Weak pressure of cold or hot water in the apartment

The hot water pressure has dropped - what to do?

There are many reasons for the deterioration of hot and cold water pressure. First of all, you need to ask your neighbors and find out if everyone on the site has poor pressure.

The hot water pressure has dropped, what to do:

If all the neighbors are facing a problem, it makes sense to go down to the basement and see if the valve is closed. It often happens that during replacement, or during some related manipulations, the valve is not fully opened, and accordingly the water pressure drops.
This is the simplest option; just open the valve completely and then the water pressure for all residents of the house will become much higher. If you asked your neighbors, and no one encountered a similar problem except you, then the problem is directly in the apartment.
The most common option that causes a decrease in water pressure is the ingress of scale. This happens if the riser is made of metal pipes. They rust, and iron oxide can come off in pieces from the pipes and clog the system.
This usually happens directly in the mixer. In order to get rid of the problem, you need to turn off the water in your apartment, unscrew the valve that supplies hot cold water. In this case, it is necessary to unscrew the tap from which water flows poorly.

No water

Shut off the riser and drain the remaining water

First you need to turn off the cold water. To do this, close the ball valve on the cold water riser. How to do this is described in detail in the article:. And here I will give just a picture:

Cold water is turned off. Now you need to drain the remaining water in the pipes. There is a drain valve located directly below the self-cleaning filter. Some people have a hose leading out of it that goes straight into the drain pipe, while others have just a faucet:

More about types of water systems: What types of water systems are there and which ones do I have?

As mentioned earlier, a gravity system is a low pressure system with a cold water storage tank as well as a hot water cylinder.
As the name suggests, the pressure supplied around your home depends on the height at which the cold storage tank is located from where the taps are located around your home. Generally speaking, the water pressure supplied to your upstairs bathroom will be around 1 or 2 bar, and the pressure supplied to your kitchen will be around 5 bar. This type of system greatly limits your faucet choices, and it should be noted that installing a water pump gives you access to a wider range of drain options.

If there is a hose, then simply open the tap and drain the remaining water. If there is no hose, then you need to find a bucket or basin and place it under the tap, then open the tap and drain the remaining water.

The water pressure in the tap has dropped - how to improve the supply?

At the inlet to each section there is a mesh that protects from mechanical impurities and collects them. Simply remove the mesh and rinse thoroughly. Usually it collects all the main debris, scale, and mechanical impurities, which worsen the water pressure.

The water pressure in the tap has dropped:

If the sieve is clean enough, you need to remove the valve and see what is underneath. Remove the valves and look inside. If you see that there is scale there, remove it. It often happens that there are large pieces that interfere with normal pressure.
After removing them and installing the valves in place, the pressure returns to normal. However, it often happens that when disassembling the mixer and removing scale, the situation does not return to normal, and the water continues to flow in a very thin stream.
Perhaps the pipe is clogged somewhere in the supply to your apartment, or directly in it. Experienced locksmiths recommend using a special thin cable. It is placed into a pipe from which the mixer is first removed and cleaned. Thus, as a result of using the cable, all scale is removed from the surface of the pipe.

Weak pressure

Changing a self-cleaning filter with a pressure gauge

Now is the time to work on a self-cleaning filter with a pressure gauge. In the figure you can see where you need to unscrew the filter. But this cannot be done right away, because a drain hose is attached to the bottom of the filter, and first you need to remove the clamp and release the hose:

It is for these purposes that we need a screwdriver. So, unscrew the clamp:

Remove the hose. The water has already been drained, but there may still be small residues:

Just as in the case of the coarse filter, for this filter you first unscrew it with a wrench and then by hand. Prepare a container for draining the water. The same plastic bottle will come in handy:

It is advisable to fix the bottle so that the water drains itself, and you do not have to hold the bottle with your hands.

When the water stops flowing, you need to look at the filter itself.

