water pressure problem

rgmetro · 04-09-2007, 08:34 AM

The water pressure in our home has changed significantly in the past month. I called the city water and they have no reported problem so it must be our house.

Whe you first turn on the water, say in the shower, the pressure is fine, then after about 20 seconds, it drops a lot.

If the washer is running, the water is trickling out. We've ever had this problem before.

Logically, I would think that the initial good pressure is coming from the existing water in the pipes and oe new water is needed, its restricted at the source....maybe the meter?

Help!

Brik · 04-09-2007, 10:26 AM

Check the fixture closest to the meter see if you have a problem there.

Also check the hose bibs with no hose attached.

Almost all fixtures have a filter, it could be possible that all your filters are clogged. Hose bibs have no filter, or screen, so if you have good pressure there I would suspect clogged filters.

You can get a cheap pressure meter to attach to the hose bib to read what pressure you have too.
http://www.homeandbeyond.com/prod-0040190.html is one

The 'filters' I refer to are aireators and such. Just unscrew them and clean them. One on spout of each faucet. Also a screen on the hose connection to the washer.

Brik · 04-09-2007, 10:28 AM

What I just posted about filters is an easy, no cost, first thing to check. It may not be the problem but is where I would start.

rgmetro · 04-09-2007, 10:33 AM

i'll check the filters...but if it were the filters, i wouldn't get the initial 20 or seconds of good pressure.

Brik · 04-09-2007, 10:43 AM

Yep, agreed.

Could also be a loose washer in a shut off valve too. Another simple thing to check, unless its the first shutoff in the system.

rgmetro · 04-09-2007, 04:56 PM

so we had the city water guy come out and he pointed to a valve of some sort in the line after the water meter that he said was there for code, but not necessary. (i think it maybe a backflow or something).

he suggested that it was clogged or something, and sure enough, he was nice enough to spend an hour or two at our house to remove it and replace it with compression fittings (which he said i should replace when i get a chance with a soldered connection).

pressue is back on.

thanks for the replies.

rgmetro · 04-09-2007, 04:57 PM

and i'm going to replace all the filters anyway as soon as i can get over to home depot.