The water pressure entering all homes varies greatly, some with too little, some with too much. One complaint that I often hear is that a homeowner is experiencing low water pressure at their plumbing fixtures.
The usable range for water pressure in a home is from 50 lbs up to 80 lbs per square inch (psi). Once the pressure falls below 50 psi you may start to notice certain plumbing fixtures not working like they should. On the good side, having low water pressure at your faucets and showers does not always mean that there is an expensive problem at hand.
Your first step, locate the house water meter, and find the shut off valves before and after the meter. There should be at least one, usually two valves located near the water meter. You will want to make sure the valves are turned all the way on. There are times that the valves are not always turned all the way on after shutting the house water off.
If you have low water pressure at a certain faucet you will want to remove the aerator from the spout. Located at the tip of the faucet spout, aerators can be threaded off by hand, if not use pliers to grip and turn. Be careful not to damage the finish on the aerator.
There will be a screen or small plastic disc with holes inside the aerator. To remove any debris you can wash the screen off with water or soak it in white vinegar. If the debris is stubborn you may want to take the aerator to a plumbing supply house or home center and purchase a replacement. Usually this will fix any localized pressure problems at a faucet.
A shower head with low water pressure can also be clogged. Almost all shower heads are outfitted with a water saving feature which often clogs. As with the aerators you can remove the head and check for debris. If there is no visible clog in the shower head and the water pressure coming out of the shower arm is good, it may be time to purchase a new head.
If you notice small pieces of white plastic clogging your aerators and shower heads, this may be a sign of a larger problem.
Water heaters have an internal plastic tube to circulate water. Sometimes this tube will deteriorate and wash into the water supply. I have seen these pieces clog faucets, showers, dishwashers and just about everything that uses water.
If this is your case and your water heater is older than 10 years, I suggest that you replace your unit. If your water heater is newer, it may be worth having a plumber replace the tube. All water lines and fixtures will then have to be checked for debris.
You can check the water pressure in your home if these steps did not solve your problem. You can purchase a pressure gauge that connects to the home’s hose bib. All that has to be done is attach the gauge and turn the valve on, this will show what the pressure serving your home is.
You will want to contact your local water authority if you find the water pressure is too low so they can check that their equipment is working properly. A licensed plumber may have to be contacted to decide if the problem may be with the home’s water service. Water services can corrode and leak water into the ground, thus lowering the pressure entering your house.
