Question about water pressure in relation to valve and feeder pipe diameters...

Ken Moiarty · 2006-10-16T00:25:14+00:00

My shower lacks pressure so I want to replace the existing 1/2 inch copper pipe that leads up to it with 3/4 inch copper pipe. Obviously, if done correctly this will increase the water pressure available at my shower. However, I also (long time ago) purchased an inline pressure balance valve which my shower needs to prevent myself from getting either scalded or cold-shocked everytime someone in my family turns a tap on or off elsewhere in the house. But this inline pressure balance valve I have (and I had a hard time finding an _inline_ one ...*) provides only 1/2 inch diameter passages for the water to flow through it. With the water having to flow through this smaller diameter before reaching my shower, I'm concerned about whether or not this will hinder or undo the pressure increase resulting from my installation of the 3/4 inch pipes?Any information, enlightenment, advice, or experience in regards to this would be much appreciated.{* Explanation regarding "inline" choice: I specifically wanted an _inline_ pressure balance valve as the commonly available ones, which are integrated into a complete faucet-tap-fixture unit, would require me to have to mess with my shower's ceramic tile in order to install.}TIA,KenPS: My apologies if I in error I might have crossposted this to the wrong group.

Oct 16, 2006 81 Replies

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Bob F 19 years ago

If flushing the toilet is the problem, an obvious solution would be to partially close the valve to the toilet so it fills slower.

Bob

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Ken Moiarty 19 years ago

You sound skeptical if my claim. What parts of the country have you lived, if I may ask? Have you lived in custom built houses or production built (or both)? I have no doubt that you have never experienced this while showering, or even while washing your hands for that matter. After all, just because my experience has not been the same is not sufficient cause to doubt what you report as having been your experience.

Ken

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