Could somebody help me please ? Water pressure with shower attachment problem

[Bernie]

Hi,

Please excuse my ignorance and barefaced cheek coming on here, Im not a plumber but I have a problem with some plumbing work thats being done and Im not sure if Im being fobbed off.

Ive had a new bathroom installed and prior to this had two seperate bath taps that had quite good water pressure to which I had attached a tesco value shower head thing, I had no problem with this and had quite a good spray (if thats what you call it! lol)

Since the new bath was installed the individual taps have been replaced with a mixer tap that has the shower head attached (the type where you pull a little button and the water starts to come out of the shower) but it has no pressure atall and just basically dribbles water out.

First of all the workmen blamed it on the water pressure until I said there had been no problem prior to the new installation then they said its because the new taps are 1/4 turn taps (apparently the old ones werent) and its basically tough as nothing can be done because thats the way taps are these days - I dont think this can be right as there must be something that can make it work otherwise its just not worth having atall ??

Are they fobbing me off or are they right ? Im a girl and need a shower attachment for hair washing!!!!!! LOL

Sorry for being so cheeky and coming on here but I have no idea what Im talking about but I just want it to work!

Thank you if you can help

Just to add, they said Im not coming off the mains because I have a water tank but the cold tap is just as rubbish

 

[Bernie2]

Hmm!

Can't really answer that one without seeing the set up. However some pointers may help.

First:Is it air locked? Does the water splutter out?

Second: Not all bath shower mixers taps are quarter turn.

Third: The resistance in the new mixer pipework and mixer itself may be greater than before, making it harder for the water to flow.

 

[GreenArmy]

First thing first Bernie. Is your hot water fed from a cylinder (in airing cupboard on the same floor as the bathroom) or do you have a 'Combi boiler'?
Secondly, before with your Tesco shower attachment did you have it hooked up on the wall or did you use it kneeling at bath to wash your hair?
With your new tap/shower if you unhook the shower head from wall and put it in the bath, is the pressure any better?
What is the pressure like from the bath taps, i.e does it now take longer to fill a bath than your previous taps?

 

[Puddle]

well seems they have put high pressure fittings on a low pressure water system,so your flow rate will be effected
probably fitted flow restricing flexi hoses to new taps for good measure

 

[Bernie]

Hi, my water tank (i think it is a cylinder - its a big tank in the airing cupboard ) is on the same floor as the bathroom and it does seem to make a difference if i hold the new one higher up, if it tilts it gets worse.

both attachments are for kneeling over the bath.


the water doesnt splutter, (this is going to sound so thick but i dont know how else to say it) the water all seems to join together in one big dribble instead of lots of 'sprays'

the new taps do not seem as powerful as the old ones but the shower attachment is even more feeble.

Sorry, im trying to give as much info as i can but i havent a clue what im talking about other than 'it doesnt work' LOL

well seems they have put high pressure fittings on a low pressure water system,so your flow rate will be effected
probably fitted flow restricing flexi hoses to new taps for good measure

ooh! that sounds good - ive told them that as the water pressure was fine before then they should put new taps on (because they are blaming the 1/4 turn element) bit they are saying that ALL taps are now 1/4 turn ? They did show me the little holes that the water has to travel through and it is tiny but they are just showoing me the problem and not helping to get it sorted

 

[GreenArmy]

Try turning on both bath taps to get the temperature you require from the shower and then pull up the button for the shower. Any difference?
If not, do the same again with the taps and remove the shower head from the hose (should be able to unscrew with your hands) pull up the button. Is the flow good from the hose? If so, you may want to buy a cheap low pressure shower head and try that.
To be fair your plumber should sort this out if it was him who supplied the taps.

 

[radswilldo]

Puddle, i think, as giving you your answer

 

[wrecked_24_7]

Could be a number of things, if the pressure was fine before, it should be fine now! Maybe the bath/shower mixer is faulty, or maybe they have just not fully opened the isolation valves or stopcock or something as simple as that

 

[Smcart5]

You can't tell them you want the old taps put back?
I had one of those mixer taps in my old house and they are awful, low pressure like yours, the rubber lining the inside of the hose bends inside despite the metal hose on the outside and the pull up button wore out to the point it no longer stayed up.

 

[Bernie]

thank you all very much for your answers, I will try the tips and let you know. Can i just ask one more question regarding the pressure please ?

If I had good pressure before could it be that because the new 1/4 turn taps have restricted the flow or should the pressure not be affected by that ?

Im afraid I cant have my old taps back because I live in a HA house so its not really upto me unfortunately