Home » DIY » Plumbing Tips » How to determine the faults for Low Water Pressure. Pt 1

How to determine the faults for Low Water Pressure. Pt 1

Written by on April 20, 2007
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Low Pressure from the Mains.

Could mean a few things. If you have just moved in to your new house and the Mains are new, you can flush it first. Sometimes in the process of tapping your incoming lines from the Mains, mud gets into the line. Flushing it might help.

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  1. Turn off the stop cork just before the water meter. (red arrow)
  2. Use a an adjustable spanner to loosen the meter coupling. (blue arrow)
  3. Turn on the stop cork to the maximum and see if mud or small stones are bing flushed out.
  4. See if the actual pressure from the Mains is low. If it is, call the Water Authorities to complain.

If these steps work, congratulations. If it doesn’t, then fixed back the meter coupling that you have just loosened. Loosen the the one on the opposite end (green arrow) so that water passes through the meter before getting flush out. If water coming out from the meter is lower than usual, then the mud of whatever has gotten stuck inside the meter. Not much you can do except to make a report to the Authorities to have your meter changed.

If you have been staying in your house for many years and reccently sees that the pressure has gone down cosiderably. It could mean a few things too.

  1. The Authorities are practising partial water rationing, meaning they have reduced the pressure at the source to save water.
  2. Most probably, your pipes are badly clogged up after so many years.
  3. There is a leak somewhere you cannot see.

For reason 1, there noting much to do except to wait it out. Even complaining won’t do much good and it’s best not to complain in situations like this where every body is affected.

For reason no 2. and 3, you will have to call in a registered plumber to replace the incomings from the Mains. It will involve some excavating as all the Mains are buried underneath the earth and you won’t be able to do it yourself. Furthermore there are some special tools and techniques involved when changing the incoming mains. Make sure you get a reputable plumber as a sloppy job can do more harm than good. If the connections to the 10″ Mains are not done correctly, you will probably have a fountain it your front gate.

Categories: Plumbing Tips

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