5 Things That Can Lead to Low Water Pressure

5 Things That Can Lead to Low Water Pressure

Low water pressure is one of the most common plumbing issues, and it can cause a lot of problems. Low pressure can lead to clogged drains, slow shower heads and toilets that don't flush properly. If you experience low water pressure in your home or office, there are a few things that may be causing it.
Learn more about what causes water pressure here!

A kink in your pipes
If you're experiencing low water pressure in your home, it could be caused by one of two things: kinks or excessive corrosion.
If a kink occurs in a pipe, it can restrict the flow of water and cause low water pressure. Kinks can occur for a number of reasons: for example, when the pipes were originally installed or if there's debris in them (such as tree roots). Kinks are fairly easy to fix—just remove the kink from where it is and straighten out the bent part of the pipe so that it is as straight as possible. If your pipes have been damaged by corrosion (due to hard water or mineral deposits), they will have to be replaced entirely before you'll see any improvement in your pressure levels.

Corrosion in your system
Corrosion is a build-up of minerals in your plumbing system. This can cause your pipes to become weak and eventually break, causing leaks. Corrosion can be caused by water with high levels of minerals, chlorine, fluorine or sulfur.

Water main breaks
A water main break can cause low water pressure. This is because the sudden loss of water will result in a drop in pressure across an entire system, not just at the location of the break. Water main breaks can be caused by frost heaves, tree roots growing into pipes, or other objects hitting pipes. A broken pipe can also cause flooding if it is close enough to your home or other buildings on your property.
Water main repairs are expensive and dangerous work so it's best to leave that up to professionals!

Leaky faucets and toilets
Leaky faucets and toilets waste your water, which can lead to low water pressure. A leaking faucet wastes about 2 gallons per minute, while a running toilet can waste up to 1 gallon every 5 minutes. Leaky toilets are more common than leaky faucets, but both are easy to fix with the right tools and knowledge.

Sediment buildup
If you have low water pressure and haven't flushed your system recently, we recommend that you do so now. Flush the entire plumbing system in the house, checking for any deposits that could be restricting water flow. If a large amount of sediment has built up in the pipes, it'll be visible as discoloration or even clumps of dirt.

Low water pressure can be annoying, but these problems are fixable.
Low water pressure can be annoying, but these problems are fixable. If you have low water pressure, it may feel like the faucet has a lot of resistance and doesn't flow smoothly. Low water pressure is frustrating, but it doesn’t have to be a major problem. In most cases, you can solve this issue by finding the source of the problem and fixing it. If you’re still having trouble after trying these steps, contact your local plumber or call us at (228)-865-ASAP for help!