PLUMBING – Water Pressure

Good water pressure is something most homeowners take for granted. There’s nothing worse than coming home from a hard day’s work, just to be met by trickling water due to low pressure. On the other hand, excessively high water pressure is the most common source of stress and frustration.

From stress on supply lines to leaky faucets, damage can occur throughout the whole plumbing system. No worries, Quick-Flow Plumbing & Rooter has the knowledge and experience to identify and repair high pressure problems, without additional stress.

Many factors influence water pressure in your home. For instance, low water pressure is typically caused by old deteriorated pipes, clogged filters, clogged aerators, or plain old leaks, while high water pressure comes directly from city water mains.

However, water from city mains fluctuate depending on the time of day it is; low pressure in the day when many people are using it, and high at night as they sleep.

According to city plumbing codes, water pressure entering a home or business should range anywhere from 45psi to 80 psi. Anything below 40 psi is considered low and anything below 30 psi is considered too low; while pressures above 80 psi is too high and can become dangerous to your plumbing system.

Although low pressure is more of a nuisance than a serious problem, like some washing machines having a minimum pressure requirement, high water pressure carries a significant increase of risk for damaging pipes, joints, and fixtures, not to mention the potential for causing a flood within the home.

To reduce high water pressure, a Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV), also known as a Pressure Regulator, will be needed that’s typically installed downstream of the water meter. Municipal codes require a regulator be installed when pressures above 80 psi enters a home or business, as these devices do exactly what they say, reduces water pressure down to a safe level, most are factory set at 45 psi.

Plumbing codes require that business’s and residences that have a hot water heater, and are being served by a Pressure Reducing Valve a.k.a. “regulator”, install a Thermal Expansion Tank to control internal high pressure. This is because regulators have an internal check valve allowing for water to flow in only one direction, preventing thermal expansion build-up created at the water heater to slowly flow back into the city’s water main. Thermanl expansion is created by hot and cold water being heated at the water heater, so without an expansion tank, excess water pressure will build throughout the home’s plumbing system, damaging water pipes, fixtures, and seals.