I had the same sudden loss of hot water flow in one shower only. After watching your video, I was dreading the replacement of the rough in valve. So I tried an " overnight vinegar back wash and soak" (attaching a 5' section of hose to the faucet pipe, plugging the shower head, holding the end of the hose up as high as possible and pouring a couple of quarts of vinegar in the top of the hose with the water heater cold water inlet closed but drain open), then a thorough back flush with pressurized cold water from another faucet also through the bathtub faucet and out the water heater drain. It worked perfectly, restoring the original flow rate and I didn't have to take anything apart except for removing the faucet to attach the hose. There was some blue tint afterwards coming out of the hot water lines throughout the house from the acid reacting with the copper/oxidation. But it cleared up after a thorough flush. Great video, especially Louie the cat.
This is a great video. So many people immediately tell you it's a clogged shower head or shower valve but never mention to actually measure the water before these devices to see what your baseline is. I'm a bit disappointed that I didnt think of this myself. Thank you very much for taking the time to create this video!
Seriously a great DIY video: concise and clear. Really appreciate you going thru the trouble shooting process. Videos like these are the only good reason for the internet to exist
I think this could be picked up for Sundance. It is a story full of emotion and the direction kept me longing for more throughout. What a journey. Let's hope Joaquín Phoenix will play the cat.
What a great video! Now I feel confident in my ability to diagnose my problem. We just moved into a 70s duplex (which I purchased) and this "gentle rain" shower pressure is the pits.
The shower valve wasn't clogged - when I took the cartridge out and turned the water on, it gushed out of the handle pipe. The problem is that the cartridge is designed to severely limit the water flow rate. They use the same cartridge for faucets which are legally limited to 2.2 GPM. It's just a bad design to use that cartridge for a shower valve.
I'm really thankful I found this video, we have an unfinished shower in the basement of our home that everyone loves using because it always seemed like it had the most pressure output than our other 2 showers, but the old shower head was kinda falling apart after years of use and every time my mother would buy a new one it just didn't have the same pressure of water coming out, and all we did was change the showerhead itself, not mess with anything else, well my father told me about the stupid EPA Water saver nonsense they were added a while back, and after doing some reading and watching your video, I thought to myself, there has to be an easier way to fix this issue. So I took one of the jank-ass new showerheads my mother bought apart, and I took out all these washers and restrictors within the head, which actually lowered the diameter of the water flow within the head. After I put the base of it back together, I only left the water filter back in the head, I put the head on the pipe, and turned it on. And Boom!!! It freaking worked!!! Now I didn't measure the water output afterward, the showerhead itself states it's 1.8gpm but it's definitely doing a lot more than that, and all the mode changes work even better! The Jet is a Jet now!!! Now I don't have to go out and buy a new shower head which would also have its limitation even if you find a good 2.5gpm head. And I thank you for giving me the idea of opening up the values, I just had to do it in the head itself! Mike.
It is ridiculous that they would restrict water flow on bath tub faucet. Restricting water flow on bath tub faucet does not save water, it only increases the time needed to full the bathtub! Wasting time aside, it wastes energy! As it takes longer to fill the tub, hot water turns colder (since hot water is hotter than ambient temperature) and you end up using more hot water.
My restrictor has been engraved to 2.5gpm while outputs 1.2 like water is scarce. It seems to me the companies are unskilled and defect to design proper water restrictor. They are not creative nor able to apply common sense in order to design right thing but copy each other even improper design. I red Amazon reviews. There is no shower without restrictor and all are confused about the flow. The main reason for their inability to design good flow might be different water pressures in houses. Great video, good job, good math and simple but common sense analysis. You not only helped me to get blasting shower which I love and longed for 3 years but actually also encouraged me to find a video to repair my kitchen pipe too. For kitchen pipe you just cook the filter in drain cleaner for a minute to double the rate of flow. If somebody would like to know -the water filter for kitchen pipe is where the water comes out, just unscrew it and cook for min, screw back and that's it. Thanks again cameratest!
Necko L There are shower heads on Ebay that have no restrictions on them.. I have such a shower head myself.. but unfortunately if your pressure is low even without the shower head.. it won't end up helping you much.
+Jonathan Lin www.zdnet.com/article/new-doe-regulations-target-water-hogging-showerheads/ Do you think our federal government has gotten big enough yet?
Every new shower head comes with a flow restriction device to conserve water. Simply remove it. It is the first thing you see when you look in the head from where the goose neck attaches to it. It is a small plastic thing that pops right out. Just use pliers and it pulls right out. EVERY new shower head has them, bar none. They do it because many states require them, so they make them all have it, and it is up to the plumber to remove if need be. They can be removed very easily. When removed, your flow rate will usually triple. Also every mixing valve has an adjusting ring to limit flow so people can't get scalded. It is right behind the handle. Simply lift it (it has gear teeth around the edges) and turn counter clockwise to increase the flow rate, then push it back in. Start with shower head... the restriction device is the issue 99.9% of the time. If you have slow flow still, adjust the ring behind the handle. There are no other cartridges... they are adjustable if you know what you are doing.
