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I have extremely poor water pressure at my basement shower (the faucets in the basement are fine). It's been like that for years and seems to be getting worse. The showerhead is ok - no sediment is blocking the flow.
Could anyone give me some ideas what the problem could be?
Could use more info, such as what kind of piping is it? Copper, galvanized, pvc, poly?
Also, when you say the faucets are fine, are you talking about faucets not connected to the shower or is this a tub/shower combo and you are saying the faucet part works fine?
There is a sink in the bathroom and the faucet there has good water pressure. There is also a tub/sink by the washer & dryer and the water pressure is ok there.
First thing I would do is use the shutoff valves or cut off the power or gas to the hot water and cut off the main, then remove the head of the mixer valve and inspect it. There are three spots in a shower system where there are natural restrictions - the head, which you checked, the cut off valves (which some don't have), and the mixer valve. Crud will accumulate at those places first. Look online and you'll see instructions on how to do the job.
I doubt it is a pressure problem... sounds more like obstructed flow.
Never used to have any flow problems... even when the buildings I managed had 60 year old galvanized pipes... until the mandated low flow aerators and shower head started.
Most likely and obstruction... either open it to physically remove or in some cases... I've had great luck filling a zip-lock plastic bag with CLR and putting it over the shower head with rubber bands/clothes pins to soak for a day or two...
,,,Never used to have any flow problems... even when the buildings I managed had 60 year old galvanized pipes... until the mandated low flow aerators and shower head started.,,,...
Many of the new heads have a removable restriction plug, for testing purposes only they can be removed. Hint hint!
The "Balanced" shower/tub faucets caused the most problems...
The city was replacing area water lines and it caused no end to the grief... the owners with the original 1940's plumbing... yes, there were a few that had bought the homes new... had zero problems... only the homes with the "Upgraded" plumbing done in the last 10 years or so had the bulk of the problems.
One, was so frustrated that he had his plumber install a whole house filter and that cured the problem and added another thing that requires maintenance.
It is in a silver plastic jug and can be bought at almost any big box type store or hardware store.
It takes care of all three of the above. A common use of this product is to unclog sediment from showerheads, etc in the fashion described.
Good product to have around.
Frank
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