Suddenly Low Water Pressure Upstairs

[Agrajag]

I have a water pressure issue that just started and have some pretty good symptoms that may help to offer solid advice on what to do.

For information sake we have a 2-story house with a basement where the electric water heater is.

Looking around the property I'm not seeing any leaks anywhere including outside.

First, we've contacted the main water company here (they say up to 72 hours to come out but they work all weekend too).

Second, the first floor appears to be "fine". I suspect the pressure is down around the whole house but I can't really see it downstairs.

I have a sprinkler system which is now on (I'm in New Jersey) and looks to be working.

The pressure issue equally affects hot and cold sides.

I first noticed it on the upstairs bathroom sink but initially the shower/bath was fine. Then, hours later the shower/bath also dropped off. This shift made me think about a blockage as I couldn't understand how the sink could be low pressure but not the shower.

However, I then realized that since both hot and cold are being impacted that this would have to go all the way back to where they are, at least, all together and that's the water heater.

The main is in the basement and runs almost directly right to the water heater and then out to the first floor plumbing and then down further to a tap that goes straight up to the second floor.

Trying to solve this here would be great as I just got hit by the economy this week and cannot really afford to go spending a ton on a plumber right now but the idea of having no pressure for showers until things resolve is just too depressing to contemplate.

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[dabensys]

Turn off the water in the house and also the sprinkler system if it is on a seperate branch. Go out to the water meter and watch it to see if it is moving. If it is, then you've got a burst line.

My main burst about 3 years ago and we had the same issue with a pressure drop, but all throughout the house. We lost over 25,000 before we were able to get it fixed. The h2o company did give us a partial credit.

If you do need a new main line, make sure you see that it is buried to the correct depth. I didn't watch the guys who repaired mine, but then we had a new paver walkway put in a couple of years later andthe landscapers found the water line was buried only 6" deep!

[Agrajag]

Follow up:

The water company came today. The meter is underground by the driveway under a round metal cover that wouldn't have been easy for me to get off. The meter wasn't moving AT ALL. That means NOTHING on our side is leaking.

At the garden hose spigot we're getting 57 pounds of water pressure. By law they only need to supply 20 pounds. He said 57 is excellent. So, good pressure is reaching the house.

That means that something inside the house is lowering the pressure. We know at the main it's at least 57 as the main feeds the spigot.

My guess, as before, is that the water heater is on its last legs. If the clog were beyond the water heater it would only impact one side (hot or cold) as once it leaves the water heater all those lines are separate.

Is that last conclusion accurate? I'm applying electrical principles to water so it's a bit iffy.

[MACPLUMB 777]

WHAT YOU HAVE IS A FAILING DIP TUBE IN YOUR WATER HEATER ! !

THIS CAUSES LITTLE PIECES OF PLASTIC CHIPS TO CLOGGED UP YOUR FAUCET AERATORS !

AND INSIDE YOUR SHOWER VALVES,

CHECK OUT THIS LINK THEN E-MAIL ME IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO FIX ? ?

SEND ME PHONE NUMBER AND I WILL CALL

http://www.diptube.info/DipTube3ColdShower.html

OR GOOGLE IT ! !

[Agrajag]

I think you hit the nail on the head. When I removed the shower head there were TINY bits of white flecks in it that I thought might be something else but now I think it's this.

I'll look it over and may drop you a line.

Thanks so much.