Water pressure is sometimes out of the hands of the homeowner. Depending on the type of pipes you have, where you get your water from, and the utilities in your home, you could either have low water pressure, or even lower water pressure.

Water pressure can be regulated in a few ways, but if you are on municipal water, then you will want to be very careful playing around with your pressure. Rural areas that rely on well water can be a little more free with their pressure, but are limited by the initial water pressure coming from the ground.

Check With Water Company
Begin by checking with your water company to see how much pressure they are sending into your home. Most of the time this pressure is between 175 and 250 pounds. This type of pressure can not be handled by appliances in the home and would injure anyone trying to shower in it. A standard home pressure should be set between 50 and 70 pounds.

Increase Pressure At Main Pipe
Most utility companies will place a regulator on the main pipe coming into your home with a water pressure reducing valve. You can regulate this by using a simple gage you can purchase at your local home center. Hook to your drain for the hot water heater and you can monitor, and change the pressure.

Caution
It is our first thought to increase the pressure a lot, but it is important to keep in mind that water pressure, it too high can hurt and severely injure someone, especially a small child. High water pressure can also burst pipes and cause other damage.

Kitchen Mixer Taps

Twice a year, inspect the flue assembly to be sure it’s properly aligned and all its joints are sealed. Then check the flue by placing your hand near the draft diverter (with the burner on); air flowing out indicates an obstruction that should be removed. Every year or two, shut off the gas, remove the access panel, and clean the burner ports, using stiff wire or a needle. If you ever smell gas, get out of the house immediately and call the gas company.

There is no hot water.
Check for:

Unlit pilot light.
Pilot light won’t keep burning.
Clogged burner
Defective thermocouple.
The gas is not coming out.
Remedies:

Carefully relight the pilot.
Make sure the gas controls are completely turned on. Then check the thermocouple and be sure it is firmly connected to the gas control unit and positioned near the pilot flame.
Call a qualified contractor.
Replace the thermocouple.
Call the Gas Company.
There isn’t enough hot water.
Check for:

Incorrectly set thermostat.
Defective thermostat.
Exposed hot water pipes
Too small of a water tank
Clogged burner.
Sediment has formed in the tank.
Leaking hot water faucets.
Remedies:

Turn the thermostat higher.
Call a qualified contractor.
Insulate the hot water pipes.
Install a larger water tank.
Call a qualified contractor.
Turn off the gas and drain the tank.
Repair or replace the faucets.
The water heater is very noisy.
Check for:

Scale and sediments in the tank.
Remedy:

Turn off the gas and drain the tank.
The water is too hot.
Check for:

Wrong setting on thermostat.
Defective thermostat.
Blocked exhaust vent.
Remedies:

Reset the thermostat.
Call a qualified contractor.
Check the vent and clear it.
Water is leaking from the heater.
Check for:

Leak in the draincock.
Leaking safety valve.
Hole in the tank.
Leak in the plumbing connection.
Remedies:

Close it tightly or replace it.
Check the water temperature. If it’s too hot, the thermostat may be broken. If the safety valve is defective, replace it.
Buy a new water heater.
Call a plumber.

Showers

Today, showering is the most popular bathing method for busy households. Soaking in a bathtub has become something of a luxury—both because of the time it takes to pour and enjoy a bath and because of the amount of water a full tub consumes. Just filling a whirlpool bath can take 10 minutes and require more than 60 gallons; a low-flow showerhead will deliver 7 to 10 gallons of water during a 4-minute shower.

Showers are also preferred over bathtubs because they clean the body more effectively and are easier to maintain. Dirt and bacteria are immediately washed down the drain. They are also easier and safer for the elderly and handicapped to climb into and out of.

The downside of a shower is that, because it sprays water, can regularly put more moisture into the air and onto the walls and floor than a bathtub. A properly built and enclosed shower is critical to the integrity of a bathroom. The heavy flow of water raining down on the interior surfaces of a shower must be shed by the walls and drained away by the floor pan to prevent mildew, mold, and moisture damage.

Showers may be custom built or installed as prefabricated integral units which may or may not include a bathtub. Many options are available. In this section of HomeTips, you will gain an overview of the many types and receive help with making informed design and buying decisions. You will also find important DIY tips for proper installation, care, and repair.

There’s nothing more relaxing then having a shower after a hard days work, but what happens if the shower heads shooting water out everywhere. This problem is a common one found in most households and can be fixed by removing the shower head from the shower arm, but what if your unable to take the shower head off. If you include yourself in this category and own a wall-mounted shower then no need to worry, as there’s a way to get around it and solve this problem.

Grab a plastic bag making sure there is no holes, and pour a mixture of vinegar and water inside it. Check that there is enough in there to completely cover the wall-mounted shower head, but so much that the mix wont overflow out the bag. Now tie an elastic band between 2 or 3 times at the top of the bag, as tying the elastic band around the top of the bag with the shower head in the vinegar and water can be a burden. Fasten the bag containing the mixture to the arm of the shower using either some string or your elastic band, but make sure that the string you use is strong enough to hold the bag around the shower head for several hours.

When you have secured the shower head in the bag, allow the mixture to work by letting it soak for 3-24 hours depending on the thickness of the limescale. Once your happy with the amount of time you have left it for, separate the shower head from the bag containing the vinegar and water mix and turn the shower on to test the flow of the water. If there’s any excess limescale found around the shower head, then use a toothbrush to get rid of it as the thistles will catch the majority of the limescale left. You are now able to have a relaxing shower once again.

At Chrome-tapshower.co.uk we hold are large amount of shower heads, all include a 48 hour delivery from purchase and a 10 year guarantee.

This can be a problem in a lot of homes and can happen anytime, not knowing what a ‘water hammer’ is can be a downfall to fixing the problem. This is how a ‘water hammer’ is caused.

A Ball valve is what controls the cisterns for your tank and toilets when cold water is entered, hot water flows from your emersion which makes the cold water from the tank to replace it. Incoming flow is managed by a float, this inclines the water allowing the valve to shut once the tank is full which is a similar technique to when you flush the toilet. As cold water rushes into the cistern it causes the water to vibrate forming ripples, the float is then constantly moving up and down which opens and closes the valve. This vibration on the arm of the float within the valve is what makes the ‘water hammer’, this causes pressure behind the valve when shut because water is trying to flow through the pipes in such a high speed that it builds up. The more pressure it gains, forms a pressure wave which moves up and down the pipe changing the energy into friction causing the hammering noise.

Firstly you must check that the pipe is secure whether its against a joist or a surface, once that’s confirmed you can now start to get rid of this problem. Find an empty yogurt pot and tie it to the arm of the float with metal wire that will not rust. Position the yoghurt pot slightly below the water line, as this will cause enough weight to stop the reverberating but will still allow the arm to rise.

You have now fixed the problem and water can easily flow through your pipes.