Low water pressure is the reduction in the pressure of the water that causes it to fail to reach the top level of the house. It is one of the water pressure issues that homeowners wouldn’t want to experience and deal with.
Identifying the root cause will greatly help in managing the problem. If you don’t determine and fix the main cause, it is highly possible that you will experience the same issue over again. If worse comes to worst, recurrent low water pressure could result in structural damage to the home.
Causes of low water pressure problems
- Damaged or defective water pressure regulator. This bell-shaped device is preset by manufacturers and often does not need adjusting. But like any device, it gets old and malfunctions.
- Water or plumbing leaks. Any damage to your home’s plumbing system may cause leaks or water to escape. This results in a decrease in the pressure of water.
- Debris buildup inside the pipes. Dirt, sand and other debris may enter your plumbing system, which then causes a buildup and blockage in the pipes.
- Corrosion buildup in pipes. Water causes steel or galvanized piping to corrode. Over time, the corrosion causes sediments to deposit and block passageways.
Dealing with low water pressure
- Check the water pressure in your entire house. Check the bathroom, kitchen, basement, and outdoor faucets to identify if the issue appears in one area only or if the entire house is affected.
If you are experiencing low water pressure in a specific area only, such as the sink faucet in the kitchen or the shower in the bathroom, it is highly possible that the aerator, valve, or pipe is clogged. Take off the aerator or valve and clean or replace it.
- Check for leaks and repair leaking pipes. To detect cracks of damages to pipes that cause leaking, shut off the water valve in your house and check the meter. Come back after some time and check the meter again; if there is an increase in the meter reading, then there is a leak. Minor leaks can be repaired using DIY techniques, but major leaks require the attention of professionals.
- Check for a malfunctioning water pressure regulator. A problematic pressure regulator needs fixing or replacing. If you are not well-versed in fixing or hooking up a pressure regulator, it is best to leave it to certified plumbers.
- If corrosion buildup is identified to be the cause of the problem, pipe restoration or pipe replacement should be done.
If you’re in need of help with water pressure issues, contact us today!