New Shower Too Low-Flow!
I hope this is an okay thing to post here. I tried GardenWeb but didn’t get much response. First off, I know nothing about plumbing, so please keep that in mind! I recently had my shower body and bathroom sink hardware replaced. They look great, but unfortunately the water that comes out of them is…
I hope this is an okay thing to post here. I tried GardenWeb but didn’t get much response.
First off, I know nothing about plumbing, so please keep that in mind! I recently had my shower body and bathroom sink hardware replaced. They look great, but unfortunately the water that comes out of them is quite leisurely. It takes me twice as long to rinse conditioner out of my hair in the shower, and the sink faucet pressure is so low, it’s difficult to rinse my toothbrush.
The previous showerhead I had was low-flow, but this new one is very weak compared to that one. On the other hand, the pressure in my old sink faucet was very high. I realize I should expect to see some reduction there, but I am disappointed that there is barely any pressure at all.
My plumber, when I asked him if there was anything he could do about this, said no, that’s just the way they are made.
I don’t want to have to replace the sink faucet. Is there something I can attach to it to make the spray at least *feel* more forceful? I am not wedded to the showerhead–I don’t particularly like the way it looks anyway–so I am thinking maybe I can replace that. But will that help, or is the problem in the shower body itself?
Any advice would be appreciated. Remember, I know nothing about plumbing, so please err on the side of overexplaining. 🙂
BTW, the showerhead and sink faucet are Danze (the Brandywood line).
Thanks, denton. It’s nice of you to offer. But I guess I really ought to hire a handyman. I have a few other small jobs I need a handyman for anyway, and I’ve seen some recs here. (Oddly enough, our building super is NOT at all handy! :p)
renonoob, I see you’re in a coop. Isn’t there a handyman or super you can get to help you? This is ten minutes and a 20 buck tip. If you’re that desperate, email me, I’m close by.
Thanks for all your advice. But really, I was not exaggerating when I said I know NOTHING about plumbing. I looked at the Ask the Builder link and felt totally overwhelmed. 🙁 I also tried to unscrew the aerator. Nothing there turns. (I even tried using a wrench.) I think I may have to get another plumber in to look at it.
there is a plastic insert on almost every shower head that severely restricts flow by design and intended to save water. not everyone city and town is lucky to have vast quantities of mountain water piped into it like nyc.
you want to find the plastic restrictor and remove it if you don’t care about conserving water. if you have a telescoping shower arm you will need to figure out where it is, if it is placed near the head or the end of the arm.
http://www.askthebuilder.com/564_Low_Shower_Head_Water_Pressure.shtml
also it could be construction sediment (usually anytime something is installed this occurs, typically the greater the project the more gunk). usually good to remove all faucet aerators and screens and clean them after new construction regardless of flow levels.
just had the same problem.
turns out sediment (prob from a very old water heater that needs replacing) clogged one faucet. temp fix is to remove aerator (?) and clean. easy and flow problem resolved (temporarily until w/h is replaced).
sorry plumbers; prob no need…
Disturbing the pipes when fixtures were replaced may cause accumulation. I used to get a little black crud in the head reducing shower flow for months after we reno’d the bath. If taking out the aerator solves the problem, get another one or check it for obstruction, it shouldn’t be that restrictive.
Your plumber is wrong; even with the new standards, 2.5 or 2gpm I believe, that’s a LOT of water for a sink faucet. Shower heads can be more restrictive but I second the Oxygenics recc. it feels great and is more than adequate for rinsing.
Finally…maybe very unlikely…are the main water valves to the bathroom set fully open?
jre: But the faucet is brand-new (well, two months old). It’s not as if dirt and pebbles have accumulated and caused the problem. It has never had more than this leisurely flow.
Regarding the shower, Remove the shower head (screws off easy with a standard wrench) and check the flow, you will most likely find good pressure, then it is only a question of removing a small plastic restrictor inside the shower head. You can also replace the entire head, there are many types of shower heads, they are inexpensive and work well, the only downside is that they use more water.
As for the sink, simply unscrew the aerator, it is right where the water comes out from the faucet, you can unscrew it with your bare hands. You will most likely find an accumulation of pebbles and some dirt, remove the dirt and and pebbles and screw it back on and your flow will return to normal.
Good luck
Thanks for the recommendation of Oxygenic. I have to admit, I have no idea how to take out an aerator. Is that in both the shower head and the faucet?