One fixture or all of them
When one tap alone is feeble, look close to it: a scaled aerator, a scaled-up shower head, a partly closed shut-off under the sink, or a worn cartridge. When every tap is feeble, the house supply is the suspect.
Single fixture checks
- Unscrew the aerator and soak it in vinegar.
- Remove the shower head and clear its holes.
- Confirm both stops below the basin are wide open.
- For single-handle faucets, a scaled cartridge may restrict flow and need replacing.
Whole-house checks
- Main valve. Turn it to the stop. Following repairs, a valve is sometimes left partly closed.
- Pressure regulator. A lot of houses carry a reducing valve just past the meter. A failing one can drop pressure.
- Galvanized pipe. Older homes with steel supply lines lose flow as rust builds up inside.
- Filters and softeners. A clogged sediment cartridge or a softener with problems can restrict the whole house.
- Leaks. A significant hidden leak reduces pressure elsewhere.
- Municipal issues. Watermain work in your street can temporarily affect pressure.
Field note. A pressure gauge that threads onto an outside tap costs little at a hardware store and tells you your static pressure in seconds.
Well homes
On a private well, pressure comes from the pump and pressure tank. A pressure switch set too low, a waterlogged tank, a failing pump or a clogged filter all reduce pressure.
Hot water only
Hot side feeble but cold fine? Suspect the heater itself: sediment, a half-shut inlet, or a broken dip tube.
If the cause is not obvious, call. We test pressure at the main and fixtures, and see repiping for galvanized homes.