Low Water Pressure Repairs
Tap Doctor Plumbing & Gas, trusted since 1985
Licensed plumbers who find and fix low water pressure, and fit pressure limiting valves when the pressure is too high. We agree a firm price before we pick up the tools, and there’s no call-out fee during business hours.
- 1Tell us what needs doing
- 2Pick a day and time that suits
- 3We confirm and send a licensed Tap Doctor plumber
- 4Job done, problem solved
- Trusted since 1985
- Fully Licensed & Insured
- No call-out fee in business hours
- Locally Based Plumbers
- ★★★★★2,000+ Google reviews
- Trusted since 1985
- Licensed plumbers, fully insured
- Pressure tested with a gauge
- Phones answered 24/7
Low water pressure? Check these first
A few quick checks tell you a lot about where the problem is, and whether it’s a job for a plumber or your water supplier. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Quick checks
- Every tap or just one? One tap or shower points to that outlet. Every tap points to the supply.
- Hot, cold or both? Low hot water pressure only points to the hot water system or its valves.
- Is the stop tap at the meter fully open? Turn it anticlockwise as far as it goes.
- Watch the meter with every tap off. If it moves, there’s a leak. Call 1300-655-827.
Signs you need a plumber
- Pressure dropped at every tap at once
- A weak shower when nobody else is using water
- The water meter moves with everything turned off
- A wet patch or sound of running water near the meter or pipes
- Banging pipes, dripping taps or a running toilet (pressure too high)
- Your neighbours’ pressure is fine and yours isn’t
After-hours call-out fees vary based on the day, time and location.
Call 24/7: 1300-655-827What causes low water pressure, and how we fix it
We start by measuring the pressure with a gauge, then work along the supply to find what’s holding it back. These are the causes we find most.
Failing pressure limiting valves
A pressure limiting valve (PLV) after the meter keeps house pressure steady. When one fails or its strainer clogs, pressure drops at every tap. We test it, and clean or replace it.
Partly closed or worn stop taps More →
A stop tap at the meter knocked partly closed, or an old one worn inside, can choke the supply to the whole house. Isolation valves under sinks and behind toilets do the same to one outlet. We open, repair or replace them.
Leaks on the mains side More →
A leak between the meter and the house loses water before it reaches your taps, and shows up on your water bill. We find it with thermal and acoustic leak detection and repair the pipe.
One tap or shower only More →
Blocked aerators, clogged shower heads, worn tap cartridges and flow restrictors slow a single outlet. We clean or replace the part so the flow comes back.
Low hot water pressure More →
When only the hot is weak, we check the hot water system’s inlet valve and strainer, the tempering valve and any flow restrictors on the hot side.
Old or damaged pipes More →
Pipes that are kinked, crushed or corroded inside restrict the flow. We find the section that’s causing the problem and quote to repair or replace it.
Water pressure too high? A pressure limiting valve fixes it
High pressure is the opposite problem. Inside a home, over 500 kPa is the usual limit. Above that, taps, toilet valves, hoses and pipes wear out faster, and leaks and bursts become more likely. A pressure limiting valve after the meter brings the whole house back to a safe, steady pressure.
Banging pipes More →
Knocking or shuddering when a tap, dishwasher or washing machine shuts off is water hammer, and high pressure makes it worse. See water hammer.
Taps that keep dripping
Washers and cartridges wear out quickly under high pressure, so new ones start dripping again sooner than they should.
Toilets that keep running More →
High pressure is hard on cistern inlet valves. See leaking and running cisterns.
Burst flexi hoses More →
The braided hoses to taps, toilets and appliances are under constant pressure. Too much of it is a common reason they burst.
We test before we fit
We measure the pressure with a gauge and show you the reading. If it’s too high, we fit a pressure limiting valve after the meter and check the new pressure at your taps.
Already have one?
Pressure limiting valves wear out too. If yours is old or the pressure is creeping up, we test it and replace it if it’s failing.
Recent water pressure jobs
Short videos from recent Tap Doctor jobs: high pressure found, pressure limiting valves fitted, leaks near the meter fixed and banging pipes stopped.
Shower taps leaking: water pressure too highSeville Grove
Water leak near the meter: 2 leaks fixed and a pressure limiting valve fittedRivervale
Hidden leak found with leak detection, pressure limiting valve fittedVictoria Park
Tap banging the pipes: water hammer fixedCalista
Why people call Tap Doctor for water pressure problems
Pressure problems have a lot of possible causes, so guessing gets expensive. This is how we handle every job.
We measure, not guess
Your plumber tests the pressure with a gauge and shows you the reading before recommending anything.
A firm price before any work starts
Once we’ve found the cause, we explain what’s needed and give you a firm price. Nothing starts until you agree.
No call-out fee in business hours
You don’t pay for us to turn up and look. If you decide not to go ahead, you owe nothing during business hours.
