FAQs about how to fix poor water pressure traced to clogs, pipe diameter, or clogged water supply piping.

This article series describes How to Cure Bad Water Pressure Due to Clogged Water Supply Pipes. The process of diagnosis and the costs of the repair are explained.

Clogged Water Supply Piping / Poor Water Pressure & Flow Repair FAQs

These questions and answers about improving poor water pressure or flow traced to clogged piping were posted originally

at CLOGGED SUPPLY PIPES, REPAIR - be sure to review that article.

Sketches courtesy of Carson Dunlop Associates, a Toronto home inspection, education, & reporting tool firm.

When a water supply pipe pressure has been traced to supply pipe clogging there are several repair approaches that we can try.

But it makes sense to try for a correct diagnosis of the problem before spending on wild guess repairs.

Article Index

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Comments:

(Dec 2, 2012) Gary Los Angeles

Thank you so much for your wonderful excellent helpful website reviewing and educating about these difficult plumbing problems!

 

Question: bad water pressure at just some fixtures

(Apr 15, 2012) Tony DAteno

My problem is I had good water pressure in bathroom sink, but not in shower or kicthen sink, hot and cold are fine in bathroom sink the other 2 are not. I have well water .

Reply:

Tony, take a look at the bad water pressure diagnostic suggestions in

• WATER PRESSURE PROBLEM DIAGNOSIS TABLE

You're on the right track - if some areas have good pressure and flow and others not, I don't tend to suspect a system problem. Look for clogged strainers first, then clogged or shut valves, pipe elbows, piping.

 

What to do about oscillating water pressure on high iron content water system

I have a private well with high iron content. The water pressure fluctuates enough that my in-ground sprinklers will stop oscillating when the pressure drops and then start again when the water pressure resumes. This pressure fluctuation is also noticeable in the shower and at all faucet heads. Can you give me any ideas on what to do? (Apr 29, 2012) Roger Hogarth

Reply:

Flush out lines, acid wash piping, install an iron removal system are the rather obvious fixes that occur, but I'm unclear on why iron content or pipe clogging would cause pressure fluctuation except for one most likely cause: the pressure control switch mounting tube, water pressure sensing tube, or switch pressure sensing port is debris clogged. Try replacing those parts.

 

How do I do an acid wash water pipes to remove scale to fix clogged water supply lines

I have calcium built up in my cold water pipes & was told to use vinegar but how do i flush it through my pipes (June 12, 2012) donna chavers

My sisters cold water supply is blocked. Is the anything I can do to keep from having it replaced. I have checked all the strainers, valves etc. Also replaced the jet pump and pressure tank so it must be blocked The water works fine from the faucet just past the pressure tank but not in the house. We can't really afford to have the lines replaced (Mar 17, 2014) mack lovelace

Reply:

Donna,

a plumber can try an acid flush on your piping system - don't try it yourself as it's dangerous and also requires a pump that is not eaten up by the acid. Beware that there is a risk of pipe leaks.

Mack,

Mack, from just the information in your note we can infer that the problem is not the well, pump or tank, since you have water flow past those. So you are looking for a blockage between the point where you have good water flow and the rest of the building.

If the blockage occurred suddenly I'd look for a closed or damaged shutoff valve or less likely, an obstruction at a pipe elbow or bend.

I don't assume that extensive piping replacement is necessary. More likely a series of tests beginning by examining piping between the working faucet and the next closest fixture that is not getting water, is the process to follow.

If the blockage is not total but water flow is slow at fixtures, don't forget to test by removing strainers at faucets and shower heads.

 

Why do we have weak water pressure after I changed pump pressure control switch

I changed the pressure switch to the water pressure tank and now I've been with 30 persent pressure. I did replace the switch with a 30 / 50. Why no strong water pressure? help (Aug 4, 2012) Angel

Reply:

Angel if your new pressure switch was set to on at 30 psi and off at 50 psi, and if the pump starts, runs a while, and reaches that 50 psi cutoff and stops, then your pressure tank is sitting at close to 50 psi.

But if you have poor water quantity flow at faucets (which people call poor "pressure") at one or all fixtures, pipes or fixtures or even just a faucet strainer could be clogged, as we discuss above.

Having higher water pressure doesn't help fix that problem very much since you are trying to force water through a small opening. Think of it as 50 psi through a 1-inch pipe versus 5o psi water forced through the eye of a needle. The second case is going to give you very little water flow.

