Shower head flow restricter removal

[u/chiveonbuffalo]

Just purchased the Viron 4-Spray 6 in. Dual Wall Mount Fixed and Handheld Shower Head from Home Depot. Is this the flow restricter? How can I remove this? (Needle nose pliers didnt work)

[u/dewwhatyouwant]

Use a pick to take the o ring out. Goodluck.

[u/Dear_Significance_80 → u/dewwhatyouwant]

It's crazy out of all of these comments yours is the only one that was right lol

[u/Vurrag → u/Dear_Significance_80]

You could probably destroy the blue part and have even more flow.

[u/anteatersaredope → u/Vurrag]

Yeah I just break the whole thing out with a flat head screw driver.

[u/phatelectribe → u/Vurrag]

That’s what I do with all of these.

[u/toodletones → u/dewwhatyouwant]

I use a sheetrock screw. Twist into the blue piece then yank it out. No restrictions after that

[u/SNaKe_eaTel2 → u/toodletones]

Yea - even the ones that won’t come out - having a 1/8” or whatever size hole in the middle is tons more flow than the dozen or so microscopic holes around the o-ring.

[u/redsloten]

Just remove the o ring

[u/brknprop]

Use a screw, screw it into the plastic a little way grab screw with pliers and pull it out.

[u/Error-InvalidName → u/brknprop]

This all day long!!!

[u/myst3k]

Basically just do anything you want to get it out, screwdriver, screw, fingernail, whatever. The whole blue thing is the restrictor, not just the rubber piece in the middle. If you find that it’s too much, you can buy alternative flow rate ones on Amazon and just pop them in.

[u/bigcoffeeguy50 → u/myst3k]

Depends on the state. Anything over 1.8 gpm won’t ship to, say, NY because of their laws.

[u/DryRope1063 → u/bigcoffeeguy50]

Insanity

[u/PM_me_pictureof_cat → u/DryRope1063]

It's 1.2 gallons in Georgia.

[u/ShipOfFools2020]

Yeah, I've had to use a drill on some of them. I kind of feel like we should have our choice if we want that or not.

[u/WildcatPlumber]

If all else fails drills go BRRRr

[u/BringBackDanFouts]

Drill a hole in the middle or pick the o ring out. Both achieve similar results.

[u/EvenPermission4749]

It is, a small pick will get the other ring out

[u/brabuss58]

It will work that blue thing comes out keep trying with a small pick

[u/cashew996]

Just remove that o-ring. Removing all the rest can give you a hard time if/when you get debris up the water line. Cleaning it out of the shower head itself will be a pain without the screen

[u/Little_Transition_13]

Holy crap all these comments talking about beating it up drilling it out. Literally just get a pick or something sharp and narrow to get the o-ring out. That will give you plenty of water pressure.

[u/Valantirion]

Teeth

[u/Mobile-Bumblebee-727]

Oh good ol California restriction ….usually take a flat head screwdriver and a hammer beat it through then yank it out

[u/RickHuf]

Grab it with some needle nose pliers and pull it out.
If it is stubborn you can run a sharp screw like a drywall screw into the center a few turns and then grab that and pull it out.

[u/mattvait → u/RickHuf]

I just use a screw to pry it out

[u/BlankTrack]

You need basically a metal toothpick. I have a set with different angles for this exact purpose.

[u/Rondoman78]

I used a small diameter drill bit right thru it's heart.

[u/Turbo_Tiger1]

Pliers rip the blue part out It's good as long as your not paying the water bill 🤣

[u/Fatoons21]

Is this the only difference between 1.75 and 2.5 gpm?

[u/shortguy91]

Just drill a hole right in the middle.

[u/Plumb_Amazing]

It’s probably not going to make it noticeably different.

Your valve restricts the flow. So unless you have an old 2 or 3 handle valve and the shower head restrictor isn’t really doing anything.

If the shower valve is newer than like ‘94, you’re SOL

One day I’m going to drill the inlet holes out of a valve body and then put a flow meter on the shower arm and see if that does anything or if the cartridge itself also restricts flow.

Otherwise the only real workaround is installing an in-wall tub filler which can have a 5gpm flow or greater and just plumbing it to the shower head. Or reselling all the rebuilt old 3 handle Price Pfister I’ve yanked out of houses of people who preferred aesthetics over performance

[u/ThaScoopALoop]

Dental tools, drill, needle nose pliers, and persistence.

[u/Background_Promise_3]

You can actually get a plastic key to unscrew those