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03-01-2007, 09:55 AM
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#1
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Newbie
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 8
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Shower Pressure Problem
Here's the scoop: I have a bath with 3 faucets, hot, cold, and the one in the middle to switch from bath to shower.
-When filling the tub, I have great water pressure.
-When I switch to shower, water pressure goes WAY down
-Also, all the water is diverted to shower, nothing is coming out of tub faucet, just pressure is very low
-result is the same when i take the shower head completely off
Anyone know what the problem might be and how to fix it? Is this a diverter problem? I'm pretty sure I had the diverter replaced by a plumber and it did not improve.
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03-01-2007, 11:31 PM
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#2
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Journeyman Plumber
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Eugene, Oregon
Posts: 1,994
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Shower Pressure Problem
Your pretty sure?
You should know for sure, knowing will tell me if it is the diverter.
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03-02-2007, 10:02 AM
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#3
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Newbie
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 8
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Shower Pressure Problem
No, i'm not 100% sure because it was quite a while ago. I can see if I can dig up the old invoice. If it is NOT the diverter, what other possibilities are there?
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03-02-2007, 05:32 PM
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#4
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Journeyman Plumber
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Eugene, Oregon
Posts: 1,994
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Shower Pressure Problem
Could be a clog going to the shower head,
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03-03-2007, 05:26 PM
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#5
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: South Texas
Posts: 246
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Shower Pressure Problem
Try removing the shower head to see how water comes out of the shower head arm. That would tell you if it was a shower head problem or something behind the tile.
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03-03-2007, 06:14 PM
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#6
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Journeyman Plumber
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Eugene, Oregon
Posts: 1,994
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Shower Pressure Problem
Quote:
Originally Posted by rob1970
-result is the same when i take the shower head completely off
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Rob already tried that.
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03-03-2007, 08:37 PM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: South Texas
Posts: 246
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Shower Pressure Problem
 Oops, sorry, I missed it.
Val
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03-05-2007, 08:12 AM
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#8
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,083
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Shower Pressure Problem
Turn the cold water on to the tub. How is the pressure?
Turn off the cold and then turn on the hot to the tub. How is the pressure?
Slowly turn on the cold while the hot is on full to the tub. How is the pressure as you slowly increase the cold?
Turn both the cold and hot off. Now turn on the cold and then slowly turn on the hot for the tub. How is the pressure as you slowly increase the hot?
Now do these steps with the shower head and see when the pressure drops.
Is this an anti-scald valve?
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03-05-2007, 09:41 AM
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#9
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Newbie
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 8
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Shower Pressure Problem
Quote:
Originally Posted by redline
Turn the cold water on to the tub. How is the pressure?
Turn off the cold and then turn on the hot to the tub. How is the pressure?
Slowly turn on the cold while the hot is on full to the tub. How is the pressure as you slowly increase the cold?
Turn both the cold and hot off. Now turn on the cold and then slowly turn on the hot for the tub. How is the pressure as you slowly increase the hot?
Now do these steps with the shower head and see when the pressure drops.
Is this an anti-scald valve?
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Now this is a little more interesting...you may be on to something. I will do all of these steps tonight and see what happens, but from using it every day, this is what i know right now:
-Turning hot water in tub...pressure is great
-Turning cold water on in tub...pressure is fine but not quite as much as hot
-Hot in tub then adding cold, pressure is fine and i can adjust the temperature easily to a comfortable level...HOWEVER here is where the fun starts:
-I adjust the wather to a comfortable temp in the tub, but when I turn on the shower, it is usually WAY cold...like FREEZING. So, after I turn the shower on, I have turn the COLD water almost ALL the way off to get any heat at all. Then, if I BARELY touch the cold water, it goes way cold...i go through this EVERY morning. So usually I end up taking a REALLY hot shower because when i barely touch the cold water, the shower goes cold...???
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03-05-2007, 09:44 AM
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#10
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Newbie
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 8
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Shower Pressure Problem
So, does it sound like an anti-scald valve to you?
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03-06-2007, 09:37 AM
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#11
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Newbie
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 8
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Shower Pressure Problem
Quote:
Originally Posted by redline
Turn the cold water on to the tub. How is the pressure?
Turn off the cold and then turn on the hot to the tub. How is the pressure?
Slowly turn on the cold while the hot is on full to the tub. How is the pressure as you slowly increase the cold?
Turn both the cold and hot off. Now turn on the cold and then slowly turn on the hot for the tub. How is the pressure as you slowly increase the hot?
Now do these steps with the shower head and see when the pressure drops.
Is this an anti-scald valve?
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Okay, I followed these instructions. I noticed no difference in tub pressure when I turn on the hot/cold. The pressure is good and increases when I turn on either no matter what I do.
The pressure only decreases when I turn on the shower. I tried turning on hot in tub, then shower, turning on cold in tub, then shower, both, one then the other, etc. The pressure in the shower seems to stay consistent (very LOW), not matter what faucets or temp I turn on, or even if it start with water diverted to the shower. One thing i noticed is that when i have water turned on to the tub, then switch to shower, i hear a slight shaking then a knock in the wall...??? But, seems like not matter what I have full force in the tub and barely more than a trickle in the shower.
So, I guess I'm wondering, do I really have a low water pressure problem, or a low water flow problem?
Last edited by rob1970; 03-06-2007 at 09:57 AM.
Reason: to expound
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03-07-2007, 08:32 AM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,083
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Shower Pressure Problem
It sounds like there is debris that is restricting the diverter.
Do you have copper pipes?
Are you on a well or public water?
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03-07-2007, 08:42 AM
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#13
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Journeyman Plumber
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Eugene, Oregon
Posts: 1,994
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Shower Pressure Problem
Need you to take out the diverter and check it, could be a washer loose, or even no longer attached causing abnormal operations to the shower.
Let us know what you find.
__________________
Fix it right the first time, so you won't have to fix it a 2nd time.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
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03-07-2007, 09:33 AM
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#14
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Newbie
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 8
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Shower Pressure Problem
Quote:
Originally Posted by redline
It sounds like there is debris that is restricting the diverter.
Do you have copper pipes?
Are you on a well or public water?
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Yes redline, I do have copper pipes. I am on city water too. If it is debris in the pipe, is there a way I can clean it out myself, or do they need to be replaced?
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03-07-2007, 09:35 AM
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#15
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Newbie
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 8
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Shower Pressure Problem
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron The Plumber
Need you to take out the diverter and check it, could be a washer loose, or even no longer attached causing abnormal operations to the shower.
Let us know what you find.
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Thanks RTP. I think I need to have a plumber come in, I don't have the tools or skill to do that, I'd probly flood my house. I noticed this morning it seems to have slowly gotten worse over time, I think it's about time to get somone in who knows what he is doing.
Thanks and I'll let you guys know what happens!
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