- Copper definitely helps with taste, but I'm skeptical it does much for pressure. Usually, it's buildup or narrowing causing that.
- Had a client once who replaced galvanized pipes with PEX and swore the pressure improved dramatically... placebo effect maybe?
- Curious though, has anyone actually measured pressure changes before and after swapping pipe materials? Numbers would be interesting to see.
"Had a client once who replaced galvanized pipes with PEX and swore the pressure improved dramatically... placebo effect maybe?"
Could be more than placebo—galvanized pipes can get pretty clogged over time. Switched mine out for PEX last year, and while I didn't measure exact numbers, showers definitely felt stronger afterward. Worth considering.
Galvanized pipes definitely clog up over time—seen some pretty nasty corrosion inside older ones. Switching to PEX usually helps, but sometimes the main line or fixtures themselves can limit pressure too. Did you notice if the improvement was consistent throughout your whole house, or just certain faucets and showers? Curious if anyone's had mixed results after switching...
"Switching to PEX usually helps, but sometimes the main line or fixtures themselves can limit pressure too."
Yeah, that's been my experience too. I replaced most of my galvanized pipes with PEX last summer—definitely saw a noticeable improvement overall. But I still had a couple faucets that stayed weak. Turned out the aerators were clogged with debris from the old pipes. After cleaning those out, pressure was solid everywhere. Might be worth checking those small things before worrying about bigger issues like the main line... could save you some cash and headaches down the road.
"Might be worth checking those small things before worrying about bigger issues like the main line..."
Good point about the aerators—I had a similar issue myself. But honestly, sometimes it's not just the aerators or even the pipes themselves. I spent an entire weekend troubleshooting low pressure in my upstairs shower, convinced it was debris or old plumbing. After cleaning aerators, swapping showerheads, and even replacing some sections with PEX (which did help a bit), I still wasn't satisfied.
Turns out, the real culprit was actually my pressure regulator valve. It had slowly failed over time, and no amount of pipe upgrades or fixture cleaning was going to fix that. Once I replaced the regulator, it was like night and day. So while checking aerators and switching to PEX are definitely good first steps, don't overlook the regulator—especially if your whole house seems affected. It's one of those sneaky little parts you never think about until it gives you grief... and then you wonder why you didn't check it sooner.
