A quick and easy way to increase water pressure is to adjust the pressure-reducing valve, which can be found in your home, usually close to your water meter. If your pressure gauge reading was low, make slight adjustments to your regulator.
A booster pump boosts water pressure and, in many cases, improves the flow rate. A booster pump works just like a fan. A fan has blades that spin around to increase air movement, and a booster pump has an impeller inside that increases water flow and pressure in the same fashion.
Fixture Problems
Mineral deposits made up of limestone, rust, and sediment collect inside the fixture which has the potential to block the free flow of water through the fixture. This is the likely culprit for low water pressure if you only have one or two areas that experience pressure issues.
Open your main water valve.
Your house has a main water valve, usually located near the meter; the valve controls the flow of water into your home's pipes. Find the valve and check to see if it's completely open. Opening a half-shut valve is one of the quickest ways for increasing home water pressure.
Once all other causes are ruled out, a plumber can install a water pressure booster pump. The cost of the average pressure booster is around $800 (not including the labor cost for installing the unit), but the price can increase to over $1,000, depending on the features and size of the booster kit you choose.
A water booster pump is usually installed at the point where a municipal water line enters a building. It is commonly set to run at 30-50 psi and consists of a pump, motor, pressure tank, and controller.
The most common household application for a booster pump is to pressurize the water that comes from the storage tank in homes that use a well water system. The main benefit of a booster pump installed in a home is increased water pressure to all water fixtures.
One of the most common causes of low pressure to a kitchen or bathroom sink faucet is debris or mineral buildup in the aerator. The aerator is the tiny screen that you see at the end of your faucet.
Find the spigot closest to your source of water. Make sure all the taps and other water uses are turned off in your house. Now turn on the spigot and see how long it takes to fill the bucket. Dividing the number 60 by the time to fill the bucket will give you the gallons per minute number.
Adjust the Pressure-Reducing Valve
Protruding from the top of the valve is a threaded bolt. To raise pressure, loosen the bolt's locking nut, then turn the bolt clockwise. Use the pressure gauge to determine when you reach a water pressure around 50 PSI. Then, tighten the locknut to secure the valve.
Water Pressure Readings
Normal water pressure is generally between 40 and 60 PSI. Most homeowners prefer something right in the middle around 50 PSI. Once you measure the water pressure in your house, you can adjust it to a setting that is ideal for all family members and household uses.
If you wish to reduce the water pressure to a particular faucet, turn the valves clockwise by a quarter rotation. Make sure to turn the cold and hot water valves equally to create more consistent water pressure.
In individual units and buildings, household pumps are used to improve the water pressure, and in large buildings and complexes and many units, water supply pump boosters are used to solve the water pressure problem, especially on the upper floors.
Water pressure regulator replacement: $250 to $1,000. Pipe section replacement: $500 to $4,000.
We recommend having a pressure tank particularly when you have a shower or a toilet where the pump is rarely operating at 100%. Without a pressure tank or accumulator tank the strain will be on your pressure switch/controller, which may cause it to fail early at an inconvenient moment.
If there's an accumulation of sediments in your hot water tank, it can lower your water pressure. The presence of kinks in the flexible water pipes used in water heaters can result in low water pressure. If the shut-off valve isn't fully open, water pressure can drop.
If low water pressure persists, the problem may not be the aerator after all but rather a clog in the line to the sink. Clogged lines are especially common in older homes with galvanized pipes, which are prone to develop mineral deposits. This is a problem best handled by a plumber.
Homeowners should start first at one faucet in the house, like the kitchen or bathroom sink. They should turn on cold water first and then hot water, before turning on both, while noting when water pressure is low and when it is not. Next, they should try the water pressure in another faucet by repeating this process.