Licensed plumbers
Pressure limiting valves, stop taps and pipe work on your water supply are fitted by licensed plumbers, and Tap Doctor is fully licensed and insured.
We call ahead and arrive on time
We confirm your booking, then call before we arrive so you’re not waiting at home all day.
Pay when the job is done
Cash, card or Osko bank transfer, collected when the work is finished.
How pricing works
What a pressure problem costs depends on the cause. A clogged shower head is a quick fix, while a failed pressure limiting valve or a leak under the driveway is a bigger job, so instead of guessing over the phone a licensed plumber tests first and agrees a firm price with you on site before any work starts.
No call-out fee in business hours
You only pay for the work you agree to, and there’s no obligation to go ahead. After-hours call-out fees vary based on the day, time and location.
Firm price agreed on site
The price is agreed before we start. If we find something else that needs doing, we quote it before any further work is done.
How you can pay
Cash, credit card or debit card, or bank transfer with Osko for an instant payment. Payment is collected when the job is done.
How to choose a plumber for water pressure problems
Whoever you call, these are the checks worth making. Here’s how we measure up against each one.
What customers say about our water pressure work
“Mitch was great and knew his job well. He found that my water pressure was double what it should have been … He rectified the problem.”
“We have very low water pressure, called Friday night of a long weekend, had a plumber return our call first thing Saturday morning, arrived within the hour located the problem in no time fixed without delay.”
“He completed the replacement very quickly and also found a clogged restriction filter that was causing poor flow and pressure in the shower.”
“Was able to get pressure reduction valve fixed first job in the morning on 2nd business day after booking, all done in c. 40mins”
“Plumber Carl gave us options, fixed our tap, and diagnosed a water pressure problem. We decided to go ahead on the day and it was done within thirty minutes.”
“Excellent service, needed my hot water pressure checked, got someone out the same day. Have lovely hot water pressure again.”
Local plumbers, since 1985
Tap Doctor Plumbing & Gas has been fixing taps, leaks and water pressure problems since 1985. Our plumbers live and work in the areas they cover, so there’s usually someone close by, and our phones are answered 24/7.
Customers mention our plumbers by name in their reviews, from Mitch and Carl to Chris and Paris.
- Perth
- Plumbers in Perth →
- Mandurah
- Plumbers in Mandurah →
- Canberra
- Plumbers in Canberra →
- Gladstone
- Plumbers in Gladstone →
- Phone
- 1300-655-827, 24/7
Water pressure FAQs
Why has my water pressure suddenly dropped?
If every tap dropped at once, the usual causes are a pressure limiting valve that has failed, a stop tap at the meter that has been knocked partly closed, a leak on the pipe between the meter and the house, or work on the mains in your street. Check with a neighbour first: if their pressure is fine, the problem is on your side of the meter.
Why is the pressure low at only one tap or shower?
When it’s just one outlet, the cause is usually at that tap or shower: a blocked aerator or shower head, a worn tap cartridge, or a partly closed isolation valve under the sink or behind the toilet.
Why is my hot water pressure low when the cold is fine?
That points to the hot water side: the hot water system’s inlet valve or strainer, the tempering valve, or a blocked flow restrictor. We check the hot water system and the valves around it.
Can a leak cause low water pressure?
Yes. A leak on the pipe between the meter and the house takes water before it reaches your taps. Turn every tap off and watch the water meter for a few minutes. If it keeps moving, water is escaping somewhere and it’s worth getting a leak found.
What water pressure is too high?
Inside a home, over 500 kPa is the usual limit. Pressure above that wears out tap washers, toilet inlet valves, flexi hoses and appliance hoses faster, and makes water hammer and burst hoses more likely. We measure your pressure with a gauge before recommending anything.
What does a pressure limiting valve do?
A pressure limiting valve (PLV, sometimes called a pressure reducing valve) is fitted on the water line after the meter. It brings high mains pressure down to a safe, steady level for the whole house. Like any valve it can wear out, and a failing one can cause low pressure, so it’s one of the first things we check.
Is low pressure my water supplier’s problem?
Sometimes. If your neighbours have low pressure too, or there are works in the street, contact your water supplier. If it’s only your home, the cause is almost always on your side of the meter, which is where a plumber comes in.
Can you give me a price over the phone?
Low pressure has too many possible causes to price over the phone. A licensed plumber tests the pressure, finds the cause and gives you a firm price before any work starts, with no call-out fee during business hours and no obligation.
Do you charge a call-out fee?
Not during business hours. You only pay for the work you agree to. After-hours call-out fees vary based on the day, time and location.
Are your plumbers licensed and insured?
Yes. Every job is done by a licensed plumber, and Tap Doctor is fully licensed and insured.
Pressure still not right?
Book online in under 2 minutes, or call us any time.