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View Full Version : Is there a kitchen faucet designed to work with low water pressure? Thank you


terriknits
Nov 24, 2010, 08:23 AM
"We have very low water pressure into our house, it is what is. We brought a brand new American Standard but the design makes the inside diameter very small and not much water gets through except for sprayer. it is. Is there a kitchen faucet designed to work with low water pressure? Thank you"

massplumber2008
Nov 24, 2010, 09:02 AM
Hi Terri...

All faucets are regulated to pretty much the 2.5 GPM required by law nowadays...

Have you tried removing the aerator to see how the water flows without the aerator in place? If not, remove the aerator and see how the water flows. If it flows better without the aerator in place you may be able to remove the FLOW RESTRICTOR from the aerator, replace the aerator and that may improve things... ;)

To remove the flow restrictor you will need to POP off the plastic screen that exposes a small neoprene ORING. Here, use a small needle or similar tool to grab at the ORING and remove it. Replace the plastic screen and check your work.

Let me know what happens, OK?

Mark

terriknits
Nov 24, 2010, 10:11 AM
Hi Mark. Thanks. We took off the aerator and can actually get more water out of the faucet. The red plastic cap seems glued or stuck somehow to aerator. If I have to live without the aerator to make it work, I will. We don't have a dishwasher, so washing dishes tomorrow would have taken until Friday. I appreciate your response. Have a good holiday.

ballengerb1
Nov 24, 2010, 12:27 PM
Do you know what your pressure is inside and outside at the spigot? There could be some internal issues we could fix but we need to know what the city is suppying, city water, right?

speedball1
Nov 24, 2010, 01:34 PM
Bob asks a good question. To find out what PSI is entering your house purchase a hose bib pressure gage, (see image) and screw it on a outside hose bib. Do not run anything in the house and let us know what it reads. Good luck. Tom

terriknits
Nov 24, 2010, 01:57 PM
Our water supply comes from a huge tank just above our house. We are the first house down the line. They tell me it's by gravity, so the people at the bottom of the line (and a fairly steep hill) have great water pressure. Most of the water just passes us by.

ballengerb1
Nov 24, 2010, 02:06 PM
So this is considered city water, right, you pay someone for it or no. Most water systems including city supply are gravity fed. Water is pumped up at night and the weight of the water creates the pressure, taller the tank the higher the pressure. We still could use a psi check on the outside hose spigot like Speedball1 asks.

terriknits
Nov 24, 2010, 03:55 PM
It's not city, it is supplied by our park and comes from 20 miles or so away. I will get it checked and I know that it will be low. The water guy in our park says that's the way it is because we are so close to the tank. We live on the top in one of the Santa Cruz Mtns. In California. But, I'll let you know when I can get an answer. Thank you.

ballengerb1
Nov 24, 2010, 04:05 PM
Check with a neighbor or two, maybe you are worse than everyone else. You can always look into a tank and a booster pump to try to get 40 psi

terriknits
Nov 24, 2010, 04:45 PM
Thanks. All our neighbors are downhill from us and they are fine. I think the booster will have to be the way to go.

speedball1
Nov 26, 2010, 07:16 AM
I still want to know what the PSI is entering your unit. If your neighbors have good pressure there's no reason you shouldn't have good pressure also. If the tank produces good pressure then you should have it too. Sooo, what PSI is entering your unit? Back to you mn Tom