Understanding the flow rate is one of the most important things that every homeowner should know. Basically, different faucet models come with different flow rates some have high some have low.
If you have a faucet with a 1.5 GPM flow rate or maybe you are deciding to purchase a new faucet then there could be a question in your mind. “Is 1.5 GPM kitchen faucet enough”.
For most homes, a 1.5 GPM kitchen faucet is absolutely a good choice. But if you are filling a big container or pots in day-to-day activities then you might notice reduced in water flow, in that case, you should go for high flow rate faucets.
However, in some areas faucet flow rates have certain limitations.
For example, in California, the maximum flow rate is 1.8 GPM and in Georgia, the maximum flow rate is 2.0 GPM. So first check the limits in your area before purchasing the faucet.
What Is The Average Flow Rate Of A Kitchen Faucet?
The average flow rate of a kitchen faucet ranged between 1.0 and 1.5 GPM. According to the Federal Standards, the maximum flow rate allocated for kitchen faucets is 2.2 GPM.
But in certain states it is different. In states like Georgia and California, flow rates are further limited.
The flow rate restrictions of California have dropped over the years. Right now the maximum flow rate in California is 1.8 GPM. And in Georgia, the maximum flow rate is down to 2.0GPM.
Also, the faucet flow rates can be reduced to 0.08 GPM without affecting the water pressure. Moreover, it would also reduce your water bills.
What Is The Good Flow Rate For A Kitchen Faucet?
The flow rate of a faucet tells you about the rate of water flowing from the faucet. Whenever you shop for a new bathroom or a kitchen faucet,
you can see a number in the faucet’s specs followed by GPM. The GPM of that specific faucet will tell you about the faucet’s flow rate.
For a kitchen faucet, the good flow rate ranges between 1.0 and 2.0 GPM. Of course, the good flow rate for your home depends upon your subjective needs.
Some people might find they need 2.0 GPM and some might find 1.0 GPM enough for their needs. So, it totally depends upon your preference and needs.
If you are using your faucet for daily uses such as washing dishes, washing hands, or pouring drinking water then a flow rate of 1.5 GPM would not give you less water than a faucet producing a maximum flow rate of 2.2 GPM.
Many people will also find that a flow rate of 1.0 GPM or lower is perfectly fine for their uses. And if you don’t need more than this, you would end up reducing your water bills significantly.
How To Measure Kitchen Faucet Flow Rate?
If you have a kitchen faucet and you don’t know the flow rate then you can easily measure the flow rate at your home. Just follow these simple steps mentioned below.
What You’ll Need
A container – large enough to hold a gallon of water.
A measuring cup
Stopwatch or timer
Collect The Water In The Container
Place the container under the faucet and make sure all the water is collected. Once you are ready with your stopwatch, open the handle on the faucet and at the same time start the stopwatch.
Make sure you turn on the faucet and start the stopwatch simultaneously because any variation can change the result.
If you are measuring the maximum flow rate, make sure the handle is fully open. If you have a two-handle faucet, make sure both the handles are fully open.
To open a two-handle faucet, maybe you need an extra hand to open both handles and start the stopwatch simultaneously.
Collect the water for exactly 10 seconds, and then turn off the faucet.
Measure The Quantity Of Water
Now with the help of a measuring cup, measure the water collected in the container. You should note the “no of cups” on a piece of paper, so you don’t go off track.
Convert the water measurement to gallons. (There are 16 cups or 4 quarters in a gallon). The measurement can be shown as a simple fraction.
For example, if there are 8 cups in a container then 8 cups equal to 8/16, or 1/2 gallons.
Let’s take another example if there are 10 cups in a container then 10 cups equal to 10/16 or 5/8 gallons. You have to divide the number of cups by 16 so that you will get the measurement in gallons.
Calculate The Flow Rate (In GPM)
Multiply the quantity of water by 6 to calculate the flow rate in gallons per minute (GPM). In our first example, 1/2 gallon of water was collected in 10 seconds.
That number should be multiplied by 6 (to determine one minute) which equals 3 gallons. Therefore, your faucet flow rate is 3 GPM.
What Can Affect The Kitchen Faucet Flow Rate?
There are various factors that can affect the faucet flow rate. Since the federal standards have restricted the maximum limit to 2.2 GPM.
Nowadays most modern faucet comes with an aerator that limits the flow rate to 2.2 GPM which also helps to reduce splashing.
The other factor could be the diameter of your pipe, the flow rate depends on pipe diameter – wider pipes allow more water to flow, resulting in high water pressure.
The faucet flow rate can be affected due to the build-up of mineral deposits inside the faucet.
Since it is very common for the aerator to get partially blocked depending on how long you have been using your faucet aerator. Thus the blocked aerator will limit the amount of water that can pass through.
The other reason could be the area where you are living. Due to several reasons, some areas have low water pressure, which will decrease the flow rate of water.
Water pressure can affect according to demand. You may notice low water pressure in the morning because all the neighbors are taking their showers before they are going to work or school.
How Can I Increase The Flow Rate Of My Kitchen Faucet?
If you are feeling low water pressure in your faucet, there are several methods you can try to increase the flow rate.
If the aerator is restricting the flow rate, you should replace the aerator with a higher GPM model to allow more water to pass.
If you are living in a low water pressure area, an aerator is designed to limit the water flow, which results in a reduced flow rate.
However, before you go to purchase a new aerator, make sure to check the old one is not blocked.
Remove the aerator from the faucet and look inside, you will see that a mineral deposit is blocking the aerator. If you are living in hard water areas then it is a very common problem.
To remove mineral deposits, you should put the aerator in the boiled vinegar for half an hour. This will help to dissolve and remove the mineral from the aerator.
The other method you can try to unblock the aerator is to push the pin through each individual hole – this allows the water to easily flow through the aerator.
After cleaning the aerator if nothing happens, then check the leaks in the plumbing fixture. Because if there is any leak in the plumbing system, the water flow will reduce in the kitchen faucet.
How Can I Reduce The Flow Rate Of My Kitchen Faucet?
In every faucet, there is a small round device on the tip of the spout. This is the aerator.
The function of an aerator is to create a mixture of water and air, which helps to make the water stream smoother and limit the flow rate to a certain level.
If your water pressure is too high then you can simply reduce it by installing a low-flow aerator.
The low flow aerator will help to restrict the water flow. Basically, it’s a good idea to replace the aerator if you are trying to reduce the water bills and save money.
What Is Considered A Low Flow Faucet?
Basically, there is no definition for a low-flow faucet. But in general, we can say that if your faucet has a flow rate of 1.5 gallons per minute (GPM) or less,
then it is considered “ultra-low flow” and if your faucet has a flow rate between 2.5 gallons per minute to 1.5 gallons per minute then it is considered “low flow”.