Summary: There are various reasons for limited or less water pressure in the showers and faucets. These reasons include piping problems and some blockage in the tiny holes located in the flow restrictors at the tip of the fixtures. Identification and rectification of these problems is not that difficult.

Question: I have a shower from which water flows slower than a tortoise. I doubt there is a problem with the flow restrictor in the shower head. Other faucets in the house are working fine. Can I remove it or modify it so that I can take a reasonable shower with adequate water pressure? What could be the problem in this case?
Answer: Flow restrictors help in controlling the flow of water from the showers and faucets to avoid any wastage. They put restriction on the amount of water to let out and for how long. The restrictors may be fitted at the shower head or in the middle of the pipe’s body.

Answer: The problem is not a major one and can be fixed in not more than an hour’s duration. First of all, it is always advisable to identify the real cause of the problem. One of the most common reasons for such problems, at home, is a bad installation. There might have been some errors or omissions when the faucet or shower was first fixed; called as workmanship error. A good plumber should always make all the pipes empty and make them free from all kinds of debris and notorious blockers like small pieces of solder, copper shavings, wood dust, wood chips, globs of soldering flux, pieces of plastic, etc. This is done by flushing out water and cleaning the pipeline before installing any kind of fixture at home.

The difficulty lies in flushing out water from the tub valves and the showers. These fixtures are quite complex and once clogged; they take out all your energy to correct the problem. This is the reason why everything is required to be done and set before they are actually installed. The connecting pipes are then cleaned thoroughly and flushed for all the obstacles, in order to achieve better and long lasting performance. After all this is finished, water service from the street or pump is connected to the interior lines. If the lines are not flushed before the shower head is installed, the rapid flow of water carries a mixture of water and debris into the shower head. The small holes in the flow restrictor, as a result, can become clogged or partially clogged instantly.

If defective water flow is not your problem, then the case seems to be due to the clogging of pipelines by the debris from the city water. It is the sediments carried by the water from the well or from the city water system. The main water system pipeline often faces this kind of problem as the water flows from various sources; that is why, they are regularly flushed. During the servicing, the sediments are enrooted to common house pipelines that cause the clogging of these pipes.

Our first experiment would be with the shower head. First of all, take off the shower head from the protruding pipe that hangs from wall. After dismantling it, turn on the faucet and check the flow of water. If the flow, from the one-half inch diameter pipe, is not fine then one thing is for sure; the shower head is the main culprit.

Your next job would be to examine the shower head. Carefully look into the head and spot a small plastic head located in the center. Use a small pointed metal and try to pry the disk out of the shower head. The displacement must be done exactly in the way as it was manufactured.

Place the disc in your hand and examine it carefully. The outer holes can be easily cleared from dirt using a safety pin. Use plenty of fresh water to rinse away any debris. Place the disk near a bright light so you can ensure each of the holes is perfectly clean; make sure that you can see through it. Also make sure that you rinse the shower head at the same time to ensure no debris made it past the flow restrictor.

Soak the disc in some white vinegar, if there is any deposition over it. This helps in softening the hard layer so you can easily get rid of the dirt. A brush is the best tool to wash off the deposits of dirt. Finally rinse it with clean water. Be careful while reinstalling the flow restrictor and then carefully set the shower head in place.

Some shower heads do not come with the flow restrictor. Just check if it is present in the one that you have. If not, it is better to buy a new shower head in order to avoid any future problems. Shower heads are readily accessible and they are a common replacement part. In fact, you may find one that produces a better stream of water than what you have at the moment.

The safest and the most effective material for pipe sealing is the one that is made up of pipe thread compound or Teflon tape. These materials keep the shower head safe from problems like leakages. Once you follow the above steps carefully; you can expect hours of free flow showering.

© Copyright www.diystuff.com

Top of Page