what causes low water pressure

What Causes Low Water Pressure in a house?

One of the plumbing problem experienced in most homes is low water pressure. This is what is actually referred to as low water flow. It’s so disgusting to wait for your bucket or sink to fill with water. The house chores like washing dishes or clothes may take longer than usual. If this occurs makes sure that it not just a single tap. Confirm it’s the whole house. If it’s just a single tap, then it’s faulty. Replace it. On the other hand, if the problem is in the whole house consider the following to identify the cause.

Check if the water valve is open
This is the first place where you should check in case of low water pressure. A water valve is mainly located outside your compound. Technically, this valve is a property of the local authorities so you are not permitted to handle it. But if you have checked that nothing is faulty in your house plumbing, there is a possibility that this water valve has a problem- it’s not fully opened. Check the main valve.
If this pipe is fully opened then confirm the main water valve is open. This valve is normally found nearly local authorities it controls the flow of water in a street. Sometimes after repair, it might have been left not fully open again. If it’s not fully open, then this might be the problem of low water pressure in your house.
Faulty pressure regulator
Not all homes have pressure regulators but if you have one they can be the cause of the low water pressure. A pressure regulator is a device that is installed in your water system to reduce the water pressure level to an amount that may not cause pressure pipes in the house to bust. If it’s faulty, there are two expectations. One is the pressure rises to a very high level or the pressure is very low such that there might be no water flowing. In such instances, it needs to be replaced. You can either do it yourself or call an expert. A wise thing is to call the plumber.

Corrosion of water pipes

This problem affects pipes that are made of iron. Pipes that have been corroded will prevent smooth flow of water. Hence low water pressure. The process is generally slow and in the first stage in the formation of build-ups, you might not even notice any reduction in water pressure. After some time the build-ups get larger and it might fill the pipes such that there is no water flow. If your plumbing is old, this might be the cause. You need to call a plumber to assess if this is the actual cause of low water pressure.
Leaking water pipes

​A leaking water pipe will affect the water pressure, it leads to water pressure reducing. To check for any leaky pipes close down all the faucets in your house, check the water meter immediately, return after several hours have passed if the reading has increased from what you had initially read. Then there is a problem. Once you have determined there is a leak call a plumber to inspect all the pipes in your house. The expense that might be incurred in repairing this type of water problem depends on the extent of the leakage. Sometimes you might replace a pipe.
Some of the low water pressure problems such as checking if your water valve is open are easy to identify and are less costly to repair, in fact, they cost nothing. Whereas low water pressure causes like corrosion is not easy to identify. They require an expert to identify and if they occur, they are costly to repair. You might repair the whole water system. In case of any water problem in your house, it’s advisable to call a plumber.

Thanks for reading this article by Plumbers of Palm Beach. If you'd like further assistance or to hire a plumber reach out to us at 561-220-0065 or email us at [email protected]