How to Replace an Existing Shower Head with a Rain Shower Head

If you’ve ever used a rain shower head before, you know how great it can be. Rain shower heads come in different styles and sizes for different bathrooms and budgets. Learn how to replace an existing shower head with a rain shower head as well as how to install a ceiling mount rain shower head for that full rainfall experience in this Lowe’s video:

Rain Shower Head Installation

1. Make sure the water is shut off before you get started.

2. Remove the shower head, then remove the shower arm. Use a strap wrench or adjustable wrench if needed.

3. Make sure you have a drop ear elbow that’s supported with a cross brace.

4. Wrap Teflon tape around the new shower arm clockwise 3-4 times.

5. Slide an escutcheon flange over the new shower arm. Fit the shower arm into the drop ear and rotate it clockwise until it’s snug.

6. Screw the new shower head onto the shower arm. Remove any excess Teflon tape.

Ceiling Shower Install

A ceiling mount rain head will give you that real rain shower experience, however, this is a more advanced project that is best left for a full renovation or new build. It involves removing the wall and possibly even the ceiling, and if you’re inexperienced with this type of project, you’ll need to consult a professional plumber before moving forward.

1. Loosen the drop ear, then use a crescent wrench and take the fitting off from the top of the shower valve.

For this project, you’ll use a PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) flexible tube used especially for water lines. With the conversion fitting, you can connect the PEX directly to the copper without much of a problem.

2. If you have a shower valve where the copper is soldered directly into the valve, cut the copper about midway up and use a specialized SharkBite conversion fitting and slide the PEX right in place. If you have a screw-on fitting, fit the SharkBite fitting directly into the PEX, put on the ring and crimp it on with a PEX crimping tool. This tool has a gauge with a go side and a no-go side; you want the no-go side not to go on and the go side to go on. This ensures that you’ve crimped it tight enough but not too tight.

3. Measure over the center of the valve and mark the same mark up at the top, then drill a hole through the top plate.

4. Take Teflon tape and put it around the shower valve fitting, then put the PEX pipe in place. Tighten with a crescent wrench.

5. Take a 90-degree fitting and put it right on the PEX pipe. Run parallel with the ceiling joist. If you’re running perpendicular and have to drill through, make sure you drill through in the center of the ceiling joist so you don’t compromise the structural integrity. If you’re drilling a bigger hole, make sure you contact an engineer and see if it’s OK.

6. Install a drop ear elbow, put in the cross brace and screw it in place.

7. Before you put your cement board back in place, take a clamp and fasten it to the PEX pipe to keep it from shaking. Take a 3-inch nipple and a cap and put it into the drop ear. Once this is in place, turn on the water and test for leaks. If there are no leaks anywhere, go ahead and close up your walls and ceiling. Leave the cap in place until after all the drywall, finish or tile is done so you don’t damage the downrod. Once done, you can remove the cap.

8. Take the new straight down pipe, put Teflon tape on it again and then place it in the drop ear elbow.

9. Take the rain shower head, place it on the downrod and screw it in place. Remove the Teflon tape from the top.