Low pressure on City water

I need some help understanding why there is a lack of water pressure coming from the kitchen fauset, It seems like about 25% of what it should be. I checked the values underneath and they are opened all the way. This is a Townhouse that is on city water. In the garage there are pipes with what looks like a large main value followed by two small values. I would need a large special wrench if I were to try and open that larger value, but would be afraid that I would do something wrong. Oh yes I check the strainer on the faucet itself to see if it was clog...no luck.


Thanks,


Steve

Go to a plumbing store or a big box store and pick up a water pressure gauge. They cost around $10. It will screw onto a hose bib (faucet) or other places if you buy adapters. See what your actual water pressure is.

People get volume and pressure confused...you could have old pipes, and the internal volume may be restricted (especially if it is say made of galvanized iron pipe). your pressure may be fine, but the available volume may be compromised. Could be a restriction anywhere, too. Unhook the hose from the shutoff to the faucet, and then turn the shutoff back on directed into a bucket and see what happens. That will isolate it to the faucet or the supply line.

Does this faucet have a spray attachment? Is it a pull-out?

I'll list some common problems:

1. spray diverter internal to the faucet gets plugged with debris. Sometimes, a quick on-off of the spray attachment will break it loose. More often, the faucet must be disassembled and the diverter cleaned.

2. Pull-out faucet. Moen is particularly bad - they have flow restrictors both in the line to the spout and the spout itself. Either could be plugged or restrictive.

3. Stainless steel covered supply tubes - if twisted, they often will kink internally and the fix is simply to loosen the nut slightly at the lower end, twist it until water begins to flow better, then re-tighten the nut.

4. Galvanized pipes / rust from well - debris can plug the orifice in the stops, it can plug the internal faucet parts, it can plug the spray diverter. The fix for this can be more of a chore - removing / disassembling / flushing.

Low Pressure City water

Herk.,...thanks so much, you were right on...clog interscreen. Could have been a two minute job had I not let go of the pull out faucet...you know it fell back in the sprayer.

Thanks very much all of your replies

Steve

Steve Palmisano said:

you know it fell back in the sprayer.

Click to expand...

Moens are good for that. A pair of needle-nose inserted into the hole and opened wider can help get it out, but it tends to catch on things. Glad you got it.