Simple Ways to Increase Water Pressure in Your Abode

Not knowing how to increase water pressure in your house isn’t good. Low water pressure prevents you and your family from washing dishes, taking showers, laundering clothes, watering the yard, and doing other tasks that require a steady and strong water pressure.

Trying to perform household duties or attending to personal hygiene with a less than desirable water pressure means taking up plenty of valuable time to complete them.

Try these easy tips for raising your home’s water pressure before giving a professional plumber a call:

Unlock the Leak

Rule out any leaks by checking your water meter. After making sure everything has been properly shut off, see if the meter’s small disk-shaped or triangular dial is spinning.

If it is, it means your water has not stopped flowing because you have a leak. You can also record your water meter’s reading, avoid using any water for several hours, then record the reading again. A different reading means you definitely have a leak.

Open What’s Shut Off

Locate your master shutoff valve, which is located beside the water meter. You may have had work done, after which you gradually let water return to your pipes to make sure everything is fine.

Your master shutoff valve could have been set to a partly closed position. Simply return it to its fully open position and your water pressure problem may be solved.

Turn on the Pressure

Your pipes come with a pressure regulator that makes sure water does not rush too quickly into your house. This usually bell-shaped device decreases the water pressure for your home to a safe level.

Try turning the knob or screw on top of the regulator in a clockwise direction—this should raise the water pressure in your home. Just make sure to do this just a few times to avoid damaging your plumbing system.

Fix the Fixtures

Your problem of increasing water pressure, even when there is nothing wrong with the outside pressure, may be due to the fact that it is time to replace your fixtures or washers.

Clean out the aerator, making sure to rinse off all traces of sediment or dirt or by soaking for three hours in a mixture of one part water and one part white vinegar. Disassemble and then repair your faucet before flushing it out to get rid of whatever is getting it clogged.

Rule Out Leaky Pipes

A common cause for low water pressure in the home is leaks in the pipes. Perform a quick test for any damp spot below your pipes, particularly in your main supply line.

If you come across any leaky pipes, make sure to fix it, keeping in mind that the supply line commonly goes inside the house from the floor of the basement (in cold climates) or from the side of the house (in mild climates).

Those small damp spots you encountered may have been due to condensation, which you could check by simply putting down a stack of paper towels and then returning the next day and checking if they have become wet.

Say Goodbye to the Old Pipe

It may be high time to have your old water supply pipes replaced. Check where your main supply line is located (outside your house if you are living somewhere with a mild climate, or in the basement floor if you are residing in a cold-climate zone).

You have a galvanized steel supply pipe if it appears to be magnetic and comes with threaded fittings, which means it may be clogged with mineral corrosion or buildup, causing the reduced water pressure in your home.

Fortunately, solving the problem is a snap. Simply replace your pipe with something made of plastic or copper.

 

If increasing the water pressure in your house means having your pipes replaced, it would be best to get the job done by capable hands. Let Spartan Plumbing take care of your problem at the soonest by giving them a quick call.

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