Bathroom Guide
How to remove faucet flow constrictor?
Hi all. Before I rented my apartment, I checked each faucet to make sure the water pressure was adequate. But after I paid my first month's rent, the landlord sent someone to CHANGE all the faucets and install those cheap flow constrictors, which in the bathroom sink reduces the waterflow by 3/4 and makes it into tiny squirting streams. Which means it now takes me 4x as long to wash my hands, and I hate that. How do I remove his flow constrictor and put back whatever faucet tip was there? I assume I can buy a real faucet tip (that doesn't cut the water flow) from a hardware store, but how do I get off the thing that my landlord installed? I tried turning the attachment on the faucet head, but I can turn it around and around in circles and it doesn't come loose. How do I get it off? Seriously, my bathroom sink now gives as little water as an airplane sink does. If it's a "pop in" restrictor and I pry it off, water won't come gushing out will it? As long as I turn the faucet off? I think it's the "vandal proof" variety! How do I get it off? http://www.neoperl.com/products/aerators/expertcorner.asp I figured it out! I do have one of those "vandal proof" aerators linked above. So I had to use a pair of scissors as my makeshift "key" (because it has two prongs) to unscrew the evil aerator.* I stuck the scissor tips into the two key notches in the aerator and rotated. Then I installed my own, normal-flow aerator. * NOTE: If anyone tries to use this solution, remember that scissors are really sharp, and that you have to use a strong, rotating force to get the aerator off. So, use blunt scissors if you have them, and in any case remember to keep the scissors AWAY from your eyes, and your fingers AWAY from the blades!!! i.e., don't lean in close to see if you're doing it right, because you could lose your grip and jab your eyes out! Keep your head away and do it by trial and error instead.
Public Comments
- Sounds like they are pop in restrictors. You might try to gently pry one off with a flat blade screw driver.
- The water saver device shouldn't restrict the sink water to the point you're speaking of. There could be debris blocking the hole in the water saver.
