How to Change A Shower Arm and Flange In 5 Minutes
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- Опубліковано 24 вер 2024
- (Heads Up: Thread Seal Tape should be wrapped counter-clockwise on both sides. Video shows tape being applied clockwise from the one side.)
Are you looking to upgrade your old, worn out shower arm and flange? Whether it's just really beat up looking, or you want a different style/length, a shower arm replacement is key to any shower upgrade.
And if you never changed a shower arm pipe before, you may have your hesitations. Unlike a shower head installation, the shower arm pipe is threaded into the wall which can look intimidating. But it's actually super easy!
In this video, I'm going to show you how to replace your shower arm and flange in less than 5 minutes!
I'll be using the highest quality shower arm and flange on the market. And I've used a lot! Trust me, this one is expensive but it's worth the money. Why have a really nice shower head and not have a nice shower arm to mount it on to?
Available on Amazon: amzn.to/4etA6PO
Available at The Shower Head Store: bit.ly/3tmgoSI
The shower arm is made from very hefty brass and the flange is really thick gauge brass which is super rare. What I especially love about this shower arm set is that the flange has a set screw to tighten it down onto the shower arm so it doesn't move around. If you've ever had the flange sliding around on your shower arm, you'll find this very important.
Now, here are the steps to installing your shower arm and flange.
1. Remove your existing shower head
2. Use a utility knife to separate any silicone or plumbers putty from the flange so it's not stuck to the wall.
3. Insert a screwdriver into the hole of the shower arm for leverage
4. Unthread the shower arm counter-clockwise using the screwdriver
5. Take the new shower arm and slide the flange over it
6. Wrap both ends of the shower arm threads with Teflon tape, getting a heaping amount on there. Close to 10 turns
7. Guide the shower arm into the hole in the wall to find the threads
8. Reinsert the screwdriver into the hole of the shower arm
9. Thread the shower arm into the wall by rotating the screw driver in a clockwise motion
10. When it starts to get tight, go around one last turn and square the shower arm up in your shower
11. Slide the flange so it's flush against the wall
12. Tighten the set screw down
13. Seal the edges with silicone
14. Finished!
Let's take a look at this video and put it all together.
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The Shower Head Store is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.***
My mother was actually about to pay a guy $1,000 for this job. When I found out I immediately looked up how to do it. Thank you for saving me and my mom $1000. God bless
Goshhh $1k how does that guy sleep at night???
Report that person to the bbb
SMH that is robbery
@@nikolasdang5196 on a bed of cash
I'd done it for 500
The Teflon Tape was put on in the wrong direction. Pointing the end of the pipe towards you, it should go on clockwise. This is the direction that the pipe threads travel when tightening. Putting the tape on in the counterclockwise direction as shown in this video will cause the tape to bunch up as it is tightened
making it useless at providing a seal. I always install these with a temporary cap at the other end and turn on the water to pressure test and check for leaks. If there are no leaks then I replace the cap with the shower head and silicon seal the flange.
Hello Paul, you are correct, we've noticed that we've accidentally done that but we are unable to edit the video. The notes will be updated shortly to address this. Thanks for bringing this to our attention.
Don't you think it would be better to use Tru-Blu Rector Seal Pipe Thread Sealant on those threads? Tru-Blu is great stuff and recommended by plumbers. I really like your idea about capping it off to check for leaks. 👍👍👍
As I was watching this video, that's the same thing I notice. It is supposed to go on in such a way that when you turn, it goes WITH THE DIRECTION of the tape, not against it. He did this backwards.
I used to think so, but despite the consternation from tradesman, it really doesn't matter that much. I always make sure to put it on the right way, but no, it won't be "useless", nor will any of the bunching up matter. The stuff compresses so easily and it is already by definition a tight fit between fitting and socket threads that there is *_no place for the Teflon to bunch up to._* It's not as if you'll unravel the tape entirely as you turn.
Try the same experiments with it that I did and see. You'll not have any catastrophic leaks by putting it on CCW. I avoid doing so, but only because being a purist doesn't hurt anything. But if you forget, it's not the end of the world, and really won't matter _that_ much.
