How do I replace a shower hose?

Choosing the right length and fitting, why almost every domestic shower hose is the same thread, and getting the washers in the right places.

Difficulty: beginner
Time: 10 min
Read: 3 min

Short answer

Almost every domestic shower hose in the UK is half-inch BSP at both ends, so length and construction are the only real choices. Unscrew the old one by hand, check both new washers are seated, and hand-tighten only — a spanner crushes the washer and causes the leak you were trying to avoid.

Shower hoses fail predictably: the inner liner splits, the outer sheath rusts and snags, or the fitting cracks where it is bent most. None of them are repairable, and a replacement is a two-minute job with no tools.

What you'll need

A replacement hose
Two new fibre or rubber washers, usually supplied

Step by step

Unscrew the hose at both ends by hand.Both connections are usually finger-tight. If one is stiff, grip it with a cloth rather than pliers to avoid marking the chrome.
Check the thread size before buying.The overwhelming majority are half-inch BSP at both ends. A few designer bar valves use a cone seal; take the old hose to the shop if you are unsure.
Measure what length you actually need.Standard lengths are 1.25m, 1.5m and 2m. Too long and it drags in the tray; too short and it pulls the head off the rail. Measure from the outlet to the rail with a bit of slack.
Choose the construction.Stainless steel sheathed hoses last longest and do not rust in the way chrome-plated brass ones do. Smooth PVC hoses are cheapest and easiest to clean but kink more readily.
Fit the cone washer at the head end.The head end usually takes a conical washer that sits point-inwards, and the valve end a flat washer. Getting these the wrong way round is the usual cause of a weep.
Check for a flow restrictor.Some hoses come with a small plastic insert in the valve end. Leave it in if the pressure is high; take it out if the shower is already weak.
Hand-tighten only.Screw both ends up firmly by hand. The washer does the sealing; a spanner just deforms it and makes it leak.
Run it and check both ends.Run the shower for a minute with the head over the tray and feel round both connections with a dry finger.

Tips

Buy a hose one size longer than you think if the rail is high — a taut hose pulls the head out of its bracket.
Keep the old washers as spares; they are the part that actually fails, not the hose fitting.
A hose that kinks in the same place every time will split there. Replace it rather than straightening it repeatedly.

Common mistakes

Tightening the connections with a spanner — The seal is made by a soft washer compressing. Overtightening splits the washer and cracks plastic fittings, so the joint leaks worse than before.
Reusing the old washers — They take a permanent set in the shape of the old fitting and harden with age, so they no longer seal against a new face.

If it doesn't work

Dripping at the head end

Cause: Cone washer missing or fitted backwards — Fix: Undo it and refit the conical washer with the taper facing into the fitting.

Dripping at the valve end

Cause: Flat washer perished or displaced — Fix: Fit the new flat washer supplied with the hose.

Pressure dropped after fitting

Cause: Flow restrictor insert in the new hose — Fix: Unscrew the valve end and pull the insert out with pliers.

New hose still splits quickly

Cause: It is being sharply kinked by the rail height — Fix: Fit a longer hose or move the head bracket down.

Questions people ask

Are all shower hoses the same size?

Nearly all domestic ones are half-inch BSP at both ends, so they interchange freely. A small number of continental and designer bar valves differ, so take the old one with you if in doubt.

Why does my new hose leak at the top?

Almost always the cone washer. It has to sit in the head end with the taper inwards, and it must be the new one, not the old flattened one.