Water Pressure Questions

Good morning ATS!

I have some questions about plumbing/water pressure I'm having an issue with.

I've recently returned from over seas and realized the water pressure in my house is jacked up. I have a 2 story house. The pressure down stairs is a little weaker than normal, not to bad at all actually but not what it should be. However the water pressure upstairs is next to nothing. I've searched high and low for leaks and have come up with nothing. Basically i'm trying to figure out if there's anything else I can do before I get nickel and dimed by the "professionals"

Any suggestions?

a reply to: slapjacks

Is there any construction nearby??
Sometimes people working on something can affect pressure.

I lived at a place where they let us know they were doing it and the extra water pressure was nice.

If the pressure is lower,the first thing I do is check for clogged aerators on the taps.

Best I have to offer,sorry.

a reply to: slapjacks

grab a cheap pressure gauge. Check at the closest point, or before it gets to the house, and then at other points. with nothing running, you should have equal pressure everywhere, but just a tiny bit less upstairs. Gravity gives water it's pressure, which is why tanks are elevated.

You could have an obstruction or a leak. check outside faucets as well. If you find high pressure anywhere, and not everywhere, you have one of the two issues I mentioned. lastly, and do this first, check with your neighbors.

1) - 2 story house
2) - water pressure degraded somewhat downstairs and next to nothing on top floor
Leak most likely
Just takes a minor leak incoming to do this.
Or , the city/county/state is draining the lines. Happens

Got white looking water upstairs ?

a reply to: slapjacks
Check with neighbors about low water pressure....

Call the water department and have them come out and test your pressure before you do anything else .

a reply to: slapjacks

the most common " invisible leak " that will cause symptoms as described = the upstairs toilet - check over flow from the toilet headertank - if water is running out of it - it will severly degrade pressure

but - as stated - pressure guage needed - the pressure difference downstairs // upstairs - SHOULD be a direct function of the altitude difference

a reply to: slapjacks

City water or do you have a well?


Also, is it low pressure or low water flow?

a reply to: slapjacks

After re-reading your OP I’ve got a question.

It sounds like he went out of town.

Did you turn the water off when you left?

If so check the water intake and make sure it’s turned on all the way .

Sometimes the simplest explanation is the explanation .

Licensed plumber here. Check to see if your water meter is moving. That's the best way to find out if there is a leak. It would be a pretty good leak if you're losing that much pressure. Next check the main shut-off valve. Sometimes buttheads will mess with it. Make sure it's on all the way. Then check the tub spout for pressure. The tub spout usually doesn't have any restricters/aerators that could get clogged up so its the best fixture to check. Do you have a pressure regulator close to the main shut-off? Sometimes those will go bad and it might need to be replaced or adjusted. As the other poster said, check with the neighbors. If you're in the SF Bay area, message me and I can save you some money. Good luck. Oh, and never trust a skinny cook or a fat plumber.

a reply to: Bluntone22

City water

a reply to: Fallingdown

I left the water on.

a reply to: DrumsRfun

No construction that I know of.

I was reading somewhere that it could have something to do with the water heater?

a reply to: slapjacks

The water heater shouldn't effect the cold water.
Separate lines.

Start with the neighbors. Find out if it's just you.

a reply to: slapjacks

Are your pipes copper or galvanized/iron. If you have galvanized, it might've rusted itself closed on the inside.

originally posted by: slapjacks
a reply to: DrumsRfun

No construction that I know of.

I was reading somewhere that it could have something to do with the water heater?

Do like Starhooker said and make sure everything is closed/not running... go look at your water meter... if it’s showing consumption you have a leak somewhere... if it’s not then most likely the source of your problem is outside of your house... ask you neighbor and see if they’re having a similar issue...

I work in this exact field could be a multitude of things,pumping station down,water break,closed valves in the street lines, isolated area for flushing, or construction.could even be old dirty lines filled with tuberculation.
a reply to: slapjacks

originally posted by: slapjacks
a reply to: Fallingdown

I left the water on.

Well then you would definitely know whether you had a leak or not.


I came home from a trip once to a ceiling on the floor . Since then I always cut off the water .

a reply to: Starhooker

A professional plumber with the avatar name Starhooker……..Life is funnier than fiction. When I was in electrical construction we called the plumbers " Turds Herder's". I once knew a plumber and his tag line was ….." Your sh-t is my bread & butter". Actually had that on a business card.

a reply to: openyourmind1262

Open your mind bro. Got any new plumber jokes or nicknames I haven't heard yet, sparkles? Btw, my username comes from night fishing as a teen and staring at the stars, imagining if I could cast my hook far enough, I could catch one. Haven't yet, but I'm just a lowly turd herder. The most necessary trade on the planet. Plumbdog Millionaire. Sh#t smells like money to me.