Thanks. I thought that was correct as well. Always thought you wrapped teflon tape in the OPPOSITE direction as you are going to thread the pipe/fitting so the end edge of the tape is facing in the opposite direction you are threading your pipe or fitting in/on. Justin cites the correct reason but the wrong direction.
I love simple direct instructions. Thank you!
You are very welcome, Faith. Let me know if you need anything else.
This little ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxVoi3B4CB6Oygq1-vo4OTL1M_M5JkrXif tub works perfect in our 6 x 6 shower and is easy to get in and out. Also easy to drain.
Thank you. That tip about using a screwdriver to tighten the shower arm saved me buying a new tool to use once, feeling like a failure for not knowing how to do this without making horrible marks on the arm. Thanks again.
You're welcome! I’m glad that tip helped you out and saved you from buying a new tool. It’s great to hear it made things easier for you.
Nailed it. 1st Time I ever Attempted -- less than 5 minutes from start to finish [including watching the video!]
Thanks for letting us know, Peter & Nicole. We truly appreciate you!
Please explain that since the video is over five minutes. 5:17 to be exact.
Thanks for the simple and fast how-to instructions
Anytime! We are happy to help!
Thanks Justin for all of the good tips, especially about wrapping the tape on the pipe ends in a clockwise direction. I pretty much knew that I would be using a screwdriver placed inside the pipe to unscrew the old arm and installing the new one. However, there’s one thing you left out that’s important for some DIY’er’s like myself to know. When installing the new shower arm, the longer end goes into the wall with the shorter angled end pointing out and down towards the bathtub or shower floor. 🛀🚿
Thanks for the input and I am glad we were able to help you.
He installed it that way, if people were paying attention.
Plus, you could see the longer end was inside the wall, when removing the old shower arm.
Thank you for this! I had no idea what to do and how the arm was connected (or if it even was connected to anything). Successfully changed an old arm with destroyed threads.
You are very welcome, Mary. Please let us know if you need anything else.
Thanks so much! You saved my marriage.
We're glad to be of service!
Thank you. That screw driver hint was brilliant
I'm glad we could help!
Thank you!!!! I was terrified I'd have to take tiles and wall down. Haha. What a relief!!!
My collar has putty around it, so i thought the same thing 🤣🤣
Thank You, love the screw driver tip. saves from taping the pipe for wrench maring...
Thanks for the feedback Greg and you are very welcome.
Thank you! Great informative video...did everything u said and I successfully installed my shower arm and Rainfall Shower head without a plumber. Yay!!
Hi Garry! Awesome! I'm so glad you were able to do it!
Thank you for the video - I wouldn't have thought to use the screwdriver for leverage. I suck at home repair, but youtube helps!
You are welcome Tony. We are happy we were able to help!
Me, my mother-in-law & her guest bathroom thank you!!! Cheers!
I'm so glad that I was able to help!
@@theshowerheadstore thanks for the video, im gonna be replacing both arms and shower heads
Thank you! I sit on hold with (a certain well known store that sells hardware and appliances) chat for 30 mins last night while they tried to figure out what a shower arm and flange was for me. They came back with an answer that didn't have anything to do with the question instead of just saying, "Idk".
That must be an awful experience.
The screwdriver tip really came in handy thank you !!!
We are happy we were able to help, Chris. Let us know if you need anything else!
Great tips! Thanks!
I have a new shower arm to install, and I was worried because it has threads on both ends, and I thought I might need some kind of connector...
happy to see yours looks the same, and I am good to go.
What I did with the flange, is I put beads of clear silicon, inside the back of the flange, in ever larger circles, until it reached the very edge of the inside of the flange,
and made sure, the last circle, rested slightly above the edge of the flange, so when installing this, pushing on the flange, with just a little pressure,
compresses the silicon slightly, because silicon is flexible, and that makes for a perfect watertight seal, and you can't even see the silicon on the inside.
I wouldn't use plumber's putty on marble, (Plumber's putty is greasy.) as marble is a soft, porous stone, and the marble will absorb the oil from the plumber's putty,
and the marble will stain around the flange.
It is probably fine to use it on granite.
Thanks for your feedback. I am happy we were able to help you.
Thanks! Just what I was looking for mainly to see how to remove the pipe. Screw driver trick was key. I probably would have put the set screw on top out of sight (unless you are Shaq.)
Genius screw driver trick!!! Thank you!