Thanks for posting--interesting stuff. Look for flow restrictors within shower heads too--I once added one to save water on a shower that had higher pressure. However, if your pressure is not high, then such restrictors can be removed and will boost pressure and flow.
I replied to the host, but yes I did exactly that with one of these 1.8gpm showerheads, I took it apart and took out all sorts of innards that deceased the flow diameter. And put it on the pipe and it's working amazing now!
This has got to be my favorite thing on TH-cam. This beat all the memes. I don't know why but I found you holding the pitcher under the water so funny, you're cat was adorable and this was super helpful.
Thanks so much. VERY helpful. I'm having the exact same issue. VERY annoying. It's holding up my bathroom reno. Yours is the first video to explain the problem properly. Again, many thanks for sharing your intelligent & well documented trouble shooting methods.
Followup: when I pulled on the main valve and turned the house water backed on I had HUGE water flow. So my problem is not in my pipes, its with the crappy brand new shower faucet valve. (Generic brand, but almost identical to a Delta) I took the valve apart and the chamber for cold water was almost double the size of the hot water chamber. Which is exactly the ratio of water flow I was getting, double on cold vs. on hot. So this is a design problem that has become "my" problem. Uggggggh!!!! I just want decent hot water flow. Is that too much to ask?!!!! It's the frikkin' GREEN AGENDA screwing with us people - time to rise up and tell them to shove it!!!!
Ted C. Called local plumbing retailer, they informed me that as far as they know nobody makes an un-restricted, full flow shower valve now, due to government regulations. If anyone learns of one, please post it here.
Ted C. The regulations limit the flow rate of shower heads and faucets, not the valve itself. As I mentioned in the video, American Standard makes a shower valve that will produce 6+ gallons per minute from the tub spout or shower pipe without a shower head on it.
I think you're reading their flow rate graph incorrectly (I saw it), or maybe I am. My reading online indicated that the valves themselves are restricted now as well as the shower heads. My brand new valve certainly is. However, I did find a Delta shower valve for rough in that goes up to 12+ gallons per minute. It's intended for multi-shower installs where maybe you've got 4 + showers firing in one tub. So while us ordinary folk have to survive on 2.5 gpm, the rich can have unlimited gpm because they can afford multi-head showers. Whole thing is kinda stupid IMHO. I think the 2.5 gpm just means our showers take 2 X as long.
Yeah you really just have to de-solder/cut out the old valve and solder in a new one. But I didn't have the tools and didn't want to cause a leak. Plus my access panel provided basically no access above the valve and I wasn't sure how to go about working with that space.
***** Your shower handle(s) are connected directly to your rough-in valve. It will be behind the wall that the handles are mounted to. So it should be in your condo unless that wall borders a neighboring condo. Often times the other side of that wall will be inside a closet and there will be an access panel, which is how mine was set up.
A great production! I genuinely cared about the actors (esp the cat), and I was riveted to the end of the quest to fix the water pressure problem. This cameratest guy has got something.
While these American Standard valves can clog up pretty easy, they can also be hacked. There are two small spring valves that when you split the cartridge apart (unscrew) you can pop the two spring valves out and get a bit more pressure. No drilling, just disassemble and re-assemble. There are two rubber washers on those inlets that want to fall off. Just a bit of liquid plumbing "tape" and they will stay on for re-assembly. Not too hard and you can get a bit more pressure (along with punching out the shower head restriction). The other option is to buy the rather expensive higher flow rough in valves. And even then, those aren't always clear as to how many GPM you actually get.
WOW! Finally. After 20 years of (halfheartedly) trying to figure out the same issue, someone gives a thorough and awesome video answer!! Thank you!! I always assumed it was in the shower head (some kind of limit), and tried modifying, using antique ones, looked to import from Canada/Mexico/Europe, to no avail. Now the question is, what rough in valve brand has the best flow rate, and should an imported one be better?.
+Jack FnTwist Glad I can help! There should be no reason to import the rough-in valve since there are no regulations limiting their output in the US and I know for sure that American Standard makes valves that put out plenty of water. Shower heads are regulated to 2.5GPM in the US so if you want more than that you'll have to modify one or import one. IMO 2.5GPM is more than enough water for a shower though.
wait! That wasn't me! It was my girlfriend! We loved your video! It was clear, beautifully quantitatively analytical, funny, fabulously delivered. I liked that you used more common tool that the one that possibly exists. It made success seem more attainable. And yes, Luis rocks. Loved those eyes.
I like the idea of measuring the actual flow. After removing flow restrictor, I got almost 2.5 GPM. Checking the conclusion of your video (1.9 GPM), I guess I should be happy. Thanks.
your video is great...the editing, narrative, and stills is easy to follow and logical. thanks for posting. still don't know how to fix the water flow issue in my kitchen faucet but learned a lot from your video.
EXCELLENT VIDEO. you wasted no time getting to the point, and left out no important details. and you clearly have a very analytical mind. and i like that you respected the cat need for adventure.
Great video. Exactly what I needed to know. My similar problem is probably being caused by the same thing. Thanks! I don’t know why anybody would’ve given this a thumbs down. I guess there are trolls everywhere...
Man, you just opened my eyes to how I can diagnose my pressure problem. I have some experimenting to do with my gpm at a few outlets to see what's really going on. :) Louie is cool :/
Just kind of sidetracked but you had the wrong cartridge you want the Moen 1224 for a two handle faucet. The one you had was for a single knob hot and cold. That fixed our problem along with removing the shower head's flow restricter
If you lower the shower hose pipe to it's lowest point is the pressure / air flow good, run for a couple of mins to test. As you raise it does it decrease in pressure or change temperature? Check and clean 1) the shower head, 2) that the internal shower pipe is not kinked or blocked, borrow another one from a neighbour to test if you don't have a spare. If it works then you just need to change yours. You can also clean with specialist products available from a store or just use vinegar. But clean afterwards before using. 3) if both are okay then you need to check your header tank, is it high enough to help the water flow? If not it may be just as easy to install an inline pump to improve the water flow but first check your heating system will allow this. Remember to put stop valves before and after the pump connections to aid maintenance 4) if your shower is electric then it;s either the head, pipe, the internal pump or flow detector. That's assuming the electric is connected.
What is the model of the rough-in valves from American Standard that you used? You mentioned everything but the model number part number I have the same issue exactly like yours !
I found many shower heads have a water pressure restrictor behind the filter. I had plenty of water pressure and replaced my shower head to find very little pressure. I took out this plastic restrictor and nice water pressure was back!
so do I just take the thing out of the faucet and let it go like that? A plumber installed a faucet with a low flow pressure saying I had to have it but I can;t get enough water out of it
Awesome and unique video from the tinkerers perspective.... RARE in modern times to get a regular guys perspective on a common issue that everyone finds out TOO LATE after you already waste your time installing these crap new low flow faucets.
My new single-handle, Delta, sink faucet is having a similar issue. I've already removed the aerator and kept the faucet fully open for a minute; very few, tiny particles came through. Hoping I just need to adjust and secure the springs.
Question: Do batbtub faucets/diverters come with a water restrictor too? The maintenance man in my apartment complex just replaced my batbtub faucet/diverter because the pull up thing to turn the shower on broke. Well, he bought some cheap faucet/diverter and now when you turn on the water to fill the tub, it doesn't blast out the way it used to. I also have a wonderful shower head I had ordered from Amazon a few months back and it worked wonderful! I had removed the restrictor in it previously, but now, with that new faucet/diverter, the shower flow is extremely weak! So, what can I do to get my water pressure back the way it was? The mainland man claims he can't do anything, which is ridiculous because my water pressure was bad a** before he installed that atrocious new faucet/diverter! Help!! I have very long, thick hair and I cannot rinse it properly without water pressure. Oh, and also, my shower head is leaking water when the diverter isn't even pushed.
It took me a long time to find this video. and i believe just like so many, that this exact situation applies to me as well. I am tempted to install/replace myself, and am considering switching to the more common single handle installation. Any thoughts? would it be too much work?
The mix valve can clog as well, how to replace a clogged shower valve. May help and also, drilling out or pulling out the limiters put inside the shower heads is another video to watch, doing this increased our pressure, but this shower head thing we have, 3 of the 6 settings dont work at all, we did get more pressure, but its just something else or a crappy shower head.
Two things apply. First, all new shower heads have reducing screens to limit flow. It is to help conserve water (some states require them). Simply remove it. Second, the mixing valves have an adjusting ring to prevent people from being scalded by the hot water. There is a small ring that has geared teeth, just behind the handle (red in American Standard). Simply lift it, and rotate it counter clockwise to increase flow rate, press it back in, and replace the handle.
Hi cameratest Great video! I am wondering if you can help me with some advice? I believe I have this same problem BUT I have lived in my apt. for 10yrs and had AMAZING shower pressure up until last month when they did work in my bathroom. I am assuming they replaced pipes and now the pressure in the shower and tube are weak. There is no question that the buildings water pressure is high - prob like the 6gpm like you show at the end of your video. So as a renter is there anything I can do under $200 or is there what would I need to do with a plumber to get back the water pressure I had before they changed something in the pipes? I know it's not the shower head I think it is similar to your issue you solve in this video. Thanks! Toronto Canada
Did they replace your rough-in valve? Maybe they took out a high-flow type like the one at the end of my video and replaced it with a low-flow version like the one I started with. Maybe you can replace just the rough-in valve. I bought a whole set including the valve, handles, tub spout, and shower head but you really don't have to get the whole set. Just be sure you know the water flow specs of the new valve.
