How To Add Water Pressure To Shower

Practise I have depression water force per unit area in the shower?

How to test low water pressure

What causes depression h2o pressure in the shower?

How to increase h2o pressure in the shower

What is the all-time fashion to increase water pressure in your domicile?

Best shower pumps for increasing water pressure in the shower

How much to fit a shower pump?

Introduction

If you have low water pressure in the shower then you lot volition know that information technology is not a good manner to start your day.

The struggle to launder properly, the h2o cooling down earlier it reaches your torso, the shampoo that y'all tin never seem to rinse from your hair. So frustrating.

Fortunately, if you are suffering from depression h2o pressure in the shower, there are a range of quick fixes that tin can improve the period of water in your shower.

These include:

Cleaning out the sediment
Replacing the shower caput
Installing a shower pump
Installing a pressurised unvented cylinder
Fitting an electrical shower

Now, if yous're new to the plumbing world, this is where things can get a picayune complicated.

No doubt y'all're wondering:

"How practice I install a shower pump? How exercise I clean out the sediment? And what fifty-fifty is a pressurised unvented cylinder?"

All questions that are likely to overwhelm someone new to the plumbing world.

That's why we've created this complete guide to increasing water pressure in your shower.

Taking you step-past-step through the earth of low water force per unit area, we answer every question we've ever been asked nigh increasing pressure in the shower, so you tin observe the reply to your queries.

Do I have depression h2o force per unit area in the shower?

If yous think you have low water pressure issues in the shower, and you're considering the purchase of a shower pump or power shower to improve the pressure, there is a unproblematic three step exam that you can conduct to test your catamenia.

All you demand to comport out this exam is: a measuring jug, a timer and a computer.

*Annotation* We likewise recommend getting a qualified plumber to appraise the requirements needed for your home.

image showing the three step process to testing water pressure in the home

Back to tiptop

How to test water pressure level for shower

Step 1:

Place a 1-litre measuring jug under shower

Stride 2:

Turn the trouble tap or shower on total

Step 3:

Fourth dimension how long information technology takes to make full the jug

Step 4:

If it takes more than half dozen seconds to fill the jug, and then you have low water pressure.

What causes low water pressure in the shower?

Low water pressure at the shower head can occur for a wide diverseness of reasons.

The about mutual reasons are:

Your mains water system may be using old piping.

If you alive in or close to a city or town middle, then it'due south probable that your low water pressure is caused past the mains h2o arrangement.

This is due to mains water systems in city and boondocks centres using much older pipes.

It is also harder for local government to supervene upon the piping due to the disruption information technology would cause in a urban center centre.

Your dwelling house h2o system may have undersized supply piping.

One of the nearly common reasons for low water pressure is undersized supply piping.

This is mutual in older houses where the original plumbing system is withal in place. This volition restrict the corporeality of water coming into your dwelling and to the shower.

Once more, it is quite disruptive to supplant so it's probable previous homeowners have not fixed the issue.

Your dwelling water organisation may be clogged

Again, if you live in an older house, then you may be using one-time, iron pipe in your home water organisation.

Iron is vulnerable to rusting which can pause off and cause an obstruction within the pipe.

This issue will ofttimes be made worse if dirt, gravel or sand enters your arrangement through older entry pipe.

You lot have a "flow restricting" or "water saving" shower head

One common reason that is often disregarded is the shower head. Modern showers frequently employ "flow restricting" or "water saving" shower heads.

Catamenia restricting shower heads were first introduced under The National Energy Act in the United States.

Many manufacturers in the UK have followed the instance set past the Usa and are at present installing water restrictors in an attempt to help homeowners reduce water bills and stop people wasting water.

You take an obstructed shut off valve

Another common reason that you may be experiencing low water pressure is an obstructed shut off valve.

If y'all've just bought a new home, or y'all've recently had building work done, so yous should check that your shut off valve is fully open up.

The close-off valve is usually located under the kitchen sink. If y'all believe the h2o valve to be broken, contact a plumber immediately.

Back to top

How to increase h2o pressure in the shower

If yous're serious about increasing the water pressure in your shower, then yous probably demand to face up the fact that you're going to have to spend a niggling money (not a lot, a little).

Why?

Well, if you lot have checked that the shut-off valve is fully open up and you're non using a "period restricting" shower head, and so it's probable that the low h2o pressure is caused past depression pressure in the mains supply.

Proverb that, await at the list of solutions beneath. Start past trying the cheap and simple solutions first. If that doesn't work, endeavour the next solution.

Clean your shower head

Before you buy a shower pump or supersede any piping, start try cleaning the clay and sand out of the shower head.

Fine sediments tin enter the home water organisation via the mains supply and can oftentimes build upward over time and reduce the h2o menses at the shower caput.

If you can't remove your shower caput then you are going to need a rubber band and a sandwich bag.

Fill the sandwich handbag with vinegar and apply the prophylactic band to attach the pocketbook to the shower head. This should assist remove the limescale and break down some of the sediment.

How much volition this cost?

Cost - £v - £10

Installation - DIY

Replace the shower caput

If your showerhead has a special "water restrictor" in place, then you may be able to notice and remove it by following the instruction manual.

Saying that, it's unlikely that yous have the shower caput transmission lying around.

You at present have two choices.

You lot can either:

A) Rent a plumber to notice and remove the h2o restrictor

B) You lot tin can buy a special low-force per unit area shower head

The special low-pressure shower caput is normally the cheaper option, peculiarly if y'all shop around first.

Information technology is worth remembering that:

A) You still need to fit the shower head

B) The new showerhead may not meliorate water force per unit area if the problem is due to the mains supply

How much will this cost?

