Way to add adjustable flow/pressure to existing shower?

[Bill R]

Bought a house with a shower where: (1) the run-of-the-mill showerhead is almost 7 feet above the floor, (2) the off-on control only controls temperature, (3) seller must have taken the water-saver "washer" out. So what comes out is needles of water moving at high pressure, which I don't mind but my wife can't stand. I could put a water-saver thing back in to reduce the flow, but *I* like the high-pressure flow. Without replacing the mixing valve etc, what would be the easiest way to add to this to provide both remperature control *and* flow control? I'm ok buying a new showerhead if need be, this one is sort of rubbish. Is there a shower head with a water-pressure adjuster? Thanks!

 

[Jadnashua]

The actual pressure doesn't change, but the size and volume of jets can cause the VELOCITY to increase. Look up Bernoulli principle. The only way to increase pressure is with a pump or potential energy (like in a water tower), a nozzle doesn't do it.

A fluid velocity increases when there's a restriction. There's no velocity increase going through a nozzle if there's no restriction, think rain shower head (lots of outlets, but the same VOLUME).

So, it could just be the design of the showerhead. Federal standards limit the VOLUME to a max of 2.5gpm at something like 60psi. Yes, changing the pressure will change the outlet, but nowhere near as much as the size and number of jets in the head.

Do you know what your supply pressure is? If it's over 80psi, by code, it should have a PRV (pressure-reduction valve).