OT: Home Plumbing

[btweymouth1s]

Any plumbers here? I'm having issues trying to figure out a problem.

In my master bathroom, my shower water pressure is just about non-existent if I turn on the tub at the same time. Water seems to just dribble out of the shower head.

Pressure is normal in the shower when the tub is off.

Any ideas on the cause?

I'm also needing to replace my pressure regulator valve on the main water line, not sure if this would fix the issue or if it is 2 separate issues.

Thanks!

 

[VSpeck]

Pressure and volume are the issues your working with.

If possible I would look at the plumbing feeding the bathroom. Chances are if it is like most houses they just brought 1/2" line into the bathroom and teed off to feed the shower one direction and the tub another. Usually the solution is to go back and run 3/4 up and use a reducing tee to go from the 3/4 to 1/2 inch as close as you can to tub and shower feeds. Basically it sounds like you have 1/2 coming in and pressure is OK but you don't have the volume to feed both

 

[VSpeck]

You have to think the tub is low and wide open for the most part but the shower is restricted by going up higher and then the shower head is splitting even more

 

[mpgrant77]

Also check the shower head. Unscrew the shower head and look at the filter screen leading into it. Sometimes you get build up or catch crap that restricts flow. Had that happen on my bathroom sink faucet. Full blast was like being on low so up took off the outlet and there was crap on the screen. Cleaned it off and instant happiness. Oh also there is a flow restrictor on most shower heads now to reduce water usage. Mine was an oring around a plastic fitting behind the filter screen. Removed the oring and back to skin peeling pressure.

 

[bhbell]

Is this a new issue that just started? Is it both hot and cold?

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[Mr D smack]

A vspeck post. Woohoo

 

[Schplitter]

I had this issue with the 2 bathrooms upstairs. They fed both with 1/2" and then split it. Ore to each fixture. Just seriously crappy plumbing because they we're lazy and inexperienced. It took some efffort but I figured out where the feed to the upstairs went. Took it 3/4" all the way up to that point and now it's much better. I actually took a separate 3/4" line to each bathroom. Not sure if it was necessary but it was easy enough.

I don't mean to high jack your thread but I have a drain question as I'm finishing my basement again. I have a bar (hopefully wet) in the center of the basement. I plan on draining it to an existing pipe that takes the waste water from the bathroom in the basement out of he house. This is a 2" line. The catch is that it's about 20 feet away and I would have to put in 2 90 degrees to take it on the outside of the wall all the way from the bar to the existing plumbing. The slope will be fine according to my math. Am I okay to run the drain and supply lines on the outside of the studs on the unfinished side of the basemen or will I have to go through the 2x4s? I don't want to take the risk of not being able I sell the house 5 years from now if we have to move. Also is 1 1/2" okay or do I need to go 2"?

 

[Mr D smack]

I had this issue with the 2 bathrooms upstairs. They fed both with 1/2" and then split it. Ore to each fixture. Just seriously crappy plumbing because they we're lazy and inexperienced. It took some efffort but I figured out where the feed to the upstairs went. Took it 3/4" all the way up to that point and now it's much better. I actually took a separate 3/4" line to each bathroom. Not sure if it was necessary but it was easy enough.

I don't mean to high jack your thread but I have a drain question as I'm finishing my basement again. I have a bar (hopefully wet) in the center of the basement. I plan on draining it to an existing pipe that takes the waste water from the bathroom in the basement out of he house. This is a 2" line. The catch is that it's about 20 feet away and I would have to put in 2 90 degrees to take it on the outside of the wall all the way from the bar to the existing plumbing. The slope will be fine according to my math. Am I okay to run the drain and supply lines on the outside of the studs on the unfinished side of the basemen or will I have to go through the 2x4s? I don't want to take the risk of not being able I sell the house 5 years from now if we have to move. Also is 1 1/2" okay or do I need to go 2"?

As long as the lines are supported properly you should be fine. You need to have a vent also, so research venting in your local plumbing codes

 

[btweymouth1s]

replaced the pressure regulator valve coming into the house on the main line and that solved the problem

 

[Alex3344]

Here is my current project on plumbing:

 

[djswift]

Not a plumber so take my free advice as check your local plumbing code, but I have run a bit of pipe in my day. It may just be the way that your drawing looks, but you do not want to use vent tees to tap into your main. You need to use a wye or you will have "solids" back up in your branches. If it were me I would take that shower vent up the wall behind the shower and run it in the wall to your main vent off the toilet. The way it is drawn now it is effectively the same as letting it vent up the 3" which would probably work, but would probably not meet code. Again use a wye anywhere you will have liquid running through.

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