Anyone remove water flow regulator on showerhead?

10 years ago

I now I may get some flack for asking this, but has anyone removed the waterflow regulator/restrictor on their showerhead? Was it difficult? Did it work, or did you end up ruining the showerhead?

We had our contractor install a Newport Brass handshower in our new master bathroom. (http://www.newportbrass.com/products/categories/04/Tub-Shower/09/Hand-Showers/116/Tub-Shower/26/Polished-Chrome/281-1)

This handshower is rated 2.0 GPM. We don't have the greatest water pressure in our house, but the water is barely coming out on this showerhead...no pressure at all.

I grabbed a gallon bucket to test the GPM and it took me 1.37 minutes to fill a gallon bucket. Far cry from 2 gallons per minute. I am wondering if I have our contractor remove the flow regulator whether it will help. Looks pretty straightforward in the parts diagram, but figured I would ask here first if anyone has ever tried it.

I don't want to waste water or anything, I would just love to have enough pressure to rinse shampoo out of my hair.

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Comments (4)

lazy_gardens
10 years ago
I always remove them because taking 10 minutes to rinse my hair after a shampoo is just stupid.

And the SO likes to be able to rinse off with a flow hard enough to actually remove some soap, not just move it around.
StoneTech
10 years ago
I always take em' out. After all, I PAY for my water! lol...
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Babka NorCal 9b
10 years ago
Our new valve only allows 2.5 gpm,(CA), so we wanted all the water pressure we could get thru the shower head. The "green" water saver head we unknowingly bought was only 1.5 gpm and was totally unaccepable for a shower...the water just piddled out. We removed the o-ring, and the restrictor, but left the strainer. It took some pulling any prying with needle-nose pliers, but worth it. It is a Grohe.

-Babka
shuffles_gw
10 years ago
When we had our shower rebuilt, the plumber must have taken out the flow restrictor on the shower head. The flow and pressure were too much, so we bought a variable flow regulator. It was expensive for a small bit of metal, but it was an easy install, and we now can choose the flow we want - just like way back when.