The Hand-Held Shower Goes On in One Morning. Plan the Shutoff, the Mount, and the First Test.

A hand-held shower head is a small job that usually goes wrong in one of three places: the water is shut off in the wrong spot, the threads leak, or the hose twists until it is no use. Plan it as one morning with one owner. Give the job to the person who will still be in the house when the water goes back on.

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Before anyone touches a wrench

Decide who is in charge of the morning. If that is you, say so to the person who will be home with her. If a plumber or handyman is coming, the handoff question is who lets them in and who stays with your wife while they work. Keep her out of the bathroom while tools are in use and while the floor is wet.

Check what you already have. Take the old head off and look at the connection. Note the thread size and whether the hose screws into the wall outlet or into a diverter on the tub spout. Buy a head that matches that outlet, and a holder that mounts at a height she can reach from a seated position. If you are not sure what the outlet is, bring the old head with you before you pay for anything.

The steps in order

Step one: shut off the water. Use the shutoff for the bathroom if there is one. If there is not, shut off the main and write that on the day sheet, because everyone in the house needs to know the water is off. Step two: remove the old head, wrapping the wrench jaws in a rag so the finish does not scratch. Step three: wipe the threads clean and dry. Step four: wrap the male threads with plumber's thread tape, three or four turns, in the direction that tightens as you screw the head on. Step five: thread the new head on by hand until it stops, then add a little more with the wrench. Do not crank it. Step six: fit the holder to the wall with the screws in the kit, and check that the anchors suit your wall material. Step seven: turn the water back on slowly and watch the joint for a full minute.

The first test is the one people skip

Run the water for a full minute before she uses it. Watch the joint at the wall and the joint at the head. Move the diverter both ways and make sure it clicks fully and holds. Check the hose for kinks, and let the head hang to see whether the hose pulls it out of the holder. Put your hand in the stream and check the temperature before she sits down. If you have a bath thermometer, use it on the first run. Do not rely on the shower head to limit heat, because the water heater setting controls that.

What to ask if you hire it out

Ask who owns a leak after the install and how long they will come back to fix one. Ask whether the price includes a new holder or only the head. Ask who takes the old parts away. Ask what happens if the shutoff valve is stiff and will not close all the way. A valve that does not close is a bigger job than a shower head, and you want that answer before the tools come out.

When to stop

Stop if the old connection will not loosen, if you see water inside the wall or under the floor, or if the shutoff will not close. Call the plumber back for those. Leave the bathroom dry, the old head bagged by the door, and the new head marked on the day sheet as in use.