Common Causes of Low Water Pressure in Your Home

Low water pressure on a garden tap in your home.

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If the water pressure in your home is acting up, it could be due to several different reasons. Although issues with water pressure may take a long time to present themselves, they should be dealt with immediately before any further complications arise. We are going to cover the 5 most common causes of low water pressure in your home, starting with the everyday and easily fixable and slowly working our way through to the more severe and expensive problems. So before you start looking for professional water treatment services in Florida, make sure to keep reading.

1.   The water shutoff valves may not be fully open

Before you start panicking and thinking about how expensive fixing water pressure problems could be, you should first check to see if the issues aren’t due to a shutoff valve being closed. Most homes have two shutoff valves to control the main water pressure to the house.

  • One of these shutoff valves is the valve from the water meter connecting your home to the main supply pipe, which comes from the city. You probably never need to use this valve, and it technically doesn’t even belong to you since it is on the part of the water meter that belongs to the city. However, if you have had some work done on your home’s plumbing, maybe the valve was shut off and then wasn’t turned back on properly. Make sure to adjust the valve so that it is fully open and that the water can flow freely. This is usually done by placing the valve parallel to the pipe.
  • The other main shutoff valve is your home’s shutoff. This one is usually located inside your home – just next to where the main pipe from the city’s supply enters your property. Since Florida mostly has a warm climate, these valves are sometimes located outside of the home on a wall where the pipe enters the home’s foundation. Check to see if this valve is fully open. You should turn models with a wheel handle clockwise to open them, but if there is a lever, its handle should again be parallel to the pipe.

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2.   Old or deteriorated fixtures

One of the most common causes of low water pressure in your home tends to be the fixtures. However, you can easily test to see if one of the fixtures is acting up. Check all of the fixtures in various spots in your home, and check the pressure in the garden if you have one. If there are inconsistencies in water pressure, the fixtures could be the likely culprit.

Unfortunately, old and deteriorated fixtures can affect the water pressure as well as the quality of the water. This frequently happens over time in old homes from corrosion and mineral buildup. If you are having doubts about the quality of the water in your Florida home, you can sign up for a water test and test your water quality in FL. This can give you peace of mind, and it’s always better to be on the safe side.

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3.   Problems with the regulator

Some homes have water pressure regulators whose main function is to keep the pressure of the water entering your home at a stable level so that it doesn’t damage your pipes or appliances. When your regulator starts acting up, it usually sets the pressure too high or too low.

  • If the pressure is too high, it can cause a lot of stress to any appliances that run on water, like your washing machine or dishwasher.
  • On the other hand a buildup of calcium or magnesium can naturally occur over time. This can cause the regulator to malfunction and drop the pressure to the home.

Problems with hard water and scale buildup can cause your regulator to act up and lead to low water pressure problems. The simplest solution would be to install a water processor to ensure a higher level of quality for the water in your home. This is important for your drinking water, which can directly affect your health and the longevity of your appliances.

4.   Distance from a water source

How far you are from a public water source can significantly impact the water pressure in your home. Unfortunately, you can’t really move your home closer to municipal water. However, depending on where your property is located, you can look into installing a well water system that can also help purify the water you have access to. Just make sure to schedule a  well water test in FL to be on the safe side.

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5.   Problems with the pipes

Unfortunately, mineral and sediment deposits can also occur in your home’s piping. Although this is one of the common causes of low water pressure in your home, it also represents a serious problem. Pipes can corrode on the inside without you even realizing it. Old, galvanized steel pipes are especially prone to corrosion, and this can reach a point where water flow is seriously impacted – leading to seemingly low water pressure.

Over time, the corrosion and scale buildup can even fully close the pipe. This can cause pipes to leak or burst, so if you notice any problems, it’s better to act sooner rather than later. Instead of ingesting calcium and sulfur every time you want to take a drink, you should consider filtering your water system to remove any contaminants.

On the other hand, if your pipes are in really bad shape, you’ll probably need to re-pipe the system. However, some of the pipes might be difficult to reach, leading to complex and extensive renovations. Luckily, there are ways to make it simple and easy with the help of professionals. You might want to look into storage services and hire movers to help you get some of your possessions out of the way so that the plumbers can access the pipes that need to be replaced.

6.   Deterioration of the resin in your water softener

If your home has a water softener system installed to remove chlorine from the water, the process is achieved through small resin spheres, which are necessary for ion exchange. The resin removes hard water minerals from your water, making it softer. However, the resin spheres, or beads, will eventually wear out. Depending on the chlorine levels in the water, the resin beads can last up to 10 years. Although, a more realistic scenario is that they will give out after 5 – 6 years.

The resin beads will flatten and begin to restrict water flow through the softener tank. This may initially present itself as a water pressure issue, but if you call the city water department, they will just tell you that the water softener resin needs to be replaced. Luckily, We at Central Florida water treatment are well aware of this problem and can tackle it by sending a well-trained professional technician to your home to change the resin. The process is very straightforward and costs between 3 to $400.

In conclusion

You can prevent most of the common causes of low water pressure in your home with regular inspections and maintenance of your home’s water system. If you notice any irregularities with the water pressure – don’t panic and go through a simple process of elimination to find out what’s causing it. Not every drop in water pressure is catastrophic, but they should all be dealt with before the issues causing them escalate. Finally, if you have trouble with hard water, you can always schedule a free water test in FL and let professionals help you live in a safer and healthier environment.

Meta description: Are your faucets releasing only a weak stream of water? Here are 5 common causes of low water pressure in your home, and what to do about them.

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