How to fix building water pressure problems originating at a water pump, pump control switch or water tank.
This article series describes how to adjust building water pressure by setting the water pump cut-in and cut-out pressure on the well water pump pressure control switch.
We also point to our article on how to adjust building municipal or community water pressure at a building.
InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.
- Daniel Friedman, Publisher/Editor/Author - See WHO ARE WE?
Water Tank & Pump & Pressure Diagnosis & Repair How-To Articles
How to Adjust Water Pump Pressure: The detailed, step by step procedure for inspecting and adjusting the water pressure control switch is
discussed in detail beginning at WATER PRESSURE CONTROL SWITCH ADJUSTMENTS.
Diagnose & Cure Water Pump Short Cycling on and off: If your water pump is clicking on and off too often or quite rapidly see SHORT CYCLING.
At WATER TANK AIR, HOW TO ADD we discuss adding the right amount of air to a non-bladder steel or glass-lined well tank - a cure for short-cycling.
Diagnose Water Pressure Drops without explanation when the pump stops, see WATER PRESSURE FALLS SLOWLY, ERRATIC PUMP: bad pressure control switch, building water running or leak, bad pressure gauge, bad check valve, bad foot valve.
Diagnose & Repair Poor or Lost Water Pressure and Flow: we still have water flowing but pressure and flow quantity are reduced.
Diagnose & Repair Lost Air in the Water Tank: The problem of lost air in the water pressure tank along with how to correct that condition are discussed
beginning at SIGNS OF AIR LOSS.
Diagnose & Repair a Water Pressure Control or Water Pump Control Switch: We discuss diagnosing and repairing a water pressure control switch that sticks "on" or "off" or simply won't operate, at water pump Pressure Switch Repairs.
How to boost water pressure in a building by installing a pressure booster pump and pressure tank is discussed in detail at WATER PRESSURE BOOSTER PUMP
Water pressure switch sticks on or off: We discuss diagnosing and repairing a water pressure control switch that sticks "on" or "off" or simply won't operate, at water pump Pressure Switch Repairs.
Water pump on-time: if the length of time that you can run water between pump turning on and off is short, say just a minute or less, the pump is short cycling (WATER PUMP SHORT CYCLE STOP VALVE) - or your water pressure tank is a small one that doesn't give a big draw down cycle (WATER TANK: USES, TROUBLESHOOTING)
Water tank bladder pre-charge pressure: At WATER TANK BLADDER PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT we discuss fine tuning the pump pressure control switch to work perfectly with the exact air pressure pre-charge in a bladder type well tank.
Check For Other Causes of Bad Water Pressure
If you have increased the water pump switch cut-in or cut-on pressure to a higher number, say 30 psi you may often find that this does not fix a building-wide water pressure problem.
Low water pressure is intermittent might in fact point to a problem with the well flow rate itself. (WELL YIELD DEFINITION)
Once the well pump turns on and presuming you are running water continuously, especially if more than one fixture is running, you may see that your pump runs continuously until you turn the water off. If this is the case, it's not the starting water pressure setting that is at fault, it's the pump or piping or well that is limiting the water flow rate.
Often this means that the water flow rate through the system, from well through pump and pipes, elbows, valves, etc. is just not enough to meet the building water flow rate demand, and further diagnosis is in order.
Sometimes the cause of poor building water pressure is traced to an unexpected clogged supply pipe or to a valve that is partly closed. Our photo (above left) of copper supply piping (above left) was sent by reader Tom.C. who was tracking down a clog in the supply piping that meant poor water pressure from the point of the fitting you see above onwards through the plumbing fixtures served by that pipe.
Or use the SEARCH BOX found below to Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia
Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia
Questions & answers or comments about Setting the Water Pump Pressure Switch and Improving Water Pressure.
Try the search box just below, or if you prefer, post a question or comment in the Comments box below and we will respond promptly.
Search the InspectApedia website
Note: appearance of your Comment below may be delayed:if your comment contains an image, photograph, web link, or text that looks to the software as if it might be a web link, your posting will appear after it has been approved by a moderator. Apologies for the delay.
Only one image can be added per comment but you can post as many comments, and therefore images, as you like.
You will not receive a notification when a response to your question has been posted. Please bookmark this page to make it easy for you to check back for our response.
IF above you see "Comment Form is loading comments..." then COMMENT BOX - countable.ca / bawkbox.com IS NOT WORKING.
In any case you are welcome to send an email directly to us at InspectApedia.com ateditor@inspectApedia.com
We'll reply to you directly. Please help us help you by noting, in your email, the URL of the InspectApedia page where you wanted to comment.
Citations & References
In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.
Thank you to Jason Gapco at Education Solutions for careful editing and text suggestions, 12/2008
Thank you to Steven Prior, a reader, for questions leading to our clarification of the function of the large and small pump pressure control switch springs, and for his photograph of the pump switch springs, 3/23/2009
Thanks to reader Rise for pointing out that turning a nut clockwise means "to the right" or to the "more tight" position in the convention of how most threaded devices work. Nov 2009.
Thanks to reader Don Travis for discussing water pump adjustment details - July 2010
Pumptrol™ Pressure Switch Adjustment, Square D, Schneider Electric Corporation, 8001 Knightdale Blvd., Knightdale< NC 27545 1-888-778-2733 - Square D Technical Library, web search 07/24/2010 original source: http://ecatalog.squared.com/techlib/docdetail.cfm?oid=09008926800a93be
Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
In addition to citations & references found in this article, see the research citations given at the end of the related articles found at our suggested
Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. Tel: (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 Email: info@carsondunlop.com. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
Carson Dunlop Associates provides extensive home inspection education and report writing material. In gratitude we provide links to tsome Carson Dunlop Associates products and services.