Retractable shower head on bathtub won't pull out completely

Anne Obsitnik · 10-12-2011, 10:01 PM

We have a Roman Tub in our master bath. It has one of those retractable shower heads that pulls out of the top of the tub by the faucets and then automatically goes back in when you start pushing it back in. Recently I can only pull the shower head about 1/2 of the way I used to be able to. As it is "built into" the tub, I can't open any panel to check out what is happening with it. I know it must be kinked somehow, but can't figure out how to fix it. Am I destined for a short retractable shower head for life? I hope not! Any thoughts or tricks to fix it would be appreciated.

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**Scott Jarvis** · 10-13-2011, 07:35 AM

Typically those handheld heads have a weight attached to the hose under the tub deck to help them retract. The hose or weight may have become stuck on the hidden plumbing. (I know it happens under my kitchen sink) Is there possibly a way to access the plumbing underneath the tub from a crawlspace or basement? Without an access of some sort, it may be a difficult item to repair. I'd also try talking to a plumbing contractor. They would run into this problem and may have a trick for repairing it without tearing out the whole tub.

**Scott Patterson** · 10-13-2011, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by Anne Obsitnik

We have a Roman Tub in our master bath. It has one of those retractable shower heads that pulls out of the top of the tub by the faucets and then automatically goes back in when you start pushing it back in. Recently I can only pull the shower head about 1/2 of the way I used to be able to. As it is "built into" the tub, I can't open any panel to check out what is happening with it. I know it must be kinked somehow, but can't figure out how to fix it. Am I destined for a short retractable shower head for life? I hope not! Any thoughts or tricks to fix it would be appreciated.

This is a good example of why access under Roman\sunken and garden style tubs is so important. My bet is that the weight is caught or the hose has become twisted and caught on somthing under the tub.

**John Kogel** · 10-13-2011, 11:00 AM

Twist it the other way.

Anne Obsitnik · 10-14-2011, 09:47 AM

Thanks to all of you for your responses!

Scott: Agree with your comment that access is important. The panel is actually, brilliantly, at the opposite end of the tub from the faucets. Great design, huh? The previous owners, who redid the master bath, wanted a tub and shower so the Roman tub actually butts up against the shower at the faucet end with the panel at the other end of the tub.

John: When you said to twist it the other way, can you clarify what you mean? Actually twisting the shower head in my hand a certain direction?

Thanks again to all of you for your insight here.

Anne Obsitnik · 10-14-2011, 10:15 AM

So excited...so, John, I decided just to try twisting the shower head around and around and, lo and behold, it came free!! I am thrilled and couldn't be more appreciative of this wonderful trick. Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Genius!!