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water pressure test gauge (C) Daniel Friedman Excessive Water FAQs
Q&A about water pressure too high

  • POST a QUESTION or COMMENT about the problems caused by building water pressure that is too high; diagnosis & cure of excessive water pressure; safety hazards of high water pressure;

Questions & answers about water pressure that is too high: why is high pressure a problem, what to do about it.

This article series describes the dangers of excessive water pressure in buildings: safety hazards include burst water tanks or boilers, clogged relief valves, and even building flooding and mold contamination.

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FAQs on Problems Caused by Excessive Water Pressure in a Building

Water pressure regulator (C) Carson Dunlop AssociatesThese questions and answers about excessive water pressure in buildings were posted originally at WATER PRESSURE TOO HIGH: DANGERS - be sure to see the explanations and advice given there.

On 2018-10-14 by (mod) - loud whooshing sound from the main water line.

Sandy I apologize but I can't sort this out from just your question. We've melded incoming water and an outgoing sump pump system.

High incoming water pressure ought to have nothing to do with the sump.

Ask your plumber to check the pressure being delivered by your water pressure regulator.

The diagnostics

at WATER SUPPLY PIPE WHISTLE NOISE may also help.


On 2018-10-14 by Sandy

I am connected to the city water line and am experiencing a loud whooshing sound that I think is coming from the main line. I have an exterior sump pump and back flow preventer installed.

The noise is getting louder and I am unsure if it is a problem with the city main line or perhaps my sump? The house is 100 years old but the sump and back flow preventer was moved outside approximately 10 years ago. What would be causing this to occur?

On 2018-01-13 by (mod) - Diagnosing Low Water Pressure:

Nnamdi

If the pump is continuing to run, and assuming it's being provided the proper voltage, and water pressure remains low, I suspect any of several problems such as

Low water in the well and/or poor well flow rate

A leak in well piping

A damaged or clogged pump impeller

A damaged or clogged well screen or screen on a foot valve

See this WATER PRESSURE PROBLEM DIAGNOSIS TABLE for more help

On 2018-01-13 by Nnamdi P-scan

All that is written here is right, but on submersible pumping machine if the pressure is low and the light voltage is 220 or 230 and is still low in pumping what should be the cause or the problem..

On 2016-08-23 by (mod) - is 90 psi water pressure too high?

Yes, Ed. That pressure in a typical residential plumbing system risks leaks at fixtures whose controls aren't intended for high pressure.

Worse if a water tank or pipe bursts while someone's nearby, beyond flooding the building someone could be hurt or even killed.

If your municipal supply pressure is high your house needs its own pressure regulator, possibly a two-stage regulator.

On 2016-08-22 y Ed Cooley

My water pressure coming into my house is 90psi Some timeshigher. Is this excessive?

On 2016-07-31 by Audie Wilkins

Thank you very much.

On 2016-07-30 by (mod) - best place to diagnose weak water pressure

Audie you'll want to read this article

WATER PRESSURE LOSS DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR at https://inspectapedia.com/water/Poor_Water_Pressure_Diagnosis.php

On 2016-07-30 by Audie Wilkins

I have found a few more bits of information. First of all there is not much water for I did the shake thing and it felt empty.

However I turned the faucet on where the water goes in to the tank and there was water there. The gauge said 164 lbs but there is no way that the water I was letting out was 164 lbs.

The pressure at the top of the tank is 28 lbs. I also found ants on the contact points of the water pressure control switch. I am thinking it is either the control switch or the pressure gauge or both but have no idea what to do next.

Can the switch just be cleaned up like points on an old truck or does it need to be replaced and why would the pressure gauge be saying 164 when it is obvious that it is not that high.

I contacted a well man on the 24th and he still have not gotten here and if there is a way for me to do it myself I am ready for it is getting old not to have water. Never miss the water until the (pipe) is dry. I chose to use pipe and not the other possibility.

My mother's water well has a submersible pump and a pressure tank.

Neither are very old I am thinking 8 years old. However there is no water, there is power to the well house.

The pressure tank pressure gauge says there is 160 lbs which does not make any since, since there is no water coming out. I turned on a faucet at the pressure tank just to see if there was water there.

There was but I am sure it was not 160 lbs of pressure. What do you think the problem?

The gauge? I can remember years ago when the old pressure tank was there that my father would say it was air locked and he would do something and everything would be fine.
Audie
wilkins@gvec.net

On 2016-07-12 1 by (mod) - requirement for pressure relief valves on water tanks

Sure Emily, a water pressure relief valve is in fact required (for safety) on any pressurized tank or vessel.

Yes Deborah sudden high water can cause various plumbing components to break, burst, or leak.

On 2016-07-12 3 by Emily Wagner

Is it a good idea to have a water pressure relief valve in addition to pressure regulator?

Is the water heater pressure valve sufficient if pressure regulator goes out? Does water heater valve work on both hot and cold at faucets in house?

On 2016-04-25 y Deborah D.

can sudden high water pressure cause angle valve to break and cause water leak?

On 2016-04-13 by (mod) -

Typical municipal water pressure varies widely depending on where you live but might be between 20 psi and 70 psi.

Higher pressures may be delivered too at some locations, in which case a two-stage water pressure regulator set-up may be needed to prevent leaks.

On 2016-04-13 by council@peoplepc.com

what should water pressure be from municipal water

On 2015-10-08 06:30:08.063927 by pat

is it common for a large apartment building to have 80psi

 

Reader Question:

(June 24, 2011) Anonymous said:
Is there a maximum pressure that cities can deliver water to a home?

Reply:

(July 8, 2011) (mod) said:
There are recommended water pressure upper limits for within buildings, lest we have leaky faucets or worse. But municipal water pressure is permitted to be and in fact actually may be much higher in some areas. That's why we install a water pressure regulator at the point of water service entry into the building. The pressure regulator can protect the building from excessive municipal water main water pressures.

Pressures over about 70 psi invite leaks.

Question: high pressure and "leaky hot water tank" - leaky hot water cylinder

(Sept 2, 2012) Carla said:
My hot water heater is leaking and the pressure valve is acting erratic, the needle is moving really fast sometimes and right now the needle is at 160. What should I do?

Reply:

Carla

Watch out: you are describing a dangerous condition risking a very serious, even fatal explosion of your water heater tank.

Shut the system off and ask for help from a licensed plumber.


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