Replacing a Shower Head

A simple job that can be done in your bathroom is changing out your old, clogged up shower head. This is generally a quick and easy task and does wonders for your showering experience.

The Shower Head

Over time you shower head can become clogged with mineral deposits from the water. Especially if you have 'hard' water, or water with a lot of mineral content. Some shower heads can be opened up and cleaned out, but eventually you'll probably want to replace the entire head.
Most show heads twist on. There is a pipe in the wall behind the shower that has a threaded fitting. The shower head threads onto this fitting. All you'll need for this job is some Teflon tape, a pair of channel-lock pliers, and the new shower head.

Make sure the faucets are turned all the way off (you might want to keep your wife at a safe distance as well, to thwart the temptation she might have to turn the valves on while you're staring down the pipe). Make sure the threads are clean and that there is no debris.
Teflon tape must be applied to the threaded fixture. Some fixtures may have separate pieces that thread together. Each junction must have Teflon tape. This tape keeps the junction from leaking. It should be applied in the opposite direction that the fitting is rotated to install it. This keeps it in place neatly while the fitting is being installed. Wrap it around smoothly and snuggly. Over lap each revolution, don't let any metal show through. When you get to the end of the threads, just pull hard to tear it lose.
When installing the new head, wrap it with a rag to protect it from being scratched by your pliers. Screw it in place per the manufacturers instructions. You'll have to judge when is a good place to stop. You want it to catch enough threads to be sturdy, but you also want to be able to have it straight. The Teflon tape will help you with this, since a good seal will be made, so you can focus on having enough threads to be sturdy and stopping in a good aesthetic location.
That's typically all there is to it! After you get out of the way, turn the shower on full blast and look for any leaks around the junctions (where you used Teflon).