Yeah, flex arms always seem like a shortcut until you’re mopping the floor after every shower. I’ve had better luck just sticking with a fixed brass arm—less to go wrong, honestly. Teflon tape’s my go-to too, but I’ll admit I’ve overdone it and ended up with leaks anyway. Sometimes it feels like the “easy” fixes just add new headaches... especially when you’re the one cleaning up the mess.
I hear you on the flex arms—those things always look like a good idea until you’re dealing with leaks at every joint. Fixed brass arms are definitely less hassle, and they hold up better over time, especially if you’re not moving the showerhead around much. About the Teflon tape, it’s easy to go overboard. Too many wraps can actually prevent the threads from sealing properly, which sounds counterintuitive but it’s true. I usually stick to 2-3 wraps, making sure to go with the thread direction so it doesn’t bunch up.
If your shower’s spraying everywhere but down, sometimes it’s just mineral buildup in the head or a worn-out washer. I’ve seen folks replace the whole arm when all they needed was a thorough cleaning or a new gasket. Might be worth unscrewing the head and soaking it in vinegar for a bit, then checking the washer. Saves a lot of headaches—and keeps the floor dry.
If your shower’s spraying everywhere but down, sometimes it’s just mineral buildup in the head or a worn-out washer.
Yeah, I’ve seen that too, but sometimes it’s a cracked plastic housing inside the showerhead—especially with the cheaper models. Ever tried swapping out just the head instead of messing with the arm?
Swapping out just the showerhead is usually my go-to, honestly. Messing with the arm feels like overkill unless there’s a leak at the joint or something’s really corroded. I’ve had a couple of those cheap plastic heads crack on me, too—sometimes you don’t even notice until water’s shooting out sideways and soaking the whole bathroom.
If you’re on a tight budget, I’d say try soaking the head in vinegar first to clear any mineral gunk. But if the housing’s cracked, it’s not worth patching up. Decent metal heads aren’t that pricey these days and they last way longer. Just make sure you wrap some Teflon tape around the threads when you screw the new one on—saves headaches down the line.
Honestly, unless your arm is ancient or leaking, there’s no reason to mess with it. The head swap takes like five minutes and you’re done.
Yeah, swapping just the head worked for me too, but I learned the hard way to double-check for leaks after. First time I did it, I thought I was done, but a slow drip started overnight and ended up leaving a little water stain on the ceiling below—guess I didn’t tighten it enough or maybe missed a spot with the Teflon tape. Now I always run the shower for a couple minutes and check all around before calling it good. Those cheap plastic heads are a gamble... mine split right at the seam after only a year. Metal’s definitely worth the few extra bucks, especially if you want to avoid surprise indoor rainstorms.