Before us is a depressing picture:

The filter mesh is completely clogged. How to deal with this? I recommend installing a new grid:

The filter itself is also dirty and it would be a good idea to clean off the rust. If there is too much of it, then I recommend replacing the filter itself and installing a new mesh there.

We install the filter in place and check the water:

As you can see, everything is in order! Try it, take another look at the cold water pressure gauge. Now it will definitely not show you zero. You breathed a sigh of relief because now the water pressure in your water supply system is back to normal!

Note that for hot water the actions will be similar.

In order to avoid a situation where the filters become completely clogged, it is necessary to flush cold and hot water for 3 minutes at least once every 3 weeks. The descent is carried out by opening the taps located directly under the self-cleaning filters. That is why it is useful to have not just taps, but hoses screwed to them with clamps that go directly into the drain pipe.
You need to spend a little time to: unscrew your hot and cold water filters, temporarily turn off the water, go to a professional plumbing store, show your filter meshes to the seller and buy them home in advance. They are not so cheap, but this must be done, because in a critical situation you will simply replace the grids. Otherwise, you will have to first turn off the water, then disassemble the entire system, and then run around the shops in search of the required mesh. It is not a fact that you will find them right away, but the family will be left without water, and your water supply system itself will be in a semi-disassembled state (tested on yourself).
Never turn on the water without installed filter screens, even temporarily for 1 day! This very day may turn out to be ill-fated. If dirt gets into the pipe, a size slightly larger than the permissible size, then, for example, it will clog your meters, and then you will really have a lot of fuss.
Imported faucets also sometimes fail. For example, the insides of the mixer become unusable, which it is better not to disassemble yourself (unless you are a professional in this matter). That is, when the faucet is removed, the water gushes out in a powerful stream, and when the faucet is installed, the pressure is much stronger for hot water than for cold water, or vice versa. Here you also need to look and analyze. Sometimes simply replacing the faucet also brings results.

That's all. Today we learned what to do if the water pressure in your apartment suddenly starts to drop.

Situations when the water pressure coming from the tap in an apartment is weak are widespread, so the question of what to do in such cases is quite relevant. Weak water pressure in the apartment, when water flows from the tap in a thin stream, makes it impossible to use washing machines and dishwashers, and sometimes in such cases it is impossible to even take a shower. Meanwhile, you can fix this problem using one of the methods suggested below.

Low water pressure - reasons: what to do?

Quite often it gets clogged directly at the insertion point where your riser connects to the water supply. If the pipes are metal, most often scale forms at the welding points. It is in these places that strong growths are found that interfere with normal water pressure.

Low water pressure, reasons, what to do:

To get rid of them, you need to remove the ball screen and try to clean the riser using a cable. Please note that if there is rust in this place, scale build-up and scale are observed inside, then after cleaning it may begin to leak and you risk flooding your neighbors.
In this case, the only correct option is to replace this section of the pipe. It is best to replace with plastic products. If the valve is a ball valve, then there is a filter at the bottom.
Thus, it will be possible to cope with the problem without cutting off the water supply to the entire house. It is enough to unscrew the filter and try to clean the cold or hot water supply riser through it.

The filter is clogged

How to detect a problem?

Start troubleshooting by calling the appropriate services . This will allow you to determine if there are problems with the line. If they are not there, then you should move on:

Talk to the residents of the house to see if they have similar difficulties. If low pressure also worries other people, then immediately contact the service. Sometimes this happens during a serious accident on the highway.
Talk to the neighbors in the riser. Malfunctions may occur among individual residents of the house who are connected to a single riser. In the case of a new building, you should contact the developer. It is likely that the riser is not designed correctly.
If the previous methods did not give a positive result and the malfunction is isolated, then the problem lies in the apartment. If the installation is incorrect, the pipeline will have to be redesigned.

The simplest is a clogged faucet. In this case, you will have to clean it or completely replace it. The drain can also be cleaned. This stage is very important, since further actions will depend on it. Some repair work requires considerable material and time investments.

