Table Of Content
- What is the difference between water pressure and water flow?
- Clean the aerator on a low-pressure faucet.
- When Is It Time to Call a Plumber for Water Pressure Issues?
- Replace the water pressure regulator.
- Inspect your water meter to rule out hidden leaks.
- Install the New Regulator
- Step 4: If City Hall Can’t Do Anything for You, Install a Pressure Booster

The bigger problem is that water is leaking into the home, causing water damage, mold growth, and rot. If you're on a well system, a problem with the water supply is a much more concerning issue and can mean the well pump may not be running. This is can be cause by a mechanical problem, like a faulty motor or a tripped breaker, but it may also happen if the well runs dry. Contact a plumber that specializes in well systems to assess the situation and suggest the best course of action.
What is the difference between water pressure and water flow?
Consider installing a well pump with a higher flow capacity, which is measured by gallons per minute (GPM). You could also get a constant pressure system, which may help if you experience fluctuating pressure. The constant pressure system signals the well pump to begin refilling as soon as it senses a drop in pressure to ensure a consistent flow of water. Once you confirm the water pressure in your home is lower than average, you can work toward troubleshooting the issue. Fortunately, there are two easy solutions that can get your water pressure back to an average PSI reading of about 50 — a pressure-reducing valve and a water pressure booster.
Clean the aerator on a low-pressure faucet.
The following are some of the most frequently asked questions about how to increase water pressure. Starting or ending a long day with a weak shower is pretty unsatisfying, if not downright frustrating. When other around-the-house fixes rank as higher priorities, sometimes you just learn to live with poor water pressure. Even though you may tolerate a trickle, you should probably treat friends and family who come for a visit to something better.

When Is It Time to Call a Plumber for Water Pressure Issues?
By disassembling and thoroughly cleaning your shower head, you might be able to save yourself a phone call to the plumber. To install a water pressure booster, you need to use a soldering torch to cut the pipes. Care should always be taken when working with tools such as this. If you feel the project is beyond your comfort and skill level, it’s wise to call a plumber.
Replace the water pressure regulator.
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Turn on the faucet all the way and observe the pressure gauge to determine if your home has a standard water pressure between 40 – 80 psi. Suppose you’ve determined that your house has low water pressure. In that case, your first step is to see if you can increase it by adjusting the pressure-reducing valve (also known as a pressure regulator) on your home’s main water pipe.
Q: Why is the shower water pressure low when the toilet is flushed?
Homeowners consistently struggling with low water pressure or a fluctuating well system can typically increase water pressure like they would with any other system. While these are two simple solutions, troubleshooting can vary depending on the type of water system you have, like a water well, overhead tank or city water. Try troubleshooting the issue depending on your situation before buying any parts or attempting a DIY fix.

'That is going to remove that limescale and those hard water deposits and bring your shower head up like new.' she adds. Our guide on how to clean a showerhead doesn't require you to splash out on the best bathroom cleaners. Instead, try cleaning with vinegar or a budget-friendly baking soda cleaning hack instead. It's sod's law when appliances misfire when the manufacturer's warranty is up.
Step 4: If City Hall Can’t Do Anything for You, Install a Pressure Booster
In situations where your neighbors have good pressure but you don’t, the culprit may be a water pressure reducing valve. A previous owner may have had a regulator installed to limit the force of water diverted from the municipal supply line. If it turns out the water pressure reducing valve is causing your problem, call in a plumber to adjust the setting to allow for a higher flow rate. Just because a fixture has a poor flow or water pressure, don’t assume anything about the pipes yet.
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Water Flow Rate is how much volume of water is being delivered in a certain amount of time – most often calculated at gallons per minute, or gpm. The Art of Manliness participates in affiliate marketing programs, which means we get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links. We only recommend products we genuinely like, and purchases made through our links support our mission and the free content we publish here on AoM.
However, low pressure can be a problem for most fixtures in your home. We’ll cover some fixtures that can suffer from low pressure below. Those are some of the best ways to troubleshoot low water pressure in a home.
From there you will be able to determine whether your property is higher or lower than the water supplier, indicating whether you are more likely to have high or low water pressure. Your water pressure will also vary depending on where your home is situated to the nearest reservoir or water supply network. So if you live on top of a hill, for example, your water pressure is likely to be weaker as the water is fighting against gravity to reach your house. On the other hand, if you live at the bottom of a hill, your water flow is likely to be much stronger because gravity is helping to pull it down the hill to your property. The pressure switch turns the pump on and off when water pressure in the pressure tank reaches the cut-in and cut-out pressure respectively.
Resolve to finally achieve a healthy flow of water—for you and your houseguests—by trying these solutions for how to increase water pressure. Call your water company if you notice that your water pressure is immensely above normal standards. When the force exceeds 100 psi or more, this could indicate a problem in the water supply network. Functional flow is the volume of water flowing through your pipes and arriving at individual fixtures. Poor functional flow may be due to build-ups in the pipes or poor plumbing.