I have low pressure for hot water in my tub/shower. We bought our water heater around this time last year and because of a leak we haven't been able to use it until now. I've just replaced a large portion of the hot water piping under the house and now there's no pressure in the tub :/ like there's barely a stream and the pressure is fine everywhere else. There's always something. At least I can turn on my brand new water heater but I was looking forward to being able to take a shower in my own house. I really don't want to have to call a plumber.
I was thinking that, aside from an emergency, I would have the rough-in valve replaced if I were to remodel my bathroom, that is, replace the tub with a shower.
I have this problem every six months. To resolve it my plumber comes out and turns on the water then shuts off the main at the street, removes the hot water handle and before I know it there's a bunch of gunk in the tub that I guess was clogging somewhere. When he puts everything back the pressure is good again. He tells me I can do it myself but I missed the steps/sequence. Don't even think he swaps out the cartridge - I'll have to pay him one more time I guess and follow along carefully.
I have little to no water pressure coming from my shower and separate tub on the west wall of my bathroom. One day I was showering and tubbing perfectly, and "zap" in an instant, the next day, I had barely a drip of water from both. On the other hand, the toilet and sink on the east wall have great pressure. I don't understand the problem. Please advise.
Need help! I installed new rough in valve in my house and no now there's no hot water. What I did wrong? Probably hot and cold water mix in the valve. How can I fix it?
I live in an apartment with two showers right next to each other. One has super nice flow, the other with the bathtub is extremely soft. When the shower is on the tub part still flows some water. I wonder if I fix that somehow it’ll increase the shower head pressure
My showerhead water pressure was ridiculous when i lived in a fancy smancy apt. I pulled the showerhead off and found a restrictor plug in it. Just pulled it out and voilla....pressure enough to actually rinse sudz off in a timely fashion.
Good video but I am still confused and don't understand. Why do you need to replace a rough-in valve when you obviously had strong water flow when you removed the cartridge?
Without the cartridge, there is no way to turn off the water at the shower. And as far as I know there is no other style of cartridge that fits in this valve that will allow more water to come through.
cameratest Okay but if you change do rough-in valve how do you bypass the low pressure emitting cartridge that you’re not going to remove and leave inside?
![PASULOL รามเกียรติ์ ตอนที่ 4 นนทกพบรัก [Ramakien Ep.4: Nonthok in love]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/tMUQgmZzf_A/mqdefault.jpg)
This is the best DIY video ever. Clear, concise, and cat.
cute car!
Cute Cat !
BEN TSAI mm
Yes
You say that to sweet talk him into doing yours? 😜 jk being funny
I had the same sudden loss of hot water flow in one shower only. After watching your video, I was dreading the replacement of the rough in valve. So I tried an " overnight vinegar back wash and soak" (attaching a 5' section of hose to the faucet pipe, plugging the shower head, holding the end of the hose up as high as possible and pouring a couple of quarts of vinegar in the top of the hose with the water heater cold water inlet closed but drain open), then a thorough back flush with pressurized cold water from another faucet also through the bathtub faucet and out the water heater drain.
It worked perfectly, restoring the original flow rate and I didn't have to take anything apart except for removing the faucet to attach the hose. There was some blue tint afterwards coming out of the hot water lines throughout the house from the acid reacting with the copper/oxidation. But it cleared up after a thorough flush.
Great video, especially Louie the cat.
Where exactly do you think the buildup was? The handle valve? Or the rough in valve?
This is a great video. So many people immediately tell you it's a clogged shower head or shower valve but never mention to actually measure the water before these devices to see what your baseline is. I'm a bit disappointed that I didnt think of this myself. Thank you very much for taking the time to create this video!
Seriously a great DIY video: concise and clear. Really appreciate you going thru the trouble shooting process. Videos like these are the only good reason for the internet to exist
I have to say that this was one of the best 4 minutes videos here in You tube I ever watch,thanks for the great video👍.
Damn dude, I would never have thought to measure the flow. You sir, are persistent. Bravo.
I think this could be picked up for Sundance. It is a story full of emotion and the direction kept me longing for more throughout. What a journey. Let's hope Joaquín Phoenix will play the cat.
What?
cute cat
Looks like Mark Linehan wants to play Joker. Too bad, Joaquin Phoenix got that part too.
George Galloway can be... the cat...
What a great video! Now I feel confident in my ability to diagnose my problem. We just moved into a 70s duplex (which I purchased) and this "gentle rain" shower pressure is the pits.
If only every tutorial videos were this detail oriented and structured.. Subscribed!
You made the right call when you replaced the cartridges and got the same results. The shower valve it self was clogged. Great work :) and great video
The shower valve wasn't clogged - when I took the cartridge out and turned the water on, it gushed out of the handle pipe. The problem is that the cartridge is designed to severely limit the water flow rate. They use the same cartridge for faucets which are legally limited to 2.2 GPM. It's just a bad design to use that cartridge for a shower valve.
cameratest What happens when you dont put the cartridge back in and run it straight through? Better pressure?
