Why Does My Showerhead Have No Pressure? If you've just installed a brand-new showerhead and find that the pressure is suddenly lower, it's probably because you've purchased a water-saving showerhead. Check the labels around the rim, or perform the showerhead GPM test as described below.
Certain shower heads CAN increase the velocity {force} of your water, which does in fact give you a better shower. The problem is that most people who suffer from low water pressure have absolutely no clue what shower head to buy. Just going out and buying a shower head and removing the flow restrictor does NOTHING.
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.
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.
Do All New Shower Heads Have Flow Restrictors? Not all new shower heads come with flow restrictors. While many brands focus on water and energy efficiency, it's not a universal feature. So, before you make a purchase, it's a good idea to check the specifications and ensure they fit your needs.
What does a flow restrictor look like? Before you remove the flow restrictor from your shower head, you need to know what it looks like. A water flow restrictor is usually a flat, circular, plastic piece. The center of the restrictor is shaped like a star, or similarly shaped, and comes in a variety of colors.
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).
Open your main water valve.
Your house has a main water valve, usually located near the meter; the valve controls the flow of water into your home's pipes. Find the valve and check to see if it's completely open. Opening a half-shut valve is one of the quickest ways for increasing home water pressure.
But when it comes to upgrading your shower routine to make it feel a bit more special, think beyond just the products you're using — like changing out the hardware in the shower itself. Swapping out a run-of-the-mill shower head can make a huge difference when it comes to your time spent under the spray.
Adjust the Pressure-Reducing Valve
Protruding from the top of the valve is a threaded bolt. To raise pressure, loosen the bolt's locking nut, then turn the bolt clockwise. Use the pressure gauge to determine when you reach a water pressure around 50 PSI. Then, tighten the locknut to secure the valve.
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.
It may be caused by debris such as dirt, sand, solidified oil and grease, food particles, or foreign objects. Pollutants can block pipes if they back up due to fractures in the water main. Mineral buildup clogs pipes over time and causes the water pressure to go down, as there's less space for water to travel through.
Causes of low water pressure in the shower
However, there are other causes that you can fix, such as: Limescale and sediment build-up causing low water pressure in the shower head: This can be fixed by simply cleaning or replacing the showerhead.
Please keep in mind that all new faucets since 1994 are restricted to conserve water per EPA code mandates. Older faucets had no restrictions. Beyond intentional flow restriction, new installations can sometimes have reduced flow if the lines are not flushed prior to installation of aerators or shower heads.
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.
Standard modern showerheads use 2.5 gallons per minute (GPM), and some older showerheads use as much as 10 GPM. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that showerheads use 2 GPM or less to warrant its WaterSense label and many low-flow showerheads are even more efficient, using 1.5 GPM or less.
The current standard today is a shower head that dispenses 2.5 gallons of water each minute, or lower flow shower head which disperses 2 gallons or less of water per minute.