Cleaning out the sediment. Replacing the shower head. Installing a shower pump. Installing a pressurised unvented cylinder.
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.
Most low-flow showerheads have a rubber pressure-reducing valve (called a regulator) to maintain a lower pressure. You can increase the flow by simply taking it out. You could also consider enlarging the hole that allows water into your showerhead with a drill to increase the amount of water coming through.
A power shower is one that combines water from your hot and cold water supplies, in the same manner as a mixer shower would. The difference between a mixer and power shower is that a power shower then uses a pump to boost the pressure, which can make a big difference to those with low water pressure.
Low pressure in a shower can be caused by several issues such as a clogged showerhead, a worn-out mixing valve, closed valve, leaking pipe, or even a faulty water heater.
The key here is the kW rating of your shower. Generally, the higher the kW rating, the more powerful your shower will be - both in terms of pressure and temperature.
A 10.8kw electric shower is the most powerful electric shower there is and it means that it will provide improved pressure and a higher water temperature. For the best performance, 10.8KW electric showers need a minimum of 1.5 bar water pressure with a flow rate of 11 litres a minute.
When it comes to Shower Heads, you'll typically find 2.5 GPM, 2.0 GPM, 1.8 GPM and 1.5 GPM. If you're looking for the most pressure, go for the 2.5 GPM Flow Rate, unless you are restricted because you reside in California, Colorado or New York.
A standard pump-assisted power shower uses hot and cold water from a domestic hot water tank which is heated by your household boiler and stored in the hot water cylinder. An electric shower only uses a cold-water supply and just heats the water as it is used, somewhat like a kettle.
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.
A quick and easy way to increase water pressure is to adjust the pressure-reducing valve, which can be found in your home, usually close to your water meter. If your pressure gauge reading was low, make slight adjustments to your regulator.
High pressure shower heads work much better than low pressure shower heads. This is because water that is sprayed at high pressure can reach all areas of the body and cleanse them more thoroughly than low pressure water.
The pressure produced by an electric shower depends on the power rating, which is measured in kilowatts (kW). The higher the kW rating, the better the flow and force of water. These can be attached to mains pressure systems or gravity fed systems. Mains pressure from a combi boiler will provide a decent flow of water.
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.
Showerheads - 1.8 GPM
So if your bathroom sink or showerhead is above this maximum, they're considered high flow rate fixtures.
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.
Controlling the Flow: Shower valves play prime role in saving water.
showers don't last very long like they used to do. I have fitted replacement showers for many years now and noticed the trend towards returning customers asking for replacements within 2 - 4 years. 1 Entry level showers are cheap to buy and made to sell cheap - So manufacturers make these for market share.
(Normal is 60 psi and very few areas are below 40 psi) The pressure of the streams will drop under these extreme conditions, of course, but the stream integrity is preserved. This photo shows the stream integrity of our Perfect shower head (old style).
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.