The video explains what to do if there is poor water pressure in the apartment and how to find the cause:

Poor cold water pressure - what to do?

Often the filter can become clogged directly in the meter itself. The fact is that in this device, when water is supplied to it, there is a special mesh that prevents scale, rust and mechanical impurities from entering the measuring device.

Poor cold water pressure, what to do:

The mesh protects it from damage. Therefore, one of the options to increase the pressure in the apartment is to unscrew the nut and clean the aerator. The same can be done with the mesh, which is located directly at the end of the mixer.
It can also become clogged with small debris. The faucet often starts to leak at the junction of the gander and the pipe. This indicates that the mesh itself, which collects debris in the mixer, is clogged. If your neighbors are also familiar with the decrease in water supply, then a separate riser may be clogged.
Ask your neighbors who are powered by a different riser. These could be residents of the apartment located opposite. If everything is fine with their pressure, the problem is in the riser itself and it is necessary to clean the filter, which is located at the point where the common pipe connects to your riser.

Water flows poorly

Step-by-step instructions for drawing up and filing a complaint

After identifying the problem and receiving expert opinion (optional), the applicant submits a complaint to the responsible agency using the following algorithm.

Where should I send my claim?

First of all, the claim is sent to the management organization with which the contract for the supply of services has been concluded. If the management company does not strive to change something, does not respond to the appeal, the consumer draws up a complaint and sends it to:

to the State Housing Inspectorate;
to Rospotrebnadzor;
to the Prosecutor's Office.

If the answers of the prosecutor, employees of the housing inspection or Rospotrebnadzor do not satisfy the consumer, then he has the right to go to court.

How to make a request?

The appeal is drawn up in standard written or printed form:

The details of the management company and the applicant's full name are indicated in the upper right corner.
In the middle of the sheet is written the heading “COMPLANT”.
The essence of the problem is reflected below with a request to inform the applicant about the results of the consideration of the appeal and about plans taken to correct the malfunction.
After the main text, you must indicate the address at which a written response is expected.
At the end of the complaint, the date, signature and surname of the applicant are indicated.

The collective appeal contains the details of each owner who has this problem. At the end of the document, the full name and signature of each citizen appearing in the complaint is placed.

We do not recommend completing the documents yourself. Save time - contact our lawyers by phone:

8 (800) 350-14-90

Duration of the procedure

The management organization must send the consumer a letter stating that the complaint has been received, and also inform about its further actions to resolve this issue within 3 days from the receipt of the complaint (RF Government Decree No. 354, clause 31).

The management company will have another day to find out the reason for the unsatisfactory quality of the service and take any action (Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 354, paragraph 104).

Subsequent authorities can consider a complaint according to the law for up to 30 days (Article 12, Federal Law No. 59 “On the procedure for considering appeals from citizens of the Russian Federation”).

Read more articles about water supply prepared by our experts. Find out what problems can arise with the water supply system, what are the water quality standards, how to pay for water according to standards and meters, what are the standards without meters, about recalculation and sealing procedures, who is responsible for risers and their replacement, and also what what to do and where to go if the device breaks down and other nuances of operating water meters.

Low water pressure in the apartment - how to improve?

If you encounter this problem, you can use larger diameter pipes. That is, you will have to replace old pipes with new ones, preferably made of plastic. There is no scale formation on them, and there is no rust inside.

