Ever notice if the pressure drops when you’re running more than one tap or appliance?
That’s a big clue right there. If the pressure tanks when you open a second tap, it’s usually not just the shower head. Did you ever check your pressure at an outdoor spigot? Sometimes that tells you if it’s a house-wide thing or just inside.
If the pressure tanks when you open a second tap, it’s usually not just the shower head. Did you ever check your pressure at an outdoor spigot?
Yeah, that’s a solid point—if the pressure drops everywhere when you turn on more than one thing, it’s probably not just the shower head. I had the same issue and was convinced it was just clogged up, but nope. Outdoor spigot test is a good call. It’s easy to get tunnel vision with these things, so you’re definitely not alone.
LOW SHOWER PRESSURE: DOES THAT BOOSTER PUMP REALLY WORK?
if the pressure drops everywhere when you turn on more than one thing, it’s probably not just the shower head.
That hits home. I remember chasing my tail for weeks in one of my duplexes thinking it was just a finicky shower valve—swapped out cartridges, tried different heads, even descaled the lines. Turns out, the main supply line from the street was half-choked with old mineral buildup. The outdoor spigot trick saved me a ton of guesswork; pressure gauge read barely 30 psi with nothing else running. Once I had two taps open? Dropped to almost nothing.
I’ve installed a couple of booster pumps over the years, but honestly, they’re not always a silver bullet. They’ll help if your *incoming* pressure is low and consistent, but if your pressure fluctuates wildly (like when someone flushes or runs laundry), you might just end up amplifying those swings instead of smoothing them out. In one place, we put in a small pressure tank alongside the pump to even things out—that helped a lot.
Curious though—has anyone here checked their main shutoff or pressure regulator lately? Sometimes those old regulators get sticky or fail and you lose pressure across the whole house. Seen that more than once, especially in older properties with original plumbing.
Also, what’s everyone’s water source? City water vs well can make a big difference in diagnosing these headaches. I’ve got one rental on a shallow well and it’s a constant battle keeping everything balanced... way more temperamental than city hookups.
Anyone ever try those “whole house” filters that claim not to reduce flow? Had a tenant install an aftermarket one without telling me—pressure dropped off a cliff until I swapped it for something less restrictive. Just curious if there’s actually any filter out there that doesn’t kill your GPM...
Curious though—has anyone here checked their main shutoff or pressure regulator lately? Sometimes those old regulators get sticky or fail and you lose pressure across the whole house.
That’s a good point about the pressure regulator. I had a similar issue last winter—kept blaming the shower head, but after swapping it out twice and even cleaning out the aerators, nothing changed. Ended up tracking it back to a failing PRV (pressure reducing valve) near the main. It was original to the house (built in the late 80s), and once I replaced it, pressure came right back up across the board. It’s easy to overlook, especially if you’re used to everything working fine for years.
On the booster pump topic, I’ve got mixed feelings. I installed one in my basement suite to try and help with low pressure during peak hours. It did boost things a bit, but like you mentioned, it also made the fluctuations more noticeable—especially when someone flushed upstairs or the washing machine kicked in. Adding a small pressure tank downstream from the pump helped smooth things out, but it’s definitely not a “set it and forget it” fix. You have to dial in the cut-in/cut-out pressures just right or you’ll either get cycling or not enough boost.
As for filters, I’ve yet to find a “whole house” model that doesn’t impact flow at least a little. The ones that claim “no reduction” usually have pretty coarse filtration, which isn’t always what you want if you’re dealing with sediment or rust. I tried a big blue canister filter with a 5-micron cartridge—pressure dropped by about 8 psi, which was enough to notice in the shower. Swapping to a 20-micron helped, but then you’re not catching as much. It’s always a trade-off.
City water here, for what it’s worth. I imagine wells are a whole different headache, especially with variable output and the need for constant maintenance. I’ve heard of folks adding larger pressure tanks or even variable speed pumps to keep things steady, but that’s a bigger investment.
Funny how often these issues end up being something simple like a stuck valve or clogged line, but you don’t find out until you’ve already spent hours (or days) chasing your tail.
Funny how often these issues end up being something simple like a stuck valve or clogged line, but you don’t find out until you’ve already spent hours (or days) chasing your tail.
That’s the truth—people jump to the fancy fixes and overlook the basics. I see it all the time. On booster pumps, I’m with you: they’re not a magic bullet. Folks expect a hotel shower and end up with a system that’s touchy and needs babysitting. If your supply pressure is inconsistent, a booster can help, but only if you size it right and set up a pressure tank to buffer those swings. Otherwise, you’ll just be amplifying the ups and downs.
About filters, I’m always skeptical of “no pressure drop” claims. Even the best ones will knock off a few psi, especially as they clog up. Maintenance is key—most people forget to swap cartridges until the flow’s already tanked.
One thing I’d add: check for partially closed valves or old gate valves that look open but aren’t. I’ve found more than one “pressure problem” that was just a crusty valve nobody touched in decades. Sometimes it really is that simple.
