[eholmes77]

Hello all. I recently used a 3/4" Sharbite tee to tap into my 3/4" copper hot and cold water supply lines to run water to a new bathroom. After making the modification, the water pressure to the shower - only a foot or so downstream of the new Sharkbite tee - has noticeably less pressure. I figured maybe the Sharkbite didn't install correctly, so I cut out a couple feet of the copper and put in a section of 3/4" pex (connected to the existing copper on each end with a Sharkbite) with a brass crimped tee for the supply to the new bathroom. Still crappy pressure. The water supple to the new bathroom is shut off with valves, so that shouldn't have anything to do with it.

I'm at a loss. It obviously has to be something related to the work I just did, but I've never had an issue with Sharkbites causing noticeably reduced pressure. The only other thing I can think of is - possibly - the gate valve that I used to shut off water to the whole house before the repair could have gone bad and is not opening all the way.

Any ideas here? Could tapping into 3/4" copper with a Sharkbite tee cause this? If so, I guess I would need to get a plumber to come put copper back in (I can't sweat copper). Thanks for the advice.

 

[eholmes77]

I also talked to my dad, who is a master plumber with 40 years in the trade, and he is perplexed as well.

 

[Bud9051]

Not a plumber. Are all pipes copper, not pex?
Was your T 3/4-3/4 and a 1/2" T?

Bud

 

[eholmes77]

Only the new stuff is pex, the existing is all copper. The tee is 3/4x3/4x3/4.

 

[Bud9051]

Doesn't the insert on the pex reduce the ID. My 1/2" pex couplings end up at 3/8 I believe.

Bud

 

[chandler48]

If anything it would increase the pressure, but reduce the volume. However, you may have a pressure balanced shower head that is causing the reduced flow. How is it at the sink?

 

[TheEplumber]

If anything it would increase the pressure, but reduce the volume. However, you may have a pressure balanced shower head that is causing the reduced flow. How is it at the sink?

I would be looking inside the shower valve for sediment at the cartridge, spool or in the head. You may pulled some sediment from the water heater.

do your lav faucets tub spouts, toilets in the same bathroom function okay?
Did you open the main shut off completely? (had to ask the obvious)

 

[ktownskier]

Remove the shower head, the internal workings of the shower valve and flush them.

That is all I could think of.

Otherwise I am as perplexed as all the others.

As long as you can look through it and see no issues, it shouldn't reduce pressure.

 

[eholmes77]

Remove the shower head, the internal workings of the shower valve and flush them.

That is all I could think of.

Otherwise I am as perplexed as all the others.

As long as you can look through it and see no issues, it shouldn't reduce pressure.

It seems fine at the sink, although it could just be not as noticeable. I’ll pull the shower head and look for sediment. I can’t do much about the valve because it’s an old house with separate hot and cold valves and I guess a mixer buried behind the wall or something.

I did check, and I did turn the water all the way back on.

I’m aware that the pex fitting would have a slightly smaller ID than the copper, but my dad didn’t think it would be enough to affect it.


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[jmon]

Were the separate hot and cold isolation supply valves gate type or ball type?? If old gate type, they may not have opened all the way. some get stuck or simple just don't work right anymore.


Have to investigate a little more. As others have said may just be some sediment you knocked loose. pull and clean valve and see if that helped.

 

[eholmes77]

Solved! Sure enough, it was a bunch of rusty sediment stuck in the showerhead aerator thing. I don't know why that didn't occur to me. I guess since I had just modified the plumbing I assumed I messed something up. Thanks all!