Plumbing problems come in all shapes and sizes. If you live in an older home, the plumbing issue seems to happen a little more than newer homes. If you’re a do-it-yourselfer fixing minor problems will come easy, but some require the hand of an expert plumbing technician. Navigating through the most common plumbing issues can be simple; in some instances, you may be replacing a toilet, unclogging a drain, or fixing a runny toilet. In other cases, it can be a headache, one of the bigger issues is getting to the bottom of low water pressure. No one likes to take a hot shower with low water pressure, even washing your hands seems to take longer. Sufficient water pressure makes our daily comforts just that much better.
Clogged Faucets and Showerheads Can Cause Low Water Pressure
Clogged fixtures and faucets can be one reason for low water pressure. Your fixtures get clogged when minerals like calcium for our water supply build up and calcify on showerheads and faucets. Depending on your source of water, most faucets and showerheads will last years before minerals build upon them. When they do, there is a simple solution for your faucet, replace the aerator. The aerator can be unscrewed and replaced for less than ten dollars. The showerhead can be unscrewed and placed in a container upside down. Use a container small enough to fit the showerhead. Then fill the pot with distilled vinegar covering the showerhead and allow it to sit overnight. Use a toothbrush to scrape off any loose deposits then rinse thoroughly. If your showerhead is old, consider making a new purchase. For under forty dollars, you can purchase the latest in a low flow showerhead.
A Faulty Or Partially Closed Water Valve Can cause Low Water Pressure
A faulty water valve can also be an issue. There are generally three valves: one that is regulated by your municipal water source that’s connected to your meter, one that’s on the home side of the meter, and the other is connected to your main pipe leading to your home. It’s usually in the garage but could be found in other places as well. Every homeowner should know where their shut off valve is, and they should know how to shut off the water quickly. In many cases, one of these valves has become partially closed causing diminished water pressure.
If you check both valves and both on the home side of the meter and the home shut off valve is entirely open, then call your local water company. Ask your water company if there has been work in the area and ask if they can check the water pressure in your area.
Clogged Water Pipes Are Common In Old Homes
Clogged water pipes could also be the culprit of low water pressure. These clogged pipes are usually found in older homes forty, sixty, and even eighty years old — minerals build up in your pipes when hard water flows through them over many years, leaving deposits behind. It’s commonly seen in homes with steel galvanized pipes built before 1960. Home repipes today are not uncommon with copper pipes. They too are susceptible to mineral buildup and can lead to pipe leaks as well as low water pressure. Today’s new construction and the repiping standard is cross-linked polyethylene, commonly abbreviated PEX. PEX pipe will not pit or corrode, and it is resistant to mineral buildup. If you’re problems with your plumbing, call the experts from Big B’s Plumbing, we’ve got you covered.
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