When it comes to household water pressure, there is a considerable range that can be considered not too low or too high, but "just right". But there are still a variety of situations that can push your stress beyond this range - and in any direction.
Having low pressure problems is annoying, but the root cause may be worse. If your problem is high pressure, it may cause serious damage to your home pipes. It is worth taking the time to test your water pressure, investigate the cause of the problem and take measures to control your water pressure within the required range.
How low can you walk?
It is often noticed that the water pressure is low when taking a shower, and dripping water will make it difficult to wash the soap, while in the kitchen sink, it takes a long time to fill the basin. Sometimes it is accompanied by the faint howl of the water dragon's hair.
Using the water pressure gauge of any hardware store, you can test the water pressure directly at the hose faucet. Any value below 30 psi is considered problematic.
There are several possible causes of low pressure, some of which are indeed disturbing. Leaking pipes can explain the pressure drop, but it means you are wasting water, increasing bills and possibly causing lasting damage to your house.
To check for water leakage, turn off all water equipment and check the water meter reading. Do not use any water at home for two hours, and then read the water meter again. If the reading increases, there is a leak.
The problem may also be caused by pipe restrictions, such as mineral accumulation in hard water. The buried pipe sometimes collapses, causing more serious blockage. Plumbers can usually diagnose these problems through camera inspection.
If your low pressure is caused by your local water market, there are still ways to solve it. With a system called a pressure tank, you can automatically increase the pressure of all water from the fixture. Pressure tanks are usually used with well systems, but they can work anywhere more pressure is needed.
Installation pressure
If you feel that the water flowing from the fixture is too hard, or if you often hear loud bangs when turning off the faucet, the water pressure may be too high. Use a pressure gauge to determine - anything over 80 psi is too high.
When your pressure is too high, your pipes, fittings and fixtures will bear too much pressure. This may lead to no problems for several years, but in a long enough time line, it will lead to pipe rupture and fittings failure.
Some households have high water pressure because they are located at the foot of the mountain, and the water passing through the municipal pipeline will increase the gravity pressure. In other cases, if the house is located near a large building that requires a lot of water, the house may be under excessive pressure.
Having a plumber install a pressure regulator on the main pipe is the best way to combat high pressure and save pipe.