There’s nothing quite like waking up or coming back to your San Antonio, TX, home at the end of a long day and taking a shower. However, your shower won’t be as pleasant if your home has water pressure issues. Low water pressure can also affect the performance of other plumbing fixtures in your home, including your refrigerator’s ice machine, the dishwasher, and your washing machine. If you’ve noticed water pressure problems in your home, the team at Beyer Plumbing offers these tips that you can use before you contact us or while you wait for a plumber to arrive at your home.
Check Each Fixture
If you notice low water pressure from a fixture in your home, check all of the other fixtures. It’s possible the problem is simply that the dishwasher is running or an outside faucet is being used. When the problem is localized to just one fixture in your home, chances are good that it’s a problem with the fixture rather than your home’s main water supply or the city water supply. If you discover a localized problem, such as all of your upstairs fixtures have low pressure but the downstairs fixtures are fine, there could be a plumbing problem. If every fixture in your home has low water pressure, you’ll have some additional sleuthing to do.
Ask Your Neighbors
If every fixture in your home has low water pressure, your next step is to contact your neighbors. This helps you figure out if the problem is with the water main line on your property or if there’s a neighborhood issue. Try to talk with several neighbors who live behind, next to, or across from you. If they also have low water pressure, consider contacting the city water services department. They can tell you if there is a water main break or some other issue causing a local water supply problem. If none of your neighbors are having water pressure problems, then it’s time to call our plumbers in order to determine what type of plumbing issue is affecting your home.
Find Out If Hydrants Are Being Flushed
Once every six to 12 months, the water department or fire department flushes the water hydrants. Doing this is important because it ensures that the water will flow if the fire department needs to put out a fire. The stagnant water in the supply lines to the fire hydrants could rust or corrode the hydrant, and flushing it gets rid of the buildup.
If several homes in your area have low water pressure, it’s possible that the fire department or water department is flushing some of the local hydrants. You can contact the non-emergency line in order to find out. You could also take a walk, bike ride, or drive through the area or ask your neighborhood association on social media. Some fire and water departments will post on their social media pages about the locations where they are flushing hydrants.
Measure the Pressure at the Municipal Supply Line Pressure Regulator
The way to check your home’s water pressure is at the municipal supply line water pressure regulator. This is located where the cold-water pipe enters your house. The pressure level should be about 40 pounds per square inch. If it’s lower than this, slowly open the water supply valve. If it’s already all the way open and the pressure is still low, you’ll need to call a professional. If opening the supply valve more restores proper water pressure to your home, you may still want to arrange for a plumbing inspection in case there’s an issue brewing in your pipes or main water line.
Check the Main Supply Valve
It’s possible that a repair technician or someone in your home tightened the main supply valve for the water. This valve regulates the flow of water into your home. Turn the valve slowly. You may need a wrench in order to turn it. If it’s all the way open and your home still has low water pressure, you may have a leak in your home’s main water line.
Flush the Water Heater
If only the hot water has a pressure problem, consider flushing your water heater. The water heater tank may have too much mineral or sediment buildup. This buildup could clog the outlet. If you’ve noticed a rust color in the hot water or little bits of debris in hot water, flushing the water heater could solve this water pressure problem. Flushing the water heater is a big job with a risk for injury and water damage to your home if it’s done the wrong way. It’s a good idea to have our professional plumbers do this for you.
Clean the Aerators
Each faucet in your home has an aerator. The aerator is partly responsible for the pressure of the water. San Antonio’s water often causes calcium to deposit on aerators and showerheads. The buildup clogs the aerator’s openings. If just one fixture has low water flow or low pressure, remove the aerator and clean it in white vinegar. The acidic vinegar dissolves the calcium mineral buildup.
Install New Washers and Aerators
A bad washer or aerator could cause low water pressure at one fixture. These are relatively easy to replace. You’ll need to shut off the water supply to that fixture. Each fixture in your home has its own supply valve. Unscrew the aerator. Between the aerator and fixture head, there’s a washer. If either the washer or the aerator has degraded, rusted, or broken, replace them.
Replace Corroded Fixtures or Pipes
A main water supply line has a lifespan of about 50 years. If yours has reached this time, it could be the cause of your low water pressure. A leaky water supply line has the potential to flood your home and cause major damage to your property. A damaged pipe inside your home could also be the cause of low water pressure. These repairs are best left to licensed plumbers.
A work permit is required in order to do a main water line replacement, and the city of San Antonio will send an inspector in order to ensure that the repair is done correctly. During these repairs, the supply of water to your home will be shut off. Our certified plumbers can replace a main water line in one day.
Arrange a Leak Inspection
A water leak could cause a loss of water pressure to several or all of the fixtures in your home. If you’ve noticed peeling paint or wallpaper, soggy drywall, mold growth, or rust-colored stains on walls, ceilings, or floors, chances are high that there’s a water leak somewhere in your home. Water flows in the path of least resistance. The area where you see stains or paint damage might not be the exact location of the leaky pipe. Our plumbers offer leak detection and inspection services. We use infrared lights in order to find the source of leaking water.
Beyer Plumbing is San Antonio’s trusted source for fixing all types of water pressure problems. Our skilled plumbers are also ready to provide you with dependable tankless water heaters, water quality systems, emergency repairs, and replacement services. We also offer maintenance plans to keep your plumbing system working properly. To learn more or schedule services, contact Beyer Plumbing in San Antonio today.
