Low Water Pressure: Causes and How to Fix It

Low water pressure is usually caused by a clogged aerator or showerhead, a partly closed valve, a failing pressure-reducing valve, corroded pipe or a leak. If only one fixture is weak, the cause is at that fixture. If the whole house is weak, look at the main valve, the pressure regulator, the supply line or, on a well, the pump and pressure tank.

A trickle from the shower head or a faucet that barely fills a pot is more than an annoyance, and it often points to a problem worth tracking down. Here is a plain-spoken look at what causes low water pressure in Capital Region homes and how to fix it.

Start by Figuring Out Where It’s Low

Before you can fix low pressure, you need to know how widespread it is. A few minutes of checking saves a lot of guesswork.

• One fixture only? The problem is usually local, such as a clogged aerator or a worn cartridge.
• One bathroom or floor? A partially closed valve or a corroded section of pipe may be to blame.
• The whole house? Look at the main supply, the pressure regulator, or your well system.

If you are on city water, weak pressure across every fixture can also point back to the municipal supply or a problem at the meter. Well owners should rule out the pump and pressure tank first.

The Most Common Causes

Most low-pressure complaints trace back to a handful of culprits. Some you can check yourself, and others call for a licensed plumber.

• Clogged aerators and showerheads: Mineral buildup is common with our regional water, and it slowly chokes the flow at individual fixtures.
• Corroded or galvanized pipes: Older Capital Region homes often have aging galvanized lines that narrow with rust over time.
• A failing pressure-reducing valve: This valve sets your home’s pressure, and when it drifts out of range it can leave the whole house weak.
• Partially closed shutoff valves: A main or fixture valve that was never fully reopened after a repair is an easy thing to miss.
• Hidden leaks: Water escaping inside a wall or under a slab steals pressure from where you actually need it.

How to check your water pressure

A pressure gauge that screws onto an outdoor hose spigot shows the pressure at your house. Most homes run between roughly 40 and 80 psi (pounds per square inch). A reading well below that points to the supply or the regulator, and a normal reading with weak fixtures points to the fixtures or the pipes inside the house.

Low pressure in one place or one temperature

• Low water pressure in one bathroom, or only the shower: a clogged showerhead, a worn cartridge or a mixing valve that is fouled with scale.
• Only hot water is weak: sediment or a partly closed valve at the water heater, or corroded hot-water pipe. See water heater repair.
• Low cold water pressure only: look at the cold supply, aerators and valves.
• Pressure drops when two fixtures run at once: pipe that has narrowed with scale or corrosion, or a supply line that is too small.

What You Can Check Yourself

A few simple steps can solve the easy cases or at least narrow down the cause before you call for help.

• Unscrew the aerator on a slow faucet, rinse out any grit, and soak it in vinegar to clear mineral scale.
• Confirm the main shutoff and any fixture valves are turned fully open.
• If you have a pressure-reducing valve near where the main line enters, make sure it has not been bumped or tampered with.
• Watch your water meter with everything off; if it keeps moving, you likely have a leak.

If the problem is widespread, comes on suddenly, or comes with discolored water, it is time to bring in a professional.

Low water pressure on a private well

On a well, the pump, the pressure switch and the pressure tank set the pressure. A tank that has lost its air charge, a worn pressure switch or a failing pump can all leave the house with weak or pulsing pressure. Well equipment is under electrical power and pressure, so it is not a place to guess. Our well water and septic page covers the plumbing side, and we check well pumps and pressure tanks for homes outside city water.

When low pressure means a leak or failing pipe

If pressure dropped suddenly, the water meter keeps moving with everything off, or the yard is wet over the line, the buried service line may be leaking; see water line repair. If the pipe inside the house is corroded galvanized that has narrowed, replacing sections is repiping, and replacing the whole house’s supply pipe is a whole-home repipe.

When to Call Empire State Plumbing

Some pressure problems need diagnostic tools and hands-on experience to pin down. We can test your home’s pressure, inspect your supply lines, replace a failing pressure-reducing valve, repipe corroded sections, and check well pumps and pressure tanks for homes outside city water.

As a family-run Capital Region plumber since 2006, we work to find the real cause rather than just chase the symptom. Empire State Plumbing is licensed in the City of Albany (#PLBG21-147), and financing is available through Acorn Finance for larger repairs like a full repipe.

Don’t Live With Weak Water Pressure

Low pressure rarely fixes itself, and corroded pipes or a hidden leak only get worse the longer they wait. Getting an experienced set of eyes on it early can save you a bigger repair down the road.

Tired of weak showers and slow faucets? Call (518) 482-4205 or book online to get your water pressure back.