How to Troubleshoot Water Pressure

A well-working kitchen faucet.

Low water pressure can actually waste water. Shower times will increase, since the low water pressure takes longer to rinse shampoo, conditioner and soap off the body. Dishwashers operating with low water pressure will often leave bits of food on the dishes, making hand-washing or a rerun in the dishwasher necessary, which uses more water. The good news is that troubleshooting water pressure in your home is easy. If you complete these steps and discover that you do have low water pressure, you will need to contact a plumber.

Things You'll Need

• 1-quart container

Instructions

1. Remove the screw cap from the underside of a faucet in your home. They can usually be removed easily with just your hands.

2. Place the 1-quart container underneath the faucet. Make sure the container is empty before proceeding.

3. Turn on the faucet and count the seconds it takes for the container to fill. If needed, use a kitchen timer or a wall clock to time. If the container takes more than nine seconds to fill to the top, you may have low water pressure.

4. Replace the screw cap and call a plumber if you have low water pressure.

Tips & Warnings

• A booster pump will be needed for low water pressure. Contact your plumber for pricing and more information about installing booster pumps.

• Do not use a wrench to remove screw caps from the faucet or replace them after you have checked for low water pressure. A wrench can bend or scratch them.

References

• Maytag Troubleshooting

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish