What's the difference between purchasing a shower head with with a brass ball joint or a plastic ball joint?

Besides the obvious answer of being made from different materials, there are both pros and cons of each type. Brass ball joints are more durable than ABS (plastic ball joints). However, Teflon tape is required to ensure a true leak-free shower head installation. ABS ball joints, while being less durable, are more likely to be leak-free without the use of Teflon tape due to the plastic plastic threads creating a more water-tight seal against the metal threads of the shower arm pipe.

ShowerStore.com offers shower heads with both brass ball joints and ABS ball joints. This icon will be displayed next to any shower head that features a brass ball joint:



If the icon is not found next to a shower head, it's safe to assume that the shower head features an ABS ball joint.

Many of the shower heads we sell come with a roll of Teflon tape tape to ensure a leak-free installation. Additionally, rolls of Teflon tape are available for purchase at the bottom of each product page on ShowerStore.com if the shower head you purchase doesn't include one with it's packaging.

Can I use pipe dope on my shower head or hand held shower?

Never use pipe dope or plumbers putty to install shower fittings like shower heads, hand held shower head sets or tub spouts. It may react with plastic components causing them to break.

The best way to ensure a leak-free installation is by wrapping the shower arm pipe threads several times with Teflon tape to create a water tight seal.

Hints for a leak-free shower head installation

Don't over-tighten your shower head or hand held shower!

Over-tightening your shower head or hand held shower can make a leak worse. Using too much force can cut a gasket used to make the seal. Simply hand-tightening the shower head or hand held shower will usually create a leak-free installation. If you do need to use a wrench, don't force it. If the shower head leak doesn't go away, unscrew the shower head or the hand held shower mount from the shower supply pipe, wrap the pipe with Teflon tape, then install the shower head or hand held shower again.

For more tips, visit the ShowerStore.com Support Section at www.ShowerStore.com/support.