Clogged aerators and clogged cartridges are two of the most common causes of low water pressure in a sink. The aerator is the tip of the faucet that the water comes out of, while the cartridge is found underneath the sink handle and enables you to stop and start the flow of water.
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.
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.
Unscrew the nozzle and check for a broken or misaligned washer. Next you'll likely see mineral crumbles and debris collected at the screen. Rinse it all off. If it's hardened on, soak in vinegar for a bit or buy a replacement assembly.
Please keep in mind that all new faucets since 1994 are restricted to conserve water per EPA code mandates. Older faucets had no restrictions. Beyond intentional flow restriction, new installations can sometimes have reduced flow if the lines are not flushed prior to installation of aerators or shower heads.
The typical residential water flow rate for small households is between 6-12 gallons per minute, so unless you plan to add extra kitchens, bathrooms, or laundry rooms to your home in the future, your home will never need to exceed that final GPM, assuming your flow rate is already normal.
What does a flow restrictor look like? Before you remove the flow restrictor from your shower head, you need to know what it looks like. A water flow restrictor is usually a flat, circular, plastic piece. The center of the restrictor is shaped like a star, or similarly shaped, and comes in a variety of colors.
According to federal regulations, all kitchen and bathroom faucets should have a maximum flow rate of 2.2 gallons per minute (gpm) at 60 psi (pounds per square inch) of pressure; in California and Georgia, maximum flow rates are further restricted to 2.0 gpm (California will eventually be restricted to 1.8 gpm).
Replace the Washer
In some cases, a tap can become blocked simply because the washer has loosened and dislodged, physically blocking the water flow. Turn the shutoff valve, disassemble the faucet, and replace the washer with a new one. If you get a smooth flow of water, your problem is solved!
If it's only the hot water that is at a trickle, you might need a plumber to clean and flush your hot water unit. Sediment and scale in your hot water tank can build up as the tank ages and corrodes. This can cause blockages over time and low hot water pressure.
If the kitchen is the only tap with low pressure, it's time to consider the potential causes of low water pressure in a kitchen sink so you can determine what might be causing it, and fix it. The most common causes of low water pressure in a kitchen sink are a clogged aerator or a clogged cartridge.
Touch faucets have a screen below the sink. The debris screens and flow restrictors required for aerators and showerheads can clog, resulting in greatly reduced flow rates.
The adjustment screw raises and lowers the water pressure, but before it can be adjusted, you need to loosen the lock nut below it. Loosen the lock nut by half a turn with the crescent wrench. Turn the adjustment screw counterclockwise to lower the pressure or clockwise to raise the pressure.
No, flow restrictors do not change pressure, but they do take pressure into account. Flow rate is dependent on three factors: the size of the outlet, the upstream pressure, and the downstream pressure. The pressure differential between both sides of an outlet determines how high the flow rate of a fixture is.
Look for the WaterSense Label
You can ensure you'll use less by looking for a WaterSense label, which mandates using 2 gpm or less. WaterSense is a government-run program that certifies water-saving devices like showerheads and faucets, much like Energy Star recognizes energy efficient appliances and some electronics.
An easy way to describe it would be, water flow is how MUCH water flows down a faucet, and water pressure is how HARD the water falls down the faucet. Both water pressure and water flow are related to friction. Friction will slow down water as it moves through a pipe, depending on the pipe's texture and diameter.
The greater the water pressure, the greater the water flow rate. So, the larger the plumbing system, the harder it is for the pressure to be dispersed evenly, and so the water flow rate will be lower. This is known as the flow rate and differential pressure.
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.