There’s nothing quite as refreshing as a shower to wake you up in the morning or to help you feel clean again after you’ve been for a workout or got caught in the rain.
Unless that is, your water pressure isn’t what you’d like it to be, and your shower is more of a dribble! Luckily, if you’re experiencing low water pressure, there are a few things that you can do.
Check if it’s the house or the appliance
The first thing to do is work out whether the water pressure is low in the whole house or a problem with the particular appliance.
To test your home’s water pressure, you’ll need to buy a water pressure gauge if there isn’t a permanent one installed in your home. You can get water pressure gauges in any DIY store.
Before testing your water pressure, make sure that water isn’t being run anywhere in the house, as this will impact the reading. Select the spigot (outdoor faucet) where the water enters your house and attach the gauge, being sure to remove any hoses that are attached first. Screw the gauge onto the spigot and ensure there is a good seal, then turn the pressure up all the way.
Home water pressure is usually between 45 and 50 PSI and should not exceed 60 PSI as the high-water pressure can damage your pipes.
If your water pressure is fine, then you should check for a cause of low water pressure within your home. If it’s lower than 45 PSI, then you can look at the pressure for the whole house.
Checking for causes of low pressure within the home
Low pressure in your home could be a problem with the individual appliance or plumbing inside your home.
Unless the cause of the issue is obvious, it’s worth searching for plumbers near me so that they can check for leaks and obstructions that could be the cause of the issue.
Adjust the pressure reducing valve
Check the water supply pipe near your water meter for the pressure reducing valve. This will be a conical valve with a bolt sticking out of it. Turning the bolt clockwise should increase your water pressure.
If this doesn’t help, then the problem could be the water is coming into your house at a low-pressure level. Speak with your neighbors to see their pressure and see if this is the case.
If your neighbors’ pressure is fine, then it’s worth a call to the city to see if they know of any issue with the water supply coming into your house.
Water pressure booster
If an issue within your home doesn’t cause your low water pressure, and especially if your neighbors are suffering the same issue, then it’s possible that water is being delivered to your home at low pressure. You can get a water pressure booster in these cases, which you can switch on to improve your water pressure when you need it.
