4 Things You Should Know About Water Pressure

Water pressure determines how the water in your house will act during everyday uses, such as turning on a faucet or flushing a toilet. It's important to understand water pressure, especially if you're having problems with it. A common misconception is that having low water pressure is the only potential problem. On the contrary, that's only the beginning.

1. Where you live often determines water pressure
Water pressure, in short, is basically just pent up potential energy. The way the potential energy works is by your location – specifically, how far away you are from your main source of water. If you live very close to your water supply, then you're more than likely going to have excellent water pressure.
If you live on an elevated landscape, like a hill or mountain, or you use a well as your main water supply, you will likely have lower water pressure. Because of where you live, you may not be able to alter your water pressure.

2. It may not be the water
Sometimes, an issue with water pressure can stem from the pipes themselves. In many older houses various types of metal were used for the pipes, including many that rust. Those pipes can cause flakes of rust and metal to fall away as water hits the pipes, sending the flakes up with the water. Over time, the flakes can collect in a drain or pipe, similar to a clogged artery, and make it nearly impossible to get good water pressure. The best solution for this is to make sure you don't have rusting pipes, and if you do, have them replaced.

3. Water pressure boosters
If you've checked the pipes and you live close enough to your water source, the best solution might be to simply get a plumber to install a water pressure booster for you. This is a cheaper alternative to replacing pipes, and offers increased water pressure throughout the entire house. The only downside is that it requires a lot of energy, meaning more than likely you'll get a heightened electricity bill.

4. Drilling the restrictor
If you're having water pressure issues in specific areas of the house, a final solution is to unscrew the faucet or showerhead giving you issues, and drill out the restrictor. It's a little metal or plastic piece that has a hole in it. When the water is on, you'll see that it's the hole where water comes out. Making the hole bigger allows for more water to come out – simple as that.

It's important to understand water pressure and the causes of it being low. But with the right knowledge, you can fix minor issues by yourself or call a plumber to help you out.