Nothing takes the pleasure out of a cleansing shower like a slow trickle coming from your shower head. Sometimes you just want that extra burst of warm water to tingle the skin, rinse the scalp. Which means you need to increase the water pressure, but how do you do that?

First, Check Why Your Water Pressure is Low
Perhaps in the past your water pressure has been fine, but now it seems that just lately it’s been slowing down. There’s a good chance that your pipes might be clogged, thus decreasing the water pressure. Call a professional plumber like Mister Quik for a drain cleaning service.

If that still hasn’t fixed your low water pressure, you can check that the shutoff valves near the water meter are fully open. Still slow? If your house is on city water, your water department can do a pressure reading for you. An ideal reading for water pressure is 45 to 55 psi.

You could also test the water pressure yourself with a trip to your favorite home center, you can purchase a pressure gauge. Attach the gauge to an outside water spigot, turn on the water and instantly see what your pressure is.

DIY Water Pressure Boosts
If your water pressure is measuring below 45 psi, and your drains are not clogged, there are a couple of things you can do to increase the pressure. The first thing you can do is to make sure that your main water valve (located near the meter) is fully opened.

You can also call the local water department to see if they can increase the water pressure.

If the water department is unwilling to increase the water pressure, you can purchase a water booster pump. A water pressure booster holds a reserve of pressurized water, ready to go when someone opens the faucet. There are a couple of caveats with purchasing a booster: they are an expensive investment ($300-$900), they require a professional plumber to install, and they tend to increase your monthly electric bill.

You can also check to make sure that your shower heads are clear from calcium or lime buildup by soaking the shower head in vinegar. You might need to also replace washers or fixtures on your faucets at the point of the change in pressure, if the outside water pressure measures strong but it’s still weak inside.

Talk with the plumbing experts at Mister Quik Home Services about your home’s water pressure and let them help you come up with a game plan to give you the pressure you desire.