Water Pressure Drops After A Few Minutes (Then Comes Back)

In case you noticed that there’s a change in water flow pressure at one of your faucets, you should immediately act on it. Namely, it happens to a lot of people that the water pressure drops and it comes back after a minute.

But, why is that happening?

And, how can you get your water pressure back to normal?

Well, this is most definitely a sign of a problem that is located somewhere inside your water supply line. So, let’s take a look at everything that causes water pressure to drops and then come back after a few minutes.

If you're in a hurry, then check out this list of the best handheld showerheads for low water pressure.

Water Pressure Drops and Comes Back – Causes

It seems like this kind of problem is not easily dealt with. But, if you know what is causing it, the problem is halfway salved. So, let’s see everything that causes water pressure to suddenly drop and then come back.

1. Partially clogged water pipe

First of all, every faucet inside your home is connected to the main water supply line. Now, if the pipe that connects these two spots is partially clogged, then a loss of water pressure could happen.

If it doesn’t come back after some time, then you are dealing with a fully clogged pipe. On the other hand, if the water pressure comes back after a couple of seconds/minutes, then the pipe is only partially clogged.

This happens because there are lots of minerals that are brought into our home through the pipes with water. These minerals can create some nasty build-ups inside your pipes and that could cause this strange problem to occur.

So, when the pipe is partially clogged, the water flow will definitely be lowered and pressure will drop, but only for a minute. Why?

Well, when the water reaches the clog, the flow will begin to lose ''power' and that will result in a sudden loss of water pressure. However, after a couple of seconds, water will pile up around the clog and that amount of water will find its way around the clog so it will rush through the pipe in order to reach the faucet.

All in all, that water will rush through the pipe and the pressure will be restored. So, that’s why there’s a loss of water pressure but it suddenly comes back at a normal level.

2. Minor crack on the pipe

In most cases, the problem is located at the pipe. Now, if the pipe is not clogged, then that means that there’s something else wrong with the pipe, but what?

Some professionals tend to explain this problem and they usually think that there’s a minor crack on the pipe that’s letting a bit more air inside. This air that comes inside a pipe will create bubbles in the water, so the water pressure will suddenly drop.

This can happen almost any time you open a faucet in order to let the water flow. So, the water will go through the main water pipe to reach the faucet. But, the air that came inside the pipe will create a ‘’barrier’’ which will slow the water flow and result in a sudden loss of water pressure.

However, that air must go somewhere and that’s exactly the time when the water pressure comes back to normal.

So, the following happens:

• Air gets inside the pipe
• Creates a ‘’barrier’’
• Water pressure drops
• Air leaves the pipe through the faucet
• Water pressure comes back to normal

You will most definitely see that something is wrong with the pipe if there’s not enough water coming through your faucet.

3. Faulty valves

Something similar happens when the valves are malfunctioning. Simply speaking, if valves inside your home are old or rusty, that can affect the water pressure as well.

Since you are regulating the flow of water and the pressure with the valves, when they are old and rusty, there could be problems like this one.

However, this is maybe the first thing that you would want to check if you experience a problem like this. If you have faulty valves, there should be a set of other problems as well, not only this one.

Anyhow, the amount of water that goes through the pipe is regulated by the valve, and there could be a sudden drop in water pressure since the valve might loosen up too much.

After a couple of minutes, the pressure will get back at the normal level just because the valve will regulate the water flow properly once again.

So, that’s exactly how this problem occurs, and, in that light, you should always check for the valves first.

4. Pressure regulator malfunction

Possibly the most common cause of water pressure changes in the system is pressure regulator malfunction. Now, in homes that have a pressure regulator, the water flow is always at the same level, no matter the installation or the pipes.

But, when the pressure regulator is not working properly, that can create a change in water pressure and can cause this kind of problem. So, you are only going to have this problem if you have a pressure regulator at your home.

Most of the households have a bit different water supply system that doesn’t have a water pressure regulator, so, this can’t happen inside those houses. However, in these houses, this problem can be caused by cracked or clogged pipes.

Nevertheless, this is a serious issue and you should call a professional to look and check for the pressure regulator malfunction. If there’s something wrong with the pressure regulator, water pressure will definitely be strange, either too high or too low.

Conclusion: Water Pressure Drops after a few Minutes

The whole water supply system is a complicated plumbing construction and therefore, these kinds of problems might occur from time to time. However, it’s always a good thing to know what causes these problems and how to fix them.

Otherwise, you would need to call a plumber every time something happens inside your plumbing system.