What to Check with the Plumbing When Viewing a House

Water pressure is the big one that gets overlooked, but while you're at it, there are a few other quick plumbing checks worth doing during a viewing that your surveyor might not specifically test for.

Turn on the cold tap in the kitchen and let it run for a few seconds. Note the flow rate. Then head upstairs and do the same in the bathroom. Pressure tends to be weaker on upper floors simply due to gravity and distance from the supply, so if it feels poor up there, it's a sign there may be a wider issue.

If there's a shower, ask if you can run it briefly. A weak shower is one of the most frustrating things to live with day to day, and it's not always a simple fix.

Flush the toilet and watch how long the cistern takes to refill. A very slow refill can suggest low pressure throughout the system.

Have a look under the kitchen sink and bathroom basin for any signs of damp patches, staining, or older pipework that looks like it might be nearing the end of its life.

Ask how old the boiler is and when it was last serviced. A boiler that's getting on in years isn't necessarily a problem, but it's good to factor into your offer or at least your future budget.

None of this takes more than a few minutes, and it's all stuff you can do yourself without any expertise. Don't feel embarrassed about checking. You're about to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on this property. Running a tap is the least you can do.

If you're a first-time buyer still getting your head around everything involved, my guide to money tips when buying your first home covers a lot of the financial side that often catches people off guard.

What Is Water Pressure and Why Does It Matter?

Water pressure is simply the force that pushes water through your pipes and out of your taps. Strong, steady flow means good pressure. A trickle means it's too low. A blast that's almost hard to control can actually mean it's too high, which causes its own set of problems.

It's measured in bars or PSI (pounds per square inch). You don't need to memorise those terms, but it helps to know the basic range so you can understand what you're being told if a plumber or surveyor mentions it.

Low pressure makes daily life genuinely annoying. Slow showers, baths that take forever to fill, appliances like dishwashers and washing machines that take longer to run. High pressure, on the other hand, puts unnecessary stress on your pipes and joints and can cause leaks over time.

Both extremes are worth knowing about, and both are fixable, though the cost and complexity vary depending on the cause.

What Should Water Pressure Be in a House in the UK?

Normal water pressure for a UK home is typically between 1 and 3 bar. Around 1.5 bar is considered standard and comfortable for most households.

Mains water arriving at your property from the supplier can come in higher than this, sometimes up to around 5.5 bar (80 PSI), but by the time it reaches your individual taps it'll usually be lower, depending on your system and how old it is.

As a rough guide for what to look out for:

• Below 1 bar - low pressure, likely to cause problems with showers, baths and general flow at taps
• 1 to 3 bar - normal, comfortable range for most homes
• Above 3 bar - higher than needed, and worth addressing to protect your pipework

If you're not sure where your home sits, there are simple ways to check, which I'll cover in the next section.

How to Check Water Pressure in Your House

The most accurate way to check is with a pressure gauge, which attaches to an outdoor tap. These are cheap to buy from any DIY shop and give you a clear reading in seconds. Attach it, turn the tap on fully, and read the number on the dial.

If you don't have a gauge and just want a rough sense of where things stand, try this. Run your cold kitchen tap into a one-litre container and time how long it takes to fill. If it fills in under six seconds, your pressure is likely within a reasonable range. If it takes noticeably longer, it's worth looking into.

You can also contact your water supplier directly. They can test the mains pressure coming into your property free of charge and tell you whether it's within the normal range for your area. This is the best starting point if you suspect the problem is coming from outside your home rather than within it.

If the mains pressure is fine but your household pressure is still low, the issue is likely somewhere inside the property, whether that's older pipes, a faulty valve, or a tank-based system that simply doesn't deliver the same performance as a modern mains-fed setup.

What to Do About Low Water Pressure

If you're dealing with low pressure, the first step is to call your water supplier and ask them to test the mains supply. If it's on their side, it's their problem to fix, and there's no cost to you.

If the supply is fine but your household pressure isn't, a plumber can assess the system and suggest the right fix. In some cases, it might be as straightforward as adjusting a valve. In others, like our situation, it may require a more significant solution like a pump or a new pressure fed water tank.

Low water pressure can sometimes point to underlying plumbing issues that are worth catching early. If you're concerned, getting a professional assessment sooner rather than later is always the smarter move. For urgent issues, contacting a reliable 24 hour plumber can provide timely help.

It's worth getting any quotes before you commit to buying a property, or at least factoring potential costs into your offer. We didn't, and it's a mistake I wouldn't repeat.

What to Do About High Water Pressure

High pressure is less commonly talked about but worth knowing about. If your pressure is above 3 bar, the fix is usually fitting a pressure reducing valve (PRV) where the mains supply enters the property. This brings the pressure down to a comfortable level throughout the whole house.

It's a relatively straightforward job for a plumber and much cheaper than dealing with a burst pipe or a blown washer further down the line, both of which high pressure makes more likely over time.

If you live near Sydney, click here for professional plumbing advice.

Is Low Water Pressure a Dealbreaker When Buying a House?

Not necessarily, but it absolutely needs to be investigated before you exchange.

If you spot low pressure during a viewing, ask the seller whether they've ever had issues and whether any work has been done. See if you can get a plumber in before you commit, or at least get a quote for what a fix might involve. Then use that information to either negotiate the asking price or go into the purchase knowing exactly what you're dealing with.

What you don't want is to find out afterwards, when it becomes your problem and your bill.

We didn't have that option because we didn't even know to look. But you do now. And honestly, given that unexpected home costs have a way of piling up quickly, going in with your eyes open makes an enormous difference.

If you're still building up your financial buffer before or after a move, it's worth reading my article about how to build an emergency fund so that surprises like this don't completely derail you.

Check the taps. Check the shower. Ask the questions. It takes minutes and could genuinely save you thousands!