it screws onto the hose you already have. The hose stays put.

Step by step

1. Unscrew the old head. Turn the shower head anticlockwise where it meets the hose. It should come off by hand. If it is stuck with limescale, a pair of pliers with a cloth to protect the finish will loosen it.
2. Check the little rubber washer. Inside the end of the hose there is a small rubber seal. Make sure it is still there and sitting flat. This is what stops drips, so if it looks perished, a new one costs pennies from any DIY shop.
3. Screw on the new head. Hand tighten the new head onto the hose, turning clockwise. Hand tight is enough. Do not force it with tools, because you can crack the thread or squash the washer.
4. Run it and check. Turn the shower on and look at the joint. A steady flow from the head and no dripping at the hose connection means you are done.

That really is it. No plumbing, no draining anything, no tools if you are lucky with the limescale.

Choosing a head that is worth the swap

Any head will fit, so the choice is about how it feels to use. A good one narrows and shapes the jets so the spray feels stronger and more covering while using less water. We stock two that do exactly that:

• The 4 mode filtered shower head in grey, with four spray patterns and a filter core.
• The multi mode white shower head, which adds a one key stop button so you can pause the water at the head while you lather up, then start it again at the same temperature.

One honest note, the same one we make on every product page: a new head makes the spray feel stronger by concentrating the water. It does not change your home water pressure, so if your shower genuinely trickles from low pressure, a new head will improve the feel but will not transform the flow.

If the new head drips

Nine times out of ten a drip at the joint is the little rubber washer, not the head. Take the head back off, check the washer is present and flat, and if in doubt replace it. If the drip is coming from the head face itself after you turn the shower off, that is just water clearing from the head and it stops in a few seconds, which is normal.

Have a look at the full range if you want a head that is honestly described and simple to fit.