Topic: No water pressure in shower only!!

[fatt_tony_13]

Thanks for the help guys. Ill get the things I feel confident doing checked. The rest I guess Ill have to leave to an expert.

[Bigred]

I don't think that style will have an orifice in the valve body, but it should still have a strainer or aerator in the head right where the water comes out, as will your shower.  Again check those first before you take apart the valves, it may just be that both are clogged.  You should be able to unsrew them with a pair of channel locks, adjustable wrench or pipe wrench (use a cloth between the teeth of the tool and the faucet so you don't scratch it to much).

to remove the faucet so you can check the aerator

removing faucet

If that doesn't improve things and you want to take apart the valves, this is most likely what it looks like inside.



 The only thing to really do with this is to take it apart and make sure everything is clean inside.  then put it back together.  While you have it apart you could change the seals if they feel hard and crumbly.  the seal material should be rubbery feeling and return back to its normal shape if you deform it.  If you do those things and you still don't have much flow you may want to get a plumber in because the problem may be:

1.  the guy that installed it ran really small tubing when he plumbed it in which case it will need to be replaced with the proper size tubing.

2.  The guy didn't pig the lines before he installed them and there is a clog or restriction in the somewhere, could be a kink in the line, some debris stuck in there somewhere, poorly sized fittings, or any number of other issues.

3.   Valves he used are to small.

Or something else.

good luck man.

[Frobozz]

I could remove them yes but I have no clue what a pressure limiter is.

removed the shower head and see if there's a piece of plastic in there that looks like it does nothing but impede the flow.

[fatt_tony_13]

I could remove them yes but I have no clue what a pressure limiter is.

[Frobozz]

Can you remove the faucet and shower heads to see if there are pressure limiters installed?

[fatt_tony_13]

Both have low pressure. Here are the knob and faucet pics. Taken with my cell phone.

Faucet

Cold

Hot

All

[Frobozz]

Its a 2 knob kind. Im sorry that I havent gotten the pics up yet I have been planning a birthday party for my boys. I will get them up shortly.

Are both the hot and cold working on low pressure or just one of them?

[fatt_tony_13]

Its a 2 knob kind. Im sorry that I havent gotten the pics up yet I have been planning a birthday party for my boys. I will get them up shortly.

[Frobozz]

What I meant was is it possible that when whoever was done with the shower "install" they didnt turn the water all the way back on.

It depends on the way the pipes are run in the house.  If it's a copper system that goes from room to room, then if the main valve was only on partway, then all of the fixtures on that run would be working at low pressure.  If it's a system where each fixture has it's own dedicated run from the master manifold (usually a plastic PEX system) then it's possible that the valve for that particular fixture could be only partially "on" on the manifold.   I'm guessing if you had a large manifold in the house, you probably would know it and have had mentioned it.   I really would like to see a photo of the handles for that bath/shower to see if it's one of those types where the handle might have been installed incorrectly and maybe it's not actually turning on all of the way, or that removing the handle might show a limiter in the assembly which is meant to prevent the water from getting too hot.  If it's a handle that controls both the hot and cold in a unified control, then it's possible that a limiter would also be limiting the pressure if it was put in a spot that was incorrect.

[CrazyDaze]

What I meant was is it possible that when whoever was done with the shower "install" they didnt turn the water all the way back on.

I think that's what Bill "BigRed" was saying just before your post. I have bad water pressure myself and wish that it was easy fix but mine's somewhere at the initial connection to city lines. I get good flow from hose bib but if any other water is turned on the pressure dies.

[fatt_tony_13]

What I meant was is it possible that when whoever was done with the shower "install" they didnt turn the water all the way back on.

[Bigred]

There's not much to stop them from opening all the way, closing maybe, but not from opening all the way.

Another though if your lines are all "home runs" (I have only seen these in new construction) from a common manifold in you attic direct to the valve there may be little valves on that manifold for each line.  At least down south the manifold is typically in the attic.  that valve might not be open all the way.

[fatt_tony_13]

Ill get pics of the handles soon. Its both the tub and the shower that have no pressure. This was done by someone that is not a plumber. I havent got a clue what to do besides hire a plumber or take it all out and redo it properly. Which I dont know how to do. Is it possible that its the valves not being all the way open or turned on? They are in the crawlspace and I am pretty big. So I havent checked them yet.

[Leukoi]

There are screens in most faucets and shower heads.  Take the head off and check the screen for debris.  Sometimes you get buildup from the pipes and if it breaks up over time it can clog up the faucet or shower head. 

[Bigred]

First thing I would do is take the head off the shower (so you just have a pipe end) and turn it on.  See if your getting better flow with the shower head off.  If you not getting better flow than the problem is down stream potentially in the valve itself.  Some Valves reduce the flow considerably to save water (which is ridiculus, but thats another rant). 

If the issue is in the shower head take it apart and remove/drill out the orifice blocking the flow or clean the strainer out (small screen thing) if its clogged.

If the issue is in the valve take it apart and clean it out or drill out the orifice in it.

If neither of those things do the trick the issues may be in the tubing in the walls, and at that point I would call a plumber, watch what he does to clean it out and then repeat it your self if you ever have to do it again.

Good luck man.

[CrazyDaze]

If the work was done by an inexperienced person they could've let some debris fall into the pipe when they put the shower extension in and you'll have to tear open that portion of wall to gain access to clean it out. Hopefully it's just bad handles like Fro mentioned.

[Frobozz]

Post a photo of the handle(s) used to control the temp/pressure.

[fatt_tony_13]

The shower at my house has very little water pressure. My wife said the person that put the shower in did it themselves. All the other water in the house has good pressure. This is a shower tub combo with an existing tub and the shower was added on later. The tub has the same weak pressure as the shower. I know nothing about plumbing so I dont even know where to begin. Does anyone have any suggestions?