What's going on
Many taller NYC buildings store water in a rooftop tank and feed apartments by gravity, because street pressure alone doesn't reach the upper floors. The apartments just below the tank have the least water stacked above them, so pressure there can be noticeably lower. Buildings with booster pumps can also see dips as the pumps cycle or when everyone showers at once.
Washers, dishwashers and refrigerators fill through electric inlet valves, and the manual lists a minimum water pressure for each one. Below that, a washer takes ages to fill and may show a fill error (codes vary by brand and model). A dishwasher may underfill and clean poorly, and an ice maker may make small or hollow cubes. When a building shuts its water off for work and turns it back on, sediment can loosen and lodge in appliance inlet screens, which looks just like low pressure.
What you can check in five minutes
- Compare faucets. Time how long it takes to fill a one-gallon jug at the kitchen sink, then at the bathroom sink.
- Make sure the supply valves behind the washer and under the sink are fully open.
- Look for kinked hoses, especially if the washer or fridge was recently pushed back into place.
- With the water off and the washer unplugged, take off a fill hose and look at the screen inside the valve inlet. Rinse away loose grit. If it's caked on, leave it for a technician.
- Replace the fridge water filter if it's overdue. An old filter restricts flow.
- Note whether the problem changes with the time of day.
Rent, own or co-op: who handles it?
Building water pressure is part of the building's plumbing, so report it to the super or managing agent. Tell them your floor and when it's worst. Don't install a booster pump or change the supply lines yourself. In co-ops and condos, plumbing changes usually need approval, so ask management before anyone touches the pipes.
What a technician will look at
- •Flow and pressure at the appliance connection
- •Inlet screens and the inlet valve itself
- •Restrictions in the refrigerator water line or filter housing
- •Dishwasher fill level during a cycle
- •Whether the appliance or the building supply is the real limit
Andre's field note: The giveaway is when every faucet on the floor is weak. In that case your appliance isn't the problem, and swapping a valve won't fix it. When one machine is slow and the sinks are strong, the inlet screen is the usual suspect, and that's routine washer repair. If your dishwasher is also getting lukewarm water, building plumbing may be the common thread, as our post on slow-arriving hot water explains.
Appliances crawling to fill? Call ProFix NYC at (929) 699-8358.