Low Water Pressure Problem and Repair

If you are facing a low water pressure problems in your home or building, especially if the low water pressure did not exist in the past and this is something new.  There are a few simple ways to look for the cause and to repair low pressure and for some level to fix the low water pressure you might need to call a plumber.

• First check if the low water pressure problem is only in one area, like only the faucet in the kitchen or in the bathroom or you have slow water in the shower or you see a slow water issue everywhere.
• Is the slow water that comes out is the problem only with the cold water or hot water or both.  Although the main water line valve is the supply for your entire house, the water splits at the water heater.
• If your low pressure water is in one spot like the kitchen faucet, try to take off the filter.  You have to undo it, if its old it might be a little bit rusty but there is a good chance that you will find debris that is blocking the water from going through and slowing down the pressure at that particular point.

Slow Water Pressure in Your Shower

• If slow water is in your shower you can do the same thing with the shower head.  Most of the time an old shower head will be clogged and blogged by small items, rust or debris that makes the water pressure low, which makes it very uncomfortable to shower without water coming out sharply under pressure.
• If the low water pressure is in the shower only it may be the main valve with the handle in the wall. The main shower valve might be broken, clogged or rusted.  You can do one more test and try to switch the water from the bath to the shower and see if the water pressure works in bath drain rather than the shower.  You can try this before we get into checking and repairing the shower head valve.
• There is a way to adjust the pressure in the shower head valve for some models, but it requires technical knowledge.  Also the cartridge of the main shower valve can sometimes be replaced separately from the whole unit if the model is available for purchase.
• Other areas, like low pressure in the toilet, bathroom faucet and kitchen faucet have access hot and cold water valves in the vanity under the sink that might need to be checked in terms of old valves that are stuck or eliminate the water flow and make low water pressure slow.

Low Hot Water Pressure

• Assuming that the low water pressure is not just at one point, so you have to differentiate between cold and hot water, if the low pressure is only on the hot water side, you have to check the hot water line until the hot water heater.
• A hot water heater can block and reduce your water pressure. If you have access to open the lower valve on the hot water heater and are thinking to see if high pressured water is coming out, we highly recommend that you do not do that as the water coming out of a hot water heater is very hot and it can be dangerous.
• In that case the hot water heater is what is reducing and lowering your water pressure or the valves that are connecting to it so call a plumber for further investigation.  We do not recommend hot water heater replacement  unless we check it first.

Low Water Pressure Problems Caused by a Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV)

• Depending on your home or businesses location, and the plumber, you might find a water pressure reducer, which is called a PRV located on the main water supply.
• A PRV valve or a Pressure Reducing Valve is made to protect your plumbing pipes and appliances, like dishwashers, refrigerators that have the water supply line connected to them in order not have high water pressure damage them.
• A Pressure Reduction Valve is tested at the manufacturer and comes with certain settings and only a plumber with a testing gauge can change the setting as you might inadvertently set it to a higher pressure and the pipes, especially in the pipe connections may become damaged and and spring water leak.
• A main water valve that is broken, rusty or old may also cause low water pressure.  If you cannot turn it easily then that is a problem.  Don’t try to use force as it might break and then the water will run and you will not be able to shut off the water.
• A master shut off valve that needs to be replaced requires the city or town you live in to shut off t he water to your house.
• The water meter is another point to check.  The water meter might reduce the water pressure.  If you see water that is leaking into the glass that means the water meter is broken internally.
• A leaking pipe is another reason you may have low water pressure.  Look around in your basement, inside your house, in the front yard and backyard and see if you can find marks of water leaking.

If you are still experiencing a problem give us a call for any low water pressure problems anytime or for emergencies 24 hours a day.