Intermittent Pressure from Mains

esk123 · May 10, 2021

Strange problem but over the last few weeks we've started getting really unusual water pressure problems through-out the house.

One minute, we have full pressure on all taps and the next, either low pressure or no water at all.

Today for example, at about 1pm, we had no water anywhere in the house for about 20 mins. No shower, no taps, no toilet flush. Then, everything slowly started coming back on, with a trickle and gradually full pressure.

I really can't work it out. This is across hot and cold. Boiler engineer has been out but says no faults, boiler wouldnt shut off cold taps and if it was a blockage, the taps would be off permanently.

This happens at random times through the day. Whether its 3am or 7pm, you can never be sure that a tap will work and when it does, it sometimes just trickles for about 30 mins.

No issue with water company. This has been going on weeks but neighbours say theyre fine. Its just our house? Any ideas that we can test?

Scott_D · May 10, 2021

Do you have a shared water supply?
What type of hot water system do you have?
Anything like a sure stop, stop tap fitted?

esk123 · May 10, 2021

scott_d said:
Do you have a shared water supply?
What type of hot water system do you have?
Anything like a sure stop, stop tap fitted?

Not a shared water supply.
Hot water system is standard gas combi boiler, only 2 years old.
No meter or sure stop fitted. Its a Victorian house with mains water shut off in the kitchen. That seems to work fine, I can turn the water on or off like normal.

snowhead · May 10, 2021

Is it lead or Plastic pipe coming in from outside to the kitchen stop tap?
Is the stop tap old, newer, or plastic?

Can you get close enough to the incoming pipe / stop tap to listen on the pipe for water flowing when the inside pressure is low,,, thinking there may be a leak outside that's opening up reducing the pressure and then closing?