How to Adjust Faucet Water Pressure

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Faucets with low water pressure don’t run consistently while those with high water pressure can waste water and energy. Luckily, there are easy ways that you can adjust your water pressure for each faucet. If you want to increase pressure, you can try cleaning the aerator, rinsing the filter, or flushing the water supply lines. You can also fine-tune the shut-off valves to increase and decrease pressure. When you’re finished, your faucet should run like new!

Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Cleaning the Aerator

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  1. The aerator looks like a cylindrical piece with mesh at the end of your faucet, and it is used to filter out fine sediment from your water. Tighten channel lock pliers around the aerator and twist it counterclockwise to loosen it. Once it’s loose, you should be able to unscrew it by hand. [1]
    • If you’re worried about scratching the metal on your aerator, put a rag between it and the pliers.
    EXPERT TIP

    James Schuelke

    Professional Plumber
    James Schuelke, along with his twin brother David, is the co-owner of the Twin Home Experts, a licensed plumbing, leak detection, and mold inspection company based in Los Angeles, California. James has over 32 years of home service and business plumbing experience and has expanded the Twin Home Experts to Phoenix, Arizona and the Pacific Northwest.
    James Schuelke
    Professional Plumber

    Not sure where the problem is? According to professional plumber James Schuelke: "Turn on both the hot and cold water. If they're both low, there's debris clogging the aerator, or the very tip of the faucet where the water comes out. If only one or the other is low, the issue will be that either the piping needs to be replaced or there's debris caught in the hot or cold stem of the faucet that needs to be flushed out."

  2. You may notice sediment or debris inside the mesh of your aerator. Turn the aerator upside down and run it underneath warm water to get rid of any material that’s still stuck inside. If the debris isn’t rinsing out on its own, try using a toothbrush to gently scrape it out. [2]
    • Make sure your sink is plugged so you don’t lose any pieces of your aerator.
    • Only use a toothbrush meant for cleaning purposes.
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  3. Even if you rinse your aerator, there may be built-up lime and debris inside it. Fill a glass with enough vinegar to fully submerge the aerator. Leave the aerator in the vinegar overnight so the lime and debris can break apart. When you take the aerator out, rinse it with clean water. [3]
    • You can also use a lime cleaner like Formula 409.
  4. Before you reattach your aerator, turn on the faucet to rinse out any sediment that’s leftover inside of it. This ensures that debris won’t catch in your aerator right after you’ve cleaned it. [4]
  5. Turn the aerator clockwise on your faucet by hand. Keep turning the aerator by hand until you have a tight seal. Use your channel lock pliers again to make sure the aerator is on as tight as it can go. Turn on your faucet to see if the water pressure changed. [5]
    • If the aerator still gives you trouble, try buying another one from your local hardware store. Make sure it fits the model faucet that you have.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Cleaning the Filter in a Pull-Out Faucet

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  1. If your sink has a faucet with a hose that you can remove from the base, pull it out so you can access the bottom of the handle. Grip the nut at the bottom of your handle with channel lock pliers and rotate it counterclockwise to loosen it. When it’s loose, the handle should easily come apart. [6]

    Tip: Pull the hose out far enough so it doesn’t fall back through the base of the faucet or else you’ll have to feed it back up through your sink again.

  2. The filter is located at the base of the handle and looks like a cylinder with metal mesh layers. Pull the filter out from the handle by hand. Run the filter underneath warm water to rinse out any of the debris or buildup inside it. Use a stiff-bristled toothbrush if sediment is stuck on the mesh. [7]
    • You can also remove the aerator from the handle to clean it as well.
  3. Before you reattach the handle, run warm water through your faucet. This can help get rid of any sediment that's loose inside the faucet so it doesn’t catch in your filter. [8]
  4. Set the filter back inside the base of the handle the same direction it was facing before. Hold the handle up to the end of the hose so you can easily screw it back together. Tighten the nut by hand as far as you can before using your channel lock pliers to seal it. [9]
    • If your faucet still has low water pressure, then you may have a problem with your supply line or pipes.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Checking the Shut-Off Valves

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  1. The water valves control how much water goes through your pipes and can be found underneath your sink. You should have 2 valves made of plastic or metal attached to your faucet to control hot and cold water separately. [10]
  2. If you have low water pressure, make sure the valves are in the open position. Rotate each of the valves counterclockwise until the arrow is pointing in the direction of the pipes. This means the water valve is fully opened and you should get the maximum amount of pressure. [11]
    • Make sure both of the valves are all the way on so you can control the water temperature easier.
  3. If you have water pressure that’s too strong, turn the valves clockwise by a quarter rotation to decrease the pressure. If you turn 1 of the valves, make sure to turn the other valve the same amount. [12]
    • Try turning the valves completely off and back on again to see if it fixes the problem on its own.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Flushing the Supply Lines

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  1. Locate the valve underneath your sink that controls the hot water. Rotate the valve clockwise until it’s horizontal with the pipe it’s connected to. This will turn off hot water to your faucet. [13]
    • Put a towel underneath your sink in case any water spills.

