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What Causes Low Water Pressure?

Low water pressure can occur when the water is not constant. The demands during busy morning and evening periods may reduce water pressure in the mains network. 

Low pressure can occur when the pressure in the water main is not enough for water to reach the top of the house. A significant drop in water pressure can be rare and may only happen in the event of an emergency, e.g. a burst water main.

How Does Water Pressure Work:

 

The water provided to your home is pumped through a series of underground pipes from the water treatment centre. Once in the house, the water will generally flow to water tanks placed at elevated heights such as in the loft. Gravity induces pressure, so, by the time the water reaches your taps or showers, the water should be at full force. In certain situations, the water pressure maintained across the water lines through the use of booster stations. The water tank in your home will keep the water pressure within a specific range.

The ideal range of water pressure in a house should be between 40 to 50 pounds per square inch, but the more realistic range is 45 to 85 PSI. Water pressure reading under 40PSI is considered low.

 Causes of Low Water Pressure:

In section, we will discuss some of the potential reasons for reduced water pressure. Those reasons are: 

Excess Water Demand: Certain houses have several plumbing fixtures on, simultaneously. Such a situation triggers a high need for water supply, and it becomes challenging to maintain a consistent flow of water across all the fixtures. With a bit of coordination between the residents, this issue can be resolved. 

Faulty Fixtures: Sometimes, the problem might be within the fixtures themselves. Overtime faucets or showerheads can start to malfunction, or can get clogged with limescale. By cleaning the aerator or around the pipes might resolve the issue. 

Faulty Pressure Regulators: As the name suggests, pressure regulators help regulate the pressure of water coming into your home. The pressure regulator ensures that the water force does not get too high or too low. However, if these pressure regulators stop functioning effectively, the pressure might become unstable. 

Clogged Pipes: Clogged pipes means that water is unable to flow smoothly through the pipes. Such a disruption in flow will ultimately lead to lowered water pressure. To ensure that you have such a problem, you should clean your plumbing regularly, or replace them when needed. 

Corroded Plumbing: Cleaning or replacing certain portions of the piping, can help treat clogs. Water pipes corrode over time and will adversely affect the water pressure. 

Understanding the Scope Of The Problem:

Before trying to get to the bottom of a low water pressure issue, it is essential to identify how many fixtures are being affected by the reduced pressure. The problem might reside in just one tap, or it might have paralysed every faucet throughout your home. 

By understanding the scope might give you a better idea about the cause of the problem. For instance, if just a single fixture is affected, the reason might be isolated to that one fixture, and the solution might be straightforward. However, low water pressure throughout the house might be a symptom of a severe and complex plumbing issue. 

You can figure out the extent of the problem by checking every fixture in your house, including:

●        Sink faucets

●        Dishwasher

●        Shower

●        Toilet

●        Washing machine

●        Outside water taps


For each fixture, check the cold and hot water temperatures. Checking the temperatures will help you figure out if the low water pressure is for one specific temperature or both. If, for example, the low pressure is associated only with the hot water, your water heater might be causing the problem.

 

Even though you might be able to fix a few minor water pressure issues yourself, in most cases, such a problem requires professional assistance. When you want to check on your plumbing to ensure it is all perfect or well-maintained, Contact Rennils Plumbing for any kind of emergency plumbing and heating services across London. In either case, do not ignore those problems, as doing so will only exacerbate the issue, make the problem complicated and expensive to fix.

 


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