The telltale sign of a shower head gone AWOL is sputtering water.
If the water from your showerhead is shooting out in all directions, or your flow has become almost nonexistent, the holes in your showerhead are probably clogged with hard water minerals and soap residue.
Clogged Shower Head
Usually, this is a result of a build up of calcium or lime scale. These mineral deposits build up over time, accumulating on shower heads. This often clogs the water coming from the shower head causing lower water pressure or even an entire stoppage of water altogether.
Get your measuring jug (with a wide enough rim so you catch all the water) and a timer. Place your jug directly under the shower head and switch on your shower. Use your stopwatch to measure how long it takes to fill the jug. Longer than 6 seconds?
When water still comes out after you've closed your faucet, it's usually a sign of an issue with the cartridge. The cartridge is a device that stops the water and controls the amount of cold and/or hot water that comes out of the faucet. Over time, the cartridge wears out and needs to be replaced.
Check Your Water Line & Valve
If your water valve is completely open, then check your water line and hoses. Flexible lines can easily develop kinks, so work those out to make sure that the water flow is smooth. If the water valve is partially closed, you'll need to open it so water can flow through your pipes easily.
It is recommended that your shower head is replaced every 6 to 8 months. This should be about twice a year. A shower head should be replaced this often for a variety of reasons. These reasons include bacteria buildup, black mold and sediment build up.
Many people don't realize it, but shower heads should actually be replaced every 6 to 8 months. That's up to two times each year! Most people neglect to do this, of course, but the reasons for keeping up with the replacements are more important than you might expect.
If the shower head is still stuck, it may have mineral deposits that need to be loosened. Fill a plastic bag with white vinegar and fasten over the stuck fitting. Wait several hours or overnight. Remove the plastic bag and return to Step 2 to remove the old shower head.
Clean your Showerhead
Simply cleaning out the mineral build-up in your showerhead can fix your water pressure issues. If you can remove the showerhead, do so and scrub out the inside with a toothbrush or dish brush. If you can't remove the showerhead, take a plastic bag and fill it with white vinegar.
The showerhead might be so old it needs to be replaced. The shower controls could also be responsible for flow issues. If you can't find the cause of low pressure in your shower, it's time to get your shower system and water pipes checked by a plumber. A professional plumber typically will handle these issues the best.
Put the showerhead in a bucket or plastic container and cover it with white vinegar. Leave it to soak in the vinegar for at least 30 minutes, preferably around an hour. Don't leave brass shower heads in vinegar for longer than 30 minutes. Take the showerhead out of the vinegar and rinse it with water.
Your water pressure has changed
Reduced water pressure is the number one warning sign that it's time to change your shower head.
Here's How To Replace Your Showerhead:
Turn off the shower faucets so you don't get drenched while you're working. There's no need to turn off the water to the house. Unscrew the old showerhead by twisting it by hand in a counterclockwise direction.
Because many types of bacteria thrive in moist areas like your shower, it is recommended that you replace your shower head every 6 to 8 months. Keeping your shower head clean, especially if you have hard water, can be very difficult to manage.
Most plumbers can install a showerhead for about $75 to $150 (CAD 100 to CAD 200), according to The Home Depot.
Learning how to change a shower head is a simple task that only takes a few minutes. This guide explains the steps to installing three different kinds of shower heads: fixed-mount, hand-held and fixed-mount and hand-held combination models, also known as a dual shower head.
Baking soda is a key ingredient in a bid to unclog a shower head without vinegar. Cheap to purchase and simple to use, baking soda represents a natural antibacterial cleaning solution. To use effectively, you should add a small amount of water to baking soda to create a paste.
For water conservation purposes, most plumbing codes require faucets and showering devices to not exceed a certain maximum flow rate. Removing the flow restrictors could cause these devices to no longer meet these codes.
You may have to try more than one method to for unclogging a shower drain. The blockage could be caused by a build-up of hair, grease and soap. Other possible causes are a build-up of dirt or minerals from your water or tree roots growing through tiny cracks in your underground pipes.
If the heat is cutting off after 5 minutes then the TCO is working and you have a low flow problem causing the shower to overheat. If the actual water is cutting out then the flow valve will be required also.
Soak the shower head in a bowl or bucket filled with vinegar. Leave it overnight unless the fixture is coated in brass, gold, or nickel — in that case, remove it from the vinegar after half an hour. If the fixture is made of metal, you can simmer it in a pot of vinegar on the stove for 15 minutes.