Reasons Your Water Pressure Is Suddenly so Low

It’s no secret that sufficient water pressure is critical on a day-to-day basis. Without working water, so much of what needs to get done at home simply can’t happen. Home owners who find themselves running into water pressure issues frequently, often wish they had a better grasp on the problem at hand.

Multiple Plumbing Fixtures Are on at the Same Time

If multiple water fixtures are running simultaneously in your home, such as your shower and dishwasher, the water pressure of at least one of these is likely to be lower to compensate for the other. This is because your home only has so big of a water supply at any given time. In this case, there may not be a real problem to address at all. Sometimes making sure multiple fixtures aren’t being used at the same time is the answer to your troubles.

Faulty Pressure Regulators

Pressure regulators that aren’t working properly can cause your water pressure to be sporadic, giving you extremely low pressure some days and extremely high pressure other days. Not all homes have a pressure regulator, but if yours does, you’ll likely find it below the front hose connection of your home.

In some instances, a simple adjustment is all the regulator needs to start working properly again. Turning the screw at the tip of the device clockwise should increase water pressure and turning is counterclockwise should decrease it. If you feel comfortable doing this by yourself, go for it, but it’s never a bad idea to seek assistance from a qualified professional.

If you’re sure that your water pressure was already well-regulated before and the problem won’t go away, it’s likely an indicator that the pressure regulator needs a significant fix or to be replaced entirely.

Your Water Pipes Are Clogged

Pipes can naturally become clogged overtime with rust, mineral deposits, and other debris. Galvanized steel pipes are especially prone to becoming clogged with rust, which is the main reason they’re no longer the preferred pipe material. If you have an older home and there hasn’t been any major work done to your water system, there’s a pretty good chance your pipes are made of galvanized steel. With this in mind, substantial clogs can still occur with any kind of pipe.

If you turn on the faucet and the water pressure works normally for a split second but then is immediately diminished, it’s safe to assume there’s a clog somewhere in the pipes. Addressing this with a professional is the best way toward fixing a clog as quickly and conveniently as possible.

Water Vales That Are Not Fully Turned On

There are two main shut-off valves that control the water flow in your home. One is inside your home itself and the other is at your water meter. In order for you to be getting proper water pressure, both of these valves should be fully turned on. If one or both of them are even partially turned off, your water pressure can be greatly affected. The most common cause of closed or partially closed water vales is if your water was temporarily shut off and then turned back on.

You can check your home valve by examining near your home’s hose bib. To check the valve in your water meter, you will probably need to go outside to locate it. In some cases, however, your water meter will be located indoors (mostly likely in your basement), especially if you live somewhere that frequently experiences harsh weather. If you’re not able to access to your meter yourself, you may need to get in touch with a professional or a city employee.

Your Fixtures Are Too Old or Outdated

To get a thorough sense for how your fixtures are really functioning, you should test all of them in your home individually. Looking for obstructions or dirt build-up, for instance, around all faucets and drains is an important first step. Cleaning off grime and continually testing your fixtures for improvements is a good way to determine the severity of what you’re dealing with.

If you’re lucky, minor clogs near faucets or drains may be what’s causing the low water pressure. However, if you’ve had the same fixtures for a long time and your water pressure has gotten progressively worse, it could be a sign that it’s time to replace them entirely.

When looking into major replacements for your water system, it’s important to consult a professional about fixtures that will work best for your home. Even if a repair might do the trick this time, it’s often worth it to replace your fixtures for better performance in the long run.

Your Pipes Are Leaking

If your pipes are leaking, your water pressure will suffer. If you have access to your pipes, it’s never a bad idea to look around for any signs of pooling water. Since many of your pipes are behind walls, however, locating the problem area(s) isn’t easy without the help of a professional. If your water pressure is really suffering because of leaky pipes, there’s probably more than one leak.

While you’re waiting for a professional to come help and the leak is visible, sometimes you can create a temporary partial fix by turning your water off and applying a rubber patch to the spot that’s cracked, using electrical tape and a pipe repair clamp to secure it. In addition to affecting your water pressure, leaks can damage your basement or the structure of your entire home, and should be dealt with in a timely fashion.

Corroded Pipes

A clog in the pipes is one thing, but more structural issues such as corroding pipes can be the real cause of low water pressure around your home. In ideal scenarios, only a section of pipe is corroded and can be fixed, but if low water pressure is an ongoing problem with many or all of your fixtures, it’s possible that the entire piping system will need to be replaced. This is particularly likely if your home has had the same plumbing system for more than four or five decades.

Re-piping you home will undoubtedly get your water pressure going strongly again, making the cost extremely worth it. Replacing a pipe system entirely should always be done by a proper plumbing team. As inconvenient as it sounds, a complete make-over of your water system by qualified professionals is sometimes what’s necessary for the best results.

For any problems low water pressure is posing to your home, our team at Reactive Plumbing can help. With plumbing services such as residential maintenance, leaks, blocked drains, drain repair & replacement, backflow prevention, tap repair, thermostat mixing valves, and hot water systems, we proudly serve people of the Hills District, North Shore, and Sydney, Australia. Our reputation of responsiveness and reliability is one of the reasons we’re trusted by so many with their home needs. Get in touch with us today and we’ll provide you with the quality service you’ve been waiting for.