# Removing water flow restrictors



## Alvis (Dec 3, 2009)

Hey all, I just bot a Moen shower valve etc. Because I'm on well water and the water pressure varies between 30 and 50 psi, I want to remove the restrictors in the shower head and valve to keep a stong flow of water. The companys sez no no to this practice and won't tell me how to do it:no:. The shower head has a small black 'washer' that appears to be blocking some of the water flow into a green gizmo visible from the stem side of the head. My guess is this is the bugger I want to remove. Any comments?
Looking at the valve there appears to be no access to the restrictor I know that is lurking within. Again... any suggestions:huh:? Thanks to you that respond. Al


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## <*(((>< (Mar 6, 2009)

I've done it before, I just took a 1/4" or so drill bit and drilled out the black plastic restrictor, just be careful not to go past it.


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## Alvis (Dec 3, 2009)

Thanks for the idea. I think before 'drilling it' I'll see how good the flow is. Thanks again... :thumbsup: Al


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## Ann Hardy (Mar 24, 2012)

*newer moen harder to remove flow restrictor*

Many of us would like to get the green party, the EPA and the fed govt out of our bathrooms. My new Moen had the most UN removable flow restrictor yet. It was GREEN. I had to get my drimmel and drill the darn thing out very, very carefully. Moen is proud that they are so hard to remove. Just be careful and don't let the drimmel drill head hit the threads. I contacted MOEN and they are just proud of their hard to remove flow restrictor. They should all be easy to remove and it should be our choice.


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## Akpsdvan (Mar 25, 2010)

Alvis said:


> Hey all, I just bot a Moen shower valve etc. Because I'm on well water and the water pressure varies between 30 and 50 psi, I want to remove the restrictors in the shower head and valve to keep a stong flow of water. The companys sez no no to this practice and won't tell me how to do it:no:. The shower head has a small black 'washer' that appears to be blocking some of the water flow into a green gizmo visible from the stem side of the head. My guess is this is the bugger I want to remove. Any comments?
> Looking at the valve there appears to be no access to the restrictor I know that is lurking within. Again... any suggestions:huh:? Thanks to you that respond. Al


Now I am not sure about the one that you have and it was 15 years ago that when I was working for a man and we needed to replace the shower head for the shower at work because of the chemicals that we had at the shop, when I brought in the new head, he said to drill out the flow control so that we had no restrictions in getting the water through the head. When one is looking at getting gallons of water over the body if a chem spill 1.2gpm is not going to cut it..
One might try a cheap head first when drilling out the flow control.. but the above is only an idea and I am by no means saying do it, just how one might if they so felt the need to do so.


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## md2lgyk (Jan 6, 2009)

Believe it or not, in some locations (in the U.S. anyway) it is illegal to modify a low flow shower head or replae it with one that is not. That's likely why Moen wouldn't tell you how to remove the restrictor.


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## rjniles (Feb 5, 2007)

md2lgyk said:


> Believe it or not, in some locations (in the U.S. anyway) it is illegal to modify a low flow shower head or replae it with one that is not. That's likely why Moen wouldn't tell you how to remove the restrictor.


Big Brother gone amok.


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## Homerepairguy (Aug 1, 2010)

md2lgyk said:


> Believe it or not, in some locations (in the U.S. anyway) it is illegal to modify a low flow shower head or replae it with one that is not. That's likely why Moen wouldn't tell you how to remove the restrictor.


It really makes me wonder about home improvement type shows on TV that show old showers converted to new showers. Some of the new showers have multiple shower heads overhead and on the walls, all spraying the user. Talk about the opposite extreme for water useage!










HRG


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## md2lgyk (Jan 6, 2009)

rjniles said:


> Big Brother gone amok.


You think that's amok? Not positive, but I believe it's a Federal felony to import an old-style toilet that uses more than 1.6 gallons per flush.


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## n175h (Oct 12, 2009)

md2lgyk said:


> You think that's amok? Not positive, but I believe it's a Federal felony to import an old-style toilet that uses more than 1.6 gallons per flush.


Just what we need is to fill our prisons with scofflaw toilet importers.:furious: Makes me feel safe

As far as the showers with 5 heads, I'm sure Moen or any other fixture seller doesn't mind selling 5 heads per shower. :whistling2: Why should they tell you how to get more flow from just one??


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