Does Your Water Pressure Need to be Adjusted?

While low water pressure is pretty easy to spot, you might be so enamored with high water pressure that you don’t recognize you might have a problem on your hands.

Water pressure that’s too high can cause serious harm to plumbing fixtures like pipes, faucets, and washing machine hoses which, in turn, can cause leaks and even flooding. But a simple, inexpensive test can tell you whether your water pressure is too high, too low, or just right.

1. Start by purchasing a water pressure test gauge and following the instructions. They’re inexpensive and available at your local hardware or home improvement store.

2. To get a more accurate reading, keep all indoor and outdoor water sources turned off during the test.

3. A healthy level of water pressure is somewhere between 40 psi (pounds per square inch) and 80 psi. If you’re reading falls within this range but you’re still convinced your water pressure is too low or high, something else is probably causing the problem.

4. If the water pressure is below 40psi, check with your town’s water department to see if they’re performing any tasks that might account for a temporary drop in pressure.

5. If the water pressure is greater than 80psi, the solution could be as simple as replacing rubber hoses with metal-jacketed models on your toilet, sink, and washing machine pipes.

6. If the water pressure exceeds 100psi, you might need to have a pressure regulator installed to help save you money on potentially costly and recurring plumbing repairs.

If you have neither the time nor the inclination to test your own water pressure, Your 1 Plumber would be happy to do it for you.  Simply contact us today to schedule service, or to report any other plumbing issues you might be facing.