No water coming out of the faucet in the kitchen is a major source of frustration for homeowners. Imagine having a kitchen sink full of unwashed, greasy dishes, and there’s not a single drop of water coming out of the faucet. Multiple factors contribute to this difficult situation.
Let’s take an in-depth look at the most common causes, DIY fixes, and when it is best to seek the help of a professional plumber.
Factors That Causing Water Not Coming Out of the Faucet
There are various aspects that can cause your kitchen faucet and other plumbing fixtures to have poor water pressure or even none at all.
Broken Water Supply Lines
When the water supply line to your property breaks, no water coming out of any taps almost always follows. If this is why there’s no water pressure in the plumbing fixtures, you will notice the same problem in the bathrooms and all other appliances that use water.
Seizing or Shut-off Valve Failure
Your home has a shut-off valve for each sink. When turned off, it stops water flow to that particular fixture. In most cases, you can find the valve beneath or behind a sink. In the event that the shut-off valve fails to function properly or has been closed by accident, it will result in cold or hot water not coming out of the faucet.
Aerator Clogs
When water travels through an aerator in a faucet, mineral scale and debris that may be present in your water supply can become stuck. The accumulation of this gunk over time generates a clog, which in turn results in no hot water coming out of the faucet (or cold).
Clogged Faucet Cartridge
Cartridges are used in various types of kitchen faucets. A cartridge is a part that may be swapped out for a new one and does not serve a permanent purpose. It normally regulates the flow of water through a kitchen faucet. When it is blocked, the water pressure will drop.
Leakage
No or low water pressure is one of the many issues that can occur when a pipe that supplies water to a plumbing fixture develops a leak. Because this problem has the potential to result in water damage throughout the house, you should have a plumber assess the situation and provide a solution as soon as possible.
Steps to Determine the Root Cause of No Water Pressure
When you are able to identify what is causing the water pressure in your kitchen faucets to drop, there is likely a straightforward solution that can be implemented. The following steps help homeowners determine whether or not the issue can be remedied with common sense, some elbow grease, and a bit of know-how:
Step 1: Turn on every single source of water in your house.
If there’s enough pressure in other areas, then the issue is specific to your kitchen. Although it is possible that there’s only a minor issue, you still need to act quickly! What you want to avoid is a leak, which may result in substantial water damage in your home.
Step 2: Check if there’s still a cold water supply.
If the difficulty that you are having in your home is limited to the hot water supply, then the problem is most likely caused by your water heater. As such, you should contact a plumber to resolve the issue of hot water not coming out of the faucet.
Step 3: Call the neighbors.
Is the water pressure low in all of your home’s areas, including those that use warm and cold water? It would be a good idea to call your neighbors right now. If they are experiencing problems with the water pressure, the likely culprit is the municipal water supply.
In this scenario, the only thing left is to get in touch with your water provider. Let them know about the problem. They may be cleaning hydrants or performing repairs to the water lines in your neighborhood.
Step 4: Inspect the pipes.
Make sure that the plumbing surrounding and under the kitchen sink is in working order. If you see water starting to pool or dripping from the pipes, it’s possible that a plumbing leak is to blame for what you’re experiencing. This issue can be resolved with a call to the plumbing service.
DIY Solutions to No Water Coming Out of the Faucet
Try these do-it-yourself fixes if, after going through the steps above, you find that the water pressure coming out of your kitchen faucet is non-existent:
Clean the Aerator
The water outlet on your kitchen faucet is covered by a mesh screen that functions as an aerator. The aerator in your pipes will collect minerals and debris that may be present. It also conserves water by injecting air into the flow of water. For properties with a hard water supply, the aerators in kitchen fixtures may become clogged quickly. DIY fix: clean your aerator.
- Using pliers and a rag, take the aerator off the faucet so you can clean it.
- Examine the aerator for any deposits of minerals or anything else.
- Open the faucet. If there is no problem with the pressure, you can deduce that the aerator is the source of the problem.
- Run the aerator under hot water to clean it. When dealing with deposits that are particularly thick or tenacious, an overnight soak in vinegar is recommended.
- To fully clean the aerator, you should make use of a used toothbrush.
Clean the Faucet Cartridge
The cartridge for your faucet is located further down in the body of the fixture than the aerator and features a hole in the center. This is where water flows. The accumulation of hard water scale or mineral buildup in the cartridge causes it to become clogged or obstructed. As mentioned earlier, this results in no water coming out of the kitchen faucet. Most of the time, all that is required of it is to be cleaned.
- You need to cut the water supply to the sink and then run the water until it stops coming out of the faucet.
- Take the handle off of the valve. Loosen the screw cap then remove the screw that is holding the faucet in place. An Allen wrench may be helpful for this job.
- Take the handle from the valve that shuts off the water.
- Remove the cartridge by lifting it up. There may be a few more screws to take out, but that will depend on the model you have. Be sure to categorize the screws so that they can be put back together.
- Take out the cartridge so that you can examine it. Although cleaning it with a mixture of water and vinegar can work, we strongly advise that you replace it instead. Simply bring the old one with you to your local hardware store so they can match it.
- If you decide to replace your faucet and have it installed as part of the repair, you should consider getting one with a seal from the “Environmental Protection Agency” (EPA). It’s never a bad idea to cut back on your water usage and save money on your monthly water bill!
Final Thoughts
Whenever there’s no water coming out of the kitchen faucet, there is no need to worry. There are many different reasons why water flow may become restricted. Locate the cause of the issue and correct it by following the aforementioned steps. Before you know it, the water can once again begin to flow freely.
Despite our recommendations, you still can’t identify the problem, have the problem diagnosed by a skilled plumber immediately!
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Hi, there my name is William Lee and I am the founder of the DecorHomefFiner.com website. I am an expert DIY for bathrooms, living rooms, and kitchens. I am also a social helper which means I am helping people on social media about their homes.