What is wrong with water pipes?
There are different which cause the water pipes problems at home, all of which can be quite frustrating. Faucets may take forever to fill a sink or bathtub, or a shower head may not give you that strong spray you want. Your dishwasher or washing machine may take much longer to run a cycle than it should. It's likely that the problem can be remedied if you just focus on fixing that one fixture. Meanwhile, there are different broader plumbing issues that can influence on the water pressure. In case your home water pressure is low, the first thing you need to do is to narrow down the cause.
Here are 4 places to take into account as reasons for low water pressure throughout your home.
Water Meter Valve Fully Open
Frequently there are two major shut-off valves controlling water to the home. The first is the water meter valve, found on the street-side of your water meter. Ordinarily you will not be using this valve, as technically it belongs to the city and it's often only city utility workers who handle it. Although if your water pressure is low throughout your house, particularly after some work has been done on your plumbing system, possibly this first valve is not fully opened.
If you have freshly had a repair done and are now noticing a reduction in the whole home water pressure check the meter valve, the first place where water to the entire house may have been shut off.
Frequently the water meter valve will be located on an outside wall of the house, though in colder climates it may be found in an interior utility area, such as a basement or attached garage.
If this valve seems to be fully open, proceed to the next major shut-off location.
Main Shut-Off Valve Open
There is a main shut-off valve on the homeowner side of the water meter. Occasionally it will be located on an outside wall where the main water line enters your home, or sometimes in a utility area like a garage or basement. Often it enters the home near where the water heater is located. Make certain that this valve is fully open. Make sure the handle is turned fully in the counterclockwise direction if this is a gate valve. If it is a ball valve with a lever handle, the handle should be parallel to the pipe direction to be fully open.
Similarly the water meter valve, this main shut-off valve is occasionally left partially closed after some kind of repair has been done to the system. If your water pressure has unexpectedly lessened after a recent repair, there is a possibility that the valve hasn't been fully opened again after the repair was completed.
The Pressure Regulator Failing
One of the reasons which causes home water pressure problems can be the pressure regulator - in case your home plumbing system is equipped with one. A pressure regulator is a control valve that reduces the input pressure in your plumbing system to a safe level that will not damage your pipes. If you have them, a failing pressure regulator can cause a real upward spike in water pressure. However it can additionally have another effect: a sudden reduction in your water pressure.
When the pressure regulator fails, you will notice the effect on all fixtures in your home, and it will happen rather suddenly. But a pressure regulator can constantly be replaced yourself with the same brand and size, oftentimes it’s better to call a professional to fix it. Call around and get some price estimates for having it changed out. Many times you can find the brand and size printed on the side of the regulator, which will let you solicit price quotes over the phone.
Your Plumbing System Need to Be Replaced
Extremely serious and potentially expensive problem appears when old plumbing pipes decisively have become too corroded and filled with scale for water to run freely anymore. Especially if the pipes are old galvanized iron pipes. From day to day, the insides of pipes little by little accumulate buildup that finally closes off the water flow until it is almost non-existent.
The reason is the very gradual reduction in water flow: you will not notice a unforeseen reduction but ultimately realize that your water flow is much, much slower than it is in other people's homes - and it has been for quite a while.
To re-pipe the system with new copper or plastic water supply piping is the best solution in such cases. It is the only way to solve the problem. It is best to call in a professional plumber for this work since a re-pipe job is a major plumbing repair that requires a permit.
Compare shop carefully and take into consideration what materials you want if new water supply lines are needed. Copper pipe is both the most durable and also the most expensive, but flexible PEX piping can cut the costs nearly in half.