What would make a kitchen sink lose water pressure?

Question

We turned it off under the sink to stop a leak, but when we turned it back on, the pressure was gone. What happened, and what should we do about it?

Answer 1

take the aerator off your faucet and check that it isn't blocked with rust or crud. if you only turned off the hot/cold side but lost pressure from both sides, it's probably plugged.

the aerator is at the end of your faucet where the water comes out, has a screen in it etc etc. if it's an old faucet you may need a pair of channel locks to remove it, be careful not to crush it but if it's an old one it may crush anyway. not a big deal they are universal and a replacement costs about $2- 3.

Answer 2

Sounds as if you have a faulty valve or one that is full of crud or is stuck partially off. Any of these will require replacement. When you purchase the replacement get one that only requires a quarter (1/4) turn to close or open. They last a lot longer and they almost always work.

What you need to know before you buy one: take a close look at the one that is installed to determine how it is hooked to the pipe, it will usually be either threaded or uses a compression fitting. You will also need to know the size of the pipe. On the outlet side you will need to know the size of the coupling nut and whether or not it is a flare fitting.

Answer 3

u loosend up debris inside the shut off valve when u turned it off and then on..that debris has made its way into your kitchen sink faucet....u can try and take off the aireator and remove any debris found there( aireator os located at the end of the faucet spout). if that does not work u will need to take apart the entire faucet to remove the debris... u may want to contact a plumber to do this... good luck

Answer 4

you might have some rusted old galvanized pipes that need replaced... if the pipes are copper you problem is most likely debris in the aerator or supply lines leading to the fixture or in the fixture itself.... if it is debris and the debris is white in color it is the dip tube in your water heater..... check your aerator then check supply lines disconnect hot supply and spray water from hot side into a bucket if pressure is low there you have to trace the lines back to the water heater till you find the problem if your not good with plumbing call a local plumber Ive been a plumber with Roto Rooter for 6 years and this is where i would start...... oh by the way if it is your dip tube in your heater it is simple to change

Answer 5

You may now have a a problem with a sticky or seized valve. Is it old? Remove and replace it with a new one. Some older valves you can actually take apart, but for the money, you may as well just replace the old CORRODED unit.