Water Pressure Problem?

I recently bought a 1931 home. There appears to be something wrong with the faucet system in the tub/shower. The hot water line appears to have low pressure compared to the cold water line. It looks as though the water supply lines were replaced with copper so I wouldn't think it was a corrosion issue. The faucet has a separate handle for hot and cold as well as one to turn on the shower. In order to get a comfortable temperature I have to turn the hot on all the way and barely turn the cold on. Could this be a problem with the valve within the cold water handle (It appears to be old), water heater, pipe sizing?

I would remove the hot handle and hot stem and check for debris blocking the flow.

I took the screw out of the middle of the handle, but could not for the life of me get the handle off. Should it come off? If so, is there a trick to it?

The handle is probably frozen. You can purchase a handle puller for a few bucks at a hardware store.

The alternative is using a channel locks and gently tugging on the handle and twisting it from side to side. There is a 50% chance that you will snap off the stem using this approach, so it's not recommended. You also need to use a rag under the teeth of the channel locks, so you don't ruin the handle.

You could also try a penetrating oil, which probably won't do much good, or a propane torch, which won't help much either. I would at least use the penetrating oil and let it soak for a while even if you use a puller and/or a torch. The best way is to lubricate the stem where the handle slides on when it is installed with a waterproof silicone-based gel, and remove the handle and re-lubricate about once a year thereafter .

Mikey said:

You could also try a penetrating oil, which probably won't do much good, or a propane torch, which won't help much either. I would at least use the penetrating oil and let it soak for a while even if you use a puller and/or a torch. The best way is to lubricate the stem where the handle slides on when it is installed with a waterproof silicone-based gel, and remove the handle and re-lubricate about once a year thereafter .

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Just don't soak it in oil and then use a torch unless your fire insurance is up to date.