If you have a low-pressure shower at your home, it is enough to ruin your day. There are several struggles that you might be facing such as taking longer time than usual to rinse off shampoo or shower gel, hot water cooling down before reaching your body and even struggling to wash anything in a proper way. This can be very frustrating. So, if you are willing to know, “How to increase water pressure in shower?“, here are certain changes or quick fixes that you can implement to increase your shower’s water pressure.
1. How to Test If There is Low Pressure In the Shower Head?
Before talking about how to increase water pressure in shower heads, you must know about the current water pressure and how to test the water flow rate. To test water pressure, firstly, you can start by putting a measuring jug under the shower pump. Make sure that it is a one-liter measuring jug. Secondly. turn on your problematic shower pump and notice how long it will take for the jar to completely fill up. If you notice that the jug does not get filled up in six seconds, then it means your shower pump has low water pressure.
It can also be a matter of how you are feeling. If the water pressure is low, you can gradually feel it. However, if the water flow rate was fine in the beginning and it has decreased eventually, then there is a possibility of something built up and clogged your shower head but if the water flow rate was less since your shower pump was installed, then there are chances that there is a water restrictor.
2. How Can You Increase the Water Pressure in the Shower?
If you have checked the following steps mentioned above for checking the water pressure of your shower pump, and you have noticed a low water pressure, no need to worry! We have got you covered. Here are certain steps that you can implement if your shower pump has low water pressure.
2.1. You Have to Remove the Water Restrictors or Water Pressure Regulator
Sometimes. you might feel to notice that the lower pressure in the shower might be because of the installation of a water flow restrictor or a water pressure regulator in your shower head. Flow restrictors are often installed to cut down the electricity bill. As long as you are fine with a flow restrictor, it is okay but if you are facing struggles with the water pressure and unable to do certain household works properly, you can decide to remove it.
Removing flow restrictors from your shower head can increase the shower water pressure. Not only this, it will also clear any kind of build-up that is formed in your shower head. If you are concerned about the increasing water bill, you can take short-duration showers as the water pressure will eventually increase.
2.2. You Will Have to Clean Your Shower Heads
If you are wondering how to increase water pressure in the shower, you will have to clean your shower head for strong water pressure. It does not require professional assistance. You can do it on your own. To increase the water pressure, you will have to completely clean the mineral deposits that are formed in your shower head. All you have to do is to remove the shower head and scrub the inside of the shower head properly. You can use a toothbrush or a dish brush to completely remove the build-up from the small holes.
In case, you are not able to open the shower head to improve water pressure, you can do a quick fix. You need a bag and white vinegar for completing the process. Make sure to fill the white vinegar in a plastic bag and then stick the shower head into that plastic bag with the help of a rubber band. Leave it for some time and you will notice the vinegar will break down the mineral deposits and make it easier for you to remove them. After it is done, you will have to remove the bag and fully open the shower to see if there is an increased water pressure.
2.3. Check If Your Water Shut-Off Valve is Completely Open
If there has been any kind of renovations or work done at your house, the water shut-off valve might have been turned off by someone during the renovation process and then completely forgot to turn on the water valve again and that has caused the shower water pressure to slow down. The water valve needs to be completely open for increased water pressure. So, you will have to check the water valve near your water heater or under your kitchen sink as that is where most of the shut-off valves exist. The location may differ in some cases.
Once you get the water valve, you will have to make the level parallel with water pipes, this will make your water supply open fully. After it is done, you can check if hot water is coming out of your water heater and if there is enough hot water and cold water supply from your shower head.
2.4. You Can Replace Your Shower Hose
Sometimes, the reason behind the low pressure in your shower pump might be because there is a dent in your shower hose. So you can check if there are any leaks or dents in your old shower pump. This happens because some showers have hoses made of plastic which can easily fold or crease if they are pulled at the wrong angle. This will lead to a low shower water pressure and you will have to look for it in your entire house and fix it properly to increase water pressure in your shower head.
2.5. Check Your Water Usage
If you are having low water pressure issues in your shower head, other appliances running in your house might be the cause that you are experiencing low water pressure. Sometimes, if you take a shower while your washing machine is running or your dishwasher is in use, then it can make the water pressure low. So, turning them off while taking a shower can be a simple fix for your shower head for working properly.