    Tip: If you aren’t sure which valve controls the hot or cold water, try turning one off and feel the water temperature from your faucet. If the water stays cold, then you’ve turned off the right valve.

  2. Use channel lock pliers or your fingers to rotate the nut above the valve counterclockwise. Loosen the nut until you can disconnect the supply line from the valve. Hold the end of the supply line over a bucket so it doesn’t spill any water. [14]
    • Clean underneath your sink so you can easily fit a bucket directly under the supply line.
  3. Turn your faucet all the way on so it’s at a neutral temperature. The cold water will go up through the faucet and out the hot water supply line. Let the water run for 10 seconds before turning it off again. [15]
    • If your faucet has 2 handles to control the water temperature, turn them both the same amount.
  4. Hold the supply line over the valve and spin the nut clockwise. Keep tightening the nut by hand until you can’t rotate it anymore. Use your channel lock pliers to secure the supply line in place and prevent any leaks. Turn the valve counterclockwise into the open position. [16]
  5. Turn off the cold water valve and disconnect the supply line. Make sure the supply line feeds into the bucket so you don’t spill any water. Turn your water on for 10 seconds to flush the line. Attach the supply line back to the valve with your pliers and turn the valve on. [17]
    • Once both lines are flushed, the water pressure should be back to normal.
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      • If none of the fixes worked for your faucet, hire a plumber to inspect your pipes to see if they are causing the problem.
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      Things You’ll Need

      Cleaning the Aerator to Increase Pressure

      • Channel lock pliers
      • Vinegar
      • Glass

      Cleaning the Filter in a Pull-Out Faucet

      • Channel lock pliers

      Flushing the Supply Lines

      • Channel lock pliers
      • Bucket

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      References

      1. ↑ https://slidingmotion.com/parts-of-faucet-names-functions-diagram/
      2. ↑ https://www.denverwater.org/tap/big-benefits-cleaning-and-updating-faucet-aerators?size=n_21_n
      3. ↑ https://www.denverwater.org/tap/big-benefits-cleaning-and-updating-faucet-aerators?size=n_21_n
      4. ↑ https://www.denverwater.org/tap/big-benefits-cleaning-and-updating-faucet-aerators?size=n_21_n
      5. ↑ https://youtu.be/u1nfb14dJMI?t=117
      6. ↑ https://youtu.be/u1nfb14dJMI?t=156
      7. ↑ https://youtu.be/u1nfb14dJMI?t=169
      8. ↑ https://youtu.be/u1nfb14dJMI?t=184
      9. ↑ https://youtu.be/u1nfb14dJMI?t=200
      1. ↑ https://slidingmotion.com/parts-of-faucet-names-functions-diagram/
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/f4N8fYVGeIU?t=100
      3. ↑ https://youtu.be/f4N8fYVGeIU?t=100
      4. ↑ https://youtu.be/rO2Gg3N4Vhk?t=37
      5. ↑ https://youtu.be/rO2Gg3N4Vhk?t=41
      6. ↑ https://youtu.be/rO2Gg3N4Vhk?t=52
      7. ↑ https://youtu.be/rO2Gg3N4Vhk?t=66
      8. ↑ https://youtu.be/rO2Gg3N4Vhk?t=73

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To adjust the water pressure of your faucet, locate the 2 valves underneath your sink that control hot and cold water. Turn the valves counterclockwise to increase the water pressure or clockwise to decrease it. If the pressure still isn’t right, you might need to clean the aerator on your faucet, which is a cylindrical piece with mesh at the end. First, unscrew the aerator with channel lock pliers. Once you’ve taken off the aerator, hold it under the faucet to rinse out any debris. Then, soak it in a glass of white vinegar overnight to get rid of any lime and residue. Make sure you rinse the aerator before you put it back on the faucet. For more tips, including how to clean the filter of a pull-out faucet, read on!

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        Jul 31, 2022

        "The first solution worked for me. I unscrewed the aerator and there was a bunch of plastic bunches in there (my ..." more
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