Having low hot water pressure can be annoying, but the good news is that you can now find out why this is happening. Both the hot and cold water passing through your hot water system is expected to have the same pressure. Hence, a slight change in the flow rates is usually caused by problems with the hot water system or the entire water supply system of your home.
In this piece, we will be taking a closer look at these issues, as they relate to the hot water system and the entire water supply system of your home. So, let’s get to it.
Possible causes of low hot water pressure
1. Presence of accumulated scale and sediment in the hot water system
Accumulation of sediment and scale is common to both electric and gas hot water systems. The continuous use of your water tank leads to the corrosion of the interior. The corroding particles are eventually moved to the base of the tank, and they find their way into the hot water pipes in bits. Once in the pipes, they block the pipe partially and cause the hot water pressure to drop.
2. Deformed water supply lines
Most tank-type hot water systems use the accordion-type copper water pipes, and these pipes are designed to bend easily. If the deformation is severe, it may prevent the free flow of water and subsequently low hot water pressure.
3. Plumbing lines with multiple bends
The more the bends in your pipe system, the more pressure the hot water loses when passing through the bends. Although you get hot water from the taps, it will come at reduced pressure.
4. Half-closed shutoff valve
If a shutoff valve is not entirely closed, there would be a reduction in water flow. This ultimately leads to a drop in the pressure across your home’s hot water supply system.
5. General low water pressure
There may be cases of a sharp drop in water pressure across the entire water system. When this happens, it affects both the hot and cold water supply flow. You will need to check the main water supply supplying your home to make corrections.
6. Incorrect sizes of water supply lines
If there is a discrepancy between the sizes of the water supply lines and the main water supply lines in your home, you might experience a sharp drop in water pressure. This is because the water will naturally flow into the smaller pipe from the bigger pipes.
7. Half-closed shutoff valve of direct water supply
There is usually a drop in water pressure for both hot and cold water supply lines when the shutoff valve of the direct water supply is not completely opened.
8. Incorrect configuration of the pressure regulator
You must ensure that the pressure regulator in your home is properly set so that the water pressure in your home can be optimum. If the regulator is faulty or worn out, it may lead to a drop in hot water pressure.
9. A large amount of accumulated scale in tap/fixture and/or old fixtures
If you have continuously used a fixture/tap for a very long time, it will most likely contain a large amount of accumulated scale. This causes a drop in hot water pressure emerging from these taps. To restore the pressure to the optimum, install new taps, and opt for soft water instead of hard water.
How do you fix cases of low hot water pressure?
The first step is to know the extent of the problem. Check if it the issue extends to all taps in your home or just a few of them. After this, proceed to find out what the possible cause of the reduced pressure could be. After you have identified the cause(s) of the drop, you can proceed to try out one or more of the suggested fixes below to solve the problem.
1. Presence of accumulated scale and sediment in the hot water system
If your hot water system is still new, you may flush and clean the interior of the tank to get rid of the scale and sediment. However, for systems that have served for long, it is recommended that you replace your hot water system with a new one. Your plumber will be in the best position to determine which is better between the two options.
2. Plumbing lines with multiple bends
You can simply repipe the plumbing lines supplying the taps with the issue, but if the problem is general, installing a pressure regulator is recommended. You will need the help of a plumber to set up the regulator so that you get optimum hot water pressure.
3. Half-closed shutoff valve
Just open the shutoff valve completely to ensure that water flows freely.
4. General low water pressure
Installing a pressure regulator will fix this issue, provided you don’t have one yet. Your plumber can help with the installation and setup of the regulator to ensure optimum hot water pressure.
5. Incorrect sizes of water supply lines
You can easily repipe so that the supply lines become bigger, thus decreasing friction and increasing pressure. You may experience more pressure in some cases, depending on the level of repiping.
6. Half-closed shutoff valve of direct water supply
Ensure that the water main is completely opened to allow the unrestricted flow of water. This will give you the highest hot water pressure and speed.
7. Incorrect configuration of the pressure regulator
If the pressure regulator is correctly set and you still experience low pressure, you may need to replace the regulator. But if the pressure regulator is in a perfect condition and the pressure is still low, bring in a plumber to tune it to the normal pressure.
8. A large amount of accumulated scale in tap/fixture and/or old fixtures
Bring in a plumber to first ascertain that the taps or fixtures are the cause of the drop in pressure. If they are, you will need to replace them with new ones.
A Final Note
Finally, note that the causes of this low hot water pressure may differ from one house to another. Also, the specific plumbing configurations in every home is not the same. Hence, ensure that you monitor the situation closely to be sure of the exact cause. This will guide you to proffer the right solution to the problem, depending on your situation and plumbing system.
Whether you’re looking for a fix or a total replacement, trust the best plumbers near you to do the job right. Get only the best hot water system experts and get your hot water systems fixed today!
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