Cost - £30 - £l

Installation - DIY or contact a plumber

Install a shower pump

If you're serious most fixing h2o pressure in the shower, then you demand to purchase a high-quality shower pump.

A shower pump is a small mechanical device that is fitted to your abode h2o organization.

They piece of work like this:

A) When you plough the water on in the shower the pump is activated

B) As the h2o leaves the tank and travels to your shower, it showtime goes through the shower pump

C) The shower pump then uses an impeller (like an aeroplane engine) to boost the pressure of the water earlier it reaches the shower

Installing a shower pump is an easy and effective manner to increase the water pressure in your shower.

If you would like more information on shower pumps, read our complete guide to buying a shower pump here.

Note: It is illegal to add a shower pump direct to mains water pressure. The added pressure created by a shower pump can impairment mains pipework. In most cases, you will demand to insert a break tank.

How much will this cost?

Cost - £150 - £500

Installation - DIY or contact a plumber

Installing a pressurised unvented cylinder

While installing a shower pump is a quick, effective set, installing a pressurised unvented cylinder is a long-term fix that involves overhauling your current plumbing organisation.

Specifically, this involves removing the cold water tank and replacing it with a pressurised cylinder that takes its feed direct from the mains.

This is a circuitous plumbing result and therefore will need a highly qualified plumber to carry out the work.

Often, this method will require replacing the entire plumbing organisation.

This could be a skillful option if you have an older business firm and would like to update and modernise the water organisation.

How much will this cost?

Cost - £1500 >

Installation - Contact a plumber

Install an electric shower with a cold h2o accumulator tank

Another pick is to fit an independent electric shower with a cold water accumulator tank.

This option is usually installed when hot water is in brusk supply.

The shower is entirely fed with common cold water from an accumulator tank.

An accumulator tank is a dissever tank to your chief water tank that stores water but for the electric shower.

When the cold water reaches the electric shower, the shower heats the water and so fires high-pressure water out of the shower caput.

This installation overcomes issues like a drop in force per unit area when someone runs the tap in the kitchen.

How much volition this toll?

Toll - £thousand >

Installation - Contact a plumber

Install a ability shower

Some other option is to install a ability shower.

A ability shower uses both hot and cold water to feed the shower. For this reason, you need to take plenty of hot water available in the hot water tank.

They work in much the same way as a shower pump and actually have a pump installed inside the box on the wall that boosts the pressure of the h2o.

I of the issues with this option is the costly installation fee, so a shower pump may exist a amend, more than cost-effective selection.

How much volition this toll?

Price - £500 >

Installation - Contact a plumber

Back to tiptop

What is the all-time fashion to increment water pressure in your home?

If you have checked that the shower caput is not restricted by dirt or a h2o restrictor, and then you really only have one option:

A shower pump.

Why?

A shower pump is cheaper than a power shower, electric shower or pressurised unvented cylinder.

Installing a shower pump is a unproblematic task for a plumber, taking around a solar day to fit. Y'all could even fit information technology yourself if you are DIY competent.

A shower pump is a quick fix that doesn't involve replacing shower parts or replacing parts of the plumbing system.

Back to top

All-time shower pumps for increasing water pressure in the shower

If you're on the chase for a shower pump so you volition no doubt notice the number of options on offer a footling daunting.

No doubt you're thinking:

"Which is the best pump for my shower? Why is there and so much deviation in toll? What'due south the divergence between a positive and negative head pump?"

Well, in our opinion, there are but three pump brands that you should cull from.

These are Grundfos, Stuart Turner and Salamander.

Amazon 'Ultra Serenity' Contumely Range

If you're looking for a pump that can boost the water menstruum in the shower and is super quiet, and then the Amazon range by Grundfos would make an ideal selection.

Built with heavy-duty brass impellers and anti-vibration applied science, these pumps are super serenity and are perfect for domestic showers.

Search prices on the Grundfos Amazon 'Ultra Serenity' Brass range here.

Stuart Turner Monsoon Shower Pump Range

Designed for installation into vented systems to pump both hot and cold water supplies, the Stuart Turner Monsoon range is one of the most popular shower pump solutions on the market.

Designed to the highest standard of both performance and durability, the Stuart Turner Monsoon pumps are contumely bodied pumps with anti-vibration feet.

They besides feature an automatic pressure and float switch, making it a tech-packed slice of kit for your bathroom.

Search Prices on the Stuart Turner Monsoon range here.

Salamander CT Xtra Pumps Range

When considering which shower pump to buy, along with the cost there are two main factors which people tend to await for — ease of installation and versatility.

The Salamander CT Xtra Range meets both of these criteria. Not simply is it relatively straightforward to install, merely it is suitable for use in a number of different shower types, including conventional models, multi-function showers and those with Victorian tin can-fashion shower heads.

Search Prices on the Salamander CT75 Xtra ii.0 Bar hither.

Back to tiptop

How much will it cost to fit a shower pump?

If you lot're new to the world of plumbing so fifty-fifty the idea of selecting (let alone installing) a shower pump can exist overwhelming.

Nevertheless, if you are confident in DIY and you know how to find your water tank, then installing a shower pump is quite easy and all the instructions are included in the kit.

If you practice decide to get with a plumber, and so it shouldn't exist a costly task.

We estimate that to replace an old shower pump it should accept nearly half a day. That'south around £120 to £150.

If this is the starting time fourth dimension you lot've had a shower pump installed in your home, and then nosotros estimate it will accept nigh a mean solar day and will toll around £200.

Prices exercise vary from location to location, and then please do shop around and brand certain yous get quotes from a range of plumbers earlier choosing one.

Dorsum to top