 

Solve Trouble with Sloan Royal Flushometers in women's restroom

So this might be a tough one to answer and ANY help is appreciated.

At my work, in the women's restroom we have two individual stalls with 1.6gpf closets. On those we are using Sloan Royal Flushometers.

About a year ago I replaced the entire sloan valve on toilet #1 because of slow flushing. After replacing the valve with no success, I replaced the toilet and smashed the old and found a piece of plastic in the trap, which could not be "snagged" by the auger.

After replacing the toilet everything went back to working as normal. Just last week we started experience the same problem. This time i pulled out the relief stem on toilet #1 and let the toilet go into a constant flush.

The water drained fine and there was no buildup. Toilet #2 (which shared the same supply) when relief stem was pulled it also went into a constant flush.

Again the water drained fine, but it appeared that there was a bit more water pressure in toilet #2. Do you think I could have a partial clog in the supply line on toilet #1? Note: I replaced diaphragm on toilet one and removed the flow ring on it.

It seemed to improve the flush power. Im thinking my next step would be to test the supply pressure and/or replace the toilet. Any suggestions? (May 31, 2012) Ryan Beaudoin

Reply:

Ryan, I'd think that you wouldn't have to replace the whole toilet, just pull it from its mount and inspect the entire flush route for blockage.

About water pressure, when two fixtures are quite close together and one seems to have lo

wer pressure, while I don't rule out a water supply pipe problem (such as a big solder blob during supply line installation of the slower fixture), there can also be a problem in the flusometer itself.

 

 

Our water softener resin tank exploded - now pipes are clogged with resin

I had a water softener resin tank explode and dump black resin rocks into my hot and cold water lines.

It plugged every "at faucet aerator" . When I remove these, there is so much resin in the line, that I have no hot water and a bit of cold at various outlets. I have bypassed the softening system (built in valves). How can I 'rinse' all this stuff from my lines? (Mar 2, 2013) Bert

Reply:

Bert you'll need to remove all faucet strainers & shower heads to flush out the system; if that's not enough you may need to disassemble some of the water shutoff valves.

 

How to fix a Shuddering cold water line

My cold water tap and toilet make a shuddering noise just few months knw and none of the other units have this problem only me why can u help plse .
kind regards May 8, 2014) pink

Reply: water hammer troubles

Pink I think you're describing a water hammer problem - please see

inspectapedia.com/plumbing/Water_Hammer_Noise.php

 

How to fix a leak between water meter & supply pipe under a slab

There is a water leak between the water meter leading to the house and the supply pipe immediately under the slab leading to the kitchen sink. The water meter was replaced by the city because the bottom of it had rotted. However the leak continues.

When the water is turnded on from the street, the water leaks under the slab in front of the kitchen and in the yard in front of the kitchen. However it does not leak inside of the house.. What specific pieces of the water supply pipeline should be checked by a plumber? What are so possible causes of this problem? (June 3, 2014) Connie Jones

Reply:

Connie, it sounds as if the plumber will need to either excavate or drill below the slab to replace leaky supply piping or it may be less costly to abandon that supply and install new piping by another route.

There are in fact some underground underground boring machines that can do this job with much less disruption, and for larger pipes it's sometimes possible to run a re-lining pipe through the original. - Daniel F

 

Solve Poor water pressure, clogging of water system after a water main break

Had a water main break over the winter. It was recently fully repaired.

My water pressure has dropped off significantly. I have removed all strainers from faucets and cleaned out all debris.

Suddenly we have very little water very little water pressure today. I suspect that there is debris in the line between the the water main and the house. What can be done to diagnose and/or repair? (June 23, 2014) Kyle

Reply: check for a debris clogged water pressure regulator

Kyle, a likely clog spot could be at the house water pressure regulator.

 

 

Tips for how to clear silt out of water supply pipes

Tell me how to clear water supply pipes clogged with silt

My well water was full of silt/clay. The water is clearing up. However, I cannot get any water from some of the faucets. I think the silt/clay is clogging the pipes. How do I clear the water pipe? Thanks Joe (July 6, 2014)

Reply:

Joe

Start by unscrewing the filter/strainer at each faucet, run water full-speed to flush the line; clean the strainers before reinstalling them.

