When it comes to clogging problems for plumbing, there are many people who don’t think of showerheads. In fact, it’s common to find that people focus on fixing other aspects of their bathroom plumbing, and forgetting to sort out the shower heads. This should not be the case. Not sorting out your shower head could predispose you to a number of problems, chief of which is the risk of bacterial contamination. When the shower head is not cleaned on a regular basis, it’s likely to act as a medium for the growth of bacteria. This in turn means that every time you shower, you will be exposing yourself to all the bacteria that are growing in it.
In addition to that, you also need to remember that the deposits within the showerhead could also have an effect on the water pressure. This is particularly important if you live in a part of the world where there is a lot of calcium in the water. The salts may end up being deposited in the showerhead, reducing the overall pressure from the showerhead.
For all these reasons and more, you should consider cleaning the showerhead on a regular basis. Some of the ways of doing this include:
Using toothpicks
To clean the holes in the showerhead, you should consider using a toothpick or a stiff toothbrush to do so. This gives you the opportunity to ensure that each of the holes in the showerhead is actually cleaned out. One of the problems with this method is that it can be tiring particularly if you have a very dirty showerhead with many holes in it. In addition to that, it also means that you have to undo the showerhead from its installation to make it more comfortable for you to clean it. You should consider hiring a plumber if you find all this to be too much for you.
Soaking it in vinegar
As has been said above, one of the major problems with showerheads is the fact that some salts can be deposited within them, leading to a reduction of the water pressure. One of the problems with calcium salts is the fact that they can be strongly adherent to the surface onto which they are deposited. This means that even if you notice them, you may have a little difficulty getting rid of them.
An effective way to make this easier is to soak the showerhead in white vinegar for a few hours. This will dissolve most of the salts away. As a result, you will find it easier to simply brush the deposits away, making the showerhead work as well as it did when new.
Remember to clean the filter
Most modern showerheads have some sort of filter screen. This acts as a barrier to prevent any solids contaminating the water you are showering with. As you can imagine, after you have used the shower for a number of years, the amount of dirt deposited on the showerhead might be quite a lot, and this will definitely reduce the performance of the showerhead. When you are cleaning the showerhead, you should remember to clean the filter as well. This will result in a demonstrable improvement in the performance of the showerhead as a whole.
Take it apart
If you are very good with your hands, you should consider taking the showerhead apart piece by piece. This will give you the opportunity to clean each specific component one by one, resulting in a better performance once you put it back together. In addition to that, doing this will also give you the opportunity to inspect each of the pieces to find out if there has been any that has been damaged.
Of course, there are limits as to how much you can do when it comes to this. For instance, if you own a very complicated showerhead, you should consider simply having it dealt with by a qualified plumber. Tinkering with it could void the warranty, and you may end up damaging it for good. This is also the case if you don’t have the necessary equipment to take the unit apart when cleaning it.
When all else fails, get a new one
If you do all the above and find that the showerhead is not working as well as you want it to, you should consider getting a new one. However, you should also rule out other problems that might be causing issues such as low water pressure. The best way to make this decision is by consulting a plumber who can inspect the whole system in totality and tell you exactly where the problem is.
Water Softners
Another option is to get or buy a water softner. Water softners help reduce the minerals and calcium buildups that can effect your showerheads performance and water pressure. Learn more about water softners.
In summary, the next time you are looking to optimize your home’s plumbing in East Valley, you should not forget the showerhead. It might not seem like a major part of the plumbing, but cleaning it will have a very good effect on your shower experience.