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.
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.
The short answer is low water pressure in your home arises due to a number of causes. Some include a shut or blocked water meter valve, mineral buildup clogs pipes, corroded pipes, or even a crack in the main city supply pipe to your home.
The aerator is the first to check when a faucet has low water pressure. Most faucets have aerators at the base or inserted inside the spout. Sediments, mineral deposits, or small debris can clog the aerator over time, which results in low water pressure.
You can increase water pressure by loosening a locknut on the valve. Contact a well-pump technician: If your house is on a private well, poor water pressure could indicate a problem with the captive storage tank or the pump. It's best to have the well system serviced by a qualified well expert.
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.
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 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.
Anything exceeding the normal range (60, 70, or even 80 PSI) can cause significant problems with your home plumbing system, making it more susceptible to leaks, water hammering, pipe bursts, and problems with your fixtures.
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 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 you're experiencing low pressure in a specific area, check for clogging or corrosion that could be slowing water flow. Issues with seals and connections can impact the water pressure coming out of the faucet, so it is important to not only inspect the faucet and fixture themselves but the connections as well.
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.
Simply go to one bathroom, and turn on all faucets/showers. Once all the fixtures are on, flush the toilet to see if the water drops pressure from the sinks or shower heads. If water pressure drops while the toilet is filling up, there might be an issue. You should complete this process for all rooms that have water.
If the low water pressure seems restricted to a single faucet or showerhead, the problem isn't with your pipes or water supply, but with the fixture itself. If it's a sink, the most common causes are a clogged aerator or clogged cartridge.
If you've cleaned the aerator and the water flow is still weak, there may be a clog in the pipes. As time goes by, mineral deposits build up in your pipes. This will slow water flow and, eventually, may even cause your pipes to burst. Now is a good time to call in a professional plumber.
The low pressure in the kitchen faucet is usually caused by one of two reasons - a clogged inflator or a clogged cartridge.
Water pressure regulator replacement: $250 to $1,000. Pipe section replacement: $500 to $4,000.
Typically, water pressure regulators cost about $50 to $100 on average1, though you could end up paying up to $2001 depending on the size of incoming water line.