There are few issues in your home that become a constant source of annoyance, like low water pressure. It has a negative impact on almost everything that you do involving water. From waiting for an eternity for the bathtub to fill to rinsing dishes or watering the lawn, low water pressure makes every task a chore. But the better option is to invest a small amount of time in determining the cause of your home’s low water pressure and working toward correcting the issue.
Places To Inspect For Low Water Pressure
When you find yourself muttering about low water pressure, it is time to begin a thorough evaluation of your home’s plumbing. Start with apparent fixtures like kitchen and bathroom sinks, then move on to showers and bathtubs. The idea is to determine if the low water pressure is an issue everywhere in your home or just as specific fixtures or appliances.
After the common fixtures, check more obscure items like how fast your washing machine fills and look at the quality of the cleaning cycle in your dishwasher. Low water pressure can result in food and soap residue being left on dishes. These tests will help you determine if insufficient water pressure is an issue everywhere in your home or only in certain areas.
If the problem appears to be throughout the house, the next step is to check outside. Test your outdoor water spigots, hose bibs, and sprinkler system to see if the low-pressure issues are also occurring there. If these areas also suffer low pressure, the problem could be in your water meter, the main shut-off valve to your property, or even the water supply line itself.
Fixture Issues
Let’s start with the least complex issue first. If only one or a few fixtures have low water pressure, the most common problem is hard water and scaly build-up inside the fixture or on the nozzle. Visually inspect the fixture for white build-up that is blocking the flow of water. Scale remover solution is an easy fix in this case. However, if the scale is inside the fixture, a replacement is often the only solution. If you are not comfortable undertaking this project, call in a professional plumber to replace the faucet and restore your water pressure.
Supply Issues
If the issue occurs at every spigot and fixture on the property, start by testing the main shut-off valve to see that it is completely open. If the valve is very hard to turn, it is best to call in a plumber as this is a sign of an old and potentially faulty valve. Your licensed plumber will also be able to check out your water meter or any pressure regulating devices to ensure that they are all functioning correctly and not limiting the water flow to your home. All of these devices could be the cause of your low water pressure.
The most complex and often most costly cause of low water pressure is a leak in the supply line leading to your home. The easy way to check for a leak is to monitor the water meter when no water is running anywhere inside or outside your home. With all water turned off, look at the display or face of your meter. The dial and small spinning triangle should be completely still. If there is any movement, you have a water leak. A digital meter should also remain static unless there is a leak.
For professional help correcting your home’s low water pressure, call (818) 740-6830. The pros at Turbo Plumbing & Rooter are here to help 24/7.
