Low water pressure can occur suddenly or gradually. Either way, low water pressure is indicative of a problem. This can also make washing the dishes, showering or even flushing a toilet a bit difficult. Below is a step-by-step guide to diagnose your low water pressure problem, and how to move forward to fix it.
1. Check for a burst water main
When you have a sudden drop in water pressure throughout your house, this may be due to a water main break. The quickest way to determine if this is the problem is to contact your neighbours. If they are experiencing a pressure drop in their water supply, this will need to be reported to the local municipality for it to be repaired.
2. Find any leaking pipes
If the water pressure loss is limited to you, you may have a serious leak somewhere. Check first for leaking pipes. If nothing appears untoward immediately, you can check for hidden leaks by monitoring your water meter. First, close all your taps, switch off any water using appliances, check your water meter and then check again after a few hours without using any water. If your meter has changed you probably have a leak. This is an important time to call a plumber!
3. Watch for changes in water pressure during the day
Like electricity usage, people use water more in the early morning and early evening. This can lead to drops in your water pressure during these times as there is a very high demand for water. If you are experiencing this, it might be best to change up your schedule.
Alternatively, there might be residential water pressure restrictions imposed by the municipality to decrease the city’s water consumption. Unfortunately, this will limit the water pressure available.
4. Check for recent routine maintenance
If you find that you are experiencing a drop in water pressure, especially after any routine maintenance or repairs, it might be that your water pressure regulator was partially closed without your knowledge. In this case, you can check your water pressure regulator, which is typically located outside your house, near your water meter. It is easy to adjust with a wrench.
5. Replace old pipes
Old pipes can experience build up in deposits or corrosion over time, which will result in a loss of water pressure throughout the house. Sometimes these pipes need to be replaced before they become a bigger problem.
6. Remove mineral deposits in your faucets and showerheads
If build-up of mineral deposits is the problem, unscrew the showerheads and faucet aerators and soak them in vinegar overnight. This will loosen grime and build up, which you can then flush out. If you can’t remove them, soak them in vinegar by attaching a ziplock bag to the shower head or faucet, making sure that the shower head is submerged in the vinegar and the bag is secure. A cable tie should work well. Build up may be particularly prevalent in areas that have “hard” water.
7. Protect against future mineral build-ups
Avoid low water pressure problems like this in the future by installing a filtration system to remove minerals from your water. Clean your faucets regularly with a lime removal solution (or vinegar) and a cloth. Also check pipes regularly to identify any potential leaks.
8. Install a booster pump/pressure booster
A booster pump is a compact but powerful electric pump that can be installed in your water-supply line. It turbo-charges the incoming pressure and raises it to the proper level.
9. Call a plumber
Sometimes it’s best to leave it to the professionals. You’ll know it’s time to call a plumber if pipes are burst or leaking, or if you cannot find the reason for your low water pressure, you suspect your pipes are getting old, or you want to look at installing a booster pump. If you’re lucky, there is a professional and reputable
plumber near you!