| 7. Poor water pressure and your showerhead |
|
You probably have heard someone sometime complain about poor shower water pressure, but is it really pressure that is to blame? or Even what you want in a good shower? Most often what people desire is good water flow and/or velocity. Instead of thinking in terms of pressure think in terms of water energy. The more energy in the water the easier soap comes off, more soothing the spray and the more penetrating the massage. |
| You shower arm delivers a fixed flow of water i.e. fixed gallons per minute. Your showerhead will restrict that to the mandated 2.5 gpm. Now with that water flow it can either concentrate it by having a small spray diameter and hence fewer nozzles or spread it out with a greater spray area and more nozzles. The more concentrated the greater it seems the water pressure and the more spread out the less the pressure seems since it is concentrating or spreading the energy imparted to your skin. You have to figure out the tradeoff between coverage and force of water that is right for you and your house. We need to ensure you are getting all off those 2.5 gallons per minute. |
| The first thing to do is determine if your showerhead is the culprit. Do you get good water pressure in other parts of your house like the kitchen faucet or the laundry room? If you don’t then ask to see if your neighbors have the same issue or is it just your house. If you do live in an area with low water supply pressure, a booster pump such as the Simer Pressure mate sold at most DIY stores will surely help. If you have well water then you should adjust your tank pressure and ensure your tank gauge is calibrated. |
| If it is just your house, the condition and size of your pipes may be to blame. When a pipe is too small, it restricts the flow water that can pass through. The water coming out will be coming out fast but it might be more of a squirt than a gush. Most pipes in your house are going to be at least the diameter of the shower arm and not restrict. However depending on the age of your house they may be clogged by debris or mineral build up. You should call a plumber to diagnose where the faulty pipes are and replace or flush. |
| If it is only in your shower Check the water coming out of the tub spout if it seems to have enough flow the your mixer valve is fine and it is in the pipe that carries water up to the shower arm. Then the debris or mineral build up may be in your showerhead, mixer valve and piping. Remove the showerhead and turn on the water. Look at the water flow coming out of you shower arm. If it is significantly better, than clean your showerhead or replace it. If the flow is not good even without the showerhead call a plumber to look at your shower pipe. |
| On a final note there is nothing such as a showerhead that can boost pressure. The numerous showerheads claiming they boost up to 90 percent of pressure or can work well in low pressure areas are misinformed or lying. Major brands will never make this claim. More suspect are claims that are eco friendly (by limiting flow or mixing air) and yet boost pressure! Only a pump can boost pressure. Everyone knows you cannot create energy and showerheads will not boost the energy levels of your water supply. Great showers can transform your day so let’s ensure you get a great one. If you are experiencing low pressure, try exploring some of the areas mentioned here, and consider upgrading your Shower Head to a hand-held, or wall mounted system from Iconic. |
| If you need further advice, please do not hesitate to contact us even if you don�t plan a purchase. We are a company based on engineering experience and we would love to build on that by helping you. |
| Read on to learn about great showerheads and which one is right for you |
| Explore our showroom for a wide selection of quality showerheads at less than $30. |
|
Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 |
|