There’s nothing better than getting into a hot shower with the water pressure massaging your shoulders. What happens, though, if you jump into the shower and there is barely any water pressure, so you can’t really take a good shower? Are there ways to prevent this from happening in your home? Here are a few ways you can avoid loss of water pressure so you know you’ll always enjoy your shower.
Pressure Balancing Valves & Low Water Pressure
Does your shower have one single knob that controls both the temperature and flow of the water? Then you likely have a pressure balancing valve, and you likely experience loss of water pressure when fixtures nearby are in use – think water pressure drop and temperature change when someone flushes the toilet.
You can update this valve to something called a thermostatic mixing valve that has separate controls for the temperature and the water pressure. You will likely need a plumber to install this, as this isn’t necessarily a project you will want to take on yourself.
Adjusting the Water Pressure Reduction Valve
If you are experiencing a reduction in water pressure across all of the fixtures in your home, it could be a problem with the water source coming into your home. Some homes have a device known as a water pressure reduction valve, and it is connected to the main water line as it comes into your home. This valve can sometimes malfunction or need adjusting – this is something that should be completed by a professional plumber.
Broken Pipe & Low Water Pressure
If the low water pressure in your shower isn’t something normal for your home, then there could have been a sudden change in the water coming into your home. There could have been a pipe that burst or a possible obstruction causing a leak to happen, and the water is being diverted elsewhere. If you notice water leaking around your house or sudden water stains, you need to call a plumber right away.
Clogged Showerhead and Improving Water Pressure
If the water pressure has changed in your shower, the problem could be a clogged showerhead, and that’s actually the easiest problem to solve. To check, you should unscrew the showerhead from the wall and soak it in a cleaning solution for several minutes. The cleaning solution should be appropriate for the kind of showerhead you have.
If your area has hard water, there could be a build-up of minerals in your pipes or the showerhead. This build-up will reduce the flow of water over time and eventually affect your water pressure. This can be avoided if you install a water softening system in your home.
Contact McKenna Plumbing today
If you notice a change in water pressure in your Oakville home – either suddenly or over time – contact A. McKenna Plumbing today. We will be happy to inspect, diagnose and repair the issue for you so that you can get back to enjoying those nice hot showers.