Low water pressure from a faucet.Is your shower suddenly running at a slow trickle? Does it take an eternity for your washer to fill? This could be happening in your home for a multitude of reasons.
Head out and ask your neighbors if they are experiencing similar problems. If the answer is no, then the problem is obviously specific to your home.
No one likes dealing with plumbing issues. Calling in a professional will often give you drastically better results than attempting to fix problems yourself.
The difference between a professional and a novice could be significant water damage to your home.
5 Typical Culprits of Low Water Pressure
According to Michael Franco of Bobvila.com, it is possible that your entire neighborhood is experiencing issues. In such a case, you can opt to install a water pressure booster in your home.
However, when the problem is localized to your home, you’ll need to look deeper.
1. Debris in Your Home’s Pipes.
There are numerous types of debris that can wreak havoc on your home’s plumbing system. One common issue faced by many home owners is tree roots.
According to Popularmechanics.com, tree roots naturally grow toward pipes. The pipes provide an abundant source of water, nutrients, and oxygen trees require to survive.
Tree roots, dirt, and sand – even in small amounts – can cause significant blockages in your plumbing.
2. Water Pipe Leaks.
Even a single leaking pipe can cause serious water pressure issues in your home. Another unfortunate side-effect of a leaking pipe is the significant increase in your utility bill.
Even if your faucets are turned off, and your dishwasher isn’t running, the leak will continue to flow. In the event of leaking pipes, you will definitely want to call in a skilled professional.
3. Corrosion and Mineral Deposits.
This is especially a problem for homes with iron galvanized piping and older homes. However, Angieslist.com points out that even though steel or galvanized pipes should last you up to 20 years, eventually corrosion will build up inside the pipes.
Corroded pipes can cause low water pressure.
This effectively narrows the pathway water has to go through your home’s system, reducing your water pressure overall.
4. Issues with Your Home’s Two Main Valves.
Tim Adams of Homeadvisor.com tells home owners to be aware of two main valves: the customer valve and the home valve.
These valves need to be in the “on” position at all times if you want correct water pressure in your house. If they are even slightly turned away from this position, there can be a significant decrease in water flow.
5. Incorrectly Set Pressure Reducing Valves.
As defined on Inspectapedia.com, there are situations in which the normal municipal water supply pressure exceeds 80 pounds per square inch (psi).
In these cases, a pressure reducing valve is necessary to prevent the water pressure from your home from reaching dangerous, pipe-bursting levels.
However, if this valve was installed incorrectly, your water pressure could be considerably lower than it should be.
Be Sure to Hire a Skilled Professional
There are many causes for low water pressure. Some you can troubleshoot yourself. Others, however, are much more complex and require a high degree of training to repair properly.
Don’t add to the issues of your home. Call in the pros. For more information on plumbing and water pressure, visit Benjamin Franklin Plumbing.