4 Common Rain Shower Head Problems And DIY Fixes!

We all want a showerhead that saves on water but still guarantees the best flow rate, and that’s where a rain showerhead comes in. However, with a few rain shower head problems likely to occur at some point, knowing how to address them is critical.

Common rain showerhead problems include leakage, slow drainage, dry shower (water not coming at all), and high pressurized water. Interestingly, most of these issues are related to either a clogged or faulty rain showerhead, things you can fix.

So, I’ll explain all these reasons, the possible risks, and their respective fixes. My goal is to help you become your’ own handyman’ and judging from experience; this is doable.

We’ll also discuss the pros and cons of fitting rain showerheads.

So, let’s get into it!

Troubleshooting Common Rain Shower Head Problems

Here’s a quick guide on troubleshooting common problems that affect rain showerheads:

1. Leaking Rain Shower Head

A leaking showerhead leads to water wastage by collecting a pool of water on your bathroom floor. But worse than that, the water causes dampness and could attract mold. So, this is something you should address immediately.

Overall, a leaky shower head could be because of:

A piping issue – in case there is a loose connection on the showerhead’s pipe

Clogging due to hard water minerals like magnesium and calcium or just grime
Faulty rain showerhead

Fix

It’s crucial that you ascertain the reason behind your leaky showerhead. If it’s a piping issue, spot the source of the leak and tighten the pipe joint.

And if it’s a faulty rain showerhead, which could happen if you’ve used the showerhead for five years or so, you should replace it.

Check out the best rain showerhead replacements on Amazon.

The most typical cause of these rain shower head issues, however, is clogging, which you can fix by cleaning the showerhead using any of these four approaches:

Option 1 – Baking Soda

You can get rid of limescale and grime build-up by soaking your rain showerhead in baking soda.

Here are the steps to take:

Turn off the shower water supply

Prepare a ½ cup of white vinegar and mix it with a cup full of warm water to make a paste
Smear the showerhead with the paste
Use a plastic bag to hold the paste onto the showerhead if the showerhead is irremovable

If the showerhead is detachable, you can smear it with paste and allow it to sit on the bathroom floor or tub
Give it 30 minutes for the paste to act before wiping it off
Rinse the showerhead with clean water before turning the shower on

Option 2 – White Vinegar

In the absence of baking soda, you can use white vinegar to get rid of the clogging. But unlike the first case, you don’t need to dilute vinegar. You can use it in its purest form.

However, this approach mainly works on removable rain showerheads as they are easy to soak. If you choose to use it on an irremovable showerhead, you’ll need to put white vinegar in a plastic bag and then tie the bag around the showerhead.

Here’s how to go about it:

Turn off the shower water
Detach the showerhead and soak it in vinegar solutions for 30 minutes
Use an old toothbrush to brush off the stubborn dirt, grime, calcium, and limescale.

Rinse the showerhead thoroughly before drying it
Check for the rubber washer and O-ring and see if they are old and replace them if they are
Once you are done, connect the showerhead to the hosepipe

Turn the shower water on and examine it for leakage

If you want to replace worn-out O-rings, consider getting the 826pc Universal O-Ring. The set comes with at least 419 heat and corrosion resistant O-rings at different sizes.

Option 3 – Coke Soda

Your favorite coke soda, popularly known as Coca-Cola, can come to your rescue when dealing with a clogged rain showerhead. It’s a very effective anti-clogging agent that works the same way as white vinegar.

Here’s how to go about it:

Put coke in a plastic bag and soak the clogged showerhead in it
Tie the plastic bag with coke around the showerhead if the showerhead is irremovable

Allow coke to act for 25-30 minutes
Wipe coke off the showerhead and rinse it
Turn the shower on to test for the leakage

Option 4 – Dr. Bronner’s

Dr. Bronner’s refers to a popular multi-use household cleaner made of natural ingredients effective against stubborn deposits and clogs.

It looks like liquid soap and even works the same way. The difference is that it’s more effective, especially when de-clogging the showerhead.

Here’s how to clean your showerhead with Dr. Bronner’s:

Put Dr. Bronner’s (about ¼ cup) in a plastic bag
Add 1-2 cups of hot water into the plastic bag or according to the manufacturer’s recommendations
Soak the showerhead in the mixture for about 30 minutes

Wipe off Dr. Bronner’s from the showerhead and rinse it off
Turn the shower on to check for leakage

2. Slow Drainage

Sometimes, the rain shower head may not be leaking, but it drains slowly, which can be frustrating when taking a shower. Often, the reason behind this issue, like most rainfall shower head problems, is clogging, which you can fix.

Fix

Check for clogging, and if it is the case, de-clog the showerhead using baking soda, white vinegar, D. Bronner’s, or coke soda.

If that doesn’t work, you should get shower tray waste like the Grohe 49534000 to hold the deposits and prevent clogging.

3. Dry Shower (Water Not Coming at All)

While slow drainage is frustrating, dealing with a dry shower is more frustrating. Just imagine turning the shower on but to your shock, no water is coming out when the taps are running!

In most cases, this is an issue of low water pressure, a significant clogging within the pipe, or just a weak shower pump.

Fix

Check to see if there is clogging within the pipe. You can even try removing the showerhead before trying to unclog the pipe. If you cannot do it, call a plumber.

But if the issue is low pressure, consider getting a new shower pump and fit it. A new shower pump will improve the water flow to the showerhead.

4. High-Pressurized Water

We conclude our list with a situation where your shower water runs at an abnormally higher pressure, about 80psi and above. This usually happens when someone changes the showerhead settings, which is likely to happen when sharing the shower.

Fix

You can quickly adjust the shower water pressure regulator to normalize the water pressure. But if you want to prevent your family members from constantly changing the showerhead setting, consider installing a shower water flow regulator.

One good choice is the APLusee Water Flow Restrictor (View on Amazon). It will regulate your showerhead’s water pressure and prevent leakage.

Rain Shower Head Not Enough Pressure? Here’s What’s Wrong!

If your showerhead doesn’t have enough pressure, the chances are that it is clogged. So, you need to check for clogging and if that’s the case, then unclog it using white vinegar, baking soda paste, coke soda, or commercial cleaner.

Don’t, however, forget to check the pump as it could be weak or faulty. And lastly, consider replacing the showerhead if the problem persists even after trying the above tips.

Rain Shower Head Pros and Cons

Below are the pros and cons of a rain shower head:

Pros

Here are reasons rain showerheads are worth fitting:

Good flow rate – Rain showerheads promise consistent and lush water flow when taking a shower. The best part is that you can adjust the flow.
Easy installation – Unlike other showerheads, rain showerheads are easy to install. They mostly come with threading which you only need to screw to the hose pipe.

Luxurious design – Modern rain showerheads have an elegant look, allowing you to give your shower room a spa-like look. You can use them to give your bathroom an over-the-top vibe.
Easy cleaning – Given that rain showerheads are more extensive, they allow you to easily clean them using household agents like white vinegar, baking soda, or coke.
Water conservation – Not only do rain showerheads promise good water flor, but they also save on wastage. Most of them come with regulators for preventing excessive flow, which saves you expensive water bills.

Cons

Now, here are the drawbacks of rain showerheads:

They are expensive – Rain showerheads cost more than regular showerheads. You may spend up to $500 or more on some high-end options. Essentially, that’s due to their elegant appeal and water-saving properties.
Needs more space – Rain showerheads are larger than others, which means they require extra space. As a result, they are only best for spacious bathrooms.