• Home
  • Top 5 Cause of Low Water Pressure

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

What causes low water pressure in your house?

Low water pressure is more common than you may think. Everyone has experienced the irritation of dealing with low water pressure at least once. It makes simple daily activities, such as showering, running the dishwasher, doing laundry and watering the lawn difficult as these tasks can’t be completed at the same time without constant pressure.


Here are some usual causes of low water pressure with some possible solutions:


  1. Improper Pump Sizing
    2. An improperly sized pump can under pressurize a water system. To ensure adequate pressure throughout your water system, have a certified pump installer properly size your pump. Factors they will take into consideration are friction loss in piping, horizontal and vertical runs, and the depth and capabilities of your water source, to name a few. Ideally, a properly sized pump will provide your desired water pressure at the furthest point of your water system.
  2. Consumption
    3. If you have multiple people living in one household, there comes a point when 2 or more people may be using water at the same time from different water fixtures. For example, have you ever had a shower then all of a sudden the water pressure fluctuates? That fluctuation occurred because someone may have flushed the toilet, started a load of laundry or the dishwasher.
  3. Location
    4. Pressure will be affected by the height of a property in relation to the local area around it. If your house is at the top of a hill, you may receive lower pressure than properties at the bottom of the hill, especially during busy times of the day such as mornings, early evening and during summer. Same goes for those living in an apartment or condo at or near the top floor.
  4. Debris, Mineral and Corrosion Buildup in Pipes
    5. Debris, such as; sand, dirt and pollutants, can enter your home’s pipes when a water main fractures. Mineral deposits are a common problem in older homes with galvanized iron pipes. Deposits are normally located in horizontal pipes and are caused by hot water reacting with the metal. If the pipes in your home are old, they may have also become corroded, restricting the water flow.
  5. Plumbing Leaks
    6. To check for a leak, read your water meter before going to bed and again in the morning before you use any water. If the figures are different, you may have a leak. If you don’t have a meter, listen for hissing sounds from inside pipes or look for damp patches or very obvious green patches on your grass. A leak can also occur in your existing pressure tank causing low pressure or a more serious problem such as water hammer which can damage your plumbing. If so, it might be time to switch your pressure tank or adjust the air pressure in the bladder.

If any of these are the cause or assumed to be the cause of low water pressure, it is best to hire a certified plumbing service to thoroughly inspect the issue.

Our Solutions:

We offer two solutions to help solve your low water pressure problem; a constant pressure system or a pressure boosting system. The different between these two systems is the constant pressure system regulates your water outflow to your desired PSI and the pressure boosting system increases your house hold water pressure but fluctuates at different PSI levels. The most common household solution is the pressure boosting system but as constant pressure systems are becoming more known, they are quickly becoming the most widely used.

Constant Pressure Systems



Monodrive:

The perfect plug and play solution. Simply remove your existing Franklin Control box and replace it with Franklin’s Monodrive to achieve any constant pressure of your choosing all over your home.


Subdrive:

Franklin’s Subdrive takes 1 phase power and converts it to 3 phases. This allows you to use smaller less expensive pump cable and still get the water pressure that you want, even on those larger pump systems and deeper wells.

Pressure Boosting Systems

Franklin Inline 400:

The Inline 400 is designed to be a compact and economical way to meet various pressure boosting needs. The unit’s symmetrical design allows for easy installation (mounting either vertically or horizontally) while also enabling it to work with existing plumbing configurations. Integrated controls and protection, coupled with a proven Franklin pump and motor create a powerful, yet quiet, solution to most pressure improvement needs.


For pressure boosting or constant pressure installation, contact your local certified plumbing services.

For more information on low water pressure causes or any questions related to our constant pressure or pressure boosting systems, contact Scott at 1-888-444-8497 or scott@vanislewater.com