I often have chronically low water pressure throughout my home,
and the faucet aerators with their flow restrictors make the water flow
even worse.

The flow restrictors seem to be integral with the new-model aerators and
can't even be removed.

Are there aerators I can buy that are suitable for homes that already
have low water pressure? Either higher-flow flow restrictors, or
removable flow restrictors, or none at all?

All that crap about low-flow aerators and low-flow toilets and low-flow
shower heads doesn't seem to apply to homes like mine, which have low
water pressure to begin with!




-- Steven L.

On 2/7/2012 8:40 AM, Steven L. wrote:
I often have chronically low water pressure throughout my home,
and the faucet aerators with their flow restrictors make the water flow
even worse.
....

How low and why?

Perhaps solving that instead would be the answer?

--

On Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:51:04 -0600, dpb wrote:

On 2/7/2012 8:40 AM, Steven L. wrote:
I often have chronically low water pressure throughout my home,
and the faucet aerators with their flow restrictors make the water flow
even worse.
...

How low and why?

Perhaps solving that instead would be the answer?

Check for any partially closed stop valves, meter valve or pressure
valve... easy to check as a starting point.

Steven L. wrote:
I often have chronically low water pressure throughout my home,
and the faucet aerators with their flow restrictors make the water
flow even worse.

The flow restrictors seem to be integral with the new-model aerators
and can't even be removed.

Are there aerators I can buy that are suitable for homes that already
have low water pressure? Either higher-flow flow restrictors, or
removable flow restrictors, or none at all?

All that crap about low-flow aerators and low-flow toilets and
low-flow shower heads doesn't seem to apply to homes like mine, which
have low water pressure to begin with!



What is the static pressure?

You could add a booster pump.

On 2/7/2012 9:40 AM, Steven L. wrote:
I often have chronically low water pressure throughout my home,
and the faucet aerators with their flow restrictors make the water flow
even worse.

The flow restrictors seem to be integral with the new-model aerators and
can't even be removed.

Are there aerators I can buy that are suitable for homes that already
have low water pressure? Either higher-flow flow restrictors, or
removable flow restrictors, or none at all?

All that crap about low-flow aerators and low-flow toilets and low-flow
shower heads doesn't seem to apply to homes like mine, which have low
water pressure to begin with!




-- Steven L.



Do you know the reason(s) why you have low water pressure? Can you
address that?

Steve,

Hardware stores sell aerators. Look on the packaging to be sure that the
aerator does not include a built-in restrictor.

Dave M.

"Steven L." wrote in message
...
I often have chronically low water pressure throughout my home,
and the faucet aerators with their flow restrictors make the water flow
even worse.

The flow restrictors seem to be integral with the new-model aerators and
can't even be removed.

Are there aerators I can buy that are suitable for homes that already have
low water pressure? Either higher-flow flow restrictors, or removable
flow restrictors, or none at all?

All that crap about low-flow aerators and low-flow toilets and low-flow
shower heads doesn't seem to apply to homes like mine, which have low
water pressure to begin with!


What you really need to know is whether you actually have low pressure or
low flow which can mimic low pressure when a valve is open. You need to use
a pressure gauge to see what you actual pressure is when water is not used
and again when faucets are turned on. Look in the irrigation area of your
local BORG store for a pressure gauge that fits onto a garden hose faucet.
This way you can check pressures without changing the plumbing to install a
pressure gauge.

Low water flow can be caused by partially closed or blocked valves among
other things or more commonly from limed up galvanized water pipes.

EXT wrote:
"Steven L." wrote in message
...
I often have chronically low water pressure throughout my home,
and the faucet aerators with their flow restrictors make the water
flow even worse.

The flow restrictors seem to be integral with the new-model aerators
and can't even be removed.

Are there aerators I can buy that are suitable for homes that
already have low water pressure? Either higher-flow flow
restrictors, or removable flow restrictors, or none at all?

All that crap about low-flow aerators and low-flow toilets and
low-flow shower heads doesn't seem to apply to homes like mine,
which have low water pressure to begin with!


What you really need to know is whether you actually have low
pressure or low flow which can mimic low pressure when a valve is
open. You need to use a pressure gauge to see what you actual
pressure is when water is not used and again when faucets are turned
on. Look in the irrigation area of your local BORG store for a
pressure gauge that fits onto a garden hose faucet. This way you can
check pressures without changing the plumbing to install a pressure
gauge.

Or, for at least a clue, what color is your nearest fire hydrant. If it is
green, you probably have pipeing issues. If it is Yellow, or worse, red, you
nead to deal with it from the "low flow faucet problem" angle.

At least, where I live, the hydrants are color coded by pressure.

On 07/02/2012 7:35 PM, Bob F wrote:
EXT wrote:
"Steven wrote in message
...
I often have chronically low water pressure throughout my home,
and the faucet aerators with their flow restrictors make the water
flow even worse.

The flow restrictors seem to be integral with the new-model aerators
and can't even be removed.

Are there aerators I can buy that are suitable for homes that
already have low water pressure? Either higher-flow flow
restrictors, or removable flow restrictors, or none at all?

All that crap about low-flow aerators and low-flow toilets and
low-flow shower heads doesn't seem to apply to homes like mine,
which have low water pressure to begin with!


