So here is everything I know right now. When I run 2 faucets at the same time or shower and a faucet, I have almost no water pressure. When I only run the shower or the faucet I have good water pressure. The main water shutoff is all the way open. There is no PRV near the main water shutoff that I can see, unless it is in the wall. I checked the static water pressure from the hose spigot and it read 100 psi. I checked the meter at the street and the meter was not running so there does not seem to be a leak anywhere. Any recommendations on what to do next would be very helpful.
Low Water Pressure
- Thread starter Teeej316
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Get your own garden hose thread pressure gauge, if you don't already have one. Costs under $20, and sometimes under 10. Check the pressure at the hose spigot and the water heater drain while running those two faucets at the same time. Knowing those two pressures would help track where the pressure drop comes from.
You could make a movie of the gauge, or start the faucets, go read the gauge, and then turn off the faucets.
Do you have a cartridge filter or other water filter? Do you have a softener? Either of these could be the cause of a pressure drop during flow.
You could make a movie of the gauge, or start the faucets, go read the gauge, and then turn off the faucets.
Do you have a cartridge filter or other water filter? Do you have a softener? Either of these could be the cause of a pressure drop during flow.
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I do not have a water filter or a water softener. I can check the hose spigot while running those faucets. Also, it is not just those faucets that cause a drop, it happens when running multiple of any faucets, showers or toilets in the house. Is there anything I need to do before checking the pressure at the water heater drain?
It would be good if you ran some water out of a garden hose from that drain first, in case there has been some debris accumulated.
To check the pressure at the WH, attach the gauge with the drain valve closed. You could connect the gauge to the drain itself, or to a hose connected to the drain. Open the drain valve -- usually by rotating CCW. Take your pressure tests. Close the valve again. Remove the gauge.
Dj2
In the Trades
Q: Do you know what kind of pipes you have? Do you have galvanized pipes, galvanized nipples leading to the faucet connectors?
Dj2
In the Trades
Next, you will have to see whether water comes out freely out of every angle stop under every sink, some of those could be partially blocked.
To do so, you shut the angle stop, disconnect the flex connector to the faucet at the faucet end, put this end into a bowl or pail and slowly turn the water back on.
Is the pressure good? Continue to the next one. Not good? Here's your problem.
When you finish, report back.
To do so, you shut the angle stop, disconnect the flex connector to the faucet at the faucet end, put this end into a bowl or pail and slowly turn the water back on.
Is the pressure good? Continue to the next one. Not good? Here's your problem.
When you finish, report back.
I bought a new water pressure gauge and checked the pressure on the hose spigot without any water on inside the house and it read 120. I turned on two faucets and it dropped to 20. I then checked the pressure on the drain valve of the water heater without any water on in the house, it read 120. I then turned on two faucets and it also dropped to 20.
Now you know that the restriction is before the pipe tees off to the outside faucets. So either you have a PRV problem, which could simply have a clogged screen, or the supply to the house is restricted somehow.
Another test is what is the water pressure at the WH with no water being used. If that read say 60, then you could have a working PRV or semi-working PRV, but the outside spigot tees off before the PRV (fairly common). But in that case, the PRV screen would not be the suspect.
So I think the deal is to start checking the path to the meter from the house. You may want to ask the water department to help troubleshoot after you give them the data you know so far. I suspect they will be helpful rather than saying that's your problem.
The WH with no water being used read 120, the same as the hose spigot without water being used. I have the water company coming out, they said they will test the water meter and replace it if it is having problems. It is the original water meter.
Good deal. If the problem is between the meter and your house, you will probably have to run a new line.
You should also plan to get a PRV and a thermal expansion tank installed.
Jadnashua
Retired Defense Industry Engineer xxx
You have a volume problem AND a pressure problem. FWIW, you should not have 120psi water pressure in your home...code calls for a maximum of 80psi. Functionally, static pressure is the same (less elevation changes) everywhere in the system...big drops in pressure (dynamic pressure) means there's a restriction somewhere or the system is just trying to dispense too much (not an issue, or shouldn't be in a home with one or two things open).
But, your symptoms are a possibility of a failed pressure reduction valve...if you don't have one, one should be in your future along with an expansion tank or you'll be having issues with your water heater, too.
Your supply pipe could have become kinked, or the main shutoff could have failed. The more common thing would be a clogged, rusted internally, galvanized pipe somewhere. It's also possible, but much less common, that a stone or something similar got wedged in your pipe. Sometimes, they'll use a gate valve for that shut off (many prefer to use a 1/4-turn ball valve) and the gate has broken from the shaft. The symptom of that is that the handle just turns and no longer actually does anything going either way.
But, your symptoms are a possibility of a failed pressure reduction valve...if you don't have one, one should be in your future along with an expansion tank or you'll be having issues with your water heater, too.
Your supply pipe could have become kinked, or the main shutoff could have failed. The more common thing would be a clogged, rusted internally, galvanized pipe somewhere. It's also possible, but much less common, that a stone or something similar got wedged in your pipe. Sometimes, they'll use a gate valve for that shut off (many prefer to use a 1/4-turn ball valve) and the gate has broken from the shaft. The symptom of that is that the handle just turns and no longer actually does anything going either way.
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