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Why Does My Faucet Have Low Water Pressure?

Start by checking whether it's one faucet or the whole house. That single question points to two very different causes.

First, narrow it down

Run the cold water in the kitchen, then a bathroom sink, then the tub. If only one fixture is weak, the problem is at that faucet. If everything is weak, the cause is further back: the main line, a pressure regulator, or, if you're on a well, the pump and pressure tank.

Also check whether it's weak on hot only, cold only, or both. Hot-only weakness at every fixture points at the water heater or its shutoff, not the faucets.

If it's just one faucet

Clogged aerator (start here)

The aerator is the small screen at the tip of the spout. It catches grit, rust flakes and mineral scale, and it's the cause more often than anything else. You can unscrew most aerators by hand or with tape-wrapped pliers, rinse the screen, soak it in white vinegar if there's white buildup, and put it back. If the flow jumps back to normal, you're done.

Debris inside the cartridge

If cleaning the aerator doesn't help, grit may be stuck in the cartridge. This often shows up right after work on the water line, when sediment gets stirred up.

A partly closed shutoff valve

Look under the sink. A valve that isn't fully open, or an old valve that's partly seized, restricts the flow.

A kinked or failing supply line

Easy to miss, especially if the cabinet is packed and something has pressed against the line.

A clogged pull-down spray head

In kitchens, the spray head itself has small holes that scale over. More on that in kitchen faucet problems.

If the whole house is weak

On city water, a pressure regulator that's failing or a partly closed main valve can drop pressure everywhere. If you're on a private well, which is common on the rural roads around Sultan, the pump's pressure switch, the tank's air charge, or a clogged sediment filter are the usual suspects. Whole-house pressure problems aren't a faucet repair, and a good pro will tell you that instead of replacing parts that aren't the issue.

Well water and mineral buildup

Homes outside city limits often see sediment in the lines. If you're cleaning aerators every few months, ask about a sediment filter. City of Sultan water comes mostly from Lake 16 and is treated before it reaches you, so heavy scale is less common in town.

What a repair usually involves

Cleaning or replacing an aerator takes minutes. Replacing a cartridge is a short job with the right part. Replacing a shutoff valve or a supply line takes longer because the water has to be turned off further back. See faucet repair for what else is checked at the same time.

Common questions

How do I clean a faucet aerator?

Unscrew it from the spout, take the screen apart, rinse out the grit, and soak it in white vinegar if there's white mineral buildup. Reassemble it in the same order and hand-tighten it back on.

Why is only the hot water weak at one faucet?

The hot side of the cartridge may be partly blocked, or the hot shutoff valve under the sink isn't fully open. Sediment from a water heater can also collect on the hot side.

Could low pressure mean a leak somewhere?

It can. If pressure dropped suddenly across the whole house and you hear running water or see a wet spot, shut off the main valve and get it looked at.

Keep reading

Need a hand with this?

Call and we'll connect you with a local faucet pro who serves Sultan.

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