I've got a question about shower heads.

[MinneapolisMatt]

I live in an apartment building, and they've recently replaced the boilers/plumbing, and I've noticed a drop in water-pressure. I spoke with the landlord, and it was done to conserve water, which is great by me.

Unfortunately, the water pressure in the shower is just awful. I mean, I can barely get the soap rinsed off of my body.

My question: is there a shower head out there that maximizes what little water pressure I have? I've gotten the go-ahead to buy my own shower head if I want to out-of-pocket from my landlord, and I'd like to find something that lets the water flow out without reducing any more of the pressure. The one I have right now is pathetic. (I also realize there probably isn't a magical shower head the increases water pressure...you're stuck with what you have in that department.)

Thanks!!

Matt :)

[NMDemDist2]

1. a new shower head will help immensely

they are designed for low flow these days

take a trip to your local plumbing supply store and check them out (don't forget to pick up some teflon tape while you're there)

I used to trade out the shower heads in my rentals but save the old one and switch them back when I moved :evilgrin:

[MinneapolisMatt]

2. Thanks!

I was browsing the Loewes website, and with over 100 to choose from, I got a little dizzy.

And good to know they've designed them for low-flow situations!!! YAY!! (I bet my shower head is 20 years old.)

There's a great family-owned hardware store in my neighborhood. I'll head over there this weekend.

Thanks again!

[NMDemDist2]

3. buy a cheapie if you're gonna leave it but if you find shower nirvana

just plan on taking it out when you leave and store the old one under the sink

I rented a place, worked my ass off moving in one day and then late that evening I went in for a well deserved (and needed) shower and viola! no shower head. I bathed under a straight stream that night

:rofl:

[MinneapolisMatt]

4. HAHAHAHA!

I'm leaning toward a hand-held with a line that attaches to the shower spout.

I've always wanted one...and I'll certainly be brining it with me when I leave!

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

5. Between $ ten and $15 dollars

for a shower head that turns low pressure water flow into functional shower. Items are designed for old systems with low water pressure of building such as you live in. your landloard was thinking only of himself.
I assume they pay the water bill. i have worked on those type systems.

The low pressure converters used to cost five dollars.

Goggle low pressure shower head converters.

home depot and lowe's or most any hardware store should stock that particular item.
It is a simple thing that works. Good luck.

[MinneapolisMatt]

19. Thanks for the tips!

My landlord is super-cool (not the owner of the building, just the caretaker) and he'll probably help install anything I want LOL!

[yy4me]

6. At least you have an option for a new shower head.

When the dumb plumbing company put the bathrooms in this house years ago, they used a shower head that is part of the supply arm from the pipes. The head is not removable, The shower arm must be unscrewed at the wall and the whole unit replaced. Fine...but they put the whole thing so close to the ceiling that I cannot rotate the pipe the 360 degrees required to get it off. (they were not the lowest bidder).

We have never found a way to get the darn thing off and it is not even a water-saver shower head.

Didn't realize it until years later and in order to fix it, we would have to tear out the whole wall. Have no tile left to match the old plus no money to pay a plumber.

Stuck here. I'd love to have one of the hand held/wall mount shower heads.

[Robb]

7. Idea:

Hacksaw, leave enough of the elbow pipe to grab with a pipe wrench. And a pipe wrench. And then a new elbow.

Sounds like a monstrous pain in the butt.

I've never heard of a shower head that's permanently attached to the tube.

[yy4me]

8. As I interpret what you say, do you mean cut the pipe

somewhere in the arch that would leave enough sticking out that would make the 360 degree turn using the pipe wrench? Never thought of doing that. I think I can see the back of the pipe as it comes through the tiled wall through a tiny closet. I should be able to see some kind of a threaded point where a new pipe could be screwed in,no? I wonder if there are pipes available uncut that have threaded ends to fit but are of a small enough arch to make the turn.

I'm on my own here to do this but I think I'll check out what you suggest and to to the hardware store to see what kind of apparatus I can buy to do the job. If I play dumb old lady, they might even help me. Hard to find anyone to help you at the big box stores any more, and my local Ace has a tiny stock of supplies of the type of stuff I would need.

BTW, the current shower head rotates on a ball. There is no threaded area on the pipe to remove it. The ball is the end of the pipe. Dumb! To make matters worse, there is no shut off to the bathtub, I have to turn the water off to the house not to change a washer.

Years after we had this work done, this company got into trouble for shoddy workmanship. They are still in business but I can't figure out why.

Thanks for your tip.

