Fixing low water pressure is one of the most frequent domestic problems we encounter in our homes. It is so annoying to find out your shower is experiencing an unhealthy water flow, after a long working day at work. This will make you spend more time washing your dishes or even taking a shower.
Now, there are just a few things that can cause low water pressure, yet there are many things you can do to fix water pressure. You don’t necessarily need a professional to fix water pressure. It’s something you can fix yourself. Before we look at how to fix water pressure, let’s look at a few things that cause low water pressure.
4 Things That Can Cause Low water Pressure
1. Obstructed Flow in Pipes
Most times, low water pressure is a result of obstructed flow in pipes. This happens due to some minerals deposited inside them, which now result in an unhealthy flow of water.
2. Defective Valves
Another cause of low water pressure is due to faulty valves in the system. This can easily be fixed by replacing them with new ones. You can get professional plumbers at A-Team Plumbing & Drain to help you fix defective valves.
3. Leaky Pipes
One of the things that cause low water pressure is leak pipes. Do well to close every single shower and tap in your home. One way to detect if there’s a leak is that, if after closing all taps and showers, your meter is still rotating, then there is a leak.
4. Low water pressure in your residential area
Sometimes, low water pressure can result from your neighborhood. What you need to do is go ask your neighbors to know if they experience low water pressure as well. If yes, it means the problem may result from the city water department. Try to report the issue to the appropriate department for help.
How to Fix Water Pressure
1. Check PRV
You can fix water pressure by turning the pressure reducing valve clockwise a little. That is if your house has a PRV. Although not all houses have PRV, for ones that are built on low ground, PRV is installed to lower the rate of supply water to moderate pressure. If you do this and the problem still persists, remove the valve and clean it thoroughly or replace it with a new one.
2. Bypass your water softener
If you live in a building that has a water softener, try as much as possible to bypass it to fix water pressure. If the problem persists, do well to inform a professional plumber to check your softener for issues.
3. Remove Dirt From the Aerator
- Dirt can be removed from the aerator by doing the following:
- Use a pair of pliers to open the aerator at the extreme of the faucet
- Wash off the dirt and run the faucet for few minutes to remove particles in the pipe
- Ensure to enclose cloth around the aerator before removing
4. Check if the Master Shutoff Valve is Properly Opened
Locate the shutoff valve and check if it is properly opened. If not properly opened, ensure to open it completely to fix water pressure.
5. Examine the supply with a pressure gauge
- Before you read the water pressure, ensure that no tap or shower is flowing. Put the pressure gauge on the hose bib to read and note the following to fix water pressure.
- If the pressure is lesser than the normal water service provider, this may indicate that the problem is with the water main. Contact your water service provider for help.
- Otherwise, you can install a water pressure booster.
- Check for pressure at a different time of the day, as pressure varies along with demand.
6. Examine the size of Pipe
You can fix water pressure by ensuring the size of your pipes are of standard as stated by the “rule of thumb” it states that “the diameter of a supply pipe that is to be used in a 3+ bathroom, should not be lesser than ¾ inch (19mm), or 1inch (25mm), while pipes of ½ inch (13mm), should serve 1 or 2 fixtures”. Contact a professional plumber for a proper pipe size usage.
7. Replace corrosive Pipes
If your pipes are made of galvanized pipes, they will easily get corrode. This will prevent water from flowing freely. You can fix water pressure by replacing old galvanized pipes with copper or plastic pipes to increase water pressure.
8. Examine the water meter
One way to fix water pressure is by checking your water meter to know if it is working properly. Here, you need a professional plumber to check your water meter. Because of some level of skills required and in other not to damage the seal on the water meter. Ensure it is working at full capacity to avoid low water pressure in your home.
9. Install new Regulator
If your regulator goes bad, water pressure will reduce, this will slow water from flowing out from your shower or toilet. The regulator can be found close to the water meter or the pipe that connects your home and the service line. To fix water pressure, replace the regulator with a new one.
How to Fix Water Pressure without a Pump
- Raise the height of your water tank
- Adjust pressure regulators appropriately
- Raise pipe diameters
- Fix all cracks and leaks in pipes
- Remove dirt from pipes
Report difficult issues to a professional plumber or your local water company.
Conclusively, if you follow the entire steps listed above on how to fix or increase water pressure in your home, I bet you will solve the problem in little or no time.
If for one reason or the other you have tried the listed steps and the problem still persists, quickly click on Drain Line & Repiping to reach out to us. A team of a professional plumber will be sent to your home to fix or rectify the issues immediately.