You probably know that low water pressure is a problem in your home’s plumbing. It’s hard to shower, difficult to clean, and generally an annoyance.
But water pressure can also be too high. The water pressure in a plumbing system should be between 45 and 55 psi (pounds per square inch). If the pressure rises above 60 psi, it can create problems for the plumbing, including damage to the pipes. In most cases of high water pressure, a professional must analyze the problem and find a solution.
How to Tell You Have High Water Pressure
You can spot low water pressure easily. The signs of high water pressure are more elusive. Look for the following warnings that it’s time to call a professional:
- Faucet leaks: A regular faucet leak is usually an individual issue with that fixture. But if you notice faucets leak at specific times of the day or when you use another fixture, it may be high water pressure causing it.
- Noisy pipes: You may have heard about water hammer, which is a sound that results from shockwaves from water in the pipes stopping abruptly. High water pressure isn’t the only reason for water hammer, but it is one of them.
- Rattling pipes: Are your pipes jostling around as water moves through them? That’s also a sign water pressure is too high.
- Steep water bills: We’ll talk about this just below.
What This Pressure Does to the Plumbing
First, it turns your freshwater plumbing system into a big water waster. More water comes out of each faucet or showerhead when you turn it on. This results in rising water bills—as much as a 30% increase in household water consumption.
High water pressure is terrible for water-using appliances. It can damage and shorten the service lives of laundry machines, dishwashers, and especially water heaters. It’s common for high water pressure to start leaks at connection points on a water heater.
The pipes will get the worst of the damage from high water pressure, and if you have older piping materials the trouble can get serious, fast. Pipes are more likely to break or crack, their lifespans will drop and need early replacement, and you’ll have plenty of leaks causing water waste and building damage.
We Can Fix Your Water Pressure Problems
The most common cause of high water pressure is something that’s out of your reach: the municipal freshwater system is sending high pressure water into your house. However, our experts can fix this. We’ll attach a water pressure regulator onto your water main. This will lower the pressure around the house to a safe 45–55 psi. The reducer can often last more than 10 years, and you can schedule regular checks for it as part of professional plumbing maintenance.
If we find other reasons for high water pressure, such as water scale from hard water or clogging in the drainpipes, we can take care of that with services like drain cleaning in Tustin, CA and others. We will also fix any pipes or fixtures that have sustained damage from the water pressure.
Saddleback Plumbing Heating & Air has served Orange County since 1980. Schedule top plumbing and HVAC work with us.