Last Updated on 3 years by William
Flow restrictor or aerator is the best thing that controls the flow of water in kitchen & bathroom faucets. It has certain benefits the government has allowed using flow restrictor in faucets due to deficiency of water in the country.
Therefore, you will observe every appliance that can be used for flow of water would have a flow restrictor. But at certain points people also face problems in water supply due to the flow restrictor in faucets.
Today we will tell you how to remove flow restrictor from bathroom faucet if you are also one of those who are facing problem due to flow restrictor in faucet.
What Is Flow Restrictor In Faucets?
The flow restrictor that is also termed aerator or water saver is a small circular barrier having small holes for the flow of water. The size of holes ranges from 10-30 with multiple layers for support.
This flow restrictor is perfect to save water by regulating water pressure and in this way it also reduces the owner’s water bill. It helps to save about 700-gallon water per year.
But sometimes the aerator makes the faucet unable to deliver enough amount of water due to the present of some clog in the faucet. At this time, the best way is to remove the flow restrictor from the faucet.
It will allow the sufficient flow of water. Keep in mind that if the bathroom faucets have already low water pressure than water saver will further reduce it. In such cases you need to remove the flow restrictor. It will provide the sufficient water supply to you for bathing.
How To Remove Flow Restrictor From The Bathroom Faucet?
It is not tough to remove the aerator from the bathroom faucet. You can do it without taking the help of a plumber.
Apparatus you require:
The thing that you require for these purposes are
- Rubber strap wrench
- Towel
- Flat head screwdriver
Steps of Removal:
You can remove flow restrictor by acting upon the following steps or tips.
Plug the Sink:
If you never want to ruin your clothes due to small drops of water that may come from drains, first plug the sink. It will disconnect the water supply from the main source. Now you can do your work easily.
Unscrew The Aerator:
Now with the help of the screwdriver, unscrew the aerator. For this, turn the screwdriver in the clockwise direction. Keep in mind that if you turn it left it will loosen the screw while if you turn in the right direction, the aerator will tight up.
If the faucet is very tight you can use a rubber wrench then. For saving the faucet from scratching you can use cloth or rubber band.
Remove The Flow Restrictor:
Now remove the flow restrictor with hand, pliers, or small screwdriver. It is present just beneath the aerator. After the removal of flow restrictor now replace the aerator and then fix it with help of rubber wrench.
Aerator is important tool for maintenance of water flow. It aerates the water and allows its equal dispersion.
These steps are valid if your bathroom faucet has double flow restrictor including aerator and flow restrictor.
If the bathroom faucet has a single flow restrictor then it is easy to remove. You can remove it by connecting a wrench with the head of the faucet and twist it. It will loosen the faucet and make the removal of flow restrictor easy.
Alternative Ways If You Never Want To Remove The Flow Restrictor:
If you never want to remove the flow restrictor you can move the alternative ways to remove clog or increase the flow rate of water.
Clean The Water Saver In Faucet:
If the reason of low water pressure is clog due to dirt, dust or minerals collected in it then you can easily remove them. If the water of your area has heavy mineral then it may restrict the water flow.
In this case you can soak the flow restrictor in vinegar it will remove minerals. Then you can fix it again.
Increase The Holes Size:
If the water pressure is low you can then increase the holes size with help f awl, knife, or screw. It will maintain the saving of water and also facilitate you with fast and more water.
Replace The Water Flow Restrictor:
You can replace the flow restrictor if you do not get any benefit b increasing holes size and cleaning it. It is not much expensive.
You can also replace it in case of poor installation of the restrictor or aerator with faucet. As it is also the major cause of decreasing water pressure.
FAQs:
How May I Know That My Faucet Is Out Of Order?
If the flow rate of water from the faucet is lo then first check the hot and cold-water valves. If both are fully open and even then the water is running low, then your faucet is out of order.
What Is The Purpose Of Flow Restrictor?
It maintains the water flow coming from the faucet.
