For some homeowners, there’s nothing quite as irritating as turning on a faucet or a shower, and finding that the water, while coming out, is pretty much a light flow with no real force behind it. When this happens, it means that you’ve got low water pressure, but just knowing what the symptom of a problem is, doesn’t necessarily mean there’s only one possible cause. If you’ve got low water pressure coming out of a tap or shower, there are a few things that might help.

Try the Tap

In many cases, low water pressure is a result of a problem right at the point of exit, the tap or faucet itself. Try taking the tap apart if you feel confident about reassembling it. The most common cause of low water pressure is simply that dirt, sediment or other particles have built up in the aerator, the very “tip” of your tap.

The aerator is designed to prevent splashing, reduce noise, and even increase water pressure, but it also has a tiny screen that can act as a filter. Very small particles can get caught in this screen, and, over the years, if you’re not paying attention, enough particles can be caught in this screen to reduce the flow of water. Always check this first and you may surprise yourself by finding that giving your aerator a good cleaning and rinse is all you need to do to restore water pressure to a particular tap.

Check the Water Heater & Pipes

Another fairly common problem with low water pressure may stem from just the hot water side of things. Low pressure in showers is a fairly common complaint in the plumbing world, but often, the problem with the low pressure doesn’t come from the pipes, it comes from the water heater itself, especially if the home is using a traditional tank system.

Depending on the specific characteristics of your water supply, another typical problem that accumulates over time is sediment within the water heater itself. This can affect water pressure for just hot water, but flushing the tank can be a quick solution to this. There may also be leaks in the tank, or in the hot water pipe itself that need to be repaired.

Bring in The Professionals

Not every problem with your plumbing is one you are going to be able to solve yourself, especially if the problem lies somewhere inside the pipes. If you’re experiencing low water pressure in general, with all your faucets and this is a recent development, you may have a larger, more comprehensive problem.

You may have a problem with the pressure-reducing valve if your home has one installed. There may be a more significant leak somewhere else along your home’s pipeline. The water pressure from the town or city itself may be lower, and you might want to consider actually getting a pressure booster installed in your home.

These issues are best handled by knowledgeable plumbers that can properly assess your home’s plumbing system to find out exactly what your situation is, and what solution best suits your home. Contact Marco Plumbing today if you have pressure problems in your home, and want them addressed the right way!