June 1, 2021
Is low water pressure a sign of an impending plumbing emergency? Find out with the help of our team at Parker & Sons:
We’ve all dealt with a plumbing problem in our home before, but what about when it’s not a clog or a leaky faucet, but instead, the problem is not enough water coming out?
Your water pressure should be about 40 to 45 pounds per square inch (which you probably know better as PSI). If your water pressure is lower than that, there could be a lot of reasons why, but most of us don’t even know where to start looking!
Here are a few of the culprits that could potentially cause low water pressure:
As the plumbing in your home ages, it can start to show wear-and-tear. This is one of the most common causes behind low water pressure because as these leaks accumulate, they’re going to eventually cause damage to other parts of your system (i.e., reduce water flow). Your home’s pipes could be corroded – galvanized steel pipes can start to wear after just 20 years.
One of the biggest causes for low water pressure in your home is that there’s a clog (or blockage) somewhere in one of your pipes. All this means is that, instead of water rushing through smoothly, it has to make its way slowly and push past whatever might be blocking the path. Even a tiny clog can be disruptive enough to reduce water pressure.
Other things could cause low water pressure in your home. One of them is the city’s water supply problem or an issue on your utility company’s end (i.e., a loss of power). If your neighbors are having the same problem, chances are, you just need to call your water service provider.
Another possible cause of low water pressure is that your shutoff valve isn’t open enough. This can happen when you replace a hose or pipe and forget to adjust the flow control on the spigot side (i.e., it’s either too close or too far from closed). If the shutoff lever is parallel with the pipe, then it’s open; otherwise, it’s partly closed, and that could be the cause of your water pressure problem!
If your water pressure is low and you’ve already checked these other possible causes, the culprit might be a worn-out faucet fixture. If there’s not enough water coming from the spout, or it’s just too slow to get high up in the air with each stream, then that could mean an old faucet! Or it could be a problem with your faucet’s aerator, which is intended to slow the volume of water coming out without affecting the pressure, but if it’s clogged with dirt or something else, then it won’t work right.
As you can see, many different things could potentially cause low water pressure in your home. You may not be able to figure out the source of the issue on your own, and that’s when you need to call Parker & Sons! We serve the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas with professional plumbing service. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment and let us take care of the problem!
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