We get it, you love the outdoors. But what separates you, as an RV owner, from other camping enthusiasts is a crucial component to your overall camping experience: the hot shower at the end of long days of hiking, fishing, and outdoor adventures. Even though you have other perks—running water, kitchen appliances, and a warm, cozy bed— without a working shower in your RV, camping might not feel much different from pitching a tent the old-fashioned way. If your shower isn’t working, you’re lucky if the campground has one, then if they do there’s just more hassle: getting lost on your way to or from; lugging all of your shower products, towel, and change of clothes; the pressure is weak or the water is cold. Better to just get that shower up and running as quickly as possible.
Two of the most common RV shower replacements and repairs are the shower head and the shower pan. Even the most mechanically-averse can replace these parts at home with relative ease. If a more serious malfunction is occurring with your RV shower, give us a call at Guaranty RV.
Replacing your RV Shower head
There are a few reasons why you might replace the shower head in your motorhome. If the head is leaking, it’s wasting precious freshwater and forcing you to fill your holding tank more frequently than necessary. Or, maybe you want to improve water pressure with a luxury shower heads, like those from Oxygenics. They increase pressure without raising your water consumption. How? By building oxygen levels in the water, meaning the pressure is increased even when the same amount of water is used. Plus, they have a “comfort control” which allows you to control and instantly adjust the pressure as you shower.
Replacing it is fairly easy to do. First, remove the old one— it should simply twist off the hose. Then, we recommend turning the water on and letting it run for a few seconds to make sure the line isn’t clogged. Afterward, remove the old hose. If the kit comes with Teflon tape, place it around the faucet. Then, place a washer inside the new hose and screw it on. Finally, install the new shower head on the other end by placing a washer inside and then screwing it on.
Easy enough, right? The next repair is a bit trickier, but can usually be done at home as well.
Replacing your RV Shower Pan
The shower pan is basically the floor of your shower. Over time, shower pans will develop cracks and holes, causing your shower to leak. If you see a leak, you need to repair it as soon as possible to avoid water damage to your RV.
If you have a fiberglass shower pan, cracks are almost always fixable. You’ll need an epoxy resin repair kit, which you can find at a hardware store or right here. Each kit should come with simple instructions. Mix the solution and apply it to the crack, filling in the entire thing before sanding it down. If it’s a particularly large crack or break, you may want to remove the entire pan and repair it from the bottom to make sure that it’s completely filled.
On the other hand, if your shower pan is made of plastic, it will need to be welded. This is difficult to do, and we don’t recommend that you take it on as a DIY task. We’re happy to do the repair here at Guaranty. Contact us to schedule to have the replacement or repair done professionally, or if you have any further questions about replacing your RV shower.
Photo courtesy of PhotoAtelier
