We've been experiencing water pressure issues since the kitchen was completed about a year ago. At the time, there was construction going on nearby and our neighbor also said that she thought she noticed a drop in water pressure around that time. Apparently this circumstantial evidence was enough for me to make up my mind that once the construction was done on the large condo complex nearby, the water issues would (don't say "evaporate" -- don't say it!) clear up.
Construction seems to be pretty close to complete. Last weekend, the water pressure issue was still present. The shower pressure was so bad that Ronda and I actually decided to investigate around the house. The other annoyance had been that the front sprinklers couldn't all be on at the same time, or nothing would get watered. Using my vast knowledge of residential plumbing, and my impeccable investigative skills, I went to check the main water shut off valve. It was 75% closed. Amazingly, once it was opened, the sprinklers worked again as expected. Unfortunately, the shower problems remained.
Due to a small bit of synchronicity, the drain for our washing machine had backed up requiring a plumber visit. Once he had routed out the drain pipes and my wallet, we asked him about the water pressure. He said something about sediment blocking things like shower heads and sprinklers. I thought he just wanted to leave, and didn't put a lot of stock in his answer.
Cut to this morning. I turn on the shower to a gentle trickle that Tanner would put to shame on a good drool day. That was it. I was going to unleash my investigative powers based on the clues from the plumber. I found the pipe wrench and took off the shower head. It's amazing how much water actually makes it through a 3/4" plug of sandy sediment behind a shower head. Needless to say, this was the problem. I'm happy to report that we now have normalized shower head pressure and can successfully rinse soap off of our bodies.
So, if your shower is having difficulties, let me pass on what I learned today -- remove the shower head and see if it's plugged up. Especially if there has been work done in and around your house.
Comments closed due to comment spam
This morning's shower was the best in a very very long time!
Posted by: Ronda at November 2, 2007 08:03 AM