low pressure- hot and cold faucet…

[Casualfc]

A month or so ago I had a faucet with a nasty leak (or two). I couldn't find parts, so I replaced the whole thing. It worked out fine for quite a while. No leaks, good pressure. Suddenly a few days ago, the pressure dropped by almost half on both the hot and cold sides. I have a 2-handled faucet. Pressure is fine on all other faucets, showers, etc. It's just this one.
I'm by no means a plumber and this is just a place I rent.
Any suggestions/solutions??

 

[Mikey]

Crud?

Is the flow restrictor (if any) or screen blocked?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Casualfc]

Thanks for the quick reply. How can I check if the flow restrictor or screen is blocked? Is this in the individual supply lines??

 

[Mikey]

Depends...

on the faucet. Post the brand, model, etc., and one of the real experts here can probably tell you off the top of his head. I'm an amateur and just poke around until I find what I'm looking for. Usually there's a screen assembly that is screwed into the business end of the faucet. On a new faucet, you might be able to unscrew it by hand, or you could use a pair of slip-joint pliers with some anti-scratch protection (I use a small piece of chamois). Some of the new high-style faucets are a lot trickier.

 

[Casualfc]

Thanks. The faucet is a Peerless P99675 two-handled (see attached picture). Is it as simple as removing the screen on the end? (where the water comes out?) The faucet is just over a month old so I wonder why there is a problem.

 

[PaulHG]

COULD very easily be that simple.
Every time I have to shut house water off -- I start getting complaints that the kitchen water pressure is way down.
Unscrew the screen blow and flush it out - and bingo - water pressure.

Wish my tub problem was that simple

 

[Casualfc]

Thanks again. I haven't had to shut house water off or do anything since I installed the new faucet, which makes the pressure thing strange.

I will try removing the screen and cleaning. It would be great if that's all it is. Could be too good to be true…

 

[Mikey]

It's a good bet

...since both H and C are affected, and it's only that faucet, and it's a two-handled job, about the only common thing is the spout. When you take the screw-in thing (it might be an aerator) off, be careful to take all the pieces apart and put them down in order, so you'll be able to get them all back together in the same order. Once they're off the faucet, turn on both the H and C water to flush anything out that might be lurking within. When you do that, keep a hand or strainer under the spout and turn the water on slowly, so as to catch any parts & pieces that may not have fallen out with the aerator assembly.

 

[Casualfc]

Wow, very simple but that worked. I unscrewed the aerator by hand and the flow restrictor fell out. I screwed the aerator back on without the restrictor and water flowed freely. Ideally I probably should put the restrictor back in. Any idea how it should sit? Probably kinda difficult to picture unless it's in front of you. I'll just try pushing it back in. My guess is that it fell down, and blocked the aerator, therefore low pressure.