Dealing with Low Water Pressure in Your Home

Posted on: 28 April 2017

Among the common plumbing problems you may experience in your home is low water pressure. Low water pressure can be caused by a variety of factors. This means if you know where to look and what to do, you can actually solve some of the causes of the low water issues you have in your home. If you have never dealt with low water pressure issues in your home before, this will be a challenge. Therefore, read on to find out how you can handle the problem.

Low Water at Hot Water Fixtures

Sometimes the pressure issue may only occur at fixtures connected to your hot water system. This is usually an issue with your water heater. Get your plumber to inspect it to determine the exact problem.

Low Pressure at Specific Plumbing Fixtures

If you notice that the low pressure of water is at selected plumbing fixtures such as a shower head or a faucet, the first thing you want to do is inspect the stop valve to these fixtures. If the valve is partly closed, it may be the culprit. Opening the valve all the way should help fix it. If doing this doesn't work, check for restricted flow of water. This could be caused by dislodged washers or blocked aerators. Simply unscrew the aerator and clean it. A pair of pliers will do the trick here. Damaged or dislodged rubber washers in these fixtures should be realigned or replaced. If it's your shower that releases water at low pressure, unscrew the head and clean it. There could be a clog in the nozzle.

Low Pressure in the Whole House

If the low pressure is a problem in the entire house, find out if everyone else in your neighbourhood has a similar problem. If they are, then it's a community issue and you can consider installing a water pressure booster. If they aren't, find your water meter and locate the main shut off valve. Try opening it as far as it can go because partly closed shut off valves can cause low water problems. If the issue isn't fixed after some time, find your main supply valve and make sure it all the way open. You should find the valve where the cold water pipe enters your house. If none of these works, then you may need a pressure regulator and this is something you want your plumber to install.

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