Low Water Pressure In The Kitchen Sink? (Common Causes & Fixes)

Finding low water pressure at the faucet in your kitchen is always a cause for concern. The problem could be a simple thing, like a closed valve or a blocked faucet. Or, something more serious could be at play, like a leak.

In most cases, low water pressure in a kitchen sink is caused by a clogged aerator or cartridge. To check the aerator, unscrew and remove it from the sink. If there is build-up, let it soak in vinegar overnight. If your cartridge has build-up, you can soak it in vinegar or replace it.

The first step is to figure out if all of your faucets have low pressure. Look for specific faucets that have low water pressure. Check the obvious places like your kitchen and bathroom, but also the basement, laundry sink, and any faucets you might have outside (including your hose hookup).

You will want to test each area separately. First, run the water in each faucet as well as your shower or bathtub to determine if the problem is localized to just one faucet. This will help you determine the nature of the problem that you are facing.

Be sure to run the hot and the cold separately through each faucet you test. This will help you narrow down the cause of the problem because there is an entirely separate network of pipes for the hot water.

The next most common cause of the water pressure being too low in your kitchen sink is a small piece called the aerator. This is a small fitting at the tip of the faucet, shaped like a small screen.

They are put there to add oxygen to the water by breaking it up as it flows through. They also catch small particles that make their way into the stream of water. Occasionally, they take this job a little too seriously.

Over time, aerators can build up with deposits of minerals, or become clogged from the particles they are designed to stop. This is one of the easiest problems to fix.

Following the aerator and the cartridge, the next thing you might want to check is whether the faucet or pipes have blockages.

If the faucet has been recently installed, and/or is brand new, it’s possible there is something stuck in the pipe from installation. If you have a faucet that has been there for an extended period of time, you may have a hard mineral build-up. If this is the case, you might want to flush the lines.

It also may be that you have blockages inside the actual pipes. There are tests below that help you determine if this is the case.

If you have multiple faucets along the same wall, and all are experiencing low pressure, it’s safe to assume it’s not an aerator or cartridge problem (unless you have notoriously hard water, then there’s a small chance).

There’s probably a problem with a blockage or leak somewhere along the pipe that supplies water to all of those faucets. If you know you have older pipes, the blockage could be rust in the pipes. If it’s hot water only and localized to only the faucets on that particular wall, there’s a good chance it’s a clogged hot water pipe between the hot water heater and the pipe that supplies the hot water to that wall.

When you notice that the low water pressure is affecting all the faucets in the home, and you’re getting low pressure from both the hot- and cold-water taps, the source of the problem could be a couple of things.

First, ask the houses nearby if they’re experiencing the same thing. If others report low-pressure issues, it might be the problem of the water department. Check this first, as knowing that it’s a broken water line will rescue you from the hassle of trying everything else.

If you are using a well, you might have an issue with the pump that regulates the pressure. Check the gauge on the pump, if you see a reading below 40 PSI and you know the pump is active, you’ll know you have a leak within the water lines or the pump.

There are times when a professional plumber is required to do the job. You may want to call someone from the very beginning if trying to tackle the problem yourself isn’t something that you are up for.

If you determine there’s a problem with your hot water lines or hot water heater, you will definitely need to call a plumber. As mentioned above, working with a hot water heater is dangerous and plumbers know the proper safety protocols.

When you’ve been unable to clear a blockage by backflushing, or you can’t find the blockage, a plumber has special tools and is well-equipped for finding and removing problems efficiently.