How to Remove Flow Restrictors from a Moen Shower Head

The water flowing through your taps is not as clean as it looks. It contains impurities that damage showerheads, shower system after long-term use. The problem even amplifies when dealing with hard water. 

Recall, hard water contains calcium, sulfur, bicarbonate, and magnesium carbonate extracts. It is these compounds that cause costly breakdowns to homes and industries. The damage to your Moen shower head is, therefore, inevitable. 

The Moen Shower Head

Showerheads come in different shapes and sizes. They get manufactured from different materials, too. The main shower head types today include:

  • Fixed shower heads
  • Rain showerheads
  • Hand-held shower jets
  • Dual showerheads
  • Filtered shower heads

From the categories outlined above are shower jets from over a dozen brands. The Moen shower head, however, tops the list. It is a device created to deliver clean bathing water at high pressures. Such a shower jet also boasts of its unique design and water-saving capabilities. 

But are you aware there are more Moen showerhead models than you can count? The most prominent ones include:

  • Moen S6320BN velocity two-function 8-inch diameter rainshower shower head brushed nickel
  • Moen 900-002 Flo 1-1/4-inch leak detection smart home water security system, 1.25 to 1.5 inch
  • The Moen 26100SRN engage magnetix 3.5-inch six-function handheld, showerhead

The devices, regardless of their market superiority, remain susceptible to impurity build-ups. Eliminating the dirt, although easy, becomes costly because you must involve the professionals. It is, for this reason, you must learn How to Remove Flow Restrictor from Moen Shower Head yourself. 

Best Practices

Fret not when you sense a loss in water pressure from your Moen showerhead. The chances are that your flow restrictor suffers a clog. But what do you do? Is it a task you can complete solo? As the following guide will show, you can unclog the showerhead by:

Exercising Caution As You Remove the Components

Do not be in a rush. You might damage vital internal components without ever realizing it. Being cautious also helps you memorize how to reassemble the parts. Preferably, you can videotape the process to ensure you hit the mark. 

Detaching the Shower Head from the Wall Mount

A wrench is essential for this stage. But a lot of care is necessary to avoid breaking the head into bits. You must, therefore, place a dry piece of cloth around the showerhead and wall mount joint to shield the component from abrasion. Next, you need to use an adjustable wrench to separate the two by turning the tool counterclockwise.

Extracting Critical Internal Components

Al Moen showerheads have O-ring gaskets. They are highly sensitive components, meaning you should only remove them with your finger. The trick here is to turn the showerhead neck over into the palm and shake it vigorously. Shaking sets the screen loose making O-ring removal easy.

Taking the Flow Restrictor Out

You need a flat-head screwdriver for this step. The tool helps you take out the flat piece of plastic with small perforations out without damage. But you need to be gentle lest you destroy the threads. 

Cleaning the Component

You must clean the flow restrictor before reassembly. Cleaning eliminates impurities that hinder water flow. The result is a useful component that encourages fast water passage. 

Reassembly

You must retrofit all components in their original position. The flow restrictor, for instance, needs re-installing once cleaned. Second, you must re-insert the screen and O-ring gasket gently before replacing the outer cover. 

Installing the Shower Head

Re-installing the Moen showerhead is simple. All you must do is wrap plumber’s tape around the shower arm grooves and screw the piece gently into the wall mount. Do so until you can no longer turn the shower mechanism by hand. 

Once satisfied you can then wrap the dry piece of cloth you used earlier at the joint. Next, you need to take your adjustable wrench, place it on top of the fabric and turn the tool clockwise to tighten the connection. 

Cleaning the Working Area

Last, you need to clean the working area to render the shower closet usable. Besides, you must test the showerhead to ensure it works perfectly. If not, repeat the sequence until you are sure you have eliminated the clog.

Conclusion

The Moen shower head is a superb asset to any home. It improves interior aesthetics and at the same time encourages users to take a bath with minimal water loss. Moreover, the device is excellent for body hygiene. It is cheap, too.

But the device suffers from constant clogging thanks to dirt build-up. The showerhead, under such circumstances, becomes unusable which is why you must learn how to service the flow restrictor yourself. It is a simple experiment provided you adhere to the instructions outlined earlier. 


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