Household Water Pressure
Household Water Pressure
Have you ever thought about your household water pressure or why water comes out of the faucet when you turn it on? Its like magic, yet there are no mechanical parts, no motors to push the water through the pipes in our homes, it just comes out when you turn it on. The principle has been around for ages. In our St George real estate market water is stored in large tanks that are strategically located through out the area. They are typically located at the highest elevation available. Water pressure is created by water running downhill following the path of least resistance with the help of gravity. The pipes that leave the large water storage tanks are quite large, and are gradually reduced in size until they reach your home. The largest water pipes in most homes are 1”, 3/4”, and 1/2”. Household showers, toilets and sinks usually use 1/2” pipes. Water pressure in a house should be around 55 to 75 lbs. This pictures shows water pressure above the recommended amount.
Water Pressure Too High?
Every home in our St George Real Estate market area should have a water pressure valve, like this one pictured below. This valve is designed to keep the water pressure from getting too high. If the water pressure gets too high it could actually begin to to damage pipes, or fixtures. The appropriate setting for most homes water pressure should be 55 to 70 lbs of pressure.
There are homes in some areas that may have higher water pressure. This could be due to the slope of the neighborhood or even the individual home. Homes located in the St George real estate market area and in St George city and Washington county have water pressure reduction valves, but it is impossible to give everyone perfect water pressure. Too high of pressure can create problems for water heaters. When the pressure coming through the house gets too high it will begin to push water through the emergency valve located on the water heater. The emergency valve will begin to drip and water will eventually stream out. Some water heaters have a metal or plastic pan under them that will catch the water and send it down a drain. In some cases there is not a pan or a drain and water can begin to move into places it shouldn’t go. I was recently informed that the county is requesting that water overflow tanks be installed with the installation of every new water heater.This tank is usually installed above or to the side of the water heater, it allows the excess pressure a place to go, rather than out the emergency valve.
The bolt at the top of this valve is designed to reduce the amount of water pressure going through the house. It if will no longer adjust the pressure it is time to replace this valve. The total installation process for the new valve is a fairly simple process, and should only take about 30 minutes to accomplish. Once replaced adjust the bolt to the desired setting of 55-75 lbs of pressure. This will not only save water, but eliminate additional wear and tear on the plumbing in your house. Paying attention to this detail could also save you the expense of a new water heater or other soggy problems. Water damage is one of the leading causes of damage in our St George Real Estate area.
