A low water pressure shower is not a fun experience. Whether you shower in the morning or evening, that is not a good way to start or end your day.
From washing to rinsing, everything takes so much longer with a low pressure shower. Showering ends up becoming a frustrating ordeal.
A frustrating inconvenience, in this case, may be the least of your worries in this situation.
Losing water pressure in the shower might be a symptom of a much serious issue in your home plumbing system.
There are a wide range of causes for a loss of water pressure in your shower. Read more below about these causes and see if they might apply to your situation.
Blocked ShowerHead
First check out your showerhead if you’ve been experiencing a low water pressure shower.
A showerhead tends to have very small holes. Small holes help by increasing water pressure. At the same time, they reduce the amount of water required to have a pleasant shower.
But, these small holes are susceptible to blockages caused by mineral deposits. These mineral deposits accumulate from hard water overtime as you shower.
Eventually, you will have noticed that the volume and flow of water has decreased. At this point, your two options would be to either clean your shower head or buy a new one.
If you choose to go down the cleaning route, all you’ll need is a bowl and some vinegar.
Start by unscrewing the shower head to detach it. Then soak the showerhead in a bowl of vinegar for about 8 to 10 hours.
Using an old toothbrush or toothpick, scrape away any visible remaining mineral deposits.
After cleaning, you should see a noticeable difference with the volume of water flow.
Replace Low-Flow Showerhead
If you have a low-flow showerhead, it will restrict the volume of water flow coming from your shower. Additionally, certain showerhead designs can have lower pressure.
You may have recently moved into a new home and have found the showering experience lacking.
Chances are, the previous owners had a low-flow or water conserving showerhead installed.
You may improve water flow simply by removing the flow regulator. You can also buy a higher flow model to replace the old showerhead.
Worn Out Shower Single-Handle Control Valve
A volume control valve is another fixture that can affect shower pressure. This piece is very mechanically complex and also expensive.
They control both the water temperature and volume of your shower.
Over time, as with all plumbing fixtures, they’ll get worn down and become prone to malfunctioning. When they do, they may end up compromising the volume flow of your shower faucet.
If you suspect you may be having issues with your shower’s control valve, replacement is your only option. They are incredibly difficult to repair and replacing them is not an easy task.
With control valve issues, best to call in your local licensed plumber to investigate. They can properly determine whether you’ll need a replacement or not.
Pressure Reduction Valve Issue
A sudden change in your home’s water pressure may be evidence of a problem in your plumbing system.
Low water pressure in all home fixtures can be due to an issue with your pressure reduction valve.
Water sourced from your city or municipality comes at an incredibly high pressure. If you were to connect your plumbing system directly, the pressure would destroy it. For this reason, having a pressure reduction device is a necessity.
This fixture regulates the pressure of the supplied water into your home. If this piece malfunctions, your home’s water pressure can become very high or low.
Contact a licensed plumber if you suspect any pressure reduction valve issues. Do not attempt to install or repair this fixture yourself. An improper installation or repair can result in further, more expensive plumbing issues.
Main Water Shut-Off & In-Line Valves
A sudden decrease in shower water pressure can be also due to an issue with the water supply valves.
In some homes, fixtures may have an in-line shutoff valve on lines supplying water. If these valves were to be partially closed, water pressure of those fixtures could drop.
If your home has them, check up on the in-line valve supplying your shower. You’ll find them close to the main water supply point.
If all fixtures are experiencing low-water pressure, check the main water shut-off valve. Similarly, if this valve were to be partly closed, water pressure to all fixtures would drop.
Damaged or Blocked Pipes
Lastly, damaged or blocked pipes can have a drastic effect on your shower’s water pressure.
Damaged or blocked pipes supplying water to fixtures will cause low water pressure.
A partial blockage would restrict waterflow, delivering a less optimal volume of water. This will become even more noticeable as the blockage worsens.
This is especially prominent in older homes with outdated plumbing systems. Outdated plumbing systems may feature galvanized piping.
This type of piping tends to react with minerals in water. Overtime, minerals like calcium begin to develop inside the pipe. Eventually, they become completely clogged, causing low water pressure.
Similarly, a cracked or damaged pipe would cause low water pressure. However, this is not due to a restriction of water flow.
Damaged piping will eventually result in a leak. As more water escapes the pipe, the less water supplied to your fixture.
With either case, there is not much you can do to resolve the issue yourself. You will need the help of a licensed plumber to thoroughly check your pipes for any blockages or leaks.
They may perform a plumbing camera inspection to check your piping. Afterwards, they will suggest the best repair solution for your home plumbing system.
Plumbing Fixture Repair With True Service Plumbing
Low shower pressure keeping you from waking up in the morning? Give us a call.
Our licensed plumbers will assess your home’s plumbing system and determine the root cause of your issue, and perform the services necessary to get your shower flowing again.
From plumbing fixture installation and replacement, pipe repairs, or a total bathroom renovation, True Service Plumbing has your back when it comes to all things plumbing.
