Hi all,

I have problems with low water pressure in my home. My home was built in 1933, stick-frame two-storied, upstairs / downstairs are supplied by a common water heater and water service, outside the house water pressure is fine. Where I run into a situation is at the kitchen, bathroom sinks and the shower.
On the first floor kitchen sink, cold water pressure is good, hot water pressure is a trickle, first floor bathroom sink hot and cold pressures are just a trickle, shower on the first floor suffers the same low-pressure trickle as the bathroom sink. (FYI, it takes 18 minutes to fill a five-gallon container at the shower, bathroom and kitchen sink.)

Second floor, kitchen sink pressure is low on both hot and cold faucets, bathroom and shower have good pressure.

One mitigating factor that was mentioned to me is the plumbing in the house is all galvanized pipe. I've been told that could be the root cause of my problem, and the low pressure / good pressure mix could just be blockages at the faucet.

I can't afford to be wrong on this and start diassembling the plumbing and leave my family without service.

Where should I start? Your thoughts.
My family would be grateful.:D

Thank you,
RD Anderson

Chances are very good that much of your piping is almost closed off with scale, lime, calcium. 75 years is a long time for galvanized pipe in most areas. Before you start taking the house apart you should test the pressure at your meter to make sure the problem isn't the main.

You are going to have to repipe.

Is there no other solution? What about a solvent to dissolve the deposits?. then flush out the pipes.
The city replaced the main three years ago, and the unit is working fine.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RD Anderson

Is there no other solution? What about a solvent to dissolve the deposits?.....then flush out the pipes.
The city replaced the main three years ago, and the unit is working fine.

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The only solution to old clogged galvanized piping, I'm sorry to say, is to replace it and repipe. The reason I'm sorry is that I'm faced with the same problem in my 53 year old home. Looks like we're both going to hafta bite the bullet and repipe. I'm thinking plastic. How about you? Regards, Tom