Showerhead video transcript
We all know that the easiest way to save water in the shower is to have a short one. But there’s another easy way to save 10s of thousands of litres per year, reduce energy costs & greenhouse gas and that’s to replace the old showerhead in your own home with a new water efficient one.
Showerheads come with either a hi lo arm or a flexible hose and there are a variety of designs and prices available. Changing a showerhead may affect the shower quality with some gravity feed or continuous flow systems. If you are in doubt, contact a licensed plumber.
For this job you will need an adjustable spanner, a strong cloth to protect your tapware and some Teflon tape which usually comes in the pack with your new showerhead.
Place a non slip mat into the shower area to stand on. First, the old showerhead is unscrewed, a shifter may be needed to loosen it but remember to protect the tapware with a cloth.
If a hand shower fitting is being replaced, you will need to remove the hose before removing the shower fitting.
Clean the thread with steel wool and dry the area thoroughly. Next, wind about 6 rotations of Teflon tape around the shower thread in a clock wise direction against the roll, to create tension and make a tight fit.
Check that the wall fitting is firm. If it’s loose or damaged, call a plumber because you don’t want water from the shower to rot out your wall cavity. If it feels firm then the new showerhead can be screwed on.
Don’t use the shower arm for leverage and take care not to reverse the screwing motion or you will break the tephlon seal. Finish with a firm seal with the shower facing the right direction. If the shower is undone then the tephlon seal will be broken and the showerhead will need to be taken off and the tephlon tape replaced.
If a hose fitting is being replaced, screw on the wall outlet and then screw on the hose fitting. If a hi lo arm is being installed, make sure the swivel nobs are tightened so it sits upright.
Finally, check that the shower doesn’t leak, if it does remove the showerhead & replace the tephlon tape and refit the showerhead.
So enjoy your new shower, just make sure you don’t take longer ones, otherwise you’re back where you started.
A water efficient showerhead can save a family of four up to 35,000 litres a year.
For this job you will need an adjustable spanner, a strong cloth to protect your tapware and some Teflon tape which usually comes in the pack with your new showerhead.
Place a non slip mat into the shower area to stand on. First, the old showerhead is unscrewed, a shifter may be needed to loosen it but remember to protect the tapware with a cloth.
If a hand shower fitting is being replaced, you will need to remove the hose before removing the shower fitting.
Clean the thread with steel wool and dry the area thoroughly. Next, wind about 6 rotations of Teflon tape around the shower thread in a clock wise direction against the roll, to create tension and make a tight fit.
Check that the wall fitting is firm. If it’s loose or damaged, call a plumber because you don’t want water from the shower to rot out your wall cavity. If it feels firm then the new showerhead can be screwed on.
Don’t use the shower arm for leverage and take care not to reverse the screwing motion or you will break the tephlon seal. Finish with a firm seal with the shower facing the right direction. If the shower is undone then the tephlon seal will be broken and the showerhead will need to be taken off and the tephlon tape replaced.
If a hose fitting is being replaced, screw on the wall outlet and then screw on the hose fitting. If a hi lo arm is being installed, make sure the swivel nobs are tightened so it sits upright.
Finally, check that the shower doesn’t leak, if it does remove the showerhead & replace the tephlon tape and refit the showerhead.
So enjoy your new shower, just make sure you don’t take longer ones, otherwise you’re back where you started.
A water efficient showerhead can save a family of four up to 35,000 litres a year.