Moen Facuet-Water Pressure

[AR]

I recently purchased a new home with Moen facuets and would like to increase the water pressure in the shower. Incoming water presssure is regulated by the city so that is out. I have also removed the water saver device from the shower head. I am now down to the facuet. It is a one handle facuet that only will allow you to mix the hot and cold water for temperature and has no adjustment for water flow. I am almost betting something is in the facuet that regulates water flow as the pressure in other areas of the house seems fine. I think the city regulated pressure is around 55 lbs.

I can't find the facuet on the Moen site so am hoping someone here has the answer.

Thanks Art

[Edwin Pawlowski]

I think you are confusing pressure and flow. You cannot get the pressure any higher than the city pressure. If you increase flow, you will reduce pressure. Sort of like the difference between squeezing water out of a bottler versus dumping it from a bucket.

What exactly are you trying to do? Instead of tinkering with the faucet, you may want to look at a different shower head. There are a few low flow models that have a good pattern and you feel like you are getting a deluge.

The Moen faucets have a cartridge in them that controls the flow. Perhaps it is partly clogged? Perhaps something go in there during installation?

[SQLit]

New House???? Was it piped in plastic for your water? Do you have a pressure regulator just above the shut off at your home? Have you bought a pressure tester? two stories?

My home was made in 1999 and I cranked the pressure regulator to 45 psi which is the max the plastic pipe will handle. Since they fed the shower with 1/2 inch plastic there was some improvement in volume.

I will take your bet and I will go all in.

[AR]

You are probaly right about "pressure vs flow" but I am not a plumber, just a guy trying to get more water out of the shower. The flow of water out of the shower appears that it is running on low and not high, based on how the flow is out of the other facuets. I did change shower heads because the removal of the flow restrictor from the first shower head made no difference. Guess I could buy shower heads until I find the one I like but that could end up costing a lot of money.

I much prefer the suggestion that the flow control may be partly clogged. Think I will go after that one and if it doesn't work, learn to live with what I have.

Thanks Art

[AR]

The house is piped in plastic. There is no pressure regulator. According to a plumber I talked to, the city controls the pressure and there is zip I can do about it. I followed the fresh water line from the meter to underneath the house and there is nothing there except a shutoff.

Based on the flow from other facuets, I don't think pressure is a problem. I still feel the source is the shower facuet. It is the only fixture inside or outside the house that only provides a weak flow at best.

Our last home that was built in 2000 and had plastic pipes but they were rated for 80 psi. I cranked our pressure up to 70 psi. Talk about a bitching shower!

Thanks for your comments.

Art

[djay]

When I was doing research on the MOEN shower systems for a retrofit in my house, I seem to recall their site touting the 2.5 Gallon per minute regulator. Find that baby and make it a 5GPM regulator!

[Edwin Pawlowski]

It is actually cheap.

I have one of these that the town was giving out for a couple of bucks in a water saver kit. It may have change over the years, but it gives me the best shower. I have an expensive adjustable piece of crap in the master bath that is nothing like this one. I've not had a decent shower in a hotel for years, but this Savershower does a great job every morning.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

this one has the shutoff button. I have it but rarely use it.