# Low water pressure throughout house



## shan2themax

I have low water pressure throughout the house I just bought.  It comes out like a garden hose basically..... anyways... this house years ago use to have a well.... the tank and pump are still attatched to the hotwater tank in the garage... I was wondering if maybe that was the problem?  the pump isnt even plugged in, and truthfully, I would like to get rid of the two things... they are unsightly and well, they arent needed.... I can take a picture of them today if needed.  It doesnt matter how much you turn the knobs the pressure never comes up.... when I go over there today, maybe I will see how long it takes to fill up a 5 gallon bucket.

Any suggestions would be appreciated, also.... how to get rid of those parts would be nice also.


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## CraigFL

Buy one of those cheap water pressure gages at Home Depot and find out what the pressure is at various taps around your home. Have the city check the pressure into your home too...


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## Kerrylib

Check the water pressure at various places while you have water running also.

If you check water pressure at a "slow" faucet and it seems to be fine, you're problem is likely a restriction somewhere.  When water is flowing you will get a drop in pressure behind it, but as soon as you close the valve, the pressure will come back up.  Hook the gauge up to a line, then open a valve elsewhere and observe the pressure.  If you see a large pressure drop on the gauge, then the flow restriction is upstream of both faucets.  If it stays steady, then the restriction is somewhere after the gauge.

You should have a "main" shutoff valve.  Make sure it is fully opened.  Try to follow your plumbing and see if you find any valves or anything that would indicate an obstruction.  Check under the sink for shutoff valves that could be the culprits.

Since the house was originally on a well, your piping could be corroded from perhaps poor quality well water.  It may have corrosion built up on the inside that is choking the flow down to nothing more than a pencil's diameter.

Unscrew the strainer screen on the faucets and see if they are clogged up.  Probably the first, easiest, and often overlooked thing to check.  If you have crud in the pipes, the strainer is going to collect this stuff.  When you have it off, open the faucets all the way and flush out anything that may be in there.  If this is indeed the problem you are going to get LOTS more water than you are used to, so plan accordingly so you don't get a surprise shower from the splashback.


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## Daryl in Nanoose

Another thing you might want to check is your water meter. Make sure all your taps are off and go out and pop the lid of your meter box. You will see a small triange in a guage, it should not be turning if you have no water running, if it is moving then you have a leak or at least water running somewhere.


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## shan2themax

Kerrylib said:


> You should have a "main" shutoff valve.  Make sure it is fully opened.  Try to follow your plumbing and see if you find any valves or anything that would indicate an obstruction.  Check under the sink for shutoff valves that could be the culprits.
> 
> Since the house was originally on a well, your piping could be corroded from perhaps poor quality well water.  It may have corrosion built up on the inside that is choking the flow down to nothing more than a pencil's diameter.



OK.... nothing stuck in the strainers... there is a vavle in the garage before the well pump and water tank... I am assuming that I should check that?  I will take a picture of it tomorrow... I didnt get to take one this past weekend... it has the same amount of flow no matter which faucet you turn on.... it doesnt go down if more than one faucet is on at a time either.... so.... in addition to the pressure... In order to get rid of the pump and the pressure tank do I just need to replace water line from the 'shut off valve' to the hot water tank?


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## shan2themax

OK, so I took pictures, but, since I moved this weekend, I cant find my cable to download the pictures...... so, an update though.... the hot water has slightly more pressure than the cold water?   IS that significant?  Also... any ideas on how to get rid of the pressure tank and pump since I am not using the well??????


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## shan2themax

ok, so today I got under the house and just took a chance that the valve closest to the water meter would be the safe bet!!  So, there was a regulator and I took the chance that if counterclockwise solved high water pressure, clockwise had to solve low water pressure... tada... I have better pressure and I also found a stop and drain valve..... and.... I also installed an icemaker today in my freezer..... it even makes ice......


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## inspectorD

Having ice is the goal of all lemonade drinkers.
Sounds like you are plugin right along and learning where things are and how they work...you should be proud. 

Just get under ther again and see how everthing is holding up, Crawlspaces are always forgotten about and always cause alot of damage when there are water problems. 

Have fun.


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## TFSpaniel

We have had low water pressure for years.  Plumbers say old galvanized pipes are the cause with sediment impeding water flow.  The city says the same.  

Do to extremely hot weather this summer the street buckled and broke the city water main.  They repaired it but we then had no water pressure at all.  Called the city and they inadvertently damaged our supply line from the main.  They re-dug the hole and replaced our service from the main and our water meter.  Our pressure now is 80% better.  My point of service hot water will now function even when the toilet is flushed.
Thank God for the main break for once since 1971 we have great pressure.  Incidently our house was built in 1861.


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## Speedbump

I think they used bamboo plumbing in 1861, so it's probably been changed a few times.  Galvanized would be a modern improvement since 1861 _

Chances are, there was never a softener in the plumbing, so the pipes were just allowed to keep building up until, there was practically no flow at all.


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