Is Your Faucet Aerator Clogged?

Many Calgarians deal with the frustration of low water pressure everyday. But water trickling or dancing erratically from your faucet doesn’t necessarily mean there’s something wrong with the water pressure. Another common problem is a tiny pebble getting trapped by the aerator. The good news is that clearing a clogged aerator is super simple, so you can easily do it yourself. So how to clean clogged faucet aerator?

Remove the Aerator.

If you look at the end of your faucet, you’ll likely spot the aerator. It’s the little cylinder (usually) at the end of your faucet where the water comes out. In general, aerators are about a centimetre tall. Often, it’s a different diameter than the rest of your faucet, so it’s easy to find. Try and just twist it off by hand, but you may need a pair of plyers. The metal on metal can badly scratch the aerator, so either use electric tape to wrap the pliers or a thick elastic band to fully cover the aerator. Then twist off. Lefty-loosy, righty-tighty.

Remove Debris.

Once the aerator is off, run your pinky (or a small screwdriver) along the inside of the faucet just to make sure nothing is stuck. Don’t get your finger stuck! Once the faucet is clear, slowly disassemble the aerator. Remember to keep track of how it goes together! Remove any pieces of sediment and use a safety pin or a sewing needle to unclog any holes in the screen. If you have the time, it’s can be useful to soak the disassembled aerator in vinegar overnight.

Everything Goes Back to Normal.

You may want to run the faucet for a few seconds before you put your reassembled aerator back on. This gives the plumbing a chance to get rid of any other lingering sediment that was out of reach of your pinky. Be careful as the water may come out with significantly more force now there isn’t a clogged aerator in the way, fair warning. Finally, reassemble the aerator, and screw it back on. You’re done, and your water pressure should be restored! Now you know how to clean clogged faucet aerator!

Water still coming out as a trickle? Unfortunately, that means there’s something more complicated than a little sediment in the aerator going on. You’ll likely need the help of some professional Calgary plumber, and our expert team at the Plumbing Paramedics is here to help. Give our team a call today, and we’ll have water moving quickly once again!