Unusually low pressure in kitchen faucet

cmac2012 · Nov 23, 2019

I can't make out the brand, looks high end. I took a photo of this, the letters in the shield appear to be 'UPC.'

I think that might be A112.18.7/0125

The 7 might be a 1. Either way search gives me no help. The photo was turned 180. That's the body coming up from the counter top.

Pressure is just too low, my client says it takes forever for hot water to arrive. It's a large commercial type building remodeled into work/live units about 10 years ago. Looks like all new copper, not sure what it hooks up to down below.

I disconnected the supply line from the angle stop to the lead coming down from the faucet to check pressure, and whoa, it's strong, way strong.

Not sure what gives with the horrible pressure. In the past I've found accumulated scale in the faucet body. Can't find scale anywhere in this faucet, I checked all the usual spots of course.

I mean, I get the virtue of flow restriction but this is too much. Might need to get a new unit and hope for the best.

TomFOhio · Nov 23, 2019

I would guess that you did check the aerator?? If its ok then you are right that the faucet body is probably plugged.

cmac2012 · Nov 23, 2019

Yes, the aerator is clean. I've had luck a couple of times getting debris out of the faucet body. I'll pull it for a look but I want to have a replacement on hand if there's no luck.

breplum · Nov 23, 2019

A lot of faucets have poor flow appearance.

Jeff Handy · Nov 23, 2019

Can you post a decent pic of the actual entire faucet to help identify?

Meanwhile, is there a pull out spray head in this faucet?

If so, there is a little check valve in there somewhere, at either end of the hose.
They get gunked up very easy.
Either clean or replace it.

And yes, the aerator is also likely gunked up, government meddling forces incredibly tiny openings to be required, to reduce flow rate.
But they are impractical and plug up way too easy.

Once again, locate it, remove it, clean or replace.
The manufacturer will likely send you free parts, if you can help us identify it.

Sometimes you can modify the aerator or flow restrictors by removing some o rings or tight orifices.
Or even drilling right through them with a narrow bit, to defeat the horseshit ridiculous tight design.

And in that big old building, the water heater might be far away.
So even if you boost the flow out of the faucet, it could still take a loooong time til hot water gets to it.

cmac2012 · Dec 13, 2019

Sorry to disappear for so long, I just found the problem, first I found the brand name: KWC. was in tiny chrome letters on top of the unit. Turns out the backflow valve and flow restrictor were clogged with some odd looking bits that looked like broken bits of mechanical pencil lead.

I must be getting slow, I ran into this once before. I found a good video from the company on the issue. Spendy items, $350 to $500.

This is the video:

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I’ll upload some photos later.