How can I boost the water pressure in my shower? I found a few shower heads online that say they can boost water pressure. Is this possible?
5
-
1What type do you have. How old is the shower head. When was the last time you clean it.– WarLokiCommented Aug 14, 2015 at 0:48
-
2You can get higher pressure if you're willing to accept less volume. Newer shower heads are better at making less water feel like more.– keshlamCommented Aug 14, 2015 at 2:26
-
This answer might be helpful.– Tester101Commented Aug 14, 2015 at 2:40
-
Possible duplicate: How can I get my shower head to increase water pressure?– Tester101Commented Aug 14, 2015 at 2:42
-
@Tester101:If the restrictor doesn't want to pop out easily, you can go after it with an electric drill. The result is most satisfying.– Wayfaring StrangerCommented Sep 6, 2015 at 17:08
Add a comment
|
2 Answers
You should check to see what the water pressure is coming from the water main. A screw-on water pressure gauge can be connected to your garden hose connection to find out what it is. Ideally you would want to see a water pressure between 60 and 80 psi.
If your pressure is significantly lower than 50 psi from the main, then you will have issues with having enough pressure for most shower heads. If you have city water, you may have a water pressure reducing valve. These are typically installed near the water meter. If your house is equipped with one, take a measurement of the water pressure, and then incrementally tighten the screw and take measurements. If the pressure is too high, you can loosen the screw. You want to avoid water pressure over 100 psi. When the pressure is too high, it can cause damage to your plumbing system.
If you have a pressure issue at the main, this may fix your shower issues. If the main is not the problem, or you find the pressure is still too low, then the problem is somewhere in your plumbing system. If the pressure is good in the tub and sink in your bathroom, then the shower head itself might be the culprit. Unscrew the shower head itself and see if the pressure is good coming out of the wall. If that is good, then the shower head is clogged up and should be cleaned out or replaced. Certain shower heads contain a water saving feature that basically causes less volume of water to come out. They work fine in areas that have excellent water pressure such as cities, but not so much when you are running off of a well. In some cases the water saver part is removable. If it can be removed, then this may also fix the problem. Shower heads are pretty easy to replace. There are ones on the market which are specifically designed for low water pressure. Using one of those may help the problem, but if the water pressure is terrible, you may need to have a plumber inspect your entire system to find out where the problem is.
answered Nov 12, 2015 at 21:20
Assuming you already have a clean shower head, a new shower head isn't going to boost water pressure, technically speaking. Either the pressure is there or it's not. That being said, it may feel like you're getting better pressure due to the design. It's really trial and error with shower heads and a personal preference, but I have found Speakman to help and use it in my rental properties.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018LGZ04?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
In regards to actually increasing water pressure, that answer is a lot more complicated. Perhaps the water supply pipes to your shower valve are galvanized and rusted? In that case, replacing these with copper or PEX would definitely help. The larger issue is that you may need to replace supply piping as far back as your water main to ultimately resolve the issue.
Does the water pressure seem to change when you're doing other things in the house? Maybe running the dishwasher or washing machine? If so, you may have too many devices plumbed into a single supply line. In this case you'll need to trace the pipes back to the main supply and see how you can either increase capacity or run additional supply lines.
