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View Full Version : Water pressure setup in a condo.


reilly0308
Mar 24, 2008, 08:50 PM
We live in a 20 yr old, 3 story, condo building on the 2nd flr and I have no real knowledge of the history of the building other then our time here... but know that we've been here for 6 years and the water pressure throughout our unit seems to be getting less and less. Especially in the kitchen... bathroom faucets have a lot more pressure then kitchen.

What's strange to me is that the outside hose, in front of the building, has such a rush of water you could put a 3 alarm blaze out with it. Does this seem right that the building water is balanced this way or are they totally separate supplys and therefore this is all meaningless.

Just we're trying to sell and when a client comes in to use the sink and has to wait to fill up a glass... it doesn't help the situation. Wanted to know if there is a way I can balance out someway with my fixtures to help disperse more pressure to the kitchen faucet.

Would prefer not to have to get further involved with my friends at the association. Thx!

massplumber2008
Mar 25, 2008, 04:34 AM
Hey Reilly.. try removing the aerator from the kitchen sink faucet spout and clean it (see pic.)

Twists out clockwise and can get clogged with sediment over time... loosen, remove, run water without for 30 seconds (pressure stronger now? ), then clean aerator and re-install... that should help the kitchen.

As for the rest of building.. if 20 years old, should not be a galvanized pipe issue, but more so that the water main that feeds the outside hose full size is probably broken down in size as it feeds each separate unit. This would result in reduced volume to your unit in comparison to main line outside hose piping.

Try the aerator removal... let us know if that helped... or not.. ok?

Talk soon.. Mark

reilly0308
Mar 25, 2008, 04:57 AM
Will try, thanks.

reilly0308
Mar 29, 2008, 08:31 AM
Mark, you da man!! Took off the aerator and it made a HUGE diff! Wasn't able to save the aerator think perhaps it was somehow damaged? But live a mile from the local HD so no worries. Would've felt pretty dumb calling a plumber for that. Thx again!