Also, you can check the main water supply to your whole house. Sometimes, the water supply line is in more demand as the water pipes that flow to all the houses of your colony might be in use in the most busy hours of the day which can cause water pressure problems. So you can shower at a different time when the water usage will be in less demand to increase the water pressure. You can even switch to a new shower head or a new shower pump. Installing a new showerhead or a new shower pump will automatically increase water pressure.
2.6. Take Professional Help If Required
If you have done all the steps mentioned above to increase pressure in your shower head and still the water pressure in the shower has been low, you can seek help from a professional plumber to increase the water pressure. Sometimes, the reason behind the low water pressure from your shower head can be due to old piping and plumbing issues.
There are several helpline plumbing system numbers available to fix your shower head for high-pressure water. You will have to reach out to any plumbing system numbers and share a shower photo with them if asked. They might notice certain underlying issues that you have never observed which might have been the cause of lagging behind your high-pressure shower head. They will work to their full potential to find out the reasons behind the less pressure in the shower, try to fix either the pipes or the shower pumps if they are defective and causing less pressure in the shower, and provide you with a high-pressure shower head.
So, if you have been experiencing low water pressure and have not been able to figure out how to fix low water pressure so that you can take that long-awaited good shower, you can implement these above-mentioned steps to have high-pressure shower heads.
3. What Causes Less Water Pressure in the Shower Heads?
Earlier in this article, you have gone through the steps of how to increase water pressure in the shower. You should also keep in mind that there are certain reasons which contribute to low water pressure. Those reasons are:-
3.1. You Might Have a Clogged Water System in Your House
If you are living in an old building, chances are there that there is old, iron piping used in the water system of your house. There are high chances of rusting because of iron which can cause obstruction and the situation may get worse if dust or gravel travels through the pipe causing obstruction in the shower head and hence, low water pressure.
3.2. You Might Have a Water Flow Regulator
The National Energy Act first introduced the idea of a water flow regulator. A water flow regulator is often installed by house owners to reduce the water flow so that people stop wasting water than how much is needed and it also serves as an effective way to reduce water bills. So, removing the water flow regulator will change the low water pressure.
3.3. You Might Have an Undersized Supply Piping at Your House
Another reason for low water pressure at your house is undersized supply piping which is quite common in older households. In this case, the old plumbing system is still in place which is restricting the water flow from your home to the shower. It is quite a hassling process to remove it, that’s why it is possible that your old house owners have not fixed it.
3.4. Your House May Have an Old Piping System
Sometimes, it might happen that there is an issue in the main water supply system because in cities and towns, the main water supply system uses old pipes which causes disruption in water flow. It is hard for the government to replace the old pipes as it will cause a disruption in the city center.
3.5. The Shut Off Valve in Your House is not open
Sometimes, when a construction or renovation goes on inside the house, then the water valve which is located mainly under the kitchen sinks, is left closed and someone might forget to open it again. So, you should check for it and then again turn it on to increase the water pressure. If, in case, you feel the shut-off valve is broken, you can call the plumber to fix it.
These are the reasons which can cause obstruction in the water pressure. So you can check all of those factors and fix them quickly so that the water pressure in your house does not get interrupted.
Final Note
If you are fully done reading this article, you have gathered quite a lot of information about what is causing low water pressure in your shower, certain ways of testing the water pressure, and how to increase your shower’s water pressure. So, make sure to implement these methods, and hopefully, the water struggles that you face while showering or washing something goes away and you will be good to go. You can try these methods on your own and if you feel that you need professional help, you can even contact them so that they observe the issues more thoroughly and give you a permanent solution.
FAQs
1. What is the ideal water pressure in a shower?
The water pressure needs to be 10L per minute. Anything that is below 10L will be considered as low water pressure.
2. Why is it that my shower’s water pressure is not so high?
There might be certain mineral deposits or built-up that are getting clogged inside your shower head. That’s why the water pressure in your shower is not so high.
3. Which device can I use so that the water pressure increases?
You can install booster pumps as it has the ability to increase the water pressure and you won’t have to struggle anymore.
Last Updated on by kalidaspandian
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