All that money you’ve paid to the waterworks board has resulted in some very impressive water pressure in many of our communities. While high water pressure at the street is generally considered a good thing, it is destructive if it continues unabated into your home where a bunch of expensive devices have to hold it back. Common symptoms of high pressure are water heater leaks/failures, ice maker failures, running toilets, drippy faucets and split garden hoses.
Many homes are equipped with a pressure regulator to step down the street pressure to a level that is safe for household appliances and fixtures. How do you know if your home has one? Look for a little brass/bronze bell shaped gizmo (see pic) on the water pipe that comes into your home. Unfortunately, these regulators are a “wear and tear” item meaning they typically fail after 10 or 15 years. They only way to know if yours is working is to test the pressure.
How do I test the pressure? A. Call a plumber. Or B. Buy an inexpensive little screw on pressure gauge from one of the big box stores. Screw it on to one of your hose bibs like you would a garden hose and turn on the water. Make sure all the other valves in the house are closed. You’re looking for something in the 45 to 60 PSI range. If it’s a lot higher than that, call a plumber and get the regulator replaced. NOTE: It is not unusual for the hose bib on the front of the house to be plumbed BEFORE the pressure regulator, meaning it will always be at the street pressure. If it doubt, use the bib on the back of the house for your test.
Related water advice: The most catastrophic water disaster is a pipe or hose that bursts while you are away from home. To avoid this nightmare do the following: A. Know where your water cutoff is and know that it works. B. If it doesn’t work, have the plumber install a “quarter turn ball valve” (he’ll know what it is) in a location where you can get to it. C. Put shutting off the water on your vacation checklist. D. Replace the hoses that go to your washing machine if they’re the black rubber kind. They're a weak link. Depot and Lowes sell stainless steel wrapped ones that are much stronger.
