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Old 05-08-2008, 08:24 PM
Sharnbrook (Mike)
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Sharnbrook is offline
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Toowoomba
Posts: 364
If you live in a hard water area, and most of Australia seems to be fairly hard water, then calcium build up will undoubtedly be the cause, so try to dissolve the calcium with a mild acid, vinegar would be a good start. Some plasticine moulded around a funnel cut off from the top of a Coke Bottle, milk bottle, or what have you, that is close to the size of the spigot, and filled with vinegar overnight may solve the problem. This may not be practical if the shower head is too close to the wall, so try drilling small holes in the side of the shower head, and introduce some vinegar through the drill holes. If this fails, go to plan B.

Heat from a butane torch may be sufficient to cause the shower head to expand just enough to allow the seal to break, and the head to be unscrewed. Heat needs to be applied to the shower head in large quantities, but quickly, so that the shower head expands, but the pipe under still remains cool, and does not expand. Some judicious application of the Blacksmith Principle (a hammer) may assist in freeing the threads.

Plan C, get an angle grinder, and with a very thin blade, (1.5mm can be purchased), slice through the shower head at right angles to the thread, and then the head should be able to be prised open sufficiently to break the bond, and released. First, cover the tiles with masking tape, or a wet cloth, or you will get burns on the tiles from the angle grinder. Wear a face mask and eye protection, and keep the angle grinder away from running water.

If none of these suggestions works, sell the house, as getting a plumber to fix it will prove more costly.
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