We have recently lost all water in our shower only. It is on the second floor of our home that was built in the early 1900s. We use well water in our home. This shower may have been plumbed in recently but as far as i know all other plumbing is original. I cannot figure what is causing this. We still have water at the toilet sink and washer, in this same room.

Since it is obvious that the problem is somewhere from the shower supply lines through the shower head, I would check things in this order:

1. Restrictor in the shower head. Unscrew the shower head. Just inside will be a dime sized disc with anywhere from one to a few small holes in it. There could also be a small, round screen in the same area. These can collect debris and calcium build-up and clog up your water flow. Unless you are a fanatic about politically correct water flow restrictions, I would just take the disc out and throw it away. Otherwise, clean the restrictor and the screen - you may have to poke out the restrictor holes with something sharp like a small nail or a toothpick.

2. Check for calcium in the shower head. Clean with a solution of Lime-Away, CLR or vinegar. Or, if there is a lot of calcium there, just get a new shower head. Before installing the new shower head, remove the &@## restrictor. BTW, the quick check to see if either #1 or #2 above are the problem areas would be to just run some water after you remove the shower head. If there is good flow out the shower spout then the problem is definitely in the shower head or restrictor.

3. If the above does not do it, then you probably have an obstruction in the shower faucet mixer. Could be calcium or other debris or it could be worn or damaged washers. You'll have to take the valve apart to clean and fix it and this requires that you turn off the water to the entire house.

#'s 1 & 2 are quick and easy fixes. So tackle them first and go on from there.

I agree with Jaybee that the problem is a blockage in the piping somewhere.

I would simply remove the shower head and see if water comes out the shower arm then.

Normally, one wouldn't expect that there'd be a blockage in both the hot and cold water pipes at the same time, and so you should limit your search from the shower faucet to the shower head.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Nestor,

If it's a new valve then it can be the anti scald valve is stuck inside the unit it's self. You would have to know what brand it is to be able to look up on line on how to work on it.

This is really troubling, I should know, I've been through that. There so many things that could cause this water leak, you may want to check this DIY bathroom resource, there are some article there that may help you verify what's wrong.

Since you have a well, here is some very sage advice.

You probably have galvanized pipe, that due to the nature of well water, has all kinds of solids in your lines that have developed over the yrs. The deposits dislodge and flow in your lines to your house...valve stems, shower heads, bathroom sink faucets with screen are all impacted. Here is what you do:

Whenever you turn-off the water pressure to your house to work on water dispensing devices, you are inviting foreign debris to be introduced back into the lines when you turn the water back on...THIS IS MOST IMPORTANT AND WRTIE IT DOWN:

When you turn the pressure back on, always first turn on the water faucets on the outside of the house to flush the linesm do one at a time for about 30-60 seconds. Next, when you go into the house, turn on the water from the tub spout, and when you turn the handles, turn them fast all the way open...if anything is in the line, th tub spout is large and no screen and it will come out and into the drain..you want to turn the handles fast so the valve stem does not get debris stuck into it if your barely turn it on...DO ONE TUB AT A TIME to keep the pressure maximized..this will help to push the foreign matter out quicker....finally, when you go to your sink faucets, take off the screens at the spouts, and open the cold handle quickly first, run it for about 30-60 sec until water is crystal clear...also, put the drain plug into your sink and see if anything debris is coming out. Repeat for the hot, again, one handle, one site at a time...the chances are very great that if you did this all the time, your shower line would not be blocked with dislodged debris...periodically, flush the outside lines [every 2-3 months] and especially if you have been on vacation or gone for 2 weeks or so and not used the water..also, take all the water restrictors out of the shower heads, they are worthless...if you want to conserve water, since you have a well, you probably are living remote, so after you drink your coffee in the morning, water some plants [ :-) ]..since your not flushing the toilet as often, you will save more water...good luck, tstex

PS - I did not edit this...