The cartridge is a valve that allows you to turn the water flow on and off. If you don't have a cartridge you can't turn the water off.
SUPERB troubleshooting and explanation! The smartest plumber cannot do such a GREAT job like this man!!
I'm really thankful I found this video, we have an unfinished shower in the basement of our home that everyone loves using because it always seemed like it had the most pressure output than our other 2 showers, but the old shower head was kinda falling apart after years of use and every time my mother would buy a new one it just didn't have the same pressure of water coming out, and all we did was change the showerhead itself, not mess with anything else, well my father told me about the stupid EPA Water saver nonsense they were added a while back, and after doing some reading and watching your video, I thought to myself, there has to be an easier way to fix this issue.
So I took one of the jank-ass new showerheads my mother bought apart, and I took out all these washers and restrictors within the head, which actually lowered the diameter of the water flow within the head. After I put the base of it back together, I only left the water filter back in the head, I put the head on the pipe, and turned it on. And Boom!!! It freaking worked!!! Now I didn't measure the water output afterward, the showerhead itself states it's 1.8gpm but it's definitely doing a lot more than that, and all the mode changes work even better! The Jet is a Jet now!!!
Now I don't have to go out and buy a new shower head which would also have its limitation even if you find a good 2.5gpm head.
And I thank you for giving me the idea of opening up the values, I just had to do it in the head itself!
Mike.
It is ridiculous that they would restrict water flow on bath tub faucet. Restricting water flow on bath tub faucet does not save water, it only increases the time needed to full the bathtub! Wasting time aside, it wastes energy! As it takes longer to fill the tub, hot water turns colder (since hot water is hotter than ambient temperature) and you end up using more hot water.
I completely agree. It doesn't make any sense and wastes energy.
My restrictor has been engraved to 2.5gpm while outputs 1.2 like water is scarce. It seems to me the companies are unskilled and defect to design proper water restrictor. They are not creative nor able to apply common sense in order to design right thing but copy each other even improper design. I red Amazon reviews. There is no shower without restrictor and all are confused about the flow. The main reason for their inability to design good flow might be different water pressures in houses. Great video, good job, good math and simple but common sense analysis. You not only helped me to get blasting shower which I love and longed for 3 years but actually also encouraged me to find a video to repair my kitchen pipe too. For kitchen pipe you just cook the filter in drain cleaner for a minute to double the rate of flow. If somebody would like to know -the water filter for kitchen pipe is where the water comes out, just unscrew it and cook for min, screw back and that's it. Thanks again cameratest!
Necko L
There are shower heads on Ebay that have no restrictions on them..
I have such a shower head myself.. but unfortunately if your pressure is low even without the shower head.. it won't end up helping you much.
+Jonathan Lin www.zdnet.com/article/new-doe-regulations-target-water-hogging-showerheads/
Do you think our federal government has gotten big enough yet?
Every new shower head comes with a flow restriction device to conserve water. Simply remove it. It is the first thing you see when you look in the head from where the goose neck attaches to it. It is a small plastic thing that pops right out. Just use pliers and it pulls right out. EVERY new shower head has them, bar none. They do it because many states require them, so they make them all have it, and it is up to the plumber to remove if need be. They can be removed very easily. When removed, your flow rate will usually triple. Also every mixing valve has an adjusting ring to limit flow so people can't get scalded. It is right behind the handle. Simply lift it (it has gear teeth around the edges) and turn counter clockwise to increase the flow rate, then push it back in. Start with shower head... the restriction device is the issue 99.9% of the time. If you have slow flow still, adjust the ring behind the handle. There are no other cartridges... they are adjustable if you know what you are doing.
Thanks for posting--interesting stuff. Look for flow restrictors within shower heads too--I once added one to save water on a shower that had higher pressure. However, if your pressure is not high, then such restrictors can be removed and will boost pressure and flow.
I replied to the host, but yes I did exactly that with one of these 1.8gpm showerheads, I took it apart and took out all sorts of innards that deceased the flow diameter. And put it on the pipe and it's working amazing now!
This has got to be my favorite thing on TH-cam. This beat all the memes. I don't know why but I found you holding the pitcher under the water so funny, you're cat was adorable and this was super helpful.
How much did it cost for your plumber to install the valve mentioned in 3:55 ?
Thanks so much. VERY helpful. I'm having the exact same issue. VERY annoying. It's holding up my bathroom reno. Yours is the first video to explain the problem properly. Again, many thanks for sharing your intelligent & well documented trouble shooting methods.
