Today time management is top priority for everyone. But when you are in the kitchen and water in your kitchen faucet is coming out drop by drop, it is always frustrating to having under pressured water. This can be problem of your whole house or only associated with your kitchen faucet.
If your entire house is under pressure then problem is in the water supplying association. May be water supplying line and water loses pressure. And if only your kitchen has low water pressure then you have look on problem in your faucet. There can be several possibilities which may cause low water pressure in kitchen sink.
The main causes of low water pressure are clogged aerators or filter cartridges. Irruption of pipe line or regular maintenance work or toilet leakage may also cause lower water pressure in the kitchen sink. Rarely, a close shut-off valve or pressure valve can be the cause of this situation. Some pipes are temporarily closed during leakage repairing which can also be reason in this case. The most likely causes could be:
- Clogged faucet aerator
- Blocked faucet cartridge
You may fix some minor issues with the right tools at your home. But, in some cases, it is best to leave it up to the certified plumber.
Let’s talk about some possibilities in a brief:
Faucet Aerator:
An aerator is flow rate controlling device and usually located near tip of faucet. Usually, minerals particles or debris may clog the aerator as a result water pressure drops. In most cases cleaning it may help to restore water pressure.
First all remove the inflate and dip it into the vinegar and left for overnight. If you are in hurry then 5-10 minutes can also be helpful. But if the aerator too much clogged and cannot be cleaned by using vinegar then you can replace it, they are cheap.
Faucet cartridge:
Tap cartridge can also be clogged by mineral or tiny particles. Which also causes low water pressure. Cartridge controls the water flow. It means that when open the handle, it opens the valve and allows the water to flow. Cleaning cartridge is more complicated then cleaning aerator.
Before starting to remove the faucet, please close the shut-off valve and let all the water run out. This is to ensure that there is no residual water in the pipeline. Then, close the plug of the sink to prevent dust and waste particle from escaping into the drainage system. Now, use a flat-blade screwdriver to pry off the handle cover. After removing the handle, you can use a pair of anti-skid pliers to remove the fixing nut. Sticking the tape to the teeth of the pliers helps increase grip. In addition, this will prevent the faucet from being scratched. Then, use a pair of ordinary pliers to pull out the retaining clip. Finally, you will be able to pull the cartridge out of the opening.
You can clean the cartridge by soaking the cartridge in vinegar overnight. Use a stiff brush to scrape off the sediment. However, if you feel that the sediment is too stubborn to fall off, you should consider replacing it.
There can some other causes of lower water pressure if your whole house facing low water pressure problems. Now lets take a look on other causes of low water pressure.
Waterline irruption:
If not only your kitchen loses pressure then it is most likely pipeline irruption. Pipeline may irrupt time to time. Or there can be several causes, which cannot be easy to detect or may not. In this situation you should call your professional plumber which can help you out. Repairing of pipe can be expensive until it requires new pipe or some expensive fixing.
Pressure reducing valve (PRV):
PRV is also known as pressure regulator. Sometime it is used to fix higher pressure. But due to its malfunctioning it can cause lower water pressure. Just you need to do is open the PRV at its maximum then check the water pressure in the kitchen sink.
If you have till water pressure issue then you should consult some professionals. Who can physically examine the whole issue.