What you really need to know is whether you actually have low
pressure or low flow which can mimic low pressure when a valve is
open. You need to use a pressure gauge to see what you actual
pressure is when water is not used and again when faucets are turned
on. Look in the irrigation area of your local BORG store for a
pressure gauge that fits onto a garden hose faucet. This way you can
check pressures without changing the plumbing to install a pressure
gauge.

Or, for at least a clue, what color is your nearest fire hydrant. If it is
green, you probably have pipeing issues. If it is Yellow, or worse, red, you
nead to deal with it from the "low flow faucet problem" angle.

At least, where I live, the hydrants are color coded by pressure.



I think if you check with your local fire department you'll find that
the hydrants are colour coded as to their flow capacity, not pressure.
Pressure by itself is meaningless. What counts is pressure remaining
(residual pressure) while water is flowing. In other word a hydrant on a
6" water main is going to have a lot less flow capacity than a hydrant
on a 20" main assuming they both have the same static (no flow)
pressure. Hydrants are colour coded as to the number of gpm's available
from them. Usually it is just the bonnet (top) and port caps that are
colored, but local custom or jurisdiction may dictate that the whole
hydrant is colour coded.

Gil wrote:
On 07/02/2012 7:35 PM, Bob F wrote:
EXT wrote:
"Steven wrote in message
...
I often have chronically low water pressure throughout my home,
and the faucet aerators with their flow restrictors make the water
flow even worse.

The flow restrictors seem to be integral with the new-model
aerators and can't even be removed.

Are there aerators I can buy that are suitable for homes that
already have low water pressure? Either higher-flow flow
restrictors, or removable flow restrictors, or none at all?

All that crap about low-flow aerators and low-flow toilets and
low-flow shower heads doesn't seem to apply to homes like mine,
which have low water pressure to begin with!


What you really need to know is whether you actually have low
pressure or low flow which can mimic low pressure when a valve is
open. You need to use a pressure gauge to see what you actual
pressure is when water is not used and again when faucets are turned
on. Look in the irrigation area of your local BORG store for a
pressure gauge that fits onto a garden hose faucet. This way you can
check pressures without changing the plumbing to install a pressure
gauge.

Or, for at least a clue, what color is your nearest fire hydrant. If
it is green, you probably have pipeing issues. If it is Yellow, or
worse, red, you nead to deal with it from the "low flow faucet
problem" angle. At least, where I live, the hydrants are color coded by
pressure.



I think if you check with your local fire department you'll find that
the hydrants are colour coded as to their flow capacity, not pressure.
Pressure by itself is meaningless. What counts is pressure remaining
(residual pressure) while water is flowing. In other word a hydrant
on a 6" water main is going to have a lot less flow capacity than a
hydrant on a 20" main assuming they both have the same static (no
flow) pressure. Hydrants are colour coded as to the number of gpm's
available from them. Usually it is just the bonnet (top) and port
caps that are colored, but local custom or jurisdiction may dictate
that the whole hydrant is colour coded.

Thnaks for the added info.

The people I've talked with in western NYS, the hydrants are color coded
based on the diameter of the water main. Red 6 inch, yellow 8 inch, and
green for 10 inch or larger.

Rochester, NY has "white cap" hydrants, which are a separate water system,
which is separate from the domestic water.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"Gil" wrote in message
...

I think if you check with your local fire department you'll find that
the hydrants are colour coded as to their flow capacity, not pressure.
Pressure by itself is meaningless. What counts is pressure remaining
(residual pressure) while water is flowing. In other word a hydrant on a
6" water main is going to have a lot less flow capacity than a hydrant
on a 20" main assuming they both have the same static (no flow)
pressure. Hydrants are colour coded as to the number of gpm's available
from them. Usually it is just the bonnet (top) and port caps that are
colored, but local custom or jurisdiction may dictate that the whole
hydrant is colour coded.

On Tue, 7 Feb 2012 20:42:47 -0500, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

The people I've talked with in western NYS, the hydrants are color coded
based on the diameter of the water main. Red 6 inch, yellow 8 inch, and
green for 10 inch or larger.

Driving in one day I see the local firemen flushing my closet hydrant
good Next time I noticed it was painted yellow (entirely) and a
red paint was on the curb ... no parking at the red zone.

Yup, that sounds about right. Like I said, it's based on water main
capacity.

Gil


On 07/02/2012 8:42 PM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
The people I've talked with in western NYS, the hydrants are color coded
based on the diameter of the water main. Red 6 inch, yellow 8 inch, and
green for 10 inch or larger.

Rochester, NY has "white cap" hydrants, which are a separate water system,
which is separate from the domestic water.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

wrote in message
...

I think if you check with your local fire department you'll find that
the hydrants are colour coded as to their flow capacity, not pressure.
Pressure by itself is meaningless. What counts is pressure remaining
(residual pressure) while water is flowing. In other word a hydrant on a
6" water main is going to have a lot less flow capacity than a hydrant
on a 20" main assuming they both have the same static (no flow)
pressure. Hydrants are colour coded as to the number of gpm's available
from them. Usually it is just the bonnet (top) and port caps that are
colored, but local custom or jurisdiction may dictate that the whole
hydrant is colour coded.