How To Increase Water Pressure In Your Home

Low water pressure can be incredibly annoying in a home. It can disrupt your everyday activities like showering, washing dishes, watering your lawn, etc. Knowing how vital water pressure is in every household, it’s essential to find out how to measure it and deal with reduced water pressure.

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What’s Water Pressure?

Water pressure is how forceful water moves through the pipes. It allows water to pass through pipes in different parts of your home. Water pressure is measured as pounds per square inch or PSI.

If you’re checking water pressure at home, it should ideally reach 50 to 70 PSI. This means that water should be applying 50 to 70 pounds of force per square inch of surface contact. If you’re unsure about how to determine your water pressure or if you’re worried that the PSI is low, reaching out to experts like Ferguson’s Plumbing would be a great start. If you want to clean your house sidings using a pressure washer, you can start and try a pressure washer rental that you can find online.

Causes Of Low Water Pressure

It’s necessary to find out what might be causing the decreased water pressure in your home. Here are some of the culprits to look out for:

• Leaks
• Debris build-up in fixtures or pipes
• Unopened valves
• Problems with the pressure-reducing valves

Once these problems are taken care of, the water pressure in your home should improve; if not, you may turn to professional service providers for help.

How To Increase Water Pressure

The following are a few things to guide you to deal with the problems mentioned and find other ways to increase water pressure in your pipes:

• Open Valves Completely

The first thing to do is find your water meter because this is also where the shut-off valve is. Check whether or not the shut-off valve is completely open because this can cause a decrease in water pressure. Opening the valve should help improve the water pressure.

• Fix Any Leaks

One common household issue is a leak. Whether it’s a pipeline inside or outside, it can seriously affect the water pressure of the shower or faucet. If there are any visible leaks, it’s essential to repair them as soon as possible or get a plumber to inspect the house for other leaks and do all the repairs.

• Clean Up The Tap Or Showerhead

Build-ups can form inside the showerhead or the faucet, blocking up the water flow. So, clean up these parts regularly to help keep the water pressure flowing consistently.

Fill in a plastic bag with vinegar and use a rubber band to fasten it around the showerhead or a faucet to clean it. Leave it on to soak for a few hours, then rinse it. Check if the water pressure has improved after; if not, you may need to replace your showerhead or faucet.

• Adjust The Pressure-Reducing Valves

Water pressure problems could also be due to an old pressure-reducing valve (PRV) or the valve turned on too low. Note that the valve needs to be replaced every 12 to 20 years. So, if it’s within this age, changing it could improve the water pressure. In addition to this, PRVs should undergo annual inspections to see if they’re still in proper working condition.

Moreover, turning up the PRV might help improve the water pressure. Give your plumber a call to adjust it for you safely.

• Contact Your Water Service Provider

If the water pressure is almost always lower than what the water service claimed, the problem might lie in the water main from the local water distribution system. If so, you might want to contact them to check if there are any problems and do any needed repairs.

• Use A Booster Pump

If none of the mentioned steps works, a booster pump might be your best bet to solving your home water pressure problems. Water pressure can increase with this device, thanks to an electric pump. You can also adjust the water pressure from the top dial to tailor the pressure depending on how much you need around your house.

Although this can be a pricey solution, it’s a surefire way to boost water pressure. This means that more people can use water all at the same time. You don’t have to worry about showering if someone else is taking a shower in another bathroom or another one is doing the laundry downstairs. It’s a worthwhile investment, especially if you want to save time and feel more comfortable in your home.

Conclusion

Dealing with low water pressure is all based on whatever is causing it. Hence, the solution might be as simple as opening valves or cleaning up faucets. Yet it can also require some pipe repairs or replacements. However, if you can’t find any of the causes mentioned here in your home, contact your water provider and inform them about your situation. If that still doesn’t help, invest in a booster pump so you won’t have to worry about water pressure again.

Check out: Why is Plumbing a Worthy Profession?