How to Reduce Water Pressure in the Sink When Flushing the Toilet

Plumbing problems such as clogged drains frequently result in backups. For example, your sink may overflow with water while the toilet flushes because there is more water in the system than there is space to hold it due to lack of drainage. While this shouldn't be a problem in a plumbing system that's functioning properly, you can reduce the risk by limiting how much water enters your drains at one time. One way to do so is to reduce the water pressure in your faucets when you need to flush your toilet.

Pressure balance valve

Instructions

- 1
  Turn down the water valve under the sink that feeds water to the faucets. This limits the amount of water the faucets receive at any given moment. Either turn down the pressure permanently or adjust it only long enough to flush the toilet before you turn the pressure back up.
- 2
  Use the faucet handles to slightly adjust the water pressure when a toilet flushes. Turn the faucet handle slightly counterclockwise to get a slow stream of water initially. Turning the handles all the way is more likely to lead to overflow problems during toilet flushes on older or damaged plumbing systems, and you're more likely to have temperature fluctuations due to pressure changes.
- 3
  Install a pressure balance valve into your faucet fixtures that are prone to experiencing problems when a toilet flushes, if the problem still exists after you've completed Step 1 and Step 2. Fluctuations in water pressure sometimes cause rapid temperature changes, resulting in a bather getting an unexpected stream of very hot or very cold water. The instructions for installing the valve vary depending on the valve model and what fixture it is installed in, so follow all installation instructions included with the valve or request professional installation.

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