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What’s wrong with my plumbing? Why isn’t there water coming out of my faucet?

Here’s a common question we hear from clients. Why isn’t there enough water coming out of my faucet? If water isn’t coming out of your faucet at the volume or pressure you’re used to it could be a couple of simple issues that can be easy to resolve. 

Some common reasons for why there isn’t water coming out of your faucet. 

1. Closed or broken angle stops.  Angle stops are the valves under your sink and behind your toilet that turn the water on and off for your faucets.   
2. Aerators full of debris.  The aerator is the screened portion at the end of your faucet spout. When debris fills the aerator it limits the volume that can pass through.   
3. Bent or kinked supply lines.  The supply lines are the flexible tubing that connects your faucet to your angle stops. If these supply lines are bent, kinked or damaged they can restrict water flow to your faucets. 
4. Blocked pipes.  Your water lines going to your faucets may be the cause of reduced water flow or pressure.  Older pipes can build up with mineral deposits or even rust depending on the type of water lines you have.  Plastic lines could also be kinked or bent reducing the volume of water to your faucet. 
5. Water heater issues may not seem relevant but it can be if the problem you’re having with your faucet(s) is on the hot side only and the cold side is not affected. 
6. A leak on your plumbing system.  A leak on your water lines, especially underground, can go unnoticed until you turn on the faucet or have your first surprise water bill. 
7. Your faucet needs repair.  A faucet that is having issues with producing enough water or water pressure could be a sign that the faucet needs repair or to be replaced. 
8. Frozen pipes – this isn’t common in the Phoenix area but in our Northern parts of the state frozen pipes do happen. Frozen pipes could be a cause for not having any water or low pressure at your faucet.  
9. Diagnostics on your faucet not having any water 
10. Is the issue at every faucet or just one? 
11. Is the problem occurring on both the hot and cold or just one temperature? 

If more than one faucet has no pressure, or no water coming out.  This is often a sign that the issue is not the faucet itself but rather something within the water line(s) going to those faucets.  The first thing to check is removing the aerator on the faucets and clean them of any debris. If you see debris in your aerators, then it’s time to have a plumber out. A professional plumber will figure out where the debris in your water lines is coming from.   

If the problem is at a single faucet it may be that you have a bad angle stop or a bad supply line to your faucet, or that debris is in the aerator.  A visual inspection of your supply line(s) and your angle stops is highly recommended. If you see that the supply line has a kink in the line, remove the kink. Removing the kink should allow full volume to your faucet. If your angle stop(s) aren’t on all the way this is often an easy fix by turning the angle stop on all the way.

Be cautious if you see signs of corrosion on the angle stop. If you do, it’s often best to leave them alone and hire a professional. Signs of corrosion means that the angle stop is leaking. Once you turn the valve handle you may find yourself with a face full of water and calling for emergency repairs.   

 Another cause could be buildup in your water lines. This is most common with old galvanized water lines. Galvanized water lines will rust and close in as the pipe ages. It is common to go from a ¾ inch pipe to a ¼ inch diameter of water flow or even less. If you have corroded pipes or a leak under ground than the poor water pressure at your fixtures will get even worse as you turn on multiple fixtures because of a lack of volume. 

 Let’s say that you’ve cleaned the aerator, checked the angle stops and supply lines, verified your water lines and water heater are in good shape than the likely issue is the faucet itself. If you live in an area with hard water then eventually that hard water is going to create issues. One of those issues is the clogging of water ways within your faucet itself. There are ways of decalcifying your faucet, but it is likely that it would cost more than replacing the faucet. If you are in this predicament then it’s likely you have already or are about to think about updating those faucets anyways. 

 The average homeowner will probably read this and think to themselves… I am not going through all of that. If this is, you that is OK. There are professionals for a reason. It’s OK to give them a call to figure out why that faucet or faucet has lost pressure. If you’re still going to take this on yourself that’s OK too. I would just recommend not to wait if you get stuck. There are a lot of components to your plumbing systems and they can become overwhelming to the novice quickly. If you’re having problems with the water pressure or volume from your faucets, Call a Robin!  Our experienced team will diagnose the issue with your faucet and provide options to resolve the issue like a pro.

Services in Phoenix & Beyond

When you’ve found yourself in need of emergency plumbing services or a 24 hour plumber in the Phoenix, Glendale, Scottsdale, or Chandler area, you can trust Robins Plumbing. We will provide you with prompt and expert care!  Contact our team today! In addition to our slab leak repairs, we also offer a variety of residential and commercial plumbing services, including: drain cleaning, water heater repair and replacement, sewer camera inspection and locating, backflow prevention, commercial and residential jetting, water treatments, and more. Visit our reviews online to see what others have to say about our local plumbing company!