Good call on the plumber's tape—I had a similar issue once, but it turned out to be the rubber washer inside the showerhead itself. It had worn down and was causing water to spray in weird directions. Replacing that tiny washer was way cheaper than buying a whole new showerhead, and it solved the problem instantly. Sometimes it's the smallest things that cause the biggest headaches...
Speaking of connections though, has anyone checked if the pipe itself might be slightly bent or damaged? Even a minor bend can mess up the water flow, and no amount of tape or washers will fix that. Might be worth inspecting closely before you start buying replacement parts.
Good point about checking the pipe itself—I've seen a few cases where people overtightened the showerhead and accidentally bent the pipe slightly. Even a tiny bend can cause weird spray patterns. Has anyone also considered the water pressure? Sometimes overly high pressure can exaggerate minor issues like worn washers or slight bends. Maybe worth checking if your home's pressure regulator is working properly before diving into replacements...
Good call on the pressure regulator, but honestly, most homes I've been to lately have theirs set way too high anyway. People crank it up thinking they'll get a better shower experience, but all they end up with is leaks and spray everywhere. Speaking of bent pipes though, has anyone checked if the pipe threads themselves are damaged? Seen a few DIY jobs where someone cross-threaded the showerhead—tiny mistake, big mess later on...
"People crank it up thinking they'll get a better shower experience, but all they end up with is leaks and spray everywhere."
Pressure's definitely a factor, but honestly, I've seen more issues from cheap showerheads than high pressure. Sometimes swapping out for a decent quality head solves the rogue spray issue without messing with regulators or threads...
"Sometimes swapping out for a decent quality head solves the rogue spray issue without messing with regulators or threads..."
Exactly this. Also, quick tip: before installing a new showerhead, wrap the threads with plumber's tape (that thin white stuff). Keeps leaks away and saves you from surprise bathroom puddles... learned that one the hard way.