Followup: when I pulled on the main valve and turned the house water backed on I had HUGE water flow. So my problem is not in my pipes, its with the crappy brand new shower faucet valve. (Generic brand, but almost identical to a Delta) I took the valve apart and the chamber for cold water was almost double the size of the hot water chamber. Which is exactly the ratio of water flow I was getting, double on cold vs. on hot. So this is a design problem that has become "my" problem. Uggggggh!!!! I just want decent hot water flow. Is that too much to ask?!!!! It's the frikkin' GREEN AGENDA screwing with us people - time to rise up and tell them to shove it!!!!
Ted C. The above should read: "When I pulled "OUT" the main valve. . . "
Ted C. Called local plumbing retailer, they informed me that as far as they know nobody makes an un-restricted, full flow shower valve now, due to government regulations. If anyone learns of one, please post it here.
Ted C. The regulations limit the flow rate of shower heads and faucets, not the valve itself. As I mentioned in the video, American Standard makes a shower valve that will produce 6+ gallons per minute from the tub spout or shower pipe without a shower head on it.
I think you're reading their flow rate graph incorrectly (I saw it), or maybe I am. My reading online indicated that the valves themselves are restricted now as well as the shower heads. My brand new valve certainly is. However, I did find a Delta shower valve for rough in that goes up to 12+ gallons per minute. It's intended for multi-shower installs where maybe you've got 4 + showers firing in one tub. So while us ordinary folk have to survive on 2.5 gpm, the rich can have unlimited gpm because they can afford multi-head showers. Whole thing is kinda stupid IMHO. I think the 2.5 gpm just means our showers take 2 X as long.
Thanks for the vid... was hoping for a different outcome than "hired a plumber", but at least I got some good info!
Yeah you really just have to de-solder/cut out the old valve and solder in a new one. But I didn't have the tools and didn't want to cause a leak. Plus my access panel provided basically no access above the valve and I wasn't sure how to go about working with that space.
***** Your shower handle(s) are connected directly to your rough-in valve. It will be behind the wall that the handles are mounted to. So it should be in your condo unless that wall borders a neighboring condo. Often times the other side of that wall will be inside a closet and there will be an access panel, which is how mine was set up.
cameratest o
Thank you. This is one of the best info videos I've seen to date. It's clear and concise!
A great production! I genuinely cared about the actors (esp the cat), and I was riveted to the end of the quest to fix the water pressure problem. This cameratest guy has got something.
Hey, "Lilly" was just doing a cat scan of the plumbing situation. This is essential for all plumbing repair solutions.
While these American Standard valves can clog up pretty easy, they can also be hacked. There are two small spring valves that when you split the cartridge apart (unscrew) you can pop the two spring valves out and get a bit more pressure. No drilling, just disassemble and re-assemble. There are two rubber washers on those inlets that want to fall off. Just a bit of liquid plumbing "tape" and they will stay on for re-assembly. Not too hard and you can get a bit more pressure (along with punching out the shower head restriction). The other option is to buy the rather expensive higher flow rough in valves. And even then, those aren't always clear as to how many GPM you actually get.
WOW! Finally. After 20 years of (halfheartedly) trying to figure out the same issue, someone gives a thorough and awesome video answer!! Thank you!! I always assumed it was in the shower head (some kind of limit), and tried modifying, using antique ones, looked to import from Canada/Mexico/Europe, to no avail. Now the question is, what rough in valve brand has the best flow rate, and should an imported one be better?.
+Jack FnTwist Glad I can help! There should be no reason to import the rough-in valve since there are no regulations limiting their output in the US and I know for sure that American Standard makes valves that put out plenty of water. Shower heads are regulated to 2.5GPM in the US so if you want more than that you'll have to modify one or import one. IMO 2.5GPM is more than enough water for a shower though.
Great video , very true about the bottle necking of the flow through the valves , its always the most restrictive part of your home's water flow .
thanks for this video. I fix this problem at my shower following these instructions and save me about $170 for a plumber call.
Super thorough and organized, thank you for communicating your troubleshooting process so well!
wait! That wasn't me! It was my girlfriend! We loved your video! It was clear, beautifully quantitatively analytical, funny, fabulously delivered. I liked that you used more common tool that the one that possibly exists. It made success seem more attainable. And yes, Luis rocks. Loved those eyes.
I like the idea of measuring the actual flow. After removing flow restrictor, I got almost 2.5 GPM. Checking the conclusion of your video (1.9 GPM), I guess I should be happy. Thanks.
your video is great...the editing, narrative, and stills is easy to follow and logical. thanks for posting. still don't know how to fix the water flow issue in my kitchen faucet but learned a lot from your video.
Exellent video! Very well organized and clear information, just wish TH-cam wouldn't cut off the tail end of the video.
Louie is so cool!!! I learned a lot from this video and the Louie appearances were an awesome bonus!
Very succinctly done - and I love how you included your snoopy four-legged helper! ;-)
worthless anyone can just change valve
EXCELLENT VIDEO. you wasted no time getting to the point, and left out no important details. and you clearly have a very analytical mind. and i like that you respected the cat need for adventure.