You are very welcome! Please let us know if you need anything else.
Much appreciate that you shared quickly what direction to thread the tape. Gonna do this pretty soon and that’s something I’d easily not pay attention to.
Thanks for the feedback.
Great video. Clear and concise. Thank you!
I'm glad it helped you out!
Thank you!! I changed my shower arm myself. Saved plumbing cost !! Hurray
You are very welcome. Let us know if you need anything else.
Thank you so much I'm 62 and I have to do it myself Thank you again.
I'm so glad that i was able to help!
me too at 66...yuk!
I just want to said thank you so much dude. You safe me a huge headache and was easy to do the job
I am happy to help Oscar. Let me know if you need anything else.
I always lived an a apartment. I recently just bought a house. I need to learns some of these do it Yourselves and I'm kinda nervous. Two questions. 1) if i take everything off, is that what's usually behind the flange a hole in the wall I assume in that hole a is a pipe you just stick the arm to?
2) are shower arms universal? Thanks again. Might be dumb questions but I just want to learn everything. I'm new to this
1. Yes, there is usually a 1/2" Female Pipe Thread connection in the wall. That's the standard in the USA. 2. In line with the previous question, shower arm pipes are a standard 1/2" Male Pipe Thread. There may be some exceptions, but the vast majority of the time you're dealing with these standards.
@@theshowerheadstore thank you so much
@@Pshady23 You're welcome!
Nice job explaining this replacement.
Thank you, Yvonne. Please let me know if you need anything else.
Thank you for this ! My arm was leaking ! Was able to remove and retape to stop the leak!
I'm so glad that you were able to make it happen!
Thank you so much! Saved us a plumbing bill!
Awesome! I'm so glad I was able to help!
These type of repairs/updates always scares me. I don’t like not knowing if my pipe is leaking being it’s behind a wall. I know folks will chime in and say if you put teflon on correctly and tightened it correctly, yadda, yadda...Things can still go wrong beyond your control, like age of pipes, condition of threads, etc.
Same, like what do I do, if I can’t screw it back on.
Hello there. A lot of things can go wrong such as what you mentioned in terms of the age of the pipes and the condition of the threads in the wall, and in this case, I would recommend that you add extra turns of tape or consult a plumber to check on leaks in the wall.
Thanks Justin for all of the good tips, especially about wrapping the tape on in a clockwise direction. I pretty much knew that I would be using a screwdriver placed inside the pipe to unscrew the old arm and install the new one. However, there’s one thing you left out that’s important for some DIY’er’s like myself to know, when installing the new shower arm the longer end goes into the wall with the shorter angled end pointing out and down.
@@DalTexGuy why can’t it be the opposite?
Leaks inside the wall is my main worry. I'm guessing the thread is not standard like on the shower end of my old one.
Thanks for taking the time to make this video. Very helpful
You are very welcome. Let us know if you need anything else.
Thank you for explaining the direction of the tape in a way my adhd brain could comprehend 2:39 😭 God bless you baby
You're so welcome and thanks for the feedback! I'm thrilled to hear that the video helped you out, and I totally get how important clear directions are. God bless you too! 🙏💙
Thanks for this tutorial. The only thing I don’t like is seeing a hole at the bottom if the flange. I wish we had a piece to cover it. Otherwise, very great quality
Thank you for the feedback!
Nice Video. Simple and Straightforward 🤙
Thank you John!
Exactly the video I needed. THANKS!!!
We are so glad that you liked it!
Thanks brother, very helpful video...made my job of replacing an old shower arm very easy.
Thanks for the feedback, Joseph!
Nice bro that looked easy, thanks. Side note you look like Derrick on the movie Stepbrothers 🤣
He’s headed to the Catalina wine mixer next!
Thank you so much Justin!! These tips help everyone so much!
My pleasure, Cher!
Thanks for the típ on how to get the old arm shower off! 👌
You are very welcome. Let us know if you need anything else.
GENIUS. I was debating if I'd need to cut out a piece of the wall :))))
Thanks. I just change my showerhead & now thinking of changing to L-arm too.
You are welcome! Please let us know if you need any help!
Thanks! That's exactly what I needed to know.
Thank you. We are glad we are able to help!
I like the screwdriver trick.