Low water pressure in the apartment, how to improve:

The higher the diameter of the pipe, the less likely it is to clog. If the diameter of the pipes is very small, scale or limescale may indeed soon clog inside. You can also use a pump.
There are special small portable pumps that pump water. The cost of this equipment is not the smallest, but it will solve the problem of poor water pressure. However, neighbors may complain about you because they will not have enough water.
Typically, such a device increases water pressure by one and a half atmospheres. This is a completely safe value for home cold water distribution.
If the water pressure in the entire house has dropped, it makes sense for all residents to cooperate and purchase a portable pumping station. It consists of several pumps that operate autonomously.
The entire system is connected to automation, which regulates the need to turn on the pump at different times of the day. The higher the pressure and water pressure in the system, the less the pumps will turn on. When the water supply decreases, especially if there is a private sector nearby and there is an irrigation season, such a pumping station will work and turn on frequently. This will improve living conditions and normalize water pressure.
The most difficulties arise with private houses that operate from wells or boreholes where there is no running water. In this case, it is necessary to solve the problem with insufficient water.
Indeed, a pump cannot pump out water from a well that simply is not there; it simply may not have time to collect. In this case, the only correct solution is to install a container to collect liquid. Floats are installed inside such containers, which regulate the water level. As soon as it falls below the required level, the pump will turn on and continue pumping water into the storage tank.

Water supply

Getting to know the water supply system

So, let's start checking. We go into the bathroom and turn on the tap:

The cold water flows in a thin stream, and the hot water gushes with might and main. Now we begin to remember the background. The cold water did not disappear immediately. Her progress has been getting worse over and over again lately. And this may indicate the most likely reason - your water filters are clogged!

If it's good, replace the piece you just removed. If this is not good, a re-tube of the entire house will be needed. Of course, both of these are only necessary if the piping is rising through the cabinet floor. If the pipes are coming out of the wall, the wall will need to be removed to remove the 90 degree elbow before removing the riser.

Not all faucets or showers on the market will work in every home. Some work great even in low pressure systems, while others require minimal water pressure to function properly. It's important to understand what water pressure you have in your home and take that into account before choosing your brass cookware.

In this case, we need to go to our water supply system in the apartment and look at it carefully:

Of course, everyone has their own wiring done differently. Some people have their pipes hidden and cannot be reached, which is not good. But the first thing you need to do is determine the cold and hot water circuits in your system.

Reasons for low water pressure

Each tap or shower will be rated with a minimum pressure required, usually between 1 and 3 bar.
First of all, it’s worth talking about where the pressure came from. Essentially, water enters your home through a cold network under pressure, that is, at “high pressure.” If you have a combi boiler then it heats up that water and retains much of its original pressure which means - overall - good flow. If you have a gravity system, pressurized cold water is stored in a tank and heated on demand. As it is stored, it loses all its pressure. So how does water get from the tank to your taps if it is no longer under pressure? The key to this type of water system is gravity.

Let's take a closer look at the cold water circuit. The arrow on the pressure gauge, showing zero, immediately catches your eye. Indeed, there is no cold water pressure in the system, and therefore water from the tap barely flows.

Now let's find where the filters are located:

Head and pressure measurement system

Thus, in gravity systems, every 1 meter drop from the water tank usually equates to approximately 1 bar.
So your overhead bathroom taps will typically be located 2 meters below your tank, resulting in a water pressure of 2 bar, and your kitchen taps will be around 5 meters from your tank, providing around 5 bar of pressure. There are other water supply systems other than gravity and combi boilers. In this case, the water is still stored in the reservoir, but is kept in a pressurized environment so it doesn't rely on gravity to create any movement.

If you have a gravity system and no pump, you will most likely have "low" water pressure and should be looking at faucets and showers rated at 2 bar or less. It's important to note that you shouldn't expect too much, even with the right faucets.

In the picture you see two filters that have the correct names:

self-cleaning filter with pressure gauge;
direct coarse filter.

Variations are of course possible here. For example, someone will definitely have an oblique coarse filter rather than a straight one, but this does not change the essence of the matter. These are the filters that you will need to deal with.

There's only so much pressure created there, and that's why so much water flows past a certain point. If you want a "good" shower, you may be disappointed. For a few hundred pounds you can install a pump, which would mean you'd suddenly have a much wider choice of options when it comes to choosing your taps. If you're updating the entire bathroom, it's not much in the scheme of things.

