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  • #1

    Losing water pressure

    I live in a house that is 7 yrs old. For the past 3 yrs we have progressively been loosing water pressure. At first it wasn't a problem, but it has gotten too bad to bare. We have city water and had someone from the water co. come to the house to measure our water pressure.

    The employee told us that what is happening is that our water pressure is perfect at the street and at the water meter inside the home. Additionally, when we have 1 faucet opened the water pressure is still normal. However, when we have one faucet open and need to open another faucet (or flush a toilet) the water becomes a trickle. If the washing machine is running you cannot take a shower or wash dishes because the water is non exsistent.

    I was told I would need to install a booster pump, but I understand this helps low water pressure - not sure if it helps with water pressure loss. I was also told to change my pipes from 1/2" to 3/4". These options seem a little drastic to me and I keep thinking there has to be a better way.

    With a newborn in the house - I really need to be able to multitask and do things like wash dishes and laundry at the same time, which right now is impossible.

    Any information anyone could provide me with any information that I would need to know what this problem is and how to FIX it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
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  • #2
    Ideally the water department is correct. If pressure at the main valve is the same as the mains pressure then the problem lies in your internal plumbing. from the main valve you should have 3/4 inch as a feed and where you tap off for fixtures you use a 3/4 x 1/2 x 3/4 T. Same for the hot water heater. Come off the tank with 3/4 and distribute with 1/2".

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    • #3
      Losing water pressure

      Originally posted by HayZee518 View Post
      Ideally the water department is correct. If pressure at the main valve is the same as the mains pressure then the problem lies in your internal plumbing. from the main valve you should have 3/4 inch as a feed and where you tap off for fixtures you use a 3/4 x 1/2 x 3/4 T. Same for the hot water heater. Come off the tank with 3/4 and distribute with 1/2".

      Thank you so much for your reply.

      Are you saying that I should replace the pipes in my home? Is this the only option I have?

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      • #4
        I'm afraid so. If you go into a store someplace with an open grid of piping for an overhead sprinkler system look carefully at the piping. what you'll see coming off the standpipe is a rather large pipe, say 4 inch running the length of the line you'll also see that the pipe diameter reduces every so many feet and still has 1/2" or 3/4" sprinkler heads on it. The very tail end of the line the diameter has reduced to about a 1 inch line with a sprinkler at the very end. Same mainifold reduction size should exist in your home. with a 1/2 inch copper pipe you can have say 60 lbs of pressure and with a 3 inch pipe you can also have 60 lbs of pressure but open one end, the volume decreases so will the pressure. your fixtures use 3/8 inch flex copper or brass tubing, so the pressure is once again decreased.

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        • #5
          Did the city check the water pressure when you were using water inside to see what the pressure was or did they check it when nothing was being used, there is a big difference. A half inch pipe should be able to keep up with more than just one fixture at one time, if there is a restriction in the supply from the city the only way to find out is to check the water pressure at the same time a faucet is being used and see what the pressure drops to. In 30 years of plumbing I have only installed one booster pump and that was because a new water tank was installed and it was 10 feet shorter then the old one. And if a booster pump is installed there are certain codes that need to be followed to keep from pulling a vacum on the city main

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          • #6
            Thank you much for your response. I will have the city send someone else out to my home to do a more detailed check. I have a feeling that the work that was done originally was done by someone who wanted to leave here rather quickly.

            At the end since my home is already built, it is rather difficult for me to replace all the piping throughout the home without having to tear down walls (which I don't want to do).

            The city employee that came out orginally had mentioned something about a main filter in the water line that could be clogged and I should look at it. Where in the world would this filter be? I just figured if the filter is on the city line why wouldn't the water company be responsible for cleaning this filter or at least checking it. They told me that only a plumber can do this and it would be my responsibility.

            Any more comments on this - I feel completely lost with this situation and totally frustrated about the water pressure...I just can't believe that home builders are allowed to get away with using smaller water pipes knowing these situations can happen over years.

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            • #7
              Water Pressure

              You don't have to rip out walls to get at the piping. Most of your "home runs" should be accessible in the basement. 1/2" copper tubing is actually 5/8" diameter but I don't want to confuse you. The distribution line [should] be 3/4 copper. As far as a whole house filter, if you are on a public water system I don't know why they would install a whole house filter. unless the water is brackish tasting or has sulphur in it.
              The filter would be in the main line after the meter.

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              • #8
                On a lot of meters there is a inlet screen on the water meter to keep trash or debris from going thru the meter since the cheap ones can be damaged. Ask the water company if they checked this screen on there side of the meter, some places will not check this and require you or a licensed plumber to check it and make sure it isnt clogged

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                • #9
                  Testing Filter

                  I checked all my water pipes in the basement I have all the main line at 3/4" and the distribution lines that go to the faucets at 1/2". I think at the end I probably have a clogged filter. The water company told me I should get a plumber to check it out. My thought is - why wouldn't the water company do this themselves if the filter is located on the line before the meter. Isn't that the water company's line and their responsibility? Anyways, I think this is the only thing that it could be.

                  Does anyone know how I could check and clean this filter myself in the main line? I have 2 levers to shut off the water before the water meter. Is the filter in between those 2 levers or before that?

                  Anyone have any advice as to where this filter is and how I can clean this myself?

                  Thanks


                  Originally posted by jnaas2 View Post
                  On a lot of meters there is a inlet screen on the water meter to keep trash or debris from going thru the meter since the cheap ones can be damaged. Ask the water company if they checked this screen on there side of the meter, some places will not check this and require you or a licensed plumber to check it and make sure it isnt clogged

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                  • #10
                    If the meter is located in a pit outside there will be a 1/4 turn shutoff valve in the pit where the city can turn the water off and put a lock on it . On each side off the valve are nuts that you loosen up that are part of a union, there are rubber washers dont loose them or ask the city guys for new ones in case the old ones are too old and hard to reuse. Pull the meter out and on the intake side there is a screen that can be cleaned on some, yours may not have and it may be a supply issue from the city side. Some meters they installed inside houses cant be removed easily to keep people from messing with them. Put a pressure gauge a wall hydrant and run some water from a faucet and see what pressure you can maintain

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