Low water pressure makes many household functions a real chore. Showering or washing dishes can take longer and be much more unsatisfactory when you’re dealing with a trickle of water coming from your pipes.
Fortunately, there’s a very simple solution that works in many of these situations. Clogged faucet aerators are often the problem and are the first things to check.
Aerators are the small devices fastened to the end of a faucet that mix water with air and make a gentle, less splashy flow of water. Aerators collect bits of charcoal, calcium and tiny rocks and these eventually clog the flow of water.
Cleaning Your Aerator
You’ll first need to remove it from the end of the faucet which might require a pair of pliers. Be sure to get a firm grip with the pliers so you don’t scratch the finish on the faucet. Unscrew it and remove the black washer.
You can then simply flush out the debris that has accumulated in the aerator, reinsert the washer and screw it back onto the end of the faucet. If you found debris in the aerator, your water pressure should be better.
What If Cleaning the Aerator Doesn’t Work?
At that point, most people need the help of a plumber to check out other causes of low water pressure. I’m happy to send one of my friendly and well-trained techs out to investigate and remedy other causes like these:
- Galvanized Pipes: If you have galvanized pipes in your house or business, these will, over time, develop corrosion and this corrosion can slow the flow of water. If you want to find out if you have galvanized pipes, look for silvery-gray pipes that attract a magnet. Places where a valve is added to galvanized piping are likely to accumulate corrosion. We can fix this with a quick patch (which, unfortunately, won’t last), a partial repipe or a complete repipe which is a complete solution.
- Low Pressure in Your Water Main: It’s possible that the water pressure coming to your house may be low. We can fix that by installing a pressure pump to increase water pressure. Not all homes have pressure pumps and not all homes need them. If you already have one, then it may be old and need to be replaced.
- Water Leaks: There are other causes, such as leaks in the lines coming into the home. Whatever the cause, we can find it and help you get it fixed!
When you need to remedy low water pressure, we’re ready to help, day or night. Give Rocketman Plumbing at (505) 243-1227.