Is there anything worse than going to take a nice shower in the morning and getting nothing but a weak stream of water that doesn’t do anything to rinse away your soap? It can be the start to a really miserable day. Even a temporary loss of pressure can leave you feeling grumpy, if not downright dismal. Good shower pressure is wonderful for soothing sore muscles and getting clean, so it’s a good idea to learn how to prevent that loss of water pressure in your shower.
First, determine whether this is a chronic or acute problem. Has the pressure been steadily decreasing for a while, or did you wake up one morning to wimpy water flow? If things have been getting steadily worse over time, it could be something as simple as buildup on the shower head or a clog in the pipe. Over time, mineral deposits can block the water flow, resulting in lower water pressure. This is an easy enough fix. Just break out your favorite cleaning solution that also treats mineral buildup and give your shower head a good soak. Follow it up with a scrub and you should be good to go.
Sadly, things aren’t always this easy. You could be looking at a broken pipe somewhere in your home, which could be affecting multiple water sources and needs to be fixed right away to prevent potentially catastrophic damage to your property. If you start seeing water stains anywhere in your home, get it checked out immediately.
In less dire scenarios, the water pressure might be affected by a loose or malfunctioning valve. First, start paying attention to the pressure changes during your shower. Does the flow start out strong and then stutter throughout the shower? That could be an issue with other appliances in your house using water at the same time. If you notice the loss in pressure coincides with a flushed toilet or a load of laundry in the washing machine, simply ask the other members of your household to wait unless it’s an emergency.
Let’s say you’ve ruled out other appliances. Now it’s time to take a look at your diverter valve (the valve in shower/tub combos that switches the water from faucet to shower head) or the water pressure reduction valve. With age, these valves can get faulty and not function properly, which means the water isn’t being diverted to full pressure. If your water pressure is a household problem, not just in the shower, you could be looking at the water pressure valve for the whole home. Either way, a plumber can help you figure out what’s going on.
Whatever the issue, if you’ve tried every solution you know for yourself and you’re ready to turn to professional help, call on your favorite local plumber. We’ve seen it all, and we can get you squared away and back to taking relaxing showers in no time.
