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Water Pressure

How to Test Your Water Pressure

Low water pressure can cause trickling faucets and showerheads. High water pressure can cause extensive damage to your pipes. This is why you will want to test your water pressure often. You should do this a few times a year to ensure that you do not have any damage to your pipes.

How to Test

To test your plumbing pipes water pressure, there are several steps you will need to take. You will first want to buy a pressure gauge. These are inexpensive, and you can buy them at home improvement or hardware stores. It is important to find one with female hose threads as this will make hook-up easier. You will also want to ensure that the pressure gauge can test up to 300 PSI. You will then want to follow these steps:

  • Turn off the water. Turn off all the water before doing this test. This includes both indoor and outdoor water. If you have water moving in your plumbing system, it could cause a faulty low pressure reading.
  • Hook up the gauge. Hook up the gauge to a faucet or hose bib on the outside of your home. If you have city or county water, make sure that you are closest to the meter. If you have well water, be sure that you are close to the pressure tank.
  • Tighten the gauge. Tighten the gauge and turn the faucet on. If you notice any water leaking, turn the water back off, and tighten the gauge.
  • Read the gauge. Look at the gauge to do the test. The best reading you get, is between 45 and 55 psi. If you have a reading that is under or over these levels, you will want to do what you can to increase or lower the pressure. This may include calling out a plumber to help you.

How to Fix Low or High Water Pressure

The best way to address high water pressure is to have a regulator for regulating water pressure. It will keep the max flow under 75 psi.

If the water pressure is low, you want to inspect the pressure regulator if you have one installed. It should be set to 50 psi, but you can adjust it to improve the pressure. If you have municipal water, and the pressure is very low, they may be delivering low water flow to your home. You can install a water pressure booster to help improve the flow.

If you do a water pressure test and it is not high or low, you do not have to do anything else. You should repeat the test to ensure that your water pressure is where it should be.

Call Us Today

If you have any issues with your water pressure, you will want to have a plumber come out to address the situation. Call Harwich Port Heating and Cooling. Our team of plumbing experts can help you to regulate your water pressure. We want to ensure that your pipes are not at risk for damage, and that you have adequate water pressure in your home.