Troubleshooting an Outdoor Faucet with Low Water Pressure

An outdoor faucet with a drop of water

Low water pressure in your outdoor faucet can be a problem when you come to wash the car, hose down the patio, or water your lawn. Insufficient water pressure can be caused by blockages or corrosion in pipework.

Alternatively, there might be an issue with low water volume in your area or trouble with the pressure at which water is delivered. There are a number of ways you can diagnose the cause of low water pressure problems. It’s simply a question of troubleshooting a number of possibilities.

Attachments

Remove all attachments fitted to your outdoor faucet. Hosepipes, sprinkler systems, and faucet adapters can significantly reduce the pressure at which water flows from a faucet. Try the faucet once all attachments have been removed. If the water pressure is restored, there’s not too big a problem to worry about.

Check your attachments for blockages or a build-up of limescale, especially if you live in a hard water area. Clean attachments with vinegar and fit them back into position before trying the faucet again.

Irrigation System

If you have an irrigation system fitted, it may cause a loss of water pressure. This is common in irrigation systems that feature a built-in back-flow prevention system. Water pressure booster systems provide an ideal solution for this problem

Age of Your Property

Is your home an older one? If so the water pipes may be made of galvanized steel which has a tendency to become furred or clogged after many years of use. Under these circumstances, you may have to think about replacing the old steel pipes.

Water Supply Reception

Low water pressure in your outside faucet may also be a problem if you are the last to receive your supply from the water company or if you live uphill from the main water source. If this is the case, you might consider installing a booster pump to help rectify the problem.

Plumbing Work

An outdoor faucet.

It may be that you have recently had plumbing work done on your home. If so, it’s possible that pipe shavings, flux, or sediment have been transported into your system and are causing a blockage.

Also, have a look at the aerator in the faucet, as these can become clogged too. The first time you open the faucet after plumbing work, always look for signs of obvious leaks that can also reduce water pressure.

Your Water Supplier

In situations where there have been burst water mains or other problems in the neighborhood, the water supply to your household might be adversely affected. It’s always worth calling the municipal provider to inquire as to the current status of the water supply.

They will be able to tell you if there have been any recent issues and they’ll also be able to let you know if you should expect any changes in water pressure in the near future.

Ask if there is anything you can do yourself to help increase the water pressure and, perhaps more importantly, ask if there is anything you should be avoiding if the problem is an ongoing one that the company is still dealing with.

Troubleshooting an Outdoor Faucet with Low Water Pressure

Why does my outside tap have no pressure?

If you're getting a weak water stream from your garden hose, there could be a few reasons. First, detach the hose entirely to see if the hose is the problem or if the tap itself has a low water flow.

If the tap is fine, but the hose is weak, go down the length of the hose and look for kinks and leaks that could be causing this trouble. You could also have a blockage in the hose that might be causing the leak.

If the tap itself is low, check for a block inside the water spigot itself. If you can't find one, it's possible the tap itself is leaking, or the pipe is broken.

How do I get more pressure out of my outside tap?

If you think the water pressure coming out of the outside tap is low, and the problem isn't in the garden hose, and it's not due to a broken or leaking pipe, there is only one way to get more pressure. You will have to increase the water pressure for your entire home at the water pressure regulator.

You will usually find this close to the water meter. The regulator has a screw, which you twist to adjust the pressure by increasing or decreasing it.

Increasing the pressure will increase the water pressure for the whole home. This could put strain on older pipes and accelerate how quickly faucets and fixtures wear out, so make this decision wisely.

Why is water not coming out of my outside faucet?

If you are seeing no water or almost no water coming out of your outside faucet, also known as a spigot, the faucet or the pipe leading to it is likely damaged. This is a very common problem with outdoor faucets because they can freeze during winter.

When water freezes in pipes, the water expands, and the pipes get damaged. Have a plumber inspect the spigot, and you will probably find you need some repairs due to winter damage.

Does a longer hose reduce water pressure?

Though it seems like it should be the opposite, having a longer garden hose does increase the pressure of the water. The water comes into contact with more surface area as it travels so that when it comes out of the long hose, it does so with more force than shorter hoses.

If you have a long and short hose, you can demonstrate this to kids as a fun outdoor science/math experiment.

Where is the water valve for outside faucets?

The shut-off valve for the outside faucet is often located under the kitchen sink or on the inside of the wall where the faucet is installed.