"If your shower feels weak at lower pressures, it might be more about your showerhead than the pressure itself."
This is spot on. Had a similar issue at my place a couple years back—pressure was around 48 psi, and I thought I'd have to bump it up because showers felt like standing under a sad drizzle. Before messing with the pressure regulator, though, I swapped out the showerhead for one of those low-pressure optimized ones (nothing fancy, just a decent brand from the hardware store). Honestly, night and day difference. The water felt stronger, rinsed shampoo out easily, and I didn't even touch the psi.
As for your toilet disaster... been there too. If it's flushing weakly or clogging often, check if your fill valve or flapper needs replacing. Sometimes those little parts cause big headaches. Good luck—plumbing issues are never fun to deal with.
The water felt stronger, rinsed shampoo out easily, and I didn't even touch the psi.
I agree showerheads can make a difference, but at 48 psi you're already close to the lower end of ideal. Sometimes swapping the showerhead masks an underlying pressure issue—might still be worth checking your regulator or pipes for buildup down the line.
Had a similar thing happen at a client's place recently—pressure felt okay after swapping heads, but turns out there was sediment buildup in the regulator. Quick clean-out and psi jumped right back up. Might be worth a look before things get worse...
"Quick clean-out and psi jumped right back up. Might be worth a look before things get worse..."
Good call on checking the regulator—sediment buildup sneaks up more often than you'd think. Did you also check if there's any corrosion or wear on the valve seat? I've seen cases where sediment was just the start, and underlying corrosion caused recurring pressure issues. Better safe than sorry, especially if you're already elbow-deep in repairs...
Yeah, sediment's usually the main culprit, but you're right about corrosion. Had a similar issue a few months back—pressure kept fluctuating even after clearing out the sediment. Turned out the valve seat was pretty corroded, and it wasn't sealing properly anymore. Ended up replacing the whole thing... wasn't too hard, but definitely annoying after thinking a quick clean-out would fix it.
"Might be worth a look before things get worse..."
Definitely agree with this—catching it early saves a lot of hassle later on.
