Ask Me Help Desk - Does water pressure matter?

Hi there!

I have just recently installed a low pressure showerhead. The water that came out before was literally shooting out of the old showerhead, even when I turn on the water at the bottom first it just bursts out of the pipe. I am really serious about this. The water coming out of the pipe is a waste. Anyway, I am just in fear that when I am having a shower, that the new showerhead installed, will break off by the water pressure, and hit me in the head/face, and knock me out. So my question is: Is my new showerhead keeping all this water back, and then one day will explode??

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my question is: Is my new showerhead keeping all this water back, and then one day will explode??

No, The threads will keep the new shower head on the shower arm. Pump or city water? What's your house pressure and do you have a Pressure Reducing Valve installed? Regards, Tom

The only danger of high water pressure is the water itself and, like having high blood pressure, the longevity of your hoses and fixtures. My first house received about $10,000 damage due to a burst hose under the kitchen sink. It took about 2 years for the crawl space to dry out completely. The water pressure was about 110psi, and the water coming out of the shower head felt like it could take the tiles off the walls.

Many plumbing codes require a pressure regulator if the supply exceeds 80psi. My current house receives 75psi, and I regulate it down to 45psi for peace of mind and comfort with my shower valve open full.

You can get a pressure gage at a hardware store for a few dollars. It screws on to a hose bib. If it measures over 80psi, you might think about calling a plumber to install a regulator. It is cheap insurance, trust me. You can also get a flow restrictor (a small washer with a hole in it) to put behind your shower head to reduce the flow, but that won't reduce the other risks.

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You can also get a flow restrictor (a small washer with a hole in it) to put behind your shower head to reduce the flow, but that won't reduce the other risks.

All new shower heads now come equipped with water savers installed. Yours should have one already.
Catgita's referring to a PRV,( pressure reducing valve) and as he says they are used to control pressure exceeding 80 PSI coming in from the main. Let me repeat my question;

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Pump or city water? What's your house pressure and do you have a Pressure Reducing Valve installed?

A PRV valve is installed just after the water service enters your home and if you have one it should be adjusted or replaced.
You can call the water company, if you're on city water, to find out what the PSI is out in the main. As stated the average house pressure's 45 PSI and this is what you should have in your house. Regards, Tom

I Don't Live In A House. I Live In An Apartment. I Forgot To Mention That My Bathroom Ceiling Is Always Leaking From The Apartment Above Me. Right Now It Is About To Cave In, Because I Can See Water Bubbles And Cracks, And The Ceiling Is Actually Holding Water Up... you Can Actually See It. I Have Mentioned This To My Landlord, But All She Says Is To Fill Out A Work Requisition, And She Will Have Someone Come And Fix It Within 3 Weeks. I Don't Think That Anyone Should Have To Be Afraid Of Taking Showers In Their Own Bathroom, And Whenever I Get Into The Shower, My Eyes Are Constantly On The Ceiling, With Fear Of It Caving In On Me.

Anyway Sorry Guys, For This Off Topic Conversation.
Like I Was Saying, I Do Not Know What Threads Are, And All I Did To Install My Shower Head, Was Unscrew The Old One. The Neck Of The Shower Had Nothing On It To Control The Flow. It Was Just An Ordinary Chrome Hose Coming Out Of The Wall. All I Did Was Screw On The New Showerhead.

The Pipe At The Bottom That You Set The Water With, Is Only One Handle.
You Can Only Turn It From Left To Right. So In Other Words, It Only Controls The Temperature Of The Water, Not The Flow.

City Water!

Thanks For Everyone Helping Me Out With This!

Threads: The grooves on the pipe. The grooves on a screw.

Specifically, the shower head had internal threads and the chrome pipe had external threads.