TY first time all options to get some real water pressure. I'm so jelly of your water pressure after u did all that.
not what i was searching for but very helpful!
Great video. Exactly what I needed to know. My similar problem is probably being caused by the same thing. Thanks! I don’t know why anybody would’ve given this a thumbs down. I guess there are trolls everywhere...
Haha "Louie you little shit" lol
But great video man, gonna try this right now. Thanks for posting this
So you're planning to replum your bathroom for .8 gpm increase?
(I posted my comment below before I read the other comments! Was gratifying to see so many others felt the same way!)
Man, you just opened my eyes to how I can diagnose my pressure problem. I have some experimenting to do with my gpm at a few outlets to see what's really going on. :)
Louie is cool :/
Just kind of sidetracked but you had the wrong cartridge you want the Moen 1224 for a two handle faucet. The one you had was for a single knob hot and cold. That fixed our problem along with removing the shower head's flow restricter
Yep
Wow..Thank you for taking all of that time to do the demonstrations! I learned alot..thanks!!
If you lower the shower hose pipe to it's lowest point is the pressure / air flow good, run for a couple of mins to test. As you raise it does it decrease in pressure or change temperature? Check and clean 1) the shower head, 2) that the internal shower pipe is not kinked or blocked, borrow another one from a neighbour to test if you don't have a spare. If it works then you just need to change yours. You can also clean with specialist products available from a store or just use vinegar. But clean afterwards before using. 3) if both are okay then you need to check your header tank, is it high enough to help the water flow? If not it may be just as easy to install an inline pump to improve the water flow but first check your heating system will allow this. Remember to put stop valves before and after the pump connections to aid maintenance 4) if your shower is electric then it;s either the head, pipe, the internal pump or flow detector. That's assuming the electric is connected.
Great video. Love that the cat tried to help ;)
Excellent video and easy to follow instructions & information... five meows for Cat!
What is the model of the rough-in valves from American Standard that you used? You mentioned everything but the model number part number I have the same issue exactly like yours !
good thing you had your cat to give you professional advice.
This is a great video. I think this is the issue I'm having too, so I'm excited to see if that is the case. Very nice presentation here.
Many thanks for the excellent effort you put into this video. It gives me some good ideas for my own water-flow travails.
Good diagnose on your part!
Thanks for sharing!
Wow, thank you for this video!! The stats make is so easy to understand what's going on!
I found many shower heads have a water pressure restrictor behind the filter. I had plenty of water pressure and replaced my shower head to find very little pressure. I took out this plastic restrictor and nice water pressure was back!
Step by step troubleshooting with numbers and a CAT!
That's a high quality video there, Thumbs up!
best part of the video - guest celebrity kitty
so do I just take the thing out of the faucet and let it go like that? A plumber installed a faucet with a low flow pressure saying I had to have it but I can;t get enough water out of it
I swear the cat was the best part of that video
Great video and side by side comparisons!
Awesome and unique video from the tinkerers perspective.... RARE in modern times to get a regular guys perspective on a common issue that everyone finds out TOO LATE after you already waste your time installing these crap new low flow faucets.
Little cat gives fewer cares than the honey badger.
For a minute I thought the cat was the requirement for increasing low water pressure.
My new single-handle, Delta, sink faucet is having a similar issue. I've already removed the aerator and kept the faucet fully open for a minute; very few, tiny particles came through. Hoping I just need to adjust and secure the springs.
Hahaha, "Louie, you little shit." That was brilliant mate, thanks for the vid and the laughs..
Question: Do batbtub faucets/diverters come with a water restrictor too? The maintenance man in my apartment complex just replaced my batbtub faucet/diverter because the pull up thing to turn the shower on broke. Well, he bought some cheap faucet/diverter and now when you turn on the water to fill the tub, it doesn't blast out the way it used to. I also have a wonderful shower head I had ordered from Amazon a few months back and it worked wonderful! I had removed the restrictor in it previously, but now, with that new faucet/diverter, the shower flow is extremely weak!
So, what can I do to get my water pressure back the way it was? The mainland man claims he can't do anything, which is ridiculous because my water pressure was bad a** before he installed that atrocious new faucet/diverter! Help!! I have very long, thick hair and I cannot rinse it properly without water pressure.
Oh, and also, my shower head is leaking water when the diverter isn't even pushed.
Came for the water pressure info. Stayed for "Louis, you little shit!"
It took me a long time to find this video. and i believe just like so many, that this exact situation applies to me as well. I am tempted to install/replace myself, and am considering switching to the more common single handle installation. Any thoughts? would it be too much work?
Great video. Thanks for taking the time and going into such detail.
That was wonderfully helpful and the cat was great!
