plumbing's full of sneaky surprises.
Good call on the shut-off valve—I chased my tail for days once before realizing mine was half-closed. Another sneaky culprit can be those pressure regulators. Had one slowly fail on me, and the pressure dropped bit by bit until showers felt like drizzle. Plumbing definitely keeps life interesting... or frustrating, depending on your mood that day.
Had a similar issue a couple months back. Thought I had checked every valve and fitting in the house, but turned out my old galvanized pipes were just clogged up with rust and sediment. Ended up replacing a decent chunk of piping with PEX—pressure came back better than ever. Plumbing's definitely one of those things that can snowball quick if you don't catch it early... learned that the hard way.
Had pretty much the same thing happen last year. Pressure was dropping slowly, and I kept thinking it was just a valve or aerator issue. After checking everything twice, finally realized the pipes were corroded inside—old galvanized stuff again. Ended up swapping sections out for PEX too, but did it gradually to spread out the cost. Definitely recommend tackling it sooner rather than later though... water damage from leaks can get expensive fast if you're not careful.
Had to deal with something similar a couple months back—pressure kept dropping slowly, thought it was just sediment buildup at first. Before ripping out pipes, try this quick check: shut off your main valve, open a faucet to drain pressure, then disconnect a section of pipe near the valve and inspect inside with a flashlight. If you see rust or corrosion, it's probably time to replace. PEX is solid, but don't overlook copper either... pricier but super durable long-term. Either way, better to bite the bullet now than deal with mold cleanup later.
Good tips above, especially checking for corrosion. A couple more eco-friendly thoughts to add:
- Before replacing pipes, double-check your fixtures—sometimes low-flow showerheads or faucet aerators get clogged with mineral deposits. Quick vinegar soak usually clears that right up.
- If you do end up replacing pipes, consider recycled copper if budget allows. Durable and way better environmentally.
- Also worth installing a pressure regulator if you haven't already... saves water and reduces strain on your plumbing long-term.
Hope you get it sorted soon!
