How to Increase Flow on Faucets

Increas the flow of water from your faucet.

If you are experiencing a decreased water flow from your faucet, consider troubleshooting the problem yourself before you call in a professional plumber. It is possible that the restricted water flow is being caused by a simple clog in the faucet mechanism. If after following these simple steps you find that the problem still exists, you can then call in a licensed plumber.

Things You'll Need

• Large container
• Penetrating oil
• Basin wrench
• Straight pin
• White vinegar

Instructions

1. Find the shut-off valves that are connected to the faucet under the sink. Turn the cold water on at the faucet and check to make sure the valves are working properly. Check the hot water and turn the valves off. Check for drips in the faucet after the valves have been turned off. Replace the valves if drips are present.

2. Place a large container underneath the faucet valve to capture any drips of water that may fall from the pipes. Shut off the main water supply to the faucet and disconnect the drain lines if they are in the way.

3. Skip to Step 4 if you do not have a garbage disposal under the sink. Disconnect the garbage disposal if there is one and remove it from under the sink. Set it aside. Find the main service circuit panel and check to see if the garbage disposal is directly wired. Disconnect it if it is directly wired. Keep the wires attached to the garbage disposal and set it aside in the cabinet.

4. Place the faucet nut threads in penetrating oil and soak for 15 minutes. Use the basin wrench to loosen the faucet. Disconnect the faucet from the sink.

5. Loosen the hardware on the faucet and open it up. Disconnect the aerator located at the end of the faucet and set it aside.

6. Look inside the faucet body to locate the washerless cartridges. Make sure the cartridges are not obstructed with debris that will clog up the tiny holes in the cartridges. Check to see if the cartridges have flow restrictors near them, which are used to minimize the amount of water flow. Make sure there is no debris in the holes in the restrictors.

7. Disassemble the aerator and locate the plastic or metal round disks. Force a pin through all of the tiny holes within the disks to remove any debris.

8. Heat up the white vinegar in a large container. Place the aerator disks, washerless cartridges and flow restrictors in the container. Let all of the pieces soak overnight to remove any existing hard water deposits.

9. Assemble all of the pieces back together. Reconnect the garbage disposal and the faucet to the sink. Open the shut-off valves and very slowly turn the main water supply back on. Check to see if the water flow has increased.

10. Refer to the owner's manual that accompanied the faucet at the time of purchase to troubleshoot any other problems that may be causing poor water flow if the steps above do not help.

References

• Ask the Builder: Low Water Pressure in Faucets
• Family Handyman: How to Replace a Kitchen Faucet