9 Causes of Low Water Pressure in Your House and How to Fix
You don’t have time for low water pressure in your house. It interrupts your showers, it makes washing the dishes difficult—it even has you looking into the toilet, wondering if the water is going to fill back up. When your water pressure is low, you miss the days when you and your water worked together. If your water isn’t holding up its end of the bargain, don’t worry. At Dauenhauer, we want to help you find the problem and fix it as soon as possible.
Some water pressure issues can be found and fixed by any homeowner, but for those tough fixes, you can call Kentucky’s #1 plumbing contractor, Dauenhauer. Our plumbers have the tools and expertise to deal with any water pressure issue, and with our flexible financing options, you won’t have to scrape together extra funds just to have your old water back. If your home is dealing with any of the tougher issues listed in this article, you can book an appointment with us or call our 24/7 emergency service line at (502) 663-8733.
What is the Recommended Water Pressure For a Home?
The ideal residential water pressure lies between 45 and 55 pounds per square inch (psi), but your home may have different water pressure needs depending on its distance from the nearest water supply or the amount of water usage in your local area.
So, what qualifies as low water pressure in a home? 40 psi is the typical benchmark for low water pressure, but noticeable differences in your home’s water will appear if it hits 30 psi or lower.
Every system in your home thrives on balance, and water pressure is no exception. It’s important to ensure that your water pressure stays between recommended levels. Low pressure will impair your daily routine, while high pressure will damage your pipes and cause leaks.
Causes of Low Water Pressure in Homes and How to Address Them
The following items are common causes of low water pressure in your house. Some can be easy fixes, some can be tougher, and some can be entirely out of your hands. For those do-it-yourself fixes, we have all the information you need to properly take care of the problems at hand.
- High water demand
- Closed water valve
- Trapped air in your pipes
- Defective pressure regulator
- Buildup in plumbing fixtures
- Water softener malfunction
- Water heater problems
- Clogged or corroded plumbing lines
- Leaking pipes
Let’s dive into these issues, along with what can be done about them.
High Water Demand
Your home’s water supply can only provide so much water at once. This is why it’s common for water pressure to be lower when two people are showering at the same time, or if multiple faucets are on while the washing machine is running. To solve an issue of high water demand, be sure that only one high-use fixture or appliance is being used in your home at one time. For example, if the sprinkler system is on, wait until it is turned off before stepping in the shower or washing a load of clothes.
Closed Water Valve
Water flows into your home and through its appliances and fixtures via a series of valves. Water will enter your home through a main valve, and each appliance/fixture has its own entry valve. For each appliance/fixture to maintain proper water pressure, its valve needs to be fully open.
If your entire home seems to be experiencing low water pressure, check the main valve first. This valve will likely be located outdoors by your spigot, or it may be located in a utility room indoors. If only one appliance/fixture seems to have low water pressure, inspect the wall below or behind it. If any valves are fully or partially closed, be sure to open them fully. To figure out if you water valve is open or closed, if the handle is switched 90 degrees to the flow, it is off. Calling a plumber may be necessary if a valve seems damaged.
Trapped Air in Your Pipes
If your home is experiencing low water pressure and you hear loud bumps and knocks from your walls at the same time, trapped air may be the issue. To rid your pipes of trapped air, flushing your system will typically do the job. To flush your system, you should turn on every faucet in your home and let them run together for two or three minutes. With each faucet, you should slightly turn on both the hot and cold water knobs. Don’t run them at full power.
After those two or three minutes, turn all your faucets off and wait 15 to 20 minutes to check your water pressure again. If this does not work, trapped air likely is not the issue at hand.
Defective Pressure Regulator
Pressure regulators process water before it comes into your home. Your water line will typically flow at 100+ psi, which would destroy the pipes in your home if unchecked, so it is the pressure regulator’s job to ensure balance within that 45-55 psi range.
Pressure regulators typically have a lifespan of 10 to 20 years, so if the time comes for a new regulator, you will need to call a plumber to have the regulator inspected and replaced.
Buildup in Plumbing Fixtures
Over time, minerals in your water may accumulate along pipe walls with rust and other materials. Excessive buildup will restrict water flow, leading to low water pressure all over your house. If your fixtures have good water pressure when turned on but quickly fall into a state of low pressure afterward, your pipes are likely clogged and in need of professional inspection.
A professional plumber will be able to analyze whether your pipes need cleaning or replacement. If you live in an older home with galvanized steel pipes, you will likely encounter buildup eventually. Galvanized steel struggles with frequent clogging, which is why most modern pipes are not made of the material.
Water Softener Malfunction
Water softeners extract minerals from your water supply, ensuring that the water in your home isn’t hard and harmful for use. Water softeners typically have a lifespan of 10 to 15 years, so old age may cause your system to regress and allow more mineral buildup in your pipes and fixtures.
If you have a newer water softener, your system’s sediment filter may be clogged, or the pipes themselves may have a non-mineral substance like dirt built up. Cleaning your water softener can help prevent buildup in a newer model, but if that does not work, you should contact a plumber to inspect your system. If necessary, a new water softener may need to be installed.
Hot Water Heater Problems
Test out your cold water and hot water individually. If your water pressure is fine when using cold water, but poor when using hot water, your water heater is likely to blame. A faulty water heater should be inspected by a professional plumber, but there are two likelihoods for why your hot water heater isn’t working properly:
- The system cannot keep pace with your hot water usage
- The system is corroded and either needs a new anode rod or needs to be paired with a water softener
Clogged or Corroded Plumbing Lines
Over time, all pipes experience some level of corrosion and clogging. The greater the severity of a clog, the lower your water pressure will be. Some clogs and corrosions affect just small segments of pipe, and others affect whole systems. If you suspect that your pipes are clogged or corroded, you will need to contact a plumber to inspect your pipes and determine the scale of the issue.
Leaking Pipes
What causes a leaking pipe? Well, the possibilities are numerous. Here are just a few:
- Cold weather causing cracks
- Extremely high water pressure
- Corrosion
- Friction from soil erosion and earthquakes
Regardless of their cause, leaking pipes can be catastrophic when left unrepaired. Yes, poor water pressure is a common consequence, but flooding, poor water quality, and mold outbreaks are other issues born of leaking pipes.
What to Do If You Have Low Water Pressure in Your House
If you have low water pressure in your house, there are some issues you can fix on your own and others that you will need a professional plumber for. To ensure your safety, err on the side of caution when making fixes associated with low water pressure. The steps below can guide you in determining the source of your water pressure issues, along with what to do once you’ve found the root cause.
Find the Affected Area
Identifying where water pressure is low in your house is the perfect starting point. Test every faucet and fixture in your home: if the water pressure is low everywhere, your water main likely has issues. If low pressure only exists in one part of the house, there may be a specific pipe that is faulty, and pipe repair may be necessary. If only one faucet or fixture is affected, you should inspect that area thoroughly.
Test Hot vs. Cold Water
If your cold water’s pressure level is normal but your hot water lacks pressure, there may be an issue with your water heater. Some water heater issues can be solved by the homeowner, but calling a plumber is recommended for most questions regarding a water heater’s efficacy.
Check Your Valves
Each appliance and fixture in your home will have its own valve letting water pass through. If only one fixture seems to be affected, check the valve on that fixture and open it up if it is closed. If your whole home has low water pressure, inspect your home’s main valve. If the main valve is open and not damaged, the problem may lie with your home’s pressure-regulating valve. A faulty pressure-regulating valve must be inspected by a plumber as soon as possible.
Inspect Your Faucets
If water pressure is only low in one faucet, there may be buildup in your faucet’s aerator. Removing that aerator can allow you to inspect its contents and unclog it if needed. If no buildup is found, the faucet itself may be broken and in need of repair or replacement.
Contact a Professional
If you cannot locate the source of low water pressure in your house, or if you have found a defect that needs expert repair, it is time to contact a professional plumber. A plumber can find and repair any water pressure issue that strikes your home, and they will have the equipment necessary to prevent such issues in the future.
Contact Dauenhauer for Low Water Pressure Servicing Today
Dauenhauer is Kentucky’s leading plumbing contractor for a reason. Our highly-trained experts can solve any plumbing issue imaginable, especially low water pressure in a home, and we do this with as little disruption to your daily routine as possible.
Our model thrives on flexibility and quality at Dauenhauer, with flexible pricing, 24/7 emergency service, and high-end technology that ensures time-sensitive and customer-friendly repairs. We never overcharge, we never waste your time, and we never leave until the job is done right.
For our top-rated plumbing services, you can book an appointment with us or call our 24/7 emergency service line at (502) 663-8733.