[NMDemDist2]

9. i was thinking the same as Robb was

if you can cut off the end so you only have a stub hanging out to grab, hopefully you can screw a new threaded arm in that will accept shower heads on the end

this is a fancy one



or here's a standard one found in most homes





if you can cut the old one off, you should be able to thread one in THEN add any showerhead you want

edit to add, they make almost straight ones too

[Robb]

10. Just to complete the picture

...this is what it all screws into. Something like this is likely behind the wall:

[yy4me]

12. As I looked through the back of the narrow cupboard, I could see

what looks like that fitting from the back side. Tomorrow I'll try and pry off the round disk that sits flush with the tile to see if it is threaded.


Edit: Just went up and pried off the plate against the tile. It is completely filled with grout. That is a job for tomorrow.

[NMDemDist2]

14. can you get a mirror up in there with a light and see if you can see threads?

that may be easier than pulling out the grout b4 you know what you're getting into

[yy4me]

15. Just tried, mirror, flashlight etc. The piece that is soldered onto

the copper intake pipe as it goes through the wall is attached to wood brace and covers the back of the hole. I tried to reach into the little space open with a very small screwdriver to see if I could feel a drag on thread but that didn't work. The grout is no problem, I've done plenty of that. If I find no thread, I'll re-grout the hole and give up.

Plumbers charge 50 to 60 dollars an hour around here and i can't handle any extra bills right now.

[yy4me]

11. As I look at your diagram, I can see that I may still have a bit

of a problem.....just went upstairs to measure The pipe is like your second example, The middle of the pipe at the wall to the ceiling is only 3". The outside end then has the shower head attached to it. I looked inside the cupboard and can see at T shaped fitting at the top of the copper pipe that leads to the shower at a right angle. Is that a threaded fitting do you think? If it is soldered, I'm sunk.

If I could not find an arm what would make the 360 turn within the 3 inches, could I get a short pipe with threads on both ends and find a shower head that would tilt downward enough? Is there such a thing?

All this would have to be planned in advance because with no shut-off, I would not be able to turn the water back on.

Ahh, the glories of an old house. The older the house, the more profound the glory. We're talking 200 years here, the plumbing is 40 years old.

[NMDemDist2]

13. the good news is you can see it from the closet

but yeah, it may be soldered

I'd call a plumber but it shouldn't be too much to cut it off and put in a threaded pipe I shouldn't think

and yes, you can get the straight pipe and then a downward one

look around this site, seems they have a LOT of options and not just the ones on that page

http://www.plumbingsupply.com/danzeshowerarms.html

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

16. 40 year old plumbing, that's not so old.

That type of one piece shower arm extender and shower head is not so uncommon. Simply, it should be threaded at the opposite end just like the pictures show. And if that shower arm is stainless steel,shiny silver, than it was not welded or soldered. Your shower water feed is suppose to be a straight line ,straight up from the center of your valves ,straight line shower head -tub water outlet with defibrillator on top, overflow ,the round shinny thing ,and drain in tub, all a straight line.

unless somebody really jimmy ed the plumbing in your house.

That shower arm should unscrew. One thing you can do is break away one tile, the one where the shower arm is than widen the hole and look in there. Of put some real light behind your cup board and look carefully.

find the water lines to the valves, than fallow the line what goes straight up to the shower head. Unless you have one of those old bath tubs with tub fill valves on one end and shower valves on the other.

Regardless, that shower arm screws in.Unless it's copper or brass.But I am sure it is not.The grout is most likely covering the the threaded connection where the shower arm screws into or is inserted. Tilers do that to secure the pipe going through the wall, sometimes it's just excess grout. Any of this making sense?

[Inchworm]

17. That's what I was thinking at first

It dang near has to unscrew unless it's copper/brass.

But what about the head? Ever seen a shower head made into the bend?

That's what threw me.

:hi:

[Robb]

21. A small bit of good news for you

...Messing around, you shouldn't have to turn off the main water, since all of this is (if I understand correctly) happening after the shower valve. Keep it turned off, don't bump into it, and you should be OK. :)

[Stinky The Clown]

18. Get a venturi shower head

These things really do work. I have two of them installed. They increase water pressure and add air to the water stream. It **feels** like a lot of water, but it isn't. They work very nicely to increase the pressure of low flowing water supplies like you seem to have. I use mine just because they're green.



A basic unit is $15. I got mine at HOme Depot a few years back. I would think they still carry them, but who knows.

http://www.neatitems.com/jet_shower_head.htm

[MinneapolisMatt]

20. I'll have to look for that...

...if I can't find my "dream shower head" hahah!

Thanks. :)

[Hassin Bin Sober]

22. I don't know if it's been mentioned here but you may have calcium deposits in your shower head.

It happens when you shut water off and on - the build-up gets disturbed and clogs fixtures.

Cleaning the existing fixture may solve most of your problem.

[MinneapolisMatt]

23. Good suggestion.

And it didn't work. :(

But that's OK, I want to upgrade...you know...to stimulate the economy!

:)

[AlCzervik]

24. whenever i buy a new shower head i remove the flow regulator and the water pressure

is way better.