Having water pressure that is too low or high in a kitchen faucet is more than a small issue. Without proper pressure, washing dishes becomes more than an average chore. It becomes a pain. Without proper water pressure, all tasks that involve using the tap suddenly take much longer to complete. From washing your hands, washing the dishes, or washing off food, all of them become much more time-consuming. If your water pressure is too high, you may worry about wasting water and a high utility bill.
However, repairing the water pressure in your faucet is not a difficult task to do at home. There is no need to spend outrageous amounts of money on a plumber when you can easily do it yourself. With a bit of time and concentration, you can get your faucet working like new. The question is just how?
How to Adjust Faucet Water Pressure
1. Access the Situation and Prepare
First thing is first, you need to try and figure out what the problem is. Is your water pressure too high? Is it too low? Once you figure out what problem you are addressing, collect your tools and some towels. Create a work environment that will be comfortable for you to work in. Different cities require local knowledge on government restrictions. Plumbing company, Abacas Solutions states that a certification of compliance should be attained when you own a property.
2. Turn Off the Water Valves
Two water valves are usually located under the sink. Turn them off to make sure you have no running water to your faucet while you work. The last thing that you want is to have water spraying everywhere in your kitchen. Not only is this wasteful, but it is also potentially damaging to your home and dangerous to you. Slipping is a risk. Always be safe and turn off the water. Then turn on the tap to make sure they are properly turned off and to relieve pressure in the water lines.
3. Check if the Water Pressure is Low Anywhere Else in Your Home
It is always a good idea to just check that this situation is not just in your kitchen. If the problem arises in more than just one room, there may be something wrong with the piping of your home in general. You may have a clog or need larger plumbing. If this is the case, call a professional. However, if it is just in the kitchen, it is a problem easily fixed at home.
4. Detach the Aerator From Your Faucet
If your pressure is too low, it is often the fault of a clogged aerator. The aerator is a filter at the beginning of your faucet that filters air into the water to adjust the pressure of it. Sometimes, it can get clogged by debris or build up. Thoroughly clean it and know that it may need to soak in vinegar for a while. If it is severely damaged, consider replacing it all together. Reassemble and check the water pressure.
5. Take off the Head of the Faucet
The entire cartridge of your faucet may no longer be in working condition. If this is the case, take the head off your faucet and take the cartridge out. Trying cleaning it and soaking it in vinegar. However, you may need to replace the cartridge as time can often wear away at these parts. A good way to tell if it needs to be replaced is looking to see if the cartridge has build up or damage on it. If there is not much sign of build up, replace the cartridge.
6. Check the Plumbing Under Your Sink
If you thoroughly inspect the faucet and determine it is not the cause of the lack of pressure, check the plumbing lines directly under the sink for any build up, specifically the lines running to the faucet. Sometimes piping can age and build up calcium, or other debris, inside of it. Usually, this just means a quick replacement of the lines that are feeding water to the faucet is needed.
Other Things to Consider
Conclusion
While water pressure issues with your faucet may seem like a task that is too daunting for an amateur to handle, do not worry. You can handle this task without calling a professional plumber. You simply need the right tools, a patient attitude, and to locate and address the problem of the pressure. Also check out How to Install a kitchen Faucet.
Ian Haynes is an expert writer who has successfully deployed over 500 plumbing pages and other related content. He has an excellent understanding of home plumbing issues and translates his experiences via Plumbing Lab so readers can have a better understanding of common household problems. Outside of his work, Ian likes exploring Brooklyn with his Labrador.