Rain-style heads look great in the catalogs, but in real life they’re a mixed bag. I put one in a rental thinking it’d be a “luxury upgrade,” but my shorter tenants weren’t thrilled—said they felt like they needed a step stool just to rinse their hair. Plus, if your water pressure isn’t up to snuff, those big heads can feel more like a drizzle than a shower. Anyone ever dealt with leaks at the arm joint after installing one of those? I’ve noticed they can be tricky to get sealed up tight, especially if the pipe’s not perfectly straight.
Had the same issue with leaks at the arm joint, especially when the threads weren’t lining up perfectly. Teflon tape helped a bit, but I still had to reseat it twice. Honestly, I think rain heads are more trouble than they’re worth unless you’re willing to spend for a really good one and maybe even upgrade your plumbing. Curious, has anyone tried one of those adjustable extension arms to lower the head? Wondering if that solves the height problem or just makes it look awkward.
Tried one of those adjustable extension arms last year when I swapped out my old shower head for a rain style. The idea was to get the head centered and lower, since the original plumbing was way too high for anyone under 6’2”. It did solve the height issue, but I’ll be honest, it looked a bit Frankenstein-ish. The arm stuck out at this weird angle and the whole setup felt kind of flimsy, like if you bumped it the wrong way, the whole thing would come crashing down.
Functionally, it worked—water came straight down, and it was easier to rinse off. But the leaks at the joints were a pain. Even with Teflon tape, I had to crank it tighter than I was comfortable with, and I still got the occasional drip. I think the more connections you add, the more chances for leaks, especially if your plumbing isn’t perfectly aligned.
If you’re set on a rain head, I’d say go for a solid, fixed arm that’s the right length from the start, even if it means replacing the pipe in the wall. The adjustable ones are a decent workaround, but they’re not exactly pretty, and they can feel a bit cheap.
Funny thing, after all that, I ended up going back to a regular shower head with a handheld attachment. Less drama, fewer leaks, and honestly, I don’t miss the rain head as much as I thought I would. Sometimes simpler is just better, especially when you’re dealing with old plumbing that likes to fight back.
Honestly, I’m with you on the adjustable arms—they always seem like a good idea until you’re dealing with leaks and that wobbly feeling. The more joints you add, the more headaches you get, especially if your pipes aren’t lined up just right. I’ve seen people try to “fix” it with more tape or even sealant, but it’s just a band-aid. Swapping out the pipe for a solid arm is way less hassle in the long run, even if it’s a pain upfront. And yeah, handhelds are underrated... way easier to clean the shower too. Sometimes all those “upgrades” just make things worse.
Yeah, I get where you’re coming from. Adjustable arms look cool in the box, but in practice, it’s just more places for water to sneak out. I’ve had to go back and redo a couple because no matter how much tape or tightening, there’s always that one drip that shows up a week later. Honestly, the fewer moving parts, the better—solid arm, snug fit, done.
Handhelds are a game changer, though, especially if you’ve got weird angles or just hate scrubbing. I swapped mine in after fighting with an “upgraded” rain shower that mostly just watered the walls. If you ever do go handheld, just double check the bracket and hose connections—sometimes those little washers aren’t seated right and you get a surprise spray out the side.
It’s kind of funny how the “easy” solutions sometimes end up being the biggest headache. Guess there’s something to be said for keeping it simple.
