Enquire Now
Enquire Now
Low pressure can be a major inconvenience, especially when it’s with your hot water. If you are experiencing low pressure in your hot water, you may wonder if it could be because of your water heater. Here is a closer look at how your water heater might affect the pressure and what to do about it.
Water pressure is how water gets pushed through pipes and fixtures. Several factors can influence this, one of which would be your water heater. Both traditional tank models and state-of-the-art tankless water heater systems could affect the water pressure. Here’s how:
On-demand, or tankless, water heaters are gaining popularity because of their energy efficiency and constant hot water supply. Unlike the traditional tank-style heaters, which store hot water, tankless heaters heat water only when needed. This can create water pressure problems when multiple hot water sources are used simultaneously.
Flow Rate Limitations: Tankless water heaters can achieve a limited flow rate. Suppose several hot water sources are used simultaneously, like several showers and appliances like washing machines and dishwashers. In that case, all of them using the heater can push it beyond its capacity to deliver adequate temperature water at sufficient pressure. This is so because its capability to increase the temperature quickly enough to meet such demand is constrained.
Solutions: Stagger the use of devices that require a lot of hot water to reduce overload. For high-demand scenarios in households, installing another tankless water heater or going for a higher flow rate unit can help ensure continuous pressure. The more modern models have better performance and higher flow rates. This could help ease your pressure problems.
The shut-off valve at the water heater allows you to close the water supply when needed for maintenance or in case of emergencies. If this valve is not wide open, then this will drastically affect the pressure of the hot water in your home.
Partial Closure: A common problem in most applications is that the shut-off valve needs to be fully opened after maintenance or repairs. Even a tiny obstruction will reduce the water flow enough to notice significant pressure drops.
Solution: Ensure the shut-off valve is fully open on your water heater. This is something you can do relatively quickly. If you’re unsure about how to do it, or if opening the valve doesn’t clear things up, you may have to consult a professional plumber to be sure everything is working right.
Over time, mineral deposits and sediment begin to line your water heater tank, the outlet pipes and the plumbing system. This can start restricting the flow of water, which adds up to reduce pressure.
Effects of Sedimentation: Sediment can reach the tank floor, reducing the available volume of hot water. It can also form blockages in the outlet pipework. As these deposits increase, the passage that the hot water flows through becomes narrowed; hence, there is a decrease in pressure.
Solutions: Regular maintenance is essential to managing sediment build-up. Many experts from the industry would recommend repairing your tank at least once a year to remove sediment and minerals. If sediment build-up is heavy or has affected the pipes, you may require professional help. A plumber can inspect and clean your system, and in severe cases, repiping may be necessary if blockages are extensive.
Older houses constructed before the establishment of contemporary plumbing norms may occasionally contain a gravity-driven hot water system. Such systems depend on gravity to supply hot water from a tank usually sited in the roof space.
Gravity Feed Systems: Generally, the water pressure is lower in a gravity-fed system than in a mains pressure system. This happens because of the natural limitations of the force of gravity to provide adequate pressure. Most systems of this nature are far less efficient and may need to be revised to meet the demands people expect from their water pressure and flow today.
Solutions: If you have low pressure due to a gravity-fed system, the solution may be changing it with a mains pressure hot water system. Main pressure systems are designed to run at higher pressure and flow rates. A new system requires professional installation by a qualified plumber to ensure proper water heater installation and integrate it with your home’s plumbing.
If the pressure is low on all your hot and cold water sources, it may not have anything to do with your water heater but something more significant with your main water supply.
Solution: There could be municipal supply problems, pressure regulation problems, or some undiscovered leak along your plumbing in the main water supply.
If you feel the problem is with the main water supply, consider contacting your local water utility provider. They may know other supply problems or pressure issues in your area that could affect your home. A fully qualified plumber can inspect the plumbing and repair leaks or pressure regulation system faults.
Knowing how your water heater may impact pressure will help you successfully diagnose low-pressure issues. This could be anything from ensuring the shut-off valve is wide open to handling the flow rate in a tankless system or one with sediment buildup to even upgrades away from gravity feed systems.
Consult a qualified plumber at Magnificentplumbing.com to get an exact diagnosis of issues and professional solutions for your particular case. They will help with professional advice and ensure that issues regarding the water heater or plumbing system are sorted out efficiently, thus obtaining satisfactory and consistent water pressure in your home.