Low Water Pressure In Your Shower? 4 Steps To Fixing The Issue
There's nothing worse than low water pressure in the shower. Well, maybe no water pressure at all, but that's a different issue. Low water pressure, while annoying, doesn't make you want to tear open the wall and look for a solution as soon as you notice it. It's one of those issues that a lot of people ignore for a while. If you've been putting up with inferior showers because you think it will be a huge job to figure out why you have no pressure, stop. It's not that difficult to troubleshoot the problem. Following are four steps to fixing low water pressure in your shower.
Check for Sediment
Sediment and gunk from your water pipes gets pushed through your water line, and, over a period of time, can block the water flow in your shower head. To look for sediment build up, remove your shower head and look inside it. You can remove large debris simply by shaking the shower head over a trash bin. However, you won't be able to thoroughly clean the shower head that way. Remove the screen and clean it with a toothbrush. Also, soak the nozzle in a white vinegar solution to get rid of the gunk and buildup in the nozzle openings.
Change Flow Setting
Some shower heads allow you to adjust the flow setting via a mechanism in the faucet assembly. When you have the shower head off, look at it to see if you have any adjusters on the inside of the shower head. A simple adjustment may be all you need.
Change Shower Head
If you have a fair amount of water coming out of the water line when the shower head isn't on and you've completed both of the steps above, you may need to purchase a new shower head. Shower heads vary dramatically when it comes to flow.
Call a Plumber
If the water coming out of your pipe doesn't have a lot of pressure, you may have more serious issues lurking within your walls. A water leak further up the line could be compromising your pressure. You may also need new valves. If this is the case, you should call a plumber to diagnose and fix the issue.
As you can see, there are a few simple steps that you can take to find out what's causing your low water pressure. If you have any doubts or can't find the answer, call a plumber. These issues are usually relatively easy and inexpensive to fix.