Imagine turning on the faucet in your shower or kitchen sink only to discover that you have no water or limited water pressure. Not something we want to experience personally, but happening with greater frequency to homeowners as we “weather” the 2015 winter.

What should you do?

• Check other water sources in your home to determine the severity of the issue.
• Ask neighbors if their water pressure is low or if they have no running/flowing water
• Call your local water utility or check their website to determine if there is an interruption in service in your neighborhood of which they are aware.
• Low or limited flow from water sources inside the house could mean a problem between the house and the water meter.
• If you are using a pressure-reducing valve installed on your water supply, remove it to restore pressure.
• Low pressure at a single faucet can be caused by a defective aerator (the screen that covers the faucet where the water exits), which can easily be removed and cleaned.
• Water pooling in your yard could be indicative of a clogged line, which impacts the flow.

If there are problems with hot water pressure but not cold, it could mean a problem with the hot water heater. Make sure the shutoff valve is completely open to restore pressure/flow. And, check the master shutoff valve as well to ensure it is open. The master valve provides pressure to all of the water sources in your home.

If your pipes are frozen, you probably have no water or flow of water is reduced to a trickle. Should this be the case, chances are the water lines outside your home are frozen, are leaking or the line could be broken. If you are a Service Line Warranties customer, call 866-922-9006 to report the problem.  If you are not a customer, you need to find a plumber as soon as possible! Check www.homeadvisor.com to locate one in your area.

Great sources of information on water pressure:
Get an answer from a handyman now
Plumbing QA
Solving Low Water Pressure Problems