Water pressure problems
Low pressure at one fixture is usually a clogged aerator or cartridge. Low pressure everywhere is a system problem, and in Metro Vancouver it's most often one of four things.
The four causes we see
Pressure reducing valve failure. Most homes have one where the water enters. They fail after 10–15 years, usually gradually. It's the cheapest of the four to fix and the most commonly missed. Corroded galvanized pipe. Pre-1960 homes. The pipes rust closed from the inside over decades. Pressure has been declining for years and you've adjusted to it. Only a repipe fixes this. Failing water service line. The line from the street. Pressure drops across the whole house and often the water runs discoloured. A hidden leak. Water escaping before it reaches your fixtures. Check your meter with everything off. Leak detection
Also worth ruling out: a partially closed main shut-off (it happens), municipal pressure changes in your area, or too many fixtures on one undersized line.
Pressure that's too high
Less commonly discussed and more damaging. Above 80 psi you get banging pipes, prematurely failing fixtures and appliances, and stressed joints. If your regulator has failed open, you may be running well above that. We test it as a matter of course.
What we do
Pressure test at the source and at fixtures, check the regulator, inspect the pipe material, and check the meter for a leak.
What it costs
Everything else quoted once we know the cause.
