Gaithersburg has a total population of over 65000, and over 73% of these people are employed. If you’re one of them, you already understand the morning rush to grab a shower and head out to your workplace. But, what if you get in the shower in the morning, turn it on, and it feels like there is hardly any water coming out?
This tends to happen when the water pressure is too low. Numerous Gaithersburg residents have reported low water pressure issues in their homes. Luckily for you, this also means that there are a number of Gaithersburg plumbers who are experienced in dealing with this issue.
And yes, there are a few different issues that could all cause low water pressure.
The Problem: The Shower Head Is Clogged with Limescale
How to Fix It: With special tools specific to each job that could be purchased at a local hardware store, remove the showerhead and clean it. Cleaning will usually solve the problem.
The Problem: There Is Too Much Pressure Going into Your Home from the Mainline
How to Fix It: A professional plumber can install an adjustable pressure regulator to help lower the incoming water pressure, but this might also require a new water meter as well because the old ones are incapable of regulating water pressure, to begin with.
The Problem: Your Plumbing Fixtures Have Old Valves That Regulate How Much Hot and Cold Water Can Flow-through Them
How to Fix It: If you’re having issues with low hot or cold water pressure, in particular, chances are it’s just because your valves are old. If they’re brass, you could replace them yourself with the right tools. If they’re made of metal, call Gaithersburg plumbers to install new ones for you.
The Problem: The Pipes Leading Away from the Main Line Are Too Small
How to Fix It: It might seem odd that this problem is on here twice, but it really can be related to both issues with too much water pressure and low water pressure in general. If your pipe diameter is not large enough, there won’t be enough space for the water to flow through quickly or easily.
This creates two problems–first, when someone uses a lot of hot water at once (like taking an abnormally long shower or several baths in a row), the water pressure could drop because there is not enough hot water being supplied in the first place.
Second, if your pipes are smaller in diameter, the water will heat up slower, which means you’ll have less hot water available when someone turns on the hot water faucet.
The appropriate solution for this problem would be to replace your pipe with one that is larger in diameter–you can do this yourself with the right tools or hire a plumber to come to install new pipes for you. While anyone can use a plunger and clear out obstructions in the drain, handling issues like low water pressure should be left to the professionals. These are critical issues that demand a certain level of expertise that most homeowners are unlikely to possess.