Share
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @NJ1. It's terrific to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about a screaming showerhead.
That certainly sounds like a predicament, as I can't imagine anyone appreciating being screamed at by a bunch of banshees during a relaxing shower.
To start, no showerhead, even the budget-friendly ones, should make a screaming sound when installed. If one was doing it, I'd think there might be something wrong with it, but given that you've tried three, I'd look for another reason why this issue is occurring. Have you tried popping your original head back on to see if it now creates the same sound? I'm wondering if there is some obstruction or if you might have air trapped in your lines if you turned the mains water off during installation. If you take a look at the screwed adaptor on the wall, you didn't leave the aerator from your original head in there?
What happens if you don't attach a shower head and allow the water to flow out of the adaptor on the wall?
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
- Have you tried popping your original head back on to see if it now creates the same sound?
The original head did not make the sound when we tried it, but we unfortunately tossed it, thinking the Mondella was fine and realising a day later that the washing machine was on and with any reasonable pressure the Mondella is not fine. This is probably worth noting however, if we shower with extremely low pressure (as in, the taps are barely turned at all), the sound is not there, but if you increase the pressure at all it appears and rapidly gets louder, and we have to turn the shower almost off to get it to go away again.
- I'm wondering if there is some obstruction or if you might have air trapped in your lines if you turned the mains water off during installation.
We did not turn the mains off to install this, as the shower taps are in good nick and aren't leaking at all, so we just left the shower off. No other taps seem to be having issues either.
- If you take a look at the screwed adaptor on the wall, you didn't leave the aerator from your original head in there?
The little green lad is an aerator yes (this is on the new Caroma head)? Our old one did have one, but like the Caroma it was in the head itself. I had a look in the wall connection and there doesn't appear to be anything stuck in there, I can see up to the brass hexagonal opening and it all looks clear.
We also double checked the o-rings and both ends of the hose have them.
- What happens if you don't attach a shower head and allow the water to flow out of the adaptor on the wall?
From the adaptor on the wall, quite choppy, but visually at least seems to be because of the water bouncing off the edges moreso than air, and there is no unexpected noise. Put the hose on (without the head) to test this theory and water coming straight out of the hose is just fine. No screaming, solid stream.
Thanks for taking the time to help! Hopefully you can work with this.
Nicola
It sounds to me that this is potentially an issue with your water pressure, the 9-litre-per-minute restrictors and the design of the products, Nicola (@NJ1). Since you have an instant hot water heater, which are typically not high flow, I suspect it might be your mains pressure. These shower heads are designed to work at or below 500kPa, and anything higher can introduce issues like turbulence at the showerhead (noise) or premature failure. I'm not sure why you didn't experience the same issue with your initial head, but it could have been a different design to the three new ones you've tried.
If your water pressure is above 500kPa, that could be the reason you are experiencing the issue. A Valve Pressure Limit Nefa 500kpa 15x15mm can be added to the line by a plumber, which would hopefully resolve the issue.
Mitchell
Hmmm, thank you for the response.
Is there any way to test this/find out what our mains pressure to the shower pipe is?
or,
Is this just going to be a case of get a plumber in to have a look at it?
The amount of pressure (as anecdotally represented by the strength of what comes out of the shower head) at which the sound starts in the new shower head is far lower than what we were using with the old head. For example, if we turn on only the hot water tap (which as you say is quite a low flow scenario), this pressure is sufficient to produce the sound.
As far as we can tell, the noise originates from right in the centre of the head, not from the base where the hose connects. If that helps at all.
You might be able to flick the aerator out with a fine flathead screwdriver @NJ1. However, sometimes, they are moulded into the handset and not easily removed.
It's a bit concerning that even the hot water pressure would initiate the noise, and it doesn't align well with my suspicion that the mains cold water pressure is too high.
"If pressure is a factor surely the aerators restrict flow to some degree?" That's typically the issue when this screeching occurs, and high water pressure is present. The water hits the aerator/restrictor and causes turbulence as it fights to get past it.
There's no real way to measure pressure without a gauge. However, running the shower and measuring the flow (litres per minute) of water would give some indication of the pressure.
Regarding the leaking hose, many of those connections do not use plumber's tape but rather a flat sealing washer that sits inside the connection. If the fitting is designed to use the washer, adding sealing tape will actually cause it to leak. Is there a flat rubber washer within that connection?
Mitchell
Those fittings are typically hand-tightened, so it might be a case of needing a bit more strength @NJ1. If you have a pair of dishwashing gloves handy, they will provide more grip on the smooth fitting.
"I removed the aerator, and there was no obvious difference in flow or sound." Well, that's disappointing to hear. I'm at a bit of a loss as to why this issue might be occurring. Let me mention some of our knowledgeable members, @Dave-1, @TedBear and @Nailbag, to see if they have any thoughts.
Do you have older-style taps in the shower, as in, not 1/4 or 1/2-turn ceramic disc? Is the sound still present if you turn both taps on completely full? This might sound odd, given that the noise is coming through the showerhead, but changing the washers in the taps to EnduraSeal 12mm Nylon Tap Valves could help. There's a chance that the sound is originating from your tap valves and spindles, reverberating up the pipes, and resonating out the showerhead, which acts like a speaker. I know it sounds weird, but it's within the realm of possibility.
Mitchell
Afternoon @NJ1
@MitchellMc and yourslef have stepped through all the ideas/sufggestions I had right up to seeing if the sound disappeared by removing the shower head. Have you changed the washers in the taps to see if the sound dissappears? I did not know about the instantaenous hot water pressure and will keep that in mind as I have been thinking of getting one myself.
Just read MitchellMc's last response and lol I see he has asked about the washers as well 
I wonder of its the size of the shower pipe/hose that is causing a backwards pressure to the taps? And thats what the screaming is more so then the new showerhead?
Dave