Thanks for the feedback, Jacob.
Wow I never knew this stuff was this easy thank you for this video now I can finally go ahead and change my shower head cause I was a bit nervous about how to change it
I am happy to we were able to help you with this, Naeema. Thanks for the feedback!
I just used channel locks and scratched my antique bronze arm. Lol. Wish I would've seen the screw driver trick before. Ha ha.
I am sorry to hear that Bob. If you have any other concerns, do not hesitate to reach out.
Thank you sir! Easier than I thought.
You're welcome :)
Helpful video thanks bud
You are very welcome!
I have a question, do you have to first shut off the water before you change this out? I live in an apartment and it would be virtually impossible for me to shut the water off to my building just to change this out.
You don't have to shut off the main water to change this out, although it's never a bad idea just to be safe. You only need to make sure that your shower valve is closed all the way and that no water is coming out of your shower head. Then you'll be good to go!
Thanks guy just what I needed to know
Glad we could help.
I like the tip on using a screwdriver.
Thank you for letting us know!
Thank you.
Got an idea 🙏🏻
You are very welcome!
Love the screwdriver trick. Thank you.
You are very welcome and thank you very much! Please let us know if you have any other questions.
Saving me a plumber's $$ visit. Thank you!
There was rust and orange gunk in my pipes. Alot of people are showering in Galvanized Steel rust water. If your eyes feel irratated after a shower its because of the rust. I noticed after I removed the shower arm. Im going to have to remove the caulking, chisel the tiles off my wall, break through the drywall with a oscilltating tool, then change out the piping.
very good video, show to the point, I have a question to ask do I need to shutoff the main water, before doing this, thank you very much Gbu
No, the water is already off at your shower knobs
Are all shower arms able to twist off like that cuz I’m havn a hard time twisting the old arm off
Hello there, if your shower arm is in the wall for a more than 7 years then rust can build up internally on the threads causing problem to remove it. In this case, we recommend using 2 tools for the job. In your left hand you will use a wrench to hold the shower arm (where it exits the wall) firmly in place, while you have a screw driver or any long enough metal that can be placed inside of the shower arm. You will then need to apply pressure in a counter clockwise direction slowly. Let me know if this helps.
@@theshowerheadstore Tnx man got it out!
@@TheSkyhighmusic Perfect! Let me know if you need anything else.
Thanks for the video. Should take the set screw and place on top so it is out of sight.
You are welcome and thank for the honest suggestion!
great trick with the screwdriver. thanks!
Thanks for the feedback Todd and you are very welcome.
I think you put the tape on in the wrong direction on the wall side.
Gregory Lang that’s why he will never get to 400 subscribers...
Yaxiong Zhao - 401✔️😉
Almost 5k@@yaxiongzhao6640
You put tape on backwards
Just like my shoes sometimes! Thanks for paying close attention.
Providing it doesnt break on the threads in sid🙃
Thank you so much! Your video is very useful!
My house is 50 years old. I used only rotational force. Both the old shower arm and the elbow piece broke/crumbled where the threading is. Need to call a plumber 😭
I bet the the old homeowners caused damage when they redid the shower at one point.
Thank you, this was very helpful
..tape on the arm going into the wall-side is wrapped in the wrong direction ..just say'n
Just making sure you were paying attention.
This is correct
Love your video, very expletives.
Thank you
do you have to turn the main water off?
Hi iTeeSea,
As long as the water valve is turned off, you don't have to turn off the water main.
Thanks, needing to replace my shower arm, which developed a pin hole leak, just wanting to confirm how to change it. BTW, that's a nice looking shower head, why not just soak it in CLR, it will remove clogs in about 30 minutes of soaking? Much cheaper than a new shower head.
Thanks for your message! We're glad you like the look of the showerhead. however, the video focuses on changing the shower arm in just 5 minutes, it's not about the shower head which, BTW is not one of our All metal Showerheads but we appreciate your feedback! Let us know if you need any further assistance.
This helps a lot! Why are shower arms so damn short in the first place? I'm installing a longer arm. You can't hang a rack on it because all of the water drips into the soap dish and makes a mess.
Are you in a rental or a cheaply-built house? Oftentimes contractors/developers/landlords will skimp on pieces like this to save a buck, but thankfully it's very easy to upgrade without risking damage.
