Kudos to you for not calling the plumber straight away. Your hard work will be well-assisted with this article.
If you want to solve your low water pressure problem, you have to find the root of it. Taking apart the whole faucets might not always be that helpful. And I also assure you that you won’t need any plumbing expertise. Then the only requirement is common sense to know how to repair low pressure in a kitchen faucet.
But first, you need to measure the size and location of the problem.
Localized or General…?
Before going to a conclusion, you have to determine whether the problem is a localized problem or not.
To determine the size of the problem, you need to check if other faucets in your house are running smoothly or not. For further confirmation, you can also ask your neighbors about their water pressure. If they have the same problem, there might be a problem with the water supply.
If this is the case, you can install a water booster to increase the pressure on your outlets. This will suck the water from the water line in your personal line. However, it might make some of your neighbors unhappy as they have a possibility of further reduced water flow.
Probable Problems
Here are the problems that can arise in your facility-
- Clogged aerator
- Clogged cartridge/ filter
- Clogged pipe
- A problematic pullout spray head
- Increased personal demand
- Problems with the water heater
99% of the time, these will be the cases for your reduced water pressure.
The solution of Those Problems
Every solution is straightforward. If you have identified the problem, solving it should be a piece of cake.
Clogged aerator
Opening the aerator is very easy. The aerator is located in the head of the spout. In many faucets, you can easily unscrew the head and get the aerator out. But you might have to use a plier to get the head out. But don’t forget to turn off the power line first.
After you have the aerator, you will notice some debris. If there is none, then the problem was not the aerator. Nevertheless, clean the debris and put it back in place.
You will find lots of small components in the aerator. Remember not to lose them. So you should better block the sinkhole first.
You might also need a tweezer or anything else to poke those components out from the structure. There could be multiple filters. Clean all of those filters and other components and reverse the disassembly process.
And you are done.
Clogged cartridge
Like the aerator, the cartridge can also be jammed. But the cartridge is a little hard to get access to.
For the same reasons as aerators, the water line should be cut off, and the sinkhole should be blocked. There is a cover on the faucet’s screw. Take your screwdriver and pry it off. Get an Allen wrench and undo the screw that holds the faucet in place.
Then what you see is the cartridge. You can use pliers to loosen and remove the nut that holds the cartridge. After that, you can lift the cartridge out of its place.
Now you need to clean the cartridge. And if it is unrecoverable, you need to buy a new one and replace the old one. Lastly, put the cartridge back where it was and reassemble the faucet. Your problem should be solved now.
Clogged pipe
Clogging of pipes can be a significant problem in some areas. It is simply the accumulation of dirt and debris in the pipelines. Most of the time, fixing a pipe clogging problem is not a DIY job. But if you want, you can try it yourself.
First, you have to locate the clogging. You can do it by testing each segment of the line. After you have detected the affected area, you have to clean it. If cleaning is not possible, you might have replaced it.
A problematic pullout spray head
Pull-out faucet spray heads can have similar problems like faucet heads. They can be clogged or damaged. And the cure is the same as well.
Remove the spray head and check if the water supply is normal. If you are happy with the pressure, there might be a mineral build up in the spray. Clean all the debris and put it back as it was.
Increased personal demand
It often happens after a remodeling of the plumbing system. After remodeling, you might have increased demand. This extra demand can put pressure on your water supply lines, causing decreased water pressure.
To solve this problem, you have to locate your PRV or pressure reducing valve, which is a regulator that controls the amount and pressure of water coming into your house from the mainline. It is a bell-shaped device generally located in the line where it enters your home.
There will be a screw on the valve. Tighten it to increase the water pressure and loosen it to decrease the water pressure. Replacement might be necessary if the valve is broken or fatigued.
Problems with the water heater
Working with heaters is tricky. So if you don’t have the proper expertise, call a plumber. They have the tools to diagnose and fix heaters.
The hot water shutoff valve might be faulty or partially closed. Make sure they are properly operating. Don’t ignore minor blocks because they can have an enormous impact on water pressure.
Easy fix for low water pressure in kitchen sink
Conclusion
By now, you should have the answer to how to repair low pressure in a kitchen faucet. But in the end, it all depends on how good you are with tools and how experienced you are in this field.
Nevertheless, with this article, you should be able to excel in your plumbing quest. However, if you have found a problem that is not on this list, don’t hesitate to call your plumber. There is a reason that they are still in business.