Features and functioning of water supply in a private house

If you have a combi boiler and it's relatively modern, they will usually have a readout on the front to show you how much water pressure you're getting. Typically this is around 1-5 bar, although sometimes it can be higher. Most faucets and showers can be selected with this pressure.

Why is there low water pressure from the boiler?

This is often encountered by residents of apartment buildings that do not have a hot water supply. Accordingly, a boiler is used to obtain hot liquid. There are several reasons why the pressure and pressure of hot water decreases, even though cold water flows quite well.

Why is there low water pressure from the boiler:

The back pressure valve is clogged.
Insufficient adjustment of the pressure reducer in the boiler. Problems with the filter or mesh on the faucet.
The water supply tap to the boiler is not fully open.

In general, all these problems can be solved independently, without the help of specialists. To do this, you need to check the mesh on the mixer. The nut on the tap is unscrewed, the metal filter is removed from there and washed in a vinegar solution. You can leave it in ammonia for several hours. This will clean the holes and normalize the pressure.

It is also necessary to check whether the water supply valve to the heater is fully open. If the back pressure valve has failed, it must be removed and checked for functionality and debris. The reducer will have to be replaced if the problem is related to a breakdown of the pressure regulator in the boiler. A master can handle this kind of work.

The faucet is dripping

Changing the coarse filter

Now you can work on filters.

A combi boiler is typically installed in your kitchen where pressurized water enters your property. It controls both your hot and cold water sources as well as your central heating, giving it the name "combination".

A combi boiler system heats cold water directly from the mains as and when required when the hot tap is on. As the water supply comes from the mains, at mains pressure your water will be at high pressure and will fit most high pressure taps if you have a good enough combi boiler. Pressure can vary from boiler to boiler, but a typical pressure expectation from a combi boiler is between 1 and 2 bar.

First, we will look at the condition of the coarse filter:

One nut needs to be unscrewed. For this procedure we will need Swedish women. Before doing this, take care of a container where you will need to drain the remaining water from the filter. You need to take a container such that it can be placed directly under the filter (Ideally, a cut-off plastic bottle, which you will see below, is suitable).

With an uncontaminated water supply, the master cylinder will be filled with cold water directly from the mains. Unlike a traditional gravity system, the unreliable system does not require additional storage tanks and instead offers a much simpler solution.

The water contained in the master cylinder is constantly pressurized by the incoming mains water and then indirectly heated by an external source such as a boiler, solar panel, oil or electricity. These types of systems are often found on new builds and will provide high pressure, meaning you can choose any brass you require.

So, take the Swedes and unscrew the nut:

Turn it counterclockwise as shown in the picture. Swedes won't have to work for long. Next, you need to carefully unscrew the nut by hand, placing a container to drain the water:

It is very important that you select the correct pressure taps for the water supply system you are using. Installing a faucet that requires high pressure to operate in a low pressure system will result in low flow rates or disappointing functionality.

For example, installing a high-pressure bathtub head on a low-pressure system would mean that it would take ages to fill the bathtub, and since the water would be constantly cooling, you would have to use more hot water to compensate. Dealing with low water pressure can be frustrating for any homeowner. The source of the problem is not always obvious and tests the entire path the water takes when entering the house. You may need the help of a local Toronto plumber to help track and correct the pressure.

But finally, the water has stopped flowing and you can examine the filter from the inside:

We see with you not a very good picture. First of all, the inside is completely rusty. Secondly, the filter contains a replaceable mesh. It needs to be removed:

What to do next? In a good way, it is better to replace the mesh (buy a new one). The rust inside the filter needs to be washed off. If there is a lot of rust, then it is worth replacing the filter itself. You may ask, how to clean if the water is turned off? Everything is correct, you need to stock up on cold water in advance and dilute it with hot water, which is not turned off for you. In general, you can handle it.

