Hi guys (and gals),

I own a 2 story house that was built in 1982 or so. We are on a well and have poly butylene pipes w/ copper fittings. We have lived in the home for about 8 months, and the water pressure has always been pretty good if only one outlet was being used, but if you ran both showers or flushed a toilet when you were taking a shower, it would lose some pressure, but would still keep going pretty decent.

Today that all changed. The water pressure is low all over the house now all the time. When I turn on the shower or faucet, water will run fine for about 5-10 seconds and then the flow will slow down. I took a shower earlier and during the shower (it was the only water using application going at the time) the rate was inconsistent. Sometimes it got high enough to give a good spray, but at other times I was huddled under a few drips... somewhat back and forth.

I've checked all the faucets and showers and even toilets and the flow seems to be a lot less everywhere including outside at the hose bibs. This is the same whether its cold or hot water.

I've checked for leaks and can't find any. I've looked at the hotwater heater and nothing obvious looks out of wack (basically everything is attached and no leaks) and have looked at the pump at the well house but really don't know what to look for there.

Any ideas on what could be causing this? I'm hoping its not the pump, but w/ the whole system affected it seems to hint at that. But what do I know? I'm not the expert, but hopefully one of you guys are, and can give me a hand.

Thanks in advance.
-ryan

The first thing I would check is the water softener if you have one. Simply put in on by-pass for a minute to see if that helps.
If your on a pump you should have a pressure gauge somewhere, usually on the pump or pressure tank beside it.
Check to see what the pressure is when the pump turns on and off.
They are usually factory set at 40PSI to turn on the pump and 60PSI to shut off.
There is an adjustment on it but I wouldn't play with it unless you know how they work.
If the pressure is low when the pump is on it means either the seal of the pump is gone or the well is dry.
The other common problem is lack of air in the pressure tank but this usually just causes the pump to kick on and off a lot more.
Hope you find something simple.

OK. Went to the well to see if it had a pressure gauge and it didn't, but there is a gauge under the house at what's called a 'powersource (thats the brandname) steel pressure tank. At that gauge it said I had a psi of 42. That should rule out it being a well to the house issue I would think.

OK.. so I'm looking around down there, and there's not much to the steel pressure tank/pump. There's the tank itself, and the piping running to it, the piping coming out of it (which goes to the water filter and then goes into the house) and the gauge is there. There is also a box filled w/ some mechanical parts put in a nice protective hosuing reminiscent of an outdoor project box for electrical work.

I notice there is another similar looking box laying on the ground near it in the crawlspace, and pic it up and it's a 'pump master' I guess controller mechanism. That suggests that part was replaced not too far back, but then again, I don't know how long, and what caused the failure w/ the original piece that was replaced. (so it could potentially burn out another one quicker)

This helping narrow it down for any of you guys in the know?

Okay try running water in a sink and watch the gauge you found. The pump should start when the pressure drops to 40 PSI. Then see what pressure the pump shuts off again.
Did you manage to put the filter on By-pass?
Also check maybe you have a line that doesn't go through the filter. The garden hose shouldn't go through the filter. See if the pressure is OK at the outside hose. If it is that narrows it down to the filter or water softener.
The pump master controls the pressure cut offs and start ups for the pump. Again don't try to adjust these. It can give you a pretty good shock(I know from experience).
They don't usually have to be adjusted and aren't likely the problem.
The steel tank sometimes has to be recharged or pressurized with air. This can wreak havoc on the pressure being inconsistent. Check to see if there is a snifter valve on the tank.(Looks like the valve for filling a tire with air)
If it does shut of the power to the pump, run a tap until no water comes out then fill the tank with 15-20 psi of air. The turn on the pump and if the problem is in the tank that should cure it.
I work with pressure problems all the time and with trial and error I can usually find the problem.

Heh.. boy do I feel silly.

Good call on the water softener. I mean.. I didn't have one, but I do have an in-line filter. Had semi messed w/ it yesterday but it wouldn't come loose and the former owner didn't leave me the little wrench deal that normally accompanies these filters. Anyway.. it didn't need one (a wrench) it just needed a pressure release valve to be pressed until it purged the water in it, then unscrewed by hand mighty easy.

Took out the filter and YEP, that was the culprit. I've never seen one sooooo nasty.took it out, and poured the SLUDGE out from the cup that holds the filter. Ugh...

Didn't have another filter handy, but just to ensure that was the problem I screwed it back on w/o a filter in it and turned the water back on.

Checked the shower and the pressure is better than it ever has been!

YAY! And CHEAP! :D

Good call ken! Thanks bunches for the help bro!

Is there a check valve as part of a submersible pump system? Also, why would it stop leaking at 50psi? This one has got me scratching my head for sure.

All systems have a check valve of one sort or another. Its purpose is simple. Once the pump stops pumping, the CV prevents the water from simply exiting the tank and running back down the well pipe. They typically either work or don't work, but I have heard of them holding up to a certain level of pressure and then leaking.

If you suspect the CV, then you can put a new one above ground between the tank and the wellhead. This site shows what one looks like. It's a different system than yours, but the CV would be similar.

Water system check valve location & purpose - private pump and well system do-it-yourself repairs

You also might want to turn off the water to your house if you have a shutoff valve in place. If the pressure holds, then you know the problem is somewhere between the tank and pump.