Tips For Dealing With Home Water Pressure Issues

Do you have faucets with water that slowly come out when they are turned on? If so, you likely have an issue with water pressure. This may be a problem that you can troubleshoot on your own, or it will require the help of a plumber to solve. Here are some tips for dealing with water pressure issues.

Check The Aerator

The faucets in your kitchen and bathrooms may have an aerator on them, which is designed to limit the water that these faucets use to conserve water. Unfortunately, they may be doing their job a bit too well. A common problem with aerators is that they can become clogged with sediment that flows through the plumbing in your home. Over time, the sediment collects and restricts the flow of water through the aerator. The best thing you can do is remove the aerator and see if water flows quickly without it. If so, clean the aerator, replace it with a new one, or decide to go without it.

Evaluate Your Plumbing

Does your water pressure problems only affect your hot water? If so, this could be due to your plumbing. Older galvanized plumbing corrodes from the inside and causes the interior diameter of the pipes to become smaller over time as more corrosion occurs. The hot water pipes will become corroded much faster than your cold water pipes, which can limit the flow of hot water.

If you have very old galvanized plumbing, it may be time to replace it with copper. When a local plumber cuts into the galvanized plumbing, take a look at the inside to see just how restricted the water has been.

Clean Shower Heads

Losing water pressure when you shower? This could be due to the shower head being filthy on the inside. Much like with your aerator, the shower head can become clogged with sediment and calcium build up inside the tiny holes that the water comes out of. While you could throw the shower head away and get a new one, it is easy to clean it as well. Detach the shower head and soak it in a container of white vinegar, which should be strong enough to dissolve the calcium that has collected in the tiny holes.

If these ideas don't fix your water pressure issues, you may need the help of a plumber who provides water pressure boosting services. It's the best way to ensure every faucet is delivering water as well as it can.