@@lozoft9 It’s a brand new house and wasn’t cheap. It’s a spec house and we had no say in the accessories, paint, color, fixtures etc. Yes, it’s an easy thing to fix.
What did you do at the end to secure/tighten the flange?
There is a set screw in the flange that you tighten down onto the shower arm so it does not move.
Great video thanks.
Thank you, James!
The Allen screw holding the new flange would look best if installed on the top side where it can't be seen. Just a thought. Good video.
Thanks for the feedback, John and you are very welcome.
You made it look so EZ.
Thank you.
Glad to help!
Thanks so much! This is just what I needed to know. I'll check out your store on Amazon! Cheers!
Thank you very much! Please let us know if you have any doubts.
How do you ensure no water is leaking behind the wall after the job is finished?
If it is leaking, normally you’ll see a bead of water running up the shower arm. I’d leave the flange loosened up a bit to see this and shine a flashlight in there to have a look. It’s not easy to do as the hole is often so small so make sure you get the right shower arm!
Thanks for this video!
So simple! Thanks for sharing!
You are very welcome. Let me know if you need anything else.
Do you have to shut off the main water source for the house to do this? Or just keep the shower faucet shut off?
You can just keep the faucet off. No problem! :D
I didn't know Matt Jackson from the Young Bucks was a handy man!
Are all shower arms threaded on? Not sure how old mine is, but the house was built in the 80s. Its possible mine is that old, but I've always wondered if they ever sweat those arms on a 90.
All shower arms are removable. They are usually threaded into the shower water supply pipe in the wall where some may be badly corroded and stuck, which makes them hard to remove. A penetrating oil should be used to help them loosen up
Very helpful. Thank you
You are very welcome, Keesio. Let us know if you need anything else.
Hi. Are there specific tools design to remove snd install shower handles and heads? The plumber had to come fix my shower and he scratched the handles now I have to replace two of them and I cringed of the thought of installing them and scratching them. I hope you can reply. Thanks
I apologize if this is off topic but my shower arm is good. My shower head needed replacing. The issue I had was that the nut on the new shower head was plastic and I could never get the threads to line up with the arm. After many tries the plastic threads started to come off. What did I do wrong? I put my old shower head back on and it screwed on perfectly with no leaks. The shower head still needs replacing, however.
Chances are that the threads in the plastic connection may be damaged due to over tightening. I would recommend changing the plastic showerhead. At the Shower head Store, we are only offering high quality metal shower heads at insanely competitive prices that are built to last from Stainless steel and Brass.
Long live the manbun!
We definitely agree!
The connection between my shower arm and the wall is on the inside of the wall.how do I apply taflon tape to that
Hi Andy, That is a great question. Most Shower Arms have the male end on your side, So you can place the teflon tape on the shower arm and screw it on. I hope this info helps!
Does the water need to be turned off for the bathroom, or even the whole house? Not just at the on/off in the shower, but the top pipe is in the house plumbing , isn't it?
@Peter Macias Thank you!
How often do these break when trying to unscrew? I live in a 60 year old house and so far, everything I’ve tried to replace, has been a major pain in the butt.
Totally understand where you are coming from, dealing with older plumbing can be a bit tricky, especially if it's been there for a really long time. It might be a good idea to call in a professional plumber. They'll be better able to handle these situations without causing further headaches.
Per written instructions only 1-1/4 turns of Teflon tape is allowed for nuclear submarine use. I would think that should suffice for home use, also.
Hmmm 🤔 yesterday in my plumbing class we were soldering some copper tubing, elbows and a fitting for a pressure test gauge, I wrapped 4 turns of teflon tape and mine didn't leak any air, 3 guys only wrapped like 2 turns at most and all of them leaked from the threaded connection, I think more then 5 turns is too much, but 1-1/4 seems like too little for me.
@@josem.2909 ok if you “think” so. There are several causes which you didn’t pursue for the “cause” of the leaks. I tell you what, I’ll use the same logic you used ... I didn’t have any leaks following the instructions for nuclear submarines for 35yrs. Take care & follow your industry instructions. Oh yeh, bet you didn’t know that Teflon tape is mainly a lubricant, enabling the threading in of the tapered threads to “properly” seal the piping.