 

How to fix poor hot water pressure & flow from tankless instant LPG water heater

JAC

We have an old tankless Instant LPG water heater. It has worked perfectly till recently. Turn on the hot water it runs fine.

Turn on the cold water to mix and the temperature fluctuates from hot to cold. Cannot have a shower. Have now adjusted the hot water such that we only use the hot water and not the cold.

This problem does not occur in the kitchen or the bathroom sink only the shower. The shower head is new. HELP!

Reply:

JAC

Tankless heaters, most of them anyway, include a safety feature that will shut down the heater if the water flow rate through the heater is too slow - avoiding overheating and damage or unsafe conditions. When you turn on the cold water pressure you are reducing the overall house water pressure at the tankless heater inlet.

That small pressure drop combined with possibly slower flow due to mineral scale deposits in the heater itself may explain the change in your tankless heater performance.

If you can find an experienced installer who knows your system it may be possible to clean or de-scale the unit, restoring its full function.

See these hot water pressure diagnosis & repair articles

HOT WATER PRESSURE IMPROVEMENT

TANKLESS WATER HEATER REPAIR GUIDE

 

Is acid flushing of water piping somethiing a homeowner can do herself

(Sept 26, 2014) isa frongia said:
thankyou for all this info however after still researching on the Inspectapedia, what is the answer to the following question:

Is "acid flushing" for low water flow in a home doable on my own and how to do it?

I have this problem for all fawcets and we believe it is mineral buildup.
Please help on this one.

Reply:

Isa

I don't recommend do-it-yourself acid flusing of water pipes. An experienced plumber will get the job done faster, safer, and probably at lower cost than you can because she will

1. Already own an acid-resistant pony pump needed to circulate acid solution through the water piping system or coil or heater
2. Know how to find or install the necessary plumbing fittings to connect the pump and acid solution to the piping system
3. Have the acid, connecting pipes, and plumbing parts to install fittings right on the truck
4. Have experience dealing with acid

We have dirty water from municipal supplier - how can we improve it.

(Sept 27, 2014) ARUN MISHRA said:
The water supply which we receive from muncipal corporation is very dirty due to some supply problems. We cannot even use it for domestic purposes such as bathing washing etc. Is there any method to improve the water standard by use of any external kit for the whole bulding.

Reply:

Arun, I would

1. Discuss this issue with your municipal water supplier, as in most jurisdictions federal clean drinking water regulations require that the drinking water be safe and usable in community water supplies. Of course depending on where you live that may not be the case. So continuing, I woul d
2. Have the water tested to identify the contaminants.
3. Install a suitable water filter or treatment system depending on what is in the water supply

 

We have lower water pressure after municipal supplier changed the water meter

(Oct 31, 2014) Anonymous said:
Two years ago the water district came out and changed the meter at the curb. After that I noticed my water pressure decreased. Over time, I can only use one faucet at time. I cannot take a shower with the washing machine running at the same time.

The digital indicator flashes "no water" and the washing machine starts beeping. The water pressure in the entire home is extremely low. I notified the water district of the problem, and they came out to test the water pressure. Of course the pressure was fine from the street.

The water district advised the problem was on the property. I have the turned the water valve as far a I can to get the most water possible. Ignoring the problem is not making it better. Any suggestions?

Reply:

Anon:

Possibly the repair resulted in a blockage due to improper soldering or release of debris into the water system.

Pressure and flow are NOT the same thing at all. Measuring pressure alone won't diagnose this problem and is misleading.

Measure the flow rate at a faucet closest to the incoming water main.

 

 

Why is there no water pressure after replacing broken pipe

I replaced a broken section of pipe but now i have no water pressure tho the pump is pressrized where iyt needs to b and i can hear water in the pipes at the main to the house? 1 June 2015 gene

Reply:

Gene

I'd look for a solder or debris-blocked pipe or elbow or sink strainer screen or pressure regulator inlet, or for a valve someone forgot to open.

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Also see CLOGGED SUPPLY PIPES, DIAGNOSTIC FAQs

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• PEX BRASS CONNECTOR LEAKS where we discuss corrosion build-up in brass elbows & tees that can clog PEX piping systems.
• WATER PRESSURE BOOSTER PUMP
• WATER QUANTITY IMPROVEMENT - steps to increase well yield or other means to improve water flow into the well itself

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