For most people in Boston, water pressure inside the home isn’t a big concern, unless of course something’s wrong with the water pressure! Water pressure is the force with which water is moved through the water supply system. In municipalities, water pressure needs to be relatively high – perhaps 200 psi – in order to move large quantities of water, meet the needs of commercial and industrial buildings, and provide municipal fire departments with enough pressure to operate hoses and put out fires.
Homeowners don’t need that much water pressure. In fact, most building codes recommend a water pressure of about 55 psi for residential plumbing systems. There’s a big difference between what’s delivered and what’s needed!
High water pressure can cause damage to your pipes, valves and water-using appliances. Most residential plumbing systems are robust enough to tolerate high water pressure, but over time, consistent high pressure can also weaken the joints in your plumbing system and cause premature aging of the components and result in catastrophic system failures. Overpressure can also mask other problems that should be corrected, like calcification in faucet fixtures and supply lines.
How do you correct water pressure problems? If your pressure is very high, you can install a water pressure regulator on your main supply line. A water pressure regulator is adjustable, so if you find that a pressure of about 55 psi is not sufficient, you can adjust the pressure as needed.
If you don’t know what your water pressure is, but suspect it’s too high, Boston Standard Plumbing & Heating can help. We’ll measure the water pressure in your system and recommend a pressure regulator if the system pressure is high enough to cause damage, or shorten the life of your water-supplied appliances.
If you’re having problems with low water pressure in a single fixture or section of your plumbing, we can also diagnose and correct that as well. Call us anytime at (617) 362-0377 .
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DIY Blog, DIY Plumbing
