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Triple master contractor Ed Del Grande
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By Ed Del Grande
Q: Hi, Ed. I enjoy watching your TV show and reading your column. I wish you could be my contractor, because I'm not having good luck with the six plumbers and contractors that have looked at my problem. I have very poor water pressure to every fixture of my house. Sounds simple, right? Well, all six plumbers and contractors have different opinions, and now I don't know what's what! Here are the most common opinions:
- My main water line to the house is corroded on the inside and is blocking the flow to the house. Repair: Dig up my yard and install a new water main line.
- Too many fixtures in the house for the size of the water pipe used and too many 90-degree bends in the pipe. Repair: Re-pipe the entire house.
- Water piping inside the house may be corroded on the inside and restricting the flow to the fixtures. Repair: You guessed it, re-pipe the entire house.
As you can see, one is left not knowing the correct answer. Ed, you are the only one I can trust, and all these solutions seem very expensive! What should I do? Warren (New Jersey)
A: Hi, Warren. Please remember that without checking out your job or knowing the qualifications of the contractors you called, I can only offer speculation of what I have seen in cases similar to yours. The trick to solving any plumbing problem is to take it step by step and eliminate potential causes as you go along. Then after all the smoke clears, whatever is left should be the real problem, and you can address that issue.
The first step with any water pressure issue is to simply check the water pressure in the house with a pressure gauge that attaches to an outdoor faucet. You can get these gauges at any home center or supply house. If the pressure reads over 80 psi, you have high water pressure and it should be lowered by adding a pressure reducer valve at the water meter. A reading below 30 psi is usually considered low water pressure. The desired range is in the 45 psi to 70 psi range. So, if you find low water pressure in your house, your problem may be with the water pressure itself and not with the water piping.
For houses with low water pressure, a pressure booster pump can increase the pressure and solve your problem. However, if your house shows normal water pressure, you can suspect the water main and/or the house water lines.
To test if the restriction is in the underground main water line, you need to test the flow directly after your water meter, before it goes into your house water system. A licensed plumber should do this; if you don't have a meter draw off valve, some piping may have to be disconnected. If the flow from the main looks weak, it could be a bad water main, as one contractor said.
If the flow from the main is strong, you have pinpointed the problem as the inside water piping. If the water piping inside the home is very old and especially if it's galvanized piping, the inside of the lines may have a lot of debris blocking the flow. You might want to try replacing a small section of water piping to one fixture in the house and see what happens before you re-pipe the entire house. Increasing the size of the water lines when you replace old piping should also help.
You need to find one qualified, licensed plumber to solve this problem step by step. Having a bunch of contractors is like the old saying "Too many cooks in the kitchen!" Also, be aware that no matter what — whether you need a pressure pump, new water main or new water piping — this will most likely be an expensive job. Now the pressure will be on you to put aside some money so you can fix this problem!
Ed Del Grande was born and raised in a family-owned plumbing business. With more than 25 years of experience in every aspect of construction, he holds current Master licenses in pipefitting, fire protection and plumbing. If you have a question for Ed, send him an e-mail at eddelgrande@hgtvpro.com.
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