Low Water Pressure Around the House: Where to Start
Low water pressure is one of those complaints where the cause could be outside your boundary, inside your loft, or in a single tap.
Low water pressure is one of those complaints where the cause could be outside your boundary, inside your loft, or in a single tap. The useful first step is deciding whether the problem affects the whole property or just one outlet, because that single answer splits the diagnosis in two completely different directions.
One outlet or the whole house?
If a single tap or shower is weak, the fault is local: a blocked aerator, a scaled cartridge, a partially closed isolation valve, or a flexible hose that has collapsed internally. If everything is weak, look at the incoming supply, the internal stop tap, or the system design.
Mains supply and stop taps
Internal stop taps that have not been moved in years often no longer open fully, and older lead or narrow-bore supply pipes limit flow no matter what you do inside. We measure static pressure and, more importantly, flow rate in litres per minute, because a combi boiler or an unvented cylinder both depend on real flow rather than pressure alone.
Gravity systems and pumps
In a property with a cold tank in the loft and a hot cylinder, upstairs shower pressure depends on the height difference between the tank and the shower head. Where that is inherently small, the answer is either a correctly specified shower pump or a conversion to a mains-pressure unvented system, which is often the better long-term solution.
What we check on a visit
Incoming flow and pressure at the stop tap, pressure at the affected outlets, condition of any filters and strainers, and whether the pipework sizing suits the appliances installed. Then we give you options with the cost and the realistic improvement of each, rather than immediately recommending the biggest job.
Common questions
Can you increase mains water pressure?
We can't change what the water company delivers, but we can remove restrictions inside the property, upsize internal pipework, or install an accumulator or pump where appropriate. We'll measure first and tell you what's realistically achievable.
Why is only my hot water weak?
On a gravity-fed system that's normal physics. On a combi it usually means a scaled plate heat exchanger or a partially blocked hot outlet. On an unvented cylinder it can be the pressure reducing valve or strainer.
Would an unvented cylinder fix my shower pressure?
If your incoming mains flow is good, yes — an unvented system gives mains-pressure hot water to every outlet. If incoming flow is poor, it won't help, which is exactly why we test flow rate before recommending one.
Do you fit shower pumps?
Yes, where a pump is the right answer for a gravity system. We size the pump to the outlets rather than fitting the largest available, because oversizing causes noise and can pull air into the system.