The mix valve can clog as well, how to replace a clogged shower valve. May help and also, drilling out or pulling out the limiters put inside the shower heads is another video to watch, doing this increased our pressure, but this shower head thing we have, 3 of the 6 settings dont work at all, we did get more pressure, but its just something else or a crappy shower head.
great video! how much did it cost?
very informative. everything I love in a video
Nice, thorough work. I like how you think.
Two things apply. First, all new shower heads have reducing screens to limit flow. It is to help conserve water (some states require them). Simply remove it. Second, the mixing valves have an adjusting ring to prevent people from being scalded by the hot water. There is a small ring that has geared teeth, just behind the handle (red in American Standard). Simply lift it, and rotate it counter clockwise to increase flow rate, press it back in, and replace the handle.
Hi cameratest Great video! I am wondering if you can help me with some advice? I believe I have this same problem BUT I have lived in my apt. for 10yrs and had AMAZING shower pressure up until last month when they did work in my bathroom. I am assuming they replaced pipes and now the pressure in the shower and tube are weak. There is no question that the buildings water pressure is high - prob like the 6gpm like you show at the end of your video. So as a renter is there anything I can do under $200 or is there what would I need to do with a plumber to get back the water pressure I had before they changed something in the pipes? I know it's not the shower head I think it is similar to your issue you solve in this video. Thanks! Toronto Canada
Did they replace your rough-in valve? Maybe they took out a high-flow type like the one at the end of my video and replaced it with a low-flow version like the one I started with. Maybe you can replace just the rough-in valve. I bought a whole set including the valve, handles, tub spout, and shower head but you really don't have to get the whole set. Just be sure you know the water flow specs of the new valve.
Great video! I learned a lot and enjoyed seeing your process!
I have low pressure for hot water in my tub/shower. We bought our water heater around this time last year and because of a leak we haven't been able to use it until now. I've just replaced a large portion of the hot water piping under the house and now there's no pressure in the tub :/ like there's barely a stream and the pressure is fine everywhere else. There's always something. At least I can turn on my brand new water heater but I was looking forward to being able to take a shower in my own house. I really don't want to have to call a plumber.
Was hoping that the fix would've been a cartridge replacement. How much did the new valve set you back?
Did you look to see if the holes where larger on the other cartridge?
I was thinking that, aside from an emergency, I would have the rough-in valve replaced if I were to remodel my bathroom, that is, replace the tub with a shower.
I have this problem every six months. To resolve it my plumber comes out and turns on the water then shuts off the main at the street, removes the hot water handle and before I know it there's a bunch of gunk in the tub that I guess was clogging somewhere. When he puts everything back the pressure is good again. He tells me I can do it myself but I missed the steps/sequence. Don't even think he swaps out the cartridge - I'll have to pay him one more time I guess and follow along carefully.
I have little to no water pressure coming from my shower and separate tub on the west wall of my bathroom. One day I was showering and tubbing perfectly, and "zap" in an instant, the next day, I had barely a drip of water from both. On the other hand, the toilet and sink on the east wall have great pressure. I don't understand the problem. Please advise.
Need help! I installed new rough in valve in my house and no now there's no hot water. What I did wrong? Probably hot and cold water mix in the valve. How can I fix it?
Louie just gets into everything aye🤣
I live in an apartment with two showers right next to each other. One has super nice flow, the other with the bathtub is extremely soft. When the shower is on the tub part still flows some water. I wonder if I fix that somehow it’ll increase the shower head pressure
So what if it’s only the hot water that has low pressure?
Ok, so the only solution was to replace the type of shower rough in it was? What brand was the old brand?
Great job! Very thorough!
Can your advice work for me for living in a unit complex, surrounded by other people? Our water pressure in our kitchen and bathroom sucks big time!
Good video but I'm guessing if you didn't pull the restricters out of the shower heads you'll get even more out of the showers.
What was the fix? The new shower head and handles or the plumbing in the back?
Awesome video with cute cat comic relief!
The cat made this video.def the star
solid information - thanks for doing all the work.
why the water comes very slowly at first. is it by clog?? is there any way to remove the clog without remove the tap? sir
You did an awesome job on this video!! Thank you!!
nice research, I think I have the same problem
My showerhead water pressure was ridiculous when i lived in a fancy smancy apt. I pulled the showerhead off and found a restrictor plug in it. Just pulled it out and voilla....pressure enough to actually rinse sudz off in a timely fashion.
So what’s the difference ? What exactly did you change ?
Concise and informative. Thank you.
Good video but I am still confused and don't understand. Why do you need to replace a rough-in valve when you obviously had strong water flow when you removed the cartridge?
Without the cartridge, there is no way to turn off the water at the shower. And as far as I know there is no other style of cartridge that fits in this valve that will allow more water to come through.
cameratest Okay but if you change do rough-in valve how do you bypass the low pressure emitting cartridge that you’re not going to remove and leave inside?
@@infamist The new valve comes with a high throughput cartridge
Did you use the American Standard Hampton Valve to replace your old valve?
Thanks for a nice video.