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I have a tub shower combo where the tub and the shower have separate taps but I believe share the same water lines.

The tub part has tons of pressure but the shower has hardly any.

I've recently fixed the cold water tap on the shower, it was leaking and needed new o rings, this restored a little bit of pressure.

Would a new shower head help? Could it just be a gravity issue?

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    Your brand of shampoo isn't hip enough.
    – Daniel Griscom
    Commented Dec 10, 2015 at 1:33

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Try replacing/cleaning the shower head extension (the bit between the shower arm and the head), as they sometimes have screens/restrictions that get gunked up.

You'll always have less water volume out of the shower head, than you do from the tub spout. But if the flow out of the head has reduced over time, it's likely due to mineral deposits.

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  • I was going to soak that bit in vinegar as well but didn't have enough vinegar. I will give it a scrub with some CLR and a bottle brush. Yes the flow has reduced over time
    – tyelford
    Commented Nov 30, 2015 at 2:05
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Hard water deposits can wreak havoc on the metal faucets and plumbing in your home. Mineral deposits are just that the dissolved salts from calcium and magnesium. They build up over time on surfaces continually in contact with water. Remove the showerhead and let it soak over night in a container of white vinegar. For faster results soak in a store bought brand of hard water dissolver (CLR and Lime-Away). It is possible that the tub and shower have dedicated lines. I don't see a diverter valve which would indicate the two are connected.

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  • I've soaked the shower head in CLR in the past but didn't make much of a difference, could the deposits be in the pipes themselves? Either way I'll try the white vinegar tonight to see if it helps
    – tyelford
    Commented Nov 29, 2015 at 8:41
  • Possibly, but they would need a long time to build up to the point of constricting the water flow. If your plumbing is old and uses galvanized pipes rust build up has been known to occur.
    – ojait
    Commented Nov 29, 2015 at 15:38
  • So the tub water pressure is normal, but not the shower.
    – ojait
    Commented Nov 29, 2015 at 15:39
  • when you worked on the cold valve the flow was normal previous to disassembly? Also to clarify, the "O" rings where replaced? or the washers?
    – ojait
    Commented Nov 29, 2015 at 15:42
  • Yes the tub pressure is normal but not the shower. I replaced two o rings on the cold water tap itself. Unscrewed the tap from the wall and there were two degraded rings. This just fixed a leak on the tap and restored a bit of pressure to the shower. I currently have the shower head in white vinegar, going to try it tonight. I'm pretty sure my plumbing would be old galvanized as well. I have had the pipes under my house replaced but not in the walls.
    – tyelford
    Commented Nov 30, 2015 at 2:01
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Thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions. I would give you 1 ups but don't have the reputation to do so.

I unscrewed the big bolt that holds the shower head assembly to the wall and found a busted up piece of some kind of ring and a red thing that looks like a flow constrictor.

I now have very good water pressure.

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