How Can I Improve the Water Pressure in My Shower? | DIY #3

How can you start a great and productive day without soaking away all the anxieties with a hot, steamy shower?

Imagine yourself all ready and prepared for a nice long shower only to be disappointed at discovering that the water pressure let you down. You will feel miserable and grouchy – not a great start of a day.

Having a good, superior quality shower head does not necessarily mean that it will provide you a good water pressure, for instance, the distance between your spray head and the water storage tank may be too short, or perhaps your shower head may be too small. If the problem is not in the shower head, but actually in the height of the water storage tank, then you will have to take several measures to ensure that the water storage tank releases water with a higher pressure.

If you are experiencing a low water pressure in your shower, it may be due to the accumulation of debris and other waste substance that has clogged your shower head. Such problems commonly result due to a lack of proper and thorough flushing of the lines prior to the installation of the shower. The clogging in your shower head does not allow the water to pass in full pressure. If your shower was working just fine a week ago and the reduction in pressure is recent and gradual, it is possible that sediment and debris from the main city water supply have made their way towards your house and accumulated in your shower head.

In both instances, you need to remove your shower head from the pipe connected to the wall. Once you have removed the shower, turn on the shower and see whether or not the water supply and pressure is strong or low, if the water pressure is satisfactory, then the problem is in the shower head. Inside your shower head, right where the water line is supposed to be connected, there is a tiny plastic disk which is basically the flow restrictor. Using a small, pointy material, take the disk out of the shower head, clean it and replace it exactly the way it was when you took it off.

Nicely clean all the small holes in the shower head using a hair pin or any other pointy object. Place the shower head under clean water to clear all the debris and sediment that may have been clogged inside, clean the disk and reinstall it while making sure you place the right side towards the water supply.

In the instance you discover that you shower head is completely filled with hard water deposits, place the shower head in a dish filled with warm white vinegar and let it soak for 4-5 hours. Once the vinegar gets to work, it will soften and eliminate all the hard water deposits. You must also use an old toothbrush to nicely clean the shower head and remove the hard water deposits as they begin to harden. Rinse the shower head with fresh water, replace the tiny flow restrictor disk and reinstall the shower head with the water pipe.

And that’s how you get a nice pleasurable (or shall we say pressure-able) hot shower. As easy as that!

Should you ever have doubts about the quality of your water, do not hesitate to get it checked by a professional plumber. Hillcrest Plumbing & Heating always carries the latest in plumbing supplies and training to tackle any of your low water pressure problems.