Low hot water pressure from home taps can result from several factors, often determined by the same natural ‘enemy’…
It happens to everyone, at least once in their life, to turn on the tap of the bathtub or shower, and realise that the hot water pressure is low or even zero. Also, realising that washing the dishes and crockery will take twice as long because of the low pressure. Solving this issue as soon as possible is a priority, especially in winter, when hot water is essential.
Let us then go deeper into the subject to shed light on what may be the causes that lead to such discomfort, so as not to be caught totally off guard.
Index:
- The correct water pressure
- Low pressure: common causes
- Water heater and low pressure: possible causes
- What happens to the boiler
- Knowing the reason
The correct water pressure
If there has always been constant pressure in the house, and then suddenly it has decreased, it is clear that there is a problem to be solved.
But what is the correct pressure?
Let us start by saying that the unit of measurement for water flow is the atmosphere (bar).
The right pressure in a domestic household should be between 1.5 and 3 bar. If it is lower than this range, something is not working properly and the boiler could go into lockout.
Low pressure: common causes
Low water pressure, in an environment where it has always been regular, can have several triggers. Here are the most common ones:
- Limescale and debris. The excessive presence of these two components can prevent the boiler and water heater from functioning properly;
- Damaged hydraulic pump.If your home is served by a hydraulic pump, you need to make sure it is working. If it is blocked, or broken, there is no other solution but to call a plumber;
- Clogged tap filter. A clogged filter will cause low pressure. In this case, you can try cleaning it by unscrewing it from the tap and using a common limescale remover, or by soaking it in water and vinegar. If, in spite of these operations, the filter is still clogged, you will have to change it, purchasing it at a very modest price from any hardware store
- Low outside temperature. It can happen, at certain latitudes, that the cold of the night freezes the pipes, preventing the constant flow of water. When this happens, you have to wait for the first hours of sunshine to have normal pressure again.
Water heater and low pressure: possible causes
If you use an electric water heater at home for hot water production, there could be other causes for low pressure.
There could be a leak from the heater, the pipes could be clogged with limescale sediment, or there could be a build-up of limescale in the coil.
The first problem can generally be more serious, implying – in most cases – replacement of the water heater. The other two, however, can be solved – if caught in time – by descaling the pipes and the coil. Two operations for which you should contact a professional plumber.
What happens to the boiler
If, on the other hand, you have a boiler, the main problem causing low hot water pressure could be a blockage in the heat exchanger, formed by too much limescale. This is a very common problem, resulting precisely from the heating of the water inside the exchanger.
This process, in fact, favours calcium buildup along the walls of the device.
Again, the best solution is to contact a technician to repair the fault. Our advice is to do this as soon as possible, before the problem worsens.
In the above case, you should seek professional help, but there are other hypothetical problems with the boiler that could be avoided through regular care and maintenance.
Knowing the reason
In the end, the problem of low hot water pressure could have multiple causes. Knowing why is the starting point for facing the problem without being caught off guard.
Of course, being a very delicate situation, it is preferable and necessary to seek professional help for almost every possible situation, but thanks to this post you will know the extent of the problem at least from a theoretical point of view.
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