Are you having problems with your shower head? Does it keep sliding down when you’re trying to use it?
If so, then you’re not alone. Many people have had the same problem as you, and here is how to fix it. In most instances this is quite easy to do, in other cases, it can involve more work.
We have to distinguish between overhead (or wall-mounted) shower heads and handheld shower heads. Let’s see how each of these can be fixed.
Overhead Wall mounted shower head slides down: How to fix
Wall-mounted shower heads are a very common type of showerhead. They are hung on a wall or tile next to the shower. If your wall-mounted shower head is falling down a lot, you may want to check the following:
Problems with the wall
-Is the wall is strong enough for the weight of the shower head? Many walls are not strong enough to support the weight if you have a heavy shower head, no matter how well you mount it. You can check out how sturdy your wall is by giving it a nudge. You can add new plaster or drywall if needed.
-Check the opening in the wall where the shower head hangs. This hole should be sealed and offer support for the shower head. As discussed before, pipes can expand and contract and the shower head needs to be supported to avoid movement. Spray foam can be used to seal this hole in the wall. You can also use some plumber’s putty for this. This is easy to do.
After these repairs, you shouldn’t use the shower for a few hours so that the new material can dry properly.
Problems with the plumbing system
-Are the pipes properly installed? Pipes can move when water is flowing through them. Especially copper pipes can expand quite a lot. Make sure that the pipes are properly supported (with wall supports) and that they are connected in the right way.
-Is the showerhead hanging level. If the shower head hasn’t been installed properly, it can move around quite a lot. Make sure that it hangs level and that the screws are properly tightened.
-The shower head itself might be broken as well. The tread that holds it up might be breaking down. This can be quite dangerous as the overhead shower head can fall on the floor.
Given that these showerheads hang above your head, it can be quite dangerous if you don’t address this problem.
Handheld shower head keeps sliding down: how to fix
Handheld shower heads are often used. People enjoy using them as it is possible to move them around. Let’s see what you can do if it slides down.
Make sure that the closing mechanism is working
If your shower head has a closing mechanism, make sure it is working properly. This closing mechanism is generally attached to a slide bar.
The closing mechanism can be turned to loosen or tighten it. This allows you to change its position. Make sure that it is tight enough as this can slide over the bar if you didn’t close it properly.
When you buy a new shower head, you should make sure that the handle fits in the holder. Some shower heads have wider or more narrow handles. If the handle is too narrow for the holder, it can star to slide or even fall out of it!
This part can get dirty. You can use a small brush and some vinegar to get it cleaned. In some cases, this will already solve the problem.
Check the weight of your handheld shower head
If you have a handheld shower head, it is possible that it contains a lot of water after you have showered. You can drain it by shaking it a few times. Once this is done, there will be less water in it and the weight will be a lot lower.
You can also use vinegar to clean the shower head. This makes sure that water doesn’t remain stuck in the shower head.
Check the shower head slide bar
A lot of shower heads have a slide bar. This bar is what actually keeps the shower head in place when you are using it and when you are not.
If the slide bar is loose or broken, it won’t be able to hold your shower head in place.
Use a leveling tool to make sure that the slide bar hangs level. You can tighten the screws to change their position.
You should also make sure that the shower bar offers some grip. If you clean this with certain cleaning products, the bar will be too slippery to hold the shower head.
Over time, the shower bar might become smaller as it gets worn down. Replacing the slide bar may be enough to solve the problem. In most instances this is quite easy as you just have to remove some screws and install new ones. The cover of the shower slide bar can often be removed by pulling it. This will provide you access to the screws.
You can also just replace the holder instead of the whole bar.
To conclude, we can state that a shower head that is moving is annoying. It can also be dangerous. In this post, we have outlined the most common problems and how to fix them. In most instances, this is quite easy to do with a normal screwdriver, a leveling tool and a wrench.
In other cases there is more work to do as the plumbing pipes need to be reinstalled or the hole in the wall needs to be sealed.
If you don’t want to deal with this problem yourself, it is always possible to contact a plumber in your area. Plumbers can often fix this in under 1 hour.
