Wednesday, November 15, 2006

ALL Waterpik Misting Massage Shower Heads are now individually tested for quality

QUESTION:I had placed above order with you a week ago. I have received all 3 showerheads, but it appears that they have been used before or returned? All three heads had water inside the head as well as packing.

Can you please let me know what is happening here? Also all boxed were sort of repacked.


ANSWER: The Misting Massage by Waterpik is a product which has been returned by a number of our customers in the past because of quality problems. Waterpik no longer offers this item and does not offer an equal replacement under their warranty. We therefore quality test 100% of these items to ensure they are in proper working order before they are shipped.

All items are from unopened packages and have not been returned from a consumer. We hope the product meets your expectations.

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Shower Head Gallons Per Minute and Tankless Water Heaters

QUESTION: We recently installed a Bosch Aqua Star 250sx tankless hot water heater and are finding that the shower does not allow enough Gallons per Minute to run the unit? I have totally cleaned everything of any build up that might effect the rate, but nothing has helped. We are on a well that is at a constant 50psi. Do you sell any hand held shower units that might
allow more GPM's?


ANSWER: The minimum flow rate on the Bosch Aqua Star 250sx tankless hot water heater is 0.8 GPM. Given that you have 50PSI, all the showerheads and hand held showers available through the Shower Store run about 2.5 GPM at 50PSI, which should be enough for your unit.

If you would like to increase the amount of water your showerhead uses, check our section on removing the flow controller.

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Friday, November 10, 2006

Question regarding the use of massage spray features in low water pressure areas.

QUESTION: I have low water pressure in my house. I am thinking of purchasing the Moen, model 21075W, revolution massaging hand held shower head set. I need to really feel the massage action water flow on my neck. Would this be a good choice? Is it hard to remove the water saver device? If the model is not a good choice, can you recommend another one. I was also looking at the Quattro Massage hand held shower head set by Interbath, model JQ922CH.

ANSWER: If you have low water pressure in your house, a hand held shower is probably not for you. Water pressure is often reduced with this type of model because the water has to travel through the hose, the shower handle and out the shower head. Massage and aeration features also reduce water pressure. Because you really need a massage spray function and you want the maximum water pressure possible, I recommend that you get a fixed shower head. Here are some ShowerStore.com models that I recommend.

Interbath Metropolis Shower Head Model BF021CH

Moen Revolution Massage Shower Head Model 21070

Speakman Anystream 2000 Shower Head Model S-2000-BP

As for your question regarding the difficulty in removing the water flow restrictor, it is actually very easy to remove. All you need is a smaller-sized flat-head screwdriver. Using a twisting/prying motion, you can easily pop it out. For step by step instructions, you can visit the increasing water pressure portion of our support section.

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Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Tips on Increasing Water Pressure

Remove the Flow Restrictor

All shower heads and hand held shower head sets sold in the United States contain a flow restrictor, also known as a flow controller, as required by the National Energy Act that limit water flow to 2.5 gallons per minute. This helps save water and energy, which could help you save money on your utility bill. Removing the shower head or hand held shower flow restrictor will increase your water and energy consumption. It will also increase the amount of water flowing through your shower head or hand held shower haed for increased water pressure through your shower head or hand held shower.

To remove the flow restrictor, remove the shower head from the shower arm supply pipe or the hand held shower head from the hand held shower hose. If you cannot remove the shower head by hand, use a rag and a wrench – the rag will help protect your shower head's finish.

Depending on the model, you may need to remove the gasket, which is a small, black, donut-shaped piece of rubber in the shower head inlet or hand held shower's handle. Use a long skinny tool like a slotted screwdriver to carefully pull the gasket from the shower head inlet. Remove the gasket carefully so you do not damage the shower head threads. Also be careful not to tear the gasket. If you do tear it, don't reuse it. When you reinstall the shower head, use Teflon tape instead.

The flow restrictor is the piece of plastic at the inlet of the shower head or hand held shower head's handle. Sometimes it's pink and behind a star-shaped piece of metal. sometimes it's green. Other manufacturers make theirs white. Whatever the color, remove these pieces by using a long, thin tool like a slotted screwdriver. Catch an edge of the flow controller or restrictor with the corner of the screwdriver and give the piece a twist with your wrist. The flow restrictor will pop out of the shower head or hand held shower.

If you live in an area of low water pressure, removing the flow restrictor will not substantially change the pressure you get through the shower head or hand held shower head. Check our section on "shower heads and hand held showers that are good for low pressure areas."

Remember, by removing the flow restrictor your utility bill may increase. You will also be using more of our natural resources. Keep the restrictor handy in case your want to re-install in your shower head or hand held shower in the future.





*For most shower heads and hand held showers, remove screen to access flow restrictor (see above)

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