The main kinds of shower head
| How it is fitted | Plumbing involved | |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed head on a wall arm | Screws onto the existing arm | Usually none beyond the thread seal |
| Hand shower on a rail | Hose from a wall outlet, head clips to a sliding rail | None if the outlet is already there; fixing the rail means drilling tiles |
| Ceiling or overhead rain head | Arm drops from the ceiling or reaches out from high on the wall | New pipe to a new outlet position, behind the wall or ceiling |
| Combination set | Overhead head plus a hand shower, switched by a diverter | A diverter in the mixer or a separate valve, so the wall plumbing changes |
Why a new head might not fix a weak shower
If the spray is patchy, scale may be blocking the nozzles. Soaking the head in vinegar overnight often clears it. If the flow is weak at every tap, the head is not the problem; see water pressure.
Some heads are designed for strong mains pressure and dribble on older or lower-pressure systems. Before you buy, check the packaging for the pressure range it is designed for, and ask a plumber if your house is on a tank, a pump or a gravity-fed system.
WELS stars and the Victorian rental rule
Shower heads carry a WELS star rating on the box. More stars means the head uses less water for the shower, and less hot water too.
In Victoria, Consumer Affairs Victoria lists shower heads among the new rental minimum standards. At a new rental agreement from 1 March 2027, a shower head must be "4-star WELS", or 3-star if a 4-star head cannot be installed. CAV says more compliance detail is still to come, so landlords should check the current rules before a lease is signed.
Can you swap it yourself?
You can
- Queensland: the QBCC's DIY plumbing guide names "replacing a shower head" as unregulated plumbing that needs no licence, approval or report.
- Western Australia: Building and Energy allows homeowners the "maintenance, repair or replacement of a shower head".
- Elsewhere, the rules are set state by state and we have not found a published list for most of them. Read what you can do yourself first.
- Wherever you are: unscrew the old head, clean the thread on the arm, wrap it with thread seal tape and screw the new head on by hand before a gentle final turn.
Leave to a licensed plumber
- A new outlet, arm or rail position that needs pipe moved behind tiles.
- Ceiling rain heads where there is no outlet in the ceiling now.
- Combination sets with a diverter.
- An arm that is loose in the wall or leaks where it enters the tiles.
When it becomes a plumber's job
A plumber will move or add an outlet, fit a new arm or diverter, and secure the elbow inside the wall so the arm cannot work loose. That is pipework, and outside the homeowner lists it needs a licensed plumber. In NSW, a contractor licence is required for plumbing at any value, and the Public Register lets you check one before work starts.
If the bathroom is being rebuilt anyway, plan the head and its outlet with the rest of the layout: see bathroom plumbing.
Questions to ask before you buy
- What pressure is the head designed for, and does my house have it?
- What is its WELS star rating?
- Will it fit the existing arm, or does the outlet need to move?
- For a rental in Victoria, does it meet the 4-star requirement?
What we would do
If the head just needs replacing and you live in Queensland or WA, do it yourself and pick a head rated for your water pressure. If the arm wobbles, leaks at the wall, or you want a rain head where there is no outlet, book a plumber, because the fix is in the pipe behind the tiles. Landlords in Victoria should check the star rating before the next lease. For anything past a straight swap, a plumber who fits showers regularly will get the outlet height and the seal right first time.