I swapped mine out last month and yeah, it definitely made a difference. Like you said:
"Swapping it out usually does the trick—I've seen plenty of cases where a new head makes a noticeable difference in both spray pattern and perceived pressure."
Exactly my experience. The old one was spraying sideways like some kind of possessed sprinkler... New one went on easy (just hand-tightened with plumber's tape) and now it's back to normal. Pressure feels stronger too, probably because the water's actually going where it's supposed to.
Had the same issue a while back—mine was spraying water like it had a personal vendetta against my shower curtain. Swapped it out, problem solved. Did you go with one of those fancy multi-setting heads or just a basic replacement?
I get why swapping the showerhead seems like the obvious fix, but before jumping straight to replacement, I'd suggest checking a couple of things first. When mine started spraying everywhere, I initially thought it was toast too. But after some digging around online (and a bit of trial and error), I found that mineral buildup was actually the culprit.
Here's what worked for me: First, unscrew the showerhead and soak it overnight in vinegar—sounds weird, but trust me, it dissolves all that gunk inside. Next morning, give it a good rinse and scrub gently with an old toothbrush. Reattach it carefully (make sure it's threaded properly to avoid leaks), and test again. Mine went from spraying sideways like a sprinkler to working perfectly again.
Not saying a new showerhead isn't nice—especially those multi-setting ones—but sometimes it's worth trying a quick fix first. Plus, you save yourself some cash and hassle if it works out...
Had the same issue a while back, vinegar trick worked for me too. But heads up—if your showerhead's plastic, soaking overnight can discolor it. Maybe test a shorter soak first to be safe...
Good tip about the discoloration, hadn't thought of that... Wondering though, has anyone tried citric acid instead of vinegar? Heard it's gentler on plastics, but not sure if it works as well on mineral buildup.
