The most common cause of low shower pressure is a blocked showerhead, as a result of limescale build-up. These blockages obstruct the water flow, leading to reduced pressure over time. Most showers are fitted with a filter, protecting the pipework from debris, but this can become partially blocked by scale.
Depending on your current flow rate, you may be able to increase the flow simply by removing the filter or restricting device or replacing the showerhead with a higher-flow model, such as increasing to a standard 2.5 GPM head. Before you change the showerhead, make sure that the new model is legal in your area.
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.
The Fire Hydrant Spa Shower Head Spa Plaza is a good replacement shower head that is designed to boost water pressure in low flow settings. It has a 4-inch face to provide wide coverage, and this enables the water to reach all parts of your body.
A high pressure shower head maximizes the flow of water through the shower head for a powerful spray. Waterpik® shower head engineers design water passages to minimize flow restriction and optimize the shower force, and put every shower head design through more than 1,000 hours of testing.
Look on the main supply pipe near your water meter for a conical valve that has a bolt sticking out of the cone. To raise pressure, turn the bolt clockwise after loosening its locknut. Keep an eye on the gauge to make sure the pressure is within bounds, then retighten the locknut.
A broken water pressure regulator can cause high pressure. Trapped air can increase water pressure in pipes. Your showerhead's restrictor valve may have malfunctioned. If you hear a banging in your pipes, something called “water hammer,” you could have high water pressure.
A water pressure regulator, if you have one, is usually located where the main water line comes into the house and after the main shut off valve. This way if you need to work on or change the water pressure regulator you can simply shut off the water main to do so.
The short answer is low water pressure in your home arises due to a number of causes. Some include a shut or blocked water meter valve, mineral buildup clogs pipes, corroded pipes, or even a crack in the main city supply pipe to your home.
Booster pumps increase low water flow in water systems or industrial equipment and transport water from a lake, pond, or storage tank for use in a home or commercial building. A household that doesn't receive enough pressure from the city water supply would need a pump to increase low water pressure.
The more water that is being forced through a pipe, the more pressure there will naturally be. Through any pipe size, higher water pressure will cause greater water flow. The pressure will decrease downstream, however, because of loss of friction and water velocity increase.
If the low water pressure seems restricted to a single faucet or showerhead, the problem isn't with your pipes or water supply, but with the fixture itself. If it's a sink, the most common causes are a clogged aerator or clogged cartridge.
That's a common misconception. A lower flow rate does not mean that your shower will have less pressure. Water flow (gpm) refers to how much water is coming out, not how fast or how hard it's coming out.
While not all new shower heads come equipped with flow restrictors, they are critical in promoting energy efficiency and water savings.
The shower valve plays a big role when it comes to your showering routine. The showerhead may be where water flows from, but the shower valve controls the water pressure and temperature to ensure an enjoyable shower experience.
National standard of maximum 2.5 gpm flow rate for shower heads was established through the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 1992 in order to save water. If the state, county or city of residency does not specify a maximum flow rates for shower heads, a 2.5 gpm shower head is the maximum one can get.
Flow restrictors are usually found in the neck or threaded end of the shower head exposed when the shower head is removed from the shower arm as shown in the image below. They would appear in the opening of the aerator when it is removed from a lavatory or kitchen faucet.
The center of the restrictor is shaped like a star, or similarly shaped, and comes in a variety of colors. It's found behind where the shower head screws off of the pipe coming out of the wall or at the end of the flexible hosing of a handheld shower head.
Removing a flow restrictor is illegal according to the US Energy Policy Act of 1992, which limits the maximum shower water flow rate to 2.5 gallons per minute (GPM). Nonetheless, in practice, the regulations regarding flow restrictors vary depending on the state you reside.
Some of the first signs of a failing pressure regulator are a leaking water heater or commode. The water coming from a faucet may also exit with such force that splashing or water “hammering” may occur.