What to do if weak pressure in the apartment

16-07-2018

Useful

Each of us faced a problem when water flowed poorly from a tap. This is not fatal, but still causes a lot of inconvenience and makes staying in the home uncomfortable, and some devices can not work at all with low pressure. All homeowners should be aware that there are certain norms for the level of water pressure in a house. When they are understated, then you provide poor-quality services, violating your rights. After all, you pay for utilities, and the conditions must be appropriate. True, sometimes the reason is not at all in a poor quality service. From this article you will learn about all the possible causes of insufficient water pressure, as well as what to do if there is low water pressure in the apartment.

Common problems

Let's look at 5 main reasons for which there is a bad water pressure in the apartment.

Insufficient water pressure in the main pipeline. Where do we get the water from? Through the systems of water pipes, it enters our homes from pumping stations. Since such a water supply system was installed for a very long time, pipes, naturally, wear out due to long exploitation. No one is going to change them, therefore, in order to save those pipes that are and to prevent future leakages, organizations reduce the pressure in the pipeline. In this case, the amount of water conducted is much lower. Moreover, in cities where new houses and high-rise buildings are being built, they are connected to the same water supply system. Therefore, it turns out that there are a lot of consumers, but the pressure is still the same.

The more people consume water, the less pressure. How to increase the pressure in this case? Sadly, the only solution is to replace main pipes.

Insufficient pressure in the pipes of your house. If you live in an apartment in a high-rise building, the water pipes of the whole building may be contaminated. Various deposits are formed in them that make the flow area of the pipes smaller. If it is easier to explain, a raid forms on the walls of the water pipes, which builds up over time, making the pipe half clogged. In this case, there is not enough water in the pipes. In this case, the riser must be completely changed.

Partial replacement of the riser is not recommended.

Also, the low pressure can be caused by the adjustment and the state of the water-pressure equipment, which is located in the basement of the building. Where to complain in this case? It is necessary to contact the housing office, which is responsible for such equipment.

Your water supply is clogged.. This is another common reason. Especially often pipes from metal get clogged. Rust and other deposits form on their walls. And even if you have plastic pipes, rust can enter the system from the junction of a plastic pipe with a steel one. In this case, the water is difficult to pass through clogged pipes, resulting in a weak pressure. In this case, there are two options for development: cleaning the pipes or replacing them completely. Naturally, all such work must be paid by the landlord.

Bad mixer work. The whole problem may lurk in the tap. A weak head may be in the case when the cartridge or crane is dirty or damaged. Then it will be bad to pass water. It will be necessary to replace the crankcase or, in special cases, the mixer itself. The problem may be covered in a polluted aerator.

How to clean the aerator, see the video:

Water supply scheme. The pressure may fall if several water users are simultaneously included. For example, you wash in the shower, and someone from your family members flushed the toilet or decided to wash the dishes. Another case, when the washing machine is drawing water, pressure in the system at this moment also drops, and you can not wash your hands normally. Why it happens? Because the liner pipe is made so that water consumers are connected to it "consistently". In this case, the water pressure in the last consumer will be too small.

These are the main reasons that can lead to low water pressure. To find out how to solve the problem, you need to determine the cause in your case. Now we will look at how to do this.

Find the cause

Here is an algorithm of actions for you when you notice a weak water pressure:

First, visit the neighbors from the top and bottom, if the pressure has fallen and they, the problem may be in the blockage of the riser at home, but to make sure it is so, you need to do another step.
Next, contact the owners of neighboring houses, and if the pressure in their apartments also fell, the problem lies in the water main, if not, the problem is in the riser of your house.
If you find out that your neighbors are doing fine, then it’s all about your plumbing.
To determine if your plumbing is completely blocked, check all the taps, if they equally give a weak pressure, it is in your pipes, especially at the inlet.
If, for example, the water in your kitchen is excellent, and the pressure in the bathroom is weak, then it’s a faulty plumbing fixture.

That way you can figure out the reason. And having learned the reason, it is possible to make an action plan for its elimination.

Solve the problem

Now we have come to the main question: how to increase the water pressure? Consider a few ways.

Cleaning the mixer. If the problem lies in the faucet itself, you need to either replace it or buy a broken part. You should also check the aerator. Unscrew it and see if it is dirty. If so, just clean it by rinsing it with water. When the grille is crammed, unwind it and clean it; if this fails, use a needle or an awl.
Cleaning or replacement of pipes. If pipes are clogged, they need to be cleaned. The best option is to replace the pipes completely. Such work must be performed by specialists. All you have to do is to purchase the material and pay the workers. Buy plastic pipes, because they will not form rust, they have excellent performance and have an affordable price. If you want the water pressure to be even better, you can buy pipes with a larger diameter.
Installation of the pump in the apartment. To the water pressure in your apartment was at the right level, you can buy a special pump. It will provide good pressure, but only in the apartment. On the total riser in the house, he will not affect.
If the problem lies in the weak pressure of the pipes of your home, you can buy a pump and install it on the entire riser. In this case, you can negotiate with your neighbors in order to raise funds for such a device (this option should be implemented if your numerous requests to the housing office were unsuccessful).
When the problem is in the water supply system, it can be improved. For example, the diagram below shows how water consumers are connected.

In this case, the sink will have a weak water pressure. But what can be done to equalize the pressure in all plumbing fixtures.

Using the collector, you can equalize the water pressure and connect the devices in parallel. In this case, throughout the apartment will not be observed drops in water pressure.

Thus, you can get rid of a weak pressure. But what to do if the problem lies in the clogged risers at home, and you do not want to buy a pump?

We struggle for the necessary pressure

Since the housing office is responsible for the work of the risers in the house, you need to write a request in writing that the pressure in your house is too low. In fact, you will assert your rights, as you pay for a certain level of water pressure, but do not get it. To achieve something in this case will be difficult and long, but still possible. If your application is rejected, send it by registered mail. After 10 days from the moment of receipt, you can write complaints to the housing office and ask them to check the pressure in the system and to enter your apartment. If the problem is not resolved, you are entitled to demand a reduction in your payments, as the services rendered to you are of inadequate quality.

If you, dear readers, have had cases with ZhEKom, write in the comments, how quickly did the organization respond to your problem? Have they provided you with proper water pressure? If not, what did you do next? Such examples will help everyone know what to do in case of failure and non-compliance. As the saying goes: "Forewarned means armed."

Video

The reason of a weak pressure can be covered in a clogged coarse filter. See how to clean it: