[mecca2009]

My son has got a new home and his water pressure is very low how can I better this do we need to put in a pressure pump can any one help it is on the cold water side the one that comes in to his home were he lives it has always been like it

[hkstroud]

Does he have a pressure regulating valve?

[mecca2009]

No the house he has got is very old and he is still on a coal fire but the water that comes in to his home is very poor and it has always been like this I just wonderd if we could have some kind of pump fitted just to boost it up

[massplumber2008]

Hi all:

Mecca2009... do you know what a pressure regulator looks like? See the first image below. If this valve is present on the cold water supply into the home then it certainly could be the issue as hkstroud suggested. Just wanted to be sure on this.

Otherwise, the first thing we really need to know here is if the PRESSURE is low... or if the VOLUME of water into the home is low... ;)

Go to a local home improvement store and purchase a hosebib (outside faucet) pressure gauge... see images. The gauge screws onto an outside faucet or any faucet with a threaded hose connection.

Hook this pressure gauge onto the faucet and open it up and see what the pressure reads... then let us know what it reads.

We can tell you more then.. ;)

MARK

PS: There certainly are BOOSTER pumps available that can help here, but let's make sure that pressure is the issue.

[speedball1]

Mark's on to something. Here. I don't think it's so much a "pressure problem" as it's a "volume problem". Let me explain.
I think Meccas son has the same problem that I and countless others share in older homes that were piped in galvanized pipe.
Over the years iron oxide,(rust) builds up in galvanized pipes, (see image).
This buildup chokes the volume down which also reduces the pressure at the tap.
If there were a easy fix to this I'd do it myself but sadly there is no "easy fix".
You're left with two choices here.
1) Bite the bullet and do a repipe job, **OR**
2) Do what I'm doing and live with it.
Eventually the pressure will get so bad we will all be forced to repipe or start to flush our toilets with a bucket of water, (borrowed from the neighbors.)
Sorry I couldn't be more upbeat, Tom

[mygirlsdad77]

Yes, pressure and volume are two totally different things. I live in an old house that has a 3/4 lead water service. I realized I had a volume problem, as my pressure is 45psi with all fixture off, and drops to about 20 with one sink on. I figured I would give the booster pump a try since I have easy access to them. Here's were volume problems give you hell,, the booster pump gave me great presssure(I set mine up to sixty psi) and it would blow my hair back in the shower... but, when you open another faucet or flush a toilet, the pump can only draw the volume that is available, My volume is very low, so it still had the same problem,(getting scalded in the shower when someone flushed a toilet, and not having enough volume to keep pressure up when trying to install sprinkler system. so I skipped on the sprinkler system, )

What I'm trying to say is,, pressure is great, but it requires the correct volume to keep pressure stable while running water. Lee.

[hkstroud]

First question should have been, is the house on a municipal water system or on a well?

[mecca2009]

No there is not a pressure regulater put we have got a out side tap I will check the pressure asap and let you know were he lives is a long row of houses about 30 in each row and there is about 12 rows it is an old mining town and all the houses are the same they are on top of a hill and when I was a child I used to live there 35 years ago and the water has always been like it I just wonderd if there was any thing I can do just to inprove it a little other than getting the water company to spend millions to up date it and that won't happen

[speedball1]

Mecca,
Did you miss my post? Is this a older home with galvanized pipes? You can install a booster pump, (see image) on the system but all the pressure in the world isn't going to help if you don't have the volume to back it up. A pipe that's choked down with rust will only allow so much water to pass and with the loss of volume comes the loss of pressure. Regards. Tom

[hkstroud]

A pump with a well tank should solve volume problems. That is a volume to the house problems.

[speedball1]

A pump with a well tank should solve volume problems. That is a volume to the house problems.

I agree that it might get volume to the house but how about inside it? If the pipes are rusted just about closed then upping the pressure isn't going to help the volume a bit. I know because I have the same problem. 50 PSI entering my house, (plenty of pressure) but only have about 15 PSI outt the kitchen sink. I have old galvanized pipes that are rusted just about shut. Pressure and volume! Ya got to have both to get a good stream out of your taps. Regards, Tom

[hkstroud]

Tom I agree, only to the house. The carpenter never has door steps and the cobbler's children never have shoes. Ever considered a small expansion tank in line, close to the sink. Should give you about a gallon at "normal flow".

[speedball1]

Harold,
I'm not speaking of a single fixture here. I simply used the kitchen sink as a example.
I'm talking a loss of cold water throughout the entire system. My father looped a copper supply from the incoming service over to the water heater so I have adequate hot water pressure but the house mains are 1/2" and chocked up with rust. When the volume falls offg so does the pressure.; No way around it Haroold! Perhaps a pressure tank on each fixture would remedy the situation but the galvanized pipes will eventually rust shut and then where you going to be? Nah! The only fix is a repipe job. Believe me if there was any other way I would have done it years ago but thanks for the sugestion. Regards, Tom