Low water pressure is a common problem in households which can be extremely irritating. However, there are lots of steps that can be taken to improve your water pressure without having to call in a plumber.
It’s important to find out if the problem is just affecting your household or if it is affecting your neighbours too. If you live in a block of flats this is quite likely as water needs to be pumped up to the higher levels and if the pump being used is not adequate then this will lead to low water pressure. If this is the case for you then you need to get in touch with your buildings manager to make sure they address the problem.
If other people on your street are affected by low water pressure then it’s probably best to call in a plumber as the problem will be more widespread than just your home and water pipes buried under the street may need to be accessed.
If after investigation it appears that the problem is just in your home then the first thing you should do is check your water valve, which is the point at which all water travels from the main plumbing system gets into your home. Sometimes the problem can be as simple as your water valve not being fully opened. Make sure your valve is properly turned on.
If the problem persists the next thing to do is to check for obstructions within the body of your tap. You can do this by unscrewing the top of the tap and taking a look inside. Even a tiny pebble or piece of grit can affect the water pressure so make sure you have no obstructions.
If these steps do not resolve the problem then you will need to dig a little deeper and call in a plumber. They will use water pressure test equipment to get to the root of the problem and find the point which is affecting your water pressure. This could be a broken or damaged pipe or an obstruction, or it could be that the pump used to get water into your home is damaged or inadequate.
Once the plumber has discovered what the problem is it should be resolved fairly easily and quickly.