2 weeks ago I hired a large plumbing organization to come to my home to replace the faucets for the clothes washer. Before doing the work, the plumber aggressively started to sell me other plumbing improvements. In the process, he tried to sell me a new pressure regulation valve, but backed off when he tested the pressure (at the base of my water heater) in my presence, expecting it to be high, and it was normal (60-65). Finally, he sold me on a thermal expansion tank (which was bad -- I researched it on the internet while was there), and I left him and his assistant alone in the basement to replace it and the faucets.

Since then, suddenly I have a problem with low water pressure when two taps are on. For example, when I am washing dishes and my wife flushes the toilet, the kitchen flow reduces noticeably until the tank fills. (These are one floor above the clothes washer.) The same thing happens when the clothes washer is turned on. We never noticed this before. I bought a pressure gauge and tested the pressure on the water heater, just like he did, and it was the same (65).

I don't fully trust the man who fixed my faucets. Besides his trying to drum up more business, after he left, one of the faucets leaked a little and I had to tighten the nut at the base of the handle (which worked), so I felt he was sloppy. Could he have done something down in the basement (intentionally or unintentionally) which has changed the way my system keeps the pressure up? Or is this an unrelated problem? What should I do next?

Your regulator is faulty. It reduces the pressure, but does NOT allow adequate flow rates at that pressure so using two faucets at the same time causes the pressure to drop because of "starvation".

Thanks for the response. But why would I suddenly notice this after the other work was done?



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You say you first noticed this after the plumbers did their work. Is is possible that it was always that way and you thought it was normal. It is easy to check the Pressure Regulator for a faulty Diaphram, (the part that usually fails) but be prepared to replace it with a new Diaphram Kit. Whenever you turn on a second faucet, it is normal for pressure to reduce because more volume of water is being released Particularly if the water system is not sized properly and or the pressure is too low to begin with. Most important to me is the trust factor for this plumbing company. I would find a plumber that has been recommended to you by someone you trust. Your builder, or a neighbor with experience with his plumber. Trust is important and you could be right for being suspicious when he tried to up sell you on items that you may not need. One thing to look into is the strainers at the, Pressure Regulator if it has a strainer, water outlets for the clothes washer (sometimes these are hose bibbs and sometimes there are rubber gaskets with small screens to protect your washer from degris). Also the aerators for all faucets. Disassemble these and be sure there is no debris preventing full flow. As a general rule, I have no problems with a properly maintained pressure tank for safety in closed potable systems. Good luck



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I bought a pressure gauge and tested the pressure (like the plumber did briefly) at the bottom of my hot water heater for 2 days. The initial and final pressures were 68, and the pressure only went up to 78 at some point in the 48 hours. Meanwhile, I still have crummy (really crummy) pressure when two taps are on, as illustrated yesterday when I had water running outside on the first floor, and the flow on the second floor (kitchen sink) was startlingly weak. Again, this is a very recent development. I have not taken apart any faucets to check screens or aerators, as the problem is the same in all my second floor faucets.



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