How to Choose a Shower Head

Start with how the shower is used

Shower heads are easy to choose on looks and easy to regret. The right one depends on four practical things: who uses the shower, how much water pressure you have, what kind of hot water system supplies it, and whether the pipes are already in the wall or can still be moved. Working through those in order usually narrows the choice to one or two types.

The main types

Fixed wall head. A head on a short arm coming out of the wall. It is the simplest option, has the fewest parts to fail, and suits most showers. The downside is that the height and angle are set, so it will be too high for some people and too low for others.

Handheld on a bracket. A head on a flexible hose that sits in a fixed wall bracket. It is useful for rinsing the shower walls and screen, bathing children or pets, washing hair without wetting the rest of you, and for anyone who showers seated. The bracket height is fixed, so place it with care.

Rail shower. A handheld head on a vertical rail with a sliding bracket. The height can be adjusted in seconds, which makes it the practical choice for households with tall and short members, children, or anyone with limited mobility. Choose a rail that is fixed firmly into the wall framing or suitable blocking, as a loose rail is a common complaint.

Rain head. A large, flat head, either on a long wall arm or mounted from the ceiling, that drops water more or less vertically over the person standing under it. The spray is soft and wide. Rain heads work best in larger showers with good water pressure, and a ceiling-mounted head needs the pipe run in the ceiling, which is simplest during a renovation.

Combination or twin shower. A rain head and a handheld or rail shower on the same system, switched with a diverter. It gives the relaxing overhead spray plus the practicality of a handheld, but it needs a mixer and diverter arrangement planned before the wall is tiled.

Arm length, height and position

With a fixed wall head, the arm length decides how far the spray lands from the wall. A short arm puts the water close to the wall, which suits a small shower but can leave you pressed against the tiles. A longer arm brings the head out over the middle of the standing area.

For a wall-mounted rain head, the arm needs to be long enough to put the head roughly over where you stand, not in front of your face. In a narrow shower that can be a shorter arm than you expect; in a deep walk-in shower it will be longer. A ceiling-mounted rain head avoids the question by dropping straight down from above the standing area.

Height is personal. Mount a fixed head high enough that the tallest regular user can stand under it comfortably, remembering that a head angled downwards needs extra clearance. Rail showers take this problem away.

Position matters as much as height. Think about where the spray will hit relative to the screen door and the shower opening, particularly in a walk-in shower with a fixed panel. Aiming the head away from the opening keeps more water in the shower.

If the shower is being renovated, decide all of this before the rough-in. The mixer and outlet positions are set in the wall at that stage, and moving them after tiling means cutting tiles and involving a plumber again.

Flow rates and WELS

Showers sold in Australia must carry a WELS (Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards) label. The label shows a star rating and a flow rate in litres per minute. More stars means a lower flow and less water used. Because every head is tested and labelled on the same basis, the label is the fairest way to compare two heads, whatever the packaging claims about the spray.

A lower flow is not automatically a worse shower. Well-designed efficient heads use the spray pattern and droplet size to feel fuller than the number suggests. Very low flow heads, however, can feel thin, and they can cause problems with some hot water systems (see below).

For new homes and some alterations in NSW, BASIX can set a minimum water efficiency for showers. If your job needs development approval or a complying development certificate, check the requirement with your certifier before buying fittings.

Water pressure

Pressure is the most common reason a new shower head disappoints. A simple check: time how long the existing shower takes to fill a bucket of known volume, then work out litres per minute. If the flow is already weak, a large rain head will make it feel weaker, and a smaller head with a more focused spray may be the better choice.

Older houses often have reduced flow because of ageing galvanised pipes, which corrode from the inside and narrow over time. Replacing them during a renovation often improves the shower more than any head can. Some homes also have a pressure limiting valve where the water enters the property. If you suspect a pressure problem, a licensed plumber can measure it and tell you whether the pipes, the valve or the supply is the cause.

Hot water system compatibility

The hot water system affects which heads will work well.

Instantaneous (continuous flow) gas heaters need a minimum flow of water to fire. A very low flow head, or a mixer turned towards hot with little flow, may not keep the heater running, and the water can turn cold mid-shower. Check the heater's minimum flow in its manual against the head's labelled flow rate.

Mains pressure storage systems (electric, gas or heat pump) generally suit most heads, provided the pipe sizes and pressure are adequate.

Low-pressure or gravity-fed systems, still found in some older houses, supply hot water at much lower pressure than the cold. Many modern heads, and rain heads in particular, perform poorly on them. Look for heads specifically described as suitable for low pressure, or consider upgrading the system.

Hot water delivered to bathrooms in newer installations is usually limited by a tempering valve to reduce the risk of scalding. That is set at the plumbing, not at the head, and it should be left to a licensed plumber.

Finishes and maintenance

Chrome is the most forgiving finish to clean. Brushed and matte finishes look good but need gentle, non-abrasive cleaners, as harsh products can mark them. Heads with flexible rubber or silicone nozzles let you rub away mineral build-up with a finger, which helps keep the spray even. A solid metal body or arm generally lasts longer than a light plastic one.

Replacing a head versus changing the shower

Swapping a head onto an existing arm or rail is usually a simple thread-on job, and many homeowners do it themselves with thread tape and care not to overtighten. Changing the arm length, adding a rail that needs new wall fixings, converting to a ceiling rain head, or adding a diverter for a twin system involves pipework in the wall. In NSW, that is plumbing work for a licensed plumber, and in a tiled wall it is far easier during a renovation than after.

If you are planning a new bathroom in Hornsby Shire, we can set out the shower head and mixer positions with you at the measure.

Related pages

• Complete bathroom renovations — where the shower layout, mixer and pipework are planned
• Small bathroom renovations — making a compact shower work
• Bathroom renovation cost guide — rough bands and the factors that move a price