Water pressure at a home should be in the normal range which is 40 to 80 PSI. Fact is, from what plumbers tell me, 80 PSI might be listed as normal but it is still, for appliance and fixture wear and tear, higher than what you want it to be. When I inspect new homes in Bellingham, and the plumbing was put in by good plumbers, typically water pressure is set at about 50 PSI. It may vary a bit -- often another 5 PSI is added per additional floor. Bottom line, it is usually set at 50 to 60 PSI, if the house is on a municipal system. Private systems, wells, are often set to operate at lower pressure than municipal systems.
Reducing high water pressure is usually not much of a problem, in that it can be resolved with a water pressure reducer. But when water pressure reads, and is functionally too low, then the fix gets more complicated. If it is a well system then that is taken into account but it can also indicate that the service or supply pipes are old, galvanized and clogged? Fact is, it might not be easy to get the water up into the normal range at an older home if there is low pressure. It could take some digging and replacing of pipes. The system below was 35 PSI and functional pressure was low too -- you noticed it was low when running fixtures. Now, sometimes low pressure is no big deal. That was true at the home above. Why? Because there is a water pressure reducer in the system. When there is a water pressure reducer, the water pressure can be adjusted up to the normal range. There is plenty of pressure, it is just being reduced. When I explain this, clients often ask me what a water pressure reducer looks like. To answer that question, I have posted the photo below. Note: When there is a water pressure reducer in the system, called a closed system, the hot water heater needs to have a means of relieving pressure build up from thermal expansion as the water heats, that is usually accomplished with a small "expansion" tank attached at the water heater. Steven L. Smith Bellingham WA Home Inspections
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Hhmmmm, Interesting..... I'm speechless. nice pictures.
Sean Allen
Sean,
I can see how that one could take your breath away.
Here you go Steve---this should take care of the pressure