No water pressure in home or office is a legitimate concern when you notice one. Low or no water pressure can be caused by many things. Simple problems like the shut-off valve being closed or a faucet being blocked can cause low water pressure.
More serious issues like plumbing blockages or water leaks decrease water pressure, too. There are multiple causes to low water pressure, but there are many ways that you can troubleshoot this problem.
There may be more than one cause to your problem, so it is a good idea to check multiple areas.
- Checking Water Pressure
- Checking PRV and Water Valves
- Locating A Leak
- Troubleshooting Low Pressure
No water pressure : Checking Water Pressure
Determine locations within home or office have low water pressure.
- Check locations that have faucets. The kitchen, the bathroom, basement and outdoor hose hookups are common areas where fixture specific low water pressure can happen.
- Run water in all faucets and showers in home to check one or multiple problem areas and to determine all locations for low water pressure.
- Run both hot and cold water through faucets. If water pressure is low only with hot water, the problem is due to water heater.
Check the faucet to have water pressure in the specific location.
Problem might affect only one or two locations. Low water pressure is likely caused by a clogged faucet. Remove the end of the faucet. Examine aerator. Ensure no debris or buildup is present in the aerator. Aerator must be cleaned, soak it in a water-vinegar solution or buy a replacement which are inexpensive. Aerators with different rates of water flow is available. Try to buy with a higher rate of flow. Turn the water on before replacing aerator.
Look for other points of low water pressure.
Not able to pinpoint the cause for few faucets in the house! It is probably due to overall problem of PRV and water shut off valves. Look for leakages. A leaking toilet or water main can be a problem. Check water heater. Running hot water is likely a cause for low pressure. Therefore, shut-off valve of water heater.
No water pressure : Checking PRV and Water Valves
Look at the Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV).
PRV is located on the line, shaped like a bell, where it enters the home or office. Adjust it to see the affect on overall water pressure. Check the screw on the valve for increasing water pressure. Turn it clockwise to tighten it. Loosen the adjusting screw to reduce pressure by turning it counter clockwise. Replace if the valve has failed or broken. Buy from the local hardware or plumbing stores.
Check for shut-off valve at the water meter.
It influences water pressure, even if turned slightly. Homes and buildings have a master shut-off valve, located near the PRV valve of the water meter.
This valve can shut off water to the entire home, and restrict flow if it is slightly closed. Turn the valve to completely open it.
Test water pressure again by opening and closing multiple faucets.
Problem resolved implies PRV valve or water shut-off valve were not working properly. Still experiencing pressure issues, there may be a water leak problem. Water leaks are common cause of concern of low water pressure. Consult a plumber to fix a water leak. It may have been caused by mineral buildup in water lines.
No water pressure : Locating A Water Leak
Check the toilet in each bathroom.
Running or leaking toilets are common source of water leaks in a home to even cause very high water bills. It is a better to determine the root cause of a water pressure problem. Remove the lid from the tank of the toilet. Put a food coloring or a dye tablet into the tank. Do not flush the toilet for next one hour. Color leakage if seen into the bowl can be fixed by replacing the flapper or filling cistern.
Check service meter.
To determine a service line leak, locate service meter. Take a reading of the meter and check for indicator gear is turning or not. The leak indicator can be a small triangle shaped dial or disk rotating while water is flowing. In case leak indicator is turning, you have a leak and vice versa. A slow leak might not get registered with this. Don’t run water for 2 hours and take a new service meter reading. Numbers changing means losing of water and a probable leak. Call water company mechanic or a plumber to find the leak source to arrange repairs.
Check for water spots near water fixtures in the home.
It is a clear indication of a water leak. Hear a dripping sound in the case of a leaking faucet which requires a simple home repair. For large areas of water in the basement showing a water main leak, check the ground in the area outside home. Dry weather but the area around junction is wet showing a probable leakage at the spot. Contact water company to resolve the issue.
No water pressure : Troubleshooting Low Pressure
Inspect the water heater for low water pressure to affect hot water.
The water heater shut off valve is the most common cause of the problem. Verify the shut-off valve is completely open. Water heater has a shut-off valve for safety to be used in case of emergencies. Valve even slightly shut can affect water pressure.
Test water faucets to check whether problem has been resolved.
The water pressure issue must be resolved by checking run through a faucet. If the hot water low pressure problem is persisting, the possible reason can be water lines getting into the water heater or the heating appliance itself. Call a plumber to troubleshoot.
Contact plumber to check lines into water heater.
Blockages can occur within the water lines. Plumbers are efficient in their ways of checking them. The appliance itself can even cause a problem. A licensed plumber will require to evaluate the needs of fixtures to be replaced.
Working with water heaters and water lines can be dangerous. It is better to call a plumber and leave the job to a professional.