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Just because a faucet in your home has low water pressure doesn’t mean you’ll have to call a plumber to fix it. There are a couple of things that you can check to resolve the issue on your own! Find yourself in need of some help? We’ve got Faucet Repair and Replacement options for you!

1. Adjust Your Angle Stops

   Angle stops being partially closed are a common cause of reduced pressure for kitchen or bathroom faucets. This is one of those things that no one knows who did it– like the person who drank the last bit of milk and won’t fess up. Angle stops are the shut off valves that you’ll find under your sinks and behind the toilet. The water volume sent to your faucet is reduced if these valves aren’t completely in the on position, reducing the volume and pressure that comes out of the faucet. Make sure these valves are in the “on” position. If the valve handle just spins, or won’t move at all, it is time to give us a call to replace it. These valves leaking happens to be one of the leading causes of floods in Phoenix.

2. Kinks in Water Supply Lines

   Kinked supply lines under your sink can be another cause of reduced pressure on faucets. Sometimes, moving items underneath the sink around can kink the supply lines and reduce water flow to the faucet. This is usually a simple fix if the supply line is in good condition. Check your supply lines for kinks and straighten the supply line back out if you find a kink in the line. This is also a great time to check under your sink for leaks. A clean paper towel gently placed on the plumbing under your sink can easily alert you of any leaks that you may not have noticed before. If the paper towel comes back wet, then it is time to have that leak looked at before it becomes an emergency.

3. Clean Your Aerator

   One of the most common causes of low pressure to a kitchen or bathroom sink faucet is debris or mineral buildup in the aerator. The aerator is the tiny screen that you see at the end of your faucet. This little mesh screen aerates your water as it exits your faucet, giving it that unique from-a-faucet pour. If you have hard water in your home, then your aerator is very likely the cause of your low water pressure issue. While we recommend preventing the issue by softening the water in your home, the solution to the symptom of hard water buildup in your faucet is a simple one you can do on your own.

   The easiest way to clean mineral buildup from your aerators is to grab some plain white vinegar, a rubber band, and a sandwich bag. Place the rubber band around the top of your bag before filling– this will make it easier to put around your faucet once the sandwich bag is full. Make a 1:1 mixture of white vinegar and water placing the mixture inside the sandwich bag. The next step is to put the spout of your faucet into the sandwich bag and hold it in place with the rubber band. Be sure to immerse the aerator completely within the vinegar mixture. Allow the aerator to soak for ten minutes, then remove the sandwich bag. Afterwards, turn on your faucet to rinse out the vinegar and test your results.

4. Debris in Aerator

   If soaking your aerator in the vinegar mixture didn’t quite get the job done, it could be that you have debris in your aerator that needs to be removed. Keep in mind before you remove your aerator, some faucet models require a specialized tool to remove it, so if your aerator doesn’t remove easily, don’t force it– you will break it.

   Many faucet manufacturers have made aerators easily removable; these faucets usually have an obvious seem at the end of the spout. Do not just take a wrench or a pair of pliers to this and start twisting– you will scratch the finish of your faucet. The proper tool is a crescent wrench or a mini strap wrench. These tools have a flat, smooth surface that shouldn’t scratch anything.

   Check inside of your aerator for mineral deposits which often take the form of rocks, or other debris in your line after removing the cover. An old toothbrush or paintbrush usually removes this debris with ease. Once the aerator has been cleaned of debris, screw the aerator back on and test your faucet for adequate pressure.

Services in Phoenix & Beyond

When you’ve found yourself in need of plumbing services in the Phoenix, Glendale, Scottsdale, or Chandler area, you can trust Robins Plumbing to provide you with prompt and expert care, contact our team today! In addition to our toilet services, 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!