And this is what the new mesh for the coarse filter looks like:

install it in the filter and screw it back onto the pipe.

Low water pressure, where to go?

Regarding the complaint, it all depends on what type of water is flowing poorly. If it’s hot, you need to complain to the Heating Center, but if it’s cold, then to the Gorvodokanal. Please note that very often management companies do not want to spend money on appropriate repairs. Therefore, it endlessly redirects your application to another organization, which proceeds in the same way.

It turns out that companies are simply shifting the blame onto each other without doing anything. Accordingly, you must initially check the pipes in your apartment, communicate with your neighbors, and file a collective complaint. If only one tenant files a complaint, the likelihood of success is extremely low.

Low water pressure, where to contact:

The very first step is to contact the Housing Office. It is necessary to write a collective written statement stating that the house has low water pressure, which is not enough to meet the needs of the residents. As a result of this complaint, housing office workers are forced to come and check the pressure using special instruments.
If it is below 2 atmospheres, then appropriate measures must be taken. Please note that the Housing Office often refuses to accept an application. In this case, the ideal option is to send it by registered mail with a report.
In this case, you can threaten to go to court. Typically, such applications are always considered first. If nothing can be done, and several new houses have been built, while there is only one pump left, the pressure will decrease accordingly.

Good pressure
There is no need to put up with the situation; you can achieve a reduction in the cost of paying for cold water. After all, according to the contract, you pay for two atmospheres that will fully satisfy your needs. If the pressure is lower, you can seek a reduction in payment.

How to solve the problem

When the pressure in the hot water supply system weakens in a residential area, you can use several methods to eliminate this malfunction.

Replacing hot water pipes

The appropriate method is determined depending on the reason for the weakening of the jet:

If problems arise with the operation of the system, you need to replace faulty elements or clean them when it is not possible to purchase new ones.
If the pressure weakens due to a clogged aerator, you will also have to clean it using the blowing method or a regular needle.
If it is necessary to replace pipes, you will have to involve qualified specialists. The owner will only be required to purchase all materials and pay for the work. You need to understand that the riser must be replaced completely, since due to the formation of joints, the pressure will again begin to weaken significantly over time.
This problem can be solved thanks to a pump that increases the pressure in the system. It will be necessary to install such a device on the riser only in a situation where complaints to the housing office have not led to real results. A riser pump is considered expensive, so you will have to chip in money with your neighbors to purchase it.

If problems arise with the circuit, the sequence of connecting devices to the plumbing system changes.

Options for increasing pressure in residential water supply

The following measures will help raise the pressure in the apartment:

laying new pipes of larger diameter instead of old ones. This will increase the amount of water supplied. The fluid velocity in large diameter pipes decreases, which leads to an increase in pressure;
switch from valves to lever shut-off devices in mixers with a large passage diameter.

In addition to the measures listed, regular prevention will help prevent the formation of deposits on the internal walls of pipes and their failure.

Requirements for the quality of hot water supply

Process water should not be ingested; it is used exclusively for domestic purposes, but despite this, the quality of the heated liquid supplied through the water main must meet all currently established sanitary standards for water consumption. Increased attention is paid to the temperature regime of hot water supply. The upper and lower temperature thresholds are set. For example, the heated water at the outlet must have at least + 60°C; it is at this level that the majority of pathogenic microbes and harmful bacteria die. The highest temperature threshold is set at + 75°C - with a higher value, it is possible to get minor burns.

Consumers should take into account that when tap water is heated above + 40°C, the carbonate hardness of the liquid increases several times. This most often leads to the formation of scale on the inner surface of the pipes, which causes clogging and premature failure.

To independently verify the quality of the hot water supply, you need to order a full biochemical analysis of the liquid flowing through the pipes. Based on the results of laboratory tests, we can say with confidence whether the water is of poor quality or, on the contrary, meets all sanitary standards.