Occasional low water pressure

[MasterPlumbersKeymaster]

I recently puchased a 13 year old foreclosure in Maryland. The house has 2 full and 2 half baths. Occasional, in the mornings the will be low in the kitchen and the full hall bath. Sometimes if you turn the water off and immediately on the pressure will rise,slightly(shower and sink). Lately the water pressure remains low in the hall bath, but is fine in the kitchen. Any help would be appreciated.

[Polybutylene.comParticipant]

You may have a defective dip tube and could qualify for a free replacement.
A dip tube is a plastic tube in your water heater that brings the cold water into the bottom of the heater. The dip tube is designed to prevent incoming cold water from mixing with existing hot water.

Some of the dip tubes manufactured by Perfection Corporation and supplied to most major water heater manufacturers between August, 1993 and October, 1996 were made of plastic and are now disintegrating.

VISIT: http://www.911plumbing.com for more information.

[SylvanLMPParticipant]

What the hell does a defective dip tube have to do with fluctuating pressure ON both the hot and cold water? Give that plastic dip tube crap a break.

What your experiencing is a pressure drop do to volume being used and has absolutely nothing to do with a dip tube failure as defective dip tube would only effect the hot water and the PRESSURE still would be constant BUT you would be complaining about water temperature being erratic and possible particles showing up in your bath tub and or problems with your dish washer (hot water piping)

Now try to picture this if you have say 60 PSI entering your home (water main) under a no flow condition and you open a faucet you will get about 60 PSI (forget friction losses and hydrostatic loss from height) now a lot of water mains are not installed properly as per compacting laws and these main crush slightly (especially lead mains)
and other mains are made of ferrous materials that get fouled up over the years.

Now when any faucet is opened you get that instant pressure but as the water flows the pressure cannot keep up to the volume being used as it has to over come piping obstructions. FORGET the DIP tub put a flow test on your nearest outlet from your water main (Cold water)

One more point THIS IS America and NOTHING is for FREE. yes someone may give you a “Free dip tube” and charge you an arm and a leg for installation as TIME cost money material is CHEAP

When I replace a “simple dip tube” I also replace the T&P valve and flush out the entire system and check every faucet and all showerbodies and check all aerators.

Yes you can have the dip tube for free BUT someone is going to pay me $125 per HR per man to service this condition. Anyone who only would replace JUST the tube I personally would run like hell from. Good luck

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