@@josem.2909 Well, if you are installing pipe parts in your house that are made to nuclear sub standards, then one and a quarter turn of tape will probably suffice.
Ok thanks for your comments, we always can learn from others.
Bro, nobody would use lock tight on an arm right? Mine feels like it's soldered in place. I'm afraid I'm going to break it. Should I just lean on it till the arm gives way?
In this case, I would definitely suggest to check if there was some kind of glue o sealant used. If this is the case, I would suggest to use a plumber so that he can be responsible of the removal.
@@theshowerheadstore I got it with a screwdriver and channelocks combination. Thanks for responding though.
My kid broke the pipe off the wall, thank you for this video, fixed and like new.
Thanks for the feedback and you are very welcome!
We recently replaced the shower hose/ head because ours was filled with calcium , our water is awful. It was fine but now is leaking between the shower arm and where it goes into the wall, where the shower arm connects to the main pipe. We’ve tried re-taping it to no avail. Any ideas on how we can fix this leak?
Hi Angel, it seems that the calcium deposits were also lodged in the shower arm. In this case, I would suggest a new shower arm and try it out. If this doesnt work out, it might be that the threads in the main pipe might be damaged. in this case, it would be better to use "plumber's putty" to have it fixed.
This would be helpful except my shower pipe is like a foot and a half long and won't yank off. Any advice on longer ones. I'm trying to install a short one
The same procedure should work but you could also us a wrench.
So I have a question. I have a stand up shower and my shower head is always leaking. Not bad. Just a steady drip. I've been told I need to replace the valve stems for the handles and I've been told I need to replace the shower arm. I don't feel confident in taking chances on jobs I've never done before. This one doesn't bother me but the handle stems do. Will either one of these fix my problem in your opinion?
Yes, you would need to replace the stems "cartridges" if the shower head is leaking when the water is turned off.
@@theshowerheadstore I took shower head off and it’s dripping from the pipe. How bad is that? The shower is newly remodeled. I’m scared 😳
@@kathy-t5q If it's dripping from the pipe when the water is off at the valve, that would mean you have a bad shower valve cartridge/stem and would need to replace that to fix the leak. That's totally normal, happens over time as the seals wear down.
Do I have to shut off the water valve? This is just what I needed to know. Thanks
You do not need to shut off the main supply to change out your shower arm, you just need to shut the water off at your shower valve. There should be no water coming out of your shower head when performing this change.
3/17/21: this video is just what I needed. Very clear...thank you~
Wonderful!
I couldn’t see how you applied the new wall plate. Did it screw-on to the shower arm?
Hi! You'll have to place it inside the shower arm before installing it, then there is a set screw right at the bottom of the flange. Then we would recommend using silicone to seal everything up! I hope this helps!
@@theshowerheadstore : What do you mean by “a set screw”? Thanks
Is it necessary to shut off the main water to replace the shower arm and flange?
As a safety measure, it is recommended that you shut off the main water.
Hi Justin, We purchased your arm and flange, and the flange will not slide onto the arm like it does in your video. In your video the flange slides easily onto the arm. We contacted Amazon, and they sent out a replacement of the arm and flange. Sadly, this flange doesn't slide over the arm also. What are the odds of having two defective exact same products back to back sent to us? Please help in resolving this issue.
We're truly sorry for the frustration this has caused. It's quite unusual to encounter two defective products in succession.To resolve this matter, we're more than willing to send out another replacement arm and flange immediately. Please contact our customer support team regarding this matter at 854-888-9231 during the hours of 9AM to 5PM EST and we'll be more than happy to assist you.
Do I have to shutoff the water going to the bathroom first or does keeping the bathtub turned off keep the water from flowing?
If water isn’t flowing out of it you are ok to change it.
I dont mean to pick on you but why do people think the valve would somehow up at the shower head when the knobs are at waist level or lower... if waters not coming out of the head then its not coming up the pipe, there's no on/off switch in the shower head
@@foxtrot789 because I don't know anything about plumbing, my dad never taught me about plumbing and I didn't learn about it at school I have literally 0 reference about how plumbing works in a home.
I thought gravity would stop the water from flowing up the pipe but I wasn't sure how much pressure was in the line and if it would be active over the tub.