If you were Registered and logged in, you could reply and use other advanced thread options
|
Posted by annie1996 on June 2, 2009, 12:01 pm
Hi, I have a mid-1980s house with an older pressure reducing valve
(PRV) from the street. I imagine it's at least 8 yrs old (owned for 8
yrs).
I have had 3 significant leaks in the place since I bought. First one
was in the slab, but the other two in the pipes between upstairs and
down.
The plumber who fixed the last one (recently) tested the water
pressure at the front hose bibb. When he turned on the water, the
meter said 50 PSI. We were both relieved that it wasn't something
unusual that would require yet another fix (the PRV). However, I
decided to buy a meter from Home Depot just to be sure and monitor on
a regular basis.
So I put on the meter, sure enough, it said about 50 PSI. Great. But
unfortunately, it started to build! After a few seconds it was at 90
psi. I think 90 PSI could contribute to pipes bursting, correct?
So my question:
Is the PSI at the time of just turning on the valve the one you read
or do you read it after the time that it stabilizes? I did adjust the
PRV down a bit but it would only go to just under 80 PSI. I think I
need a new PRV, correct?
I want to manage the water pressure to have minimal wear and tear on
the pipes.
Thanks for your help.
Matt
|
|
Posted by SteveBell on June 2, 2009, 12:36 pm
show/hide quoted text
>Hi, I have a mid-1980s house with an older pressure reducing valve
>(PRV) from the street. I imagine it's at least 8 yrs old (owned for 8
>yrs).
>I have had 3 significant leaks in the place since I bought. First one
>was in the slab, but the other two in the pipes between upstairs and
>down.
>The plumber who fixed the last one (recently) tested the water
>pressure at the front hose bibb. When he turned on the water, the
>meter said 50 PSI. We were both relieved that it wasn't something
>unusual that would require yet another fix (the PRV). However, I
>decided to buy a meter from Home Depot just to be sure and monitor on
>a regular basis.
>So I put on the meter, sure enough, it said about 50 PSI. Great. But
>unfortunately, it started to build! After a few seconds it was at 90
>psi. I think 90 PSI could contribute to pipes bursting, correct?
>So my question:
>Is the PSI at the time of just turning on the valve the one you read
>or do you read it after the time that it stabilizes? I did adjust the
>PRV down a bit but it would only go to just under 80 PSI. I think I
>need a new PRV, correct?
>I want to manage the water pressure to have minimal wear and tear on
>the pipes.
The conventional wisdom is that 80 PSI is the maximum acceptable static
pressure. Go adjust your PRV downward.
--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX USA
|
|
Posted by Ralph Mowery on June 2, 2009, 1:46 pm
show/hide quoted text
>>I want to manage the water pressure to have minimal wear and tear on
>>the pipes.
> The conventional wisdom is that 80 PSI is the maximum acceptable static
> pressure. Go adjust your PRV downward.
> --
> Steve Bell
When you adjust the valve, you may have to open a valve to let off some of
the pressure, then close it back and wait to see if the pressure builds back
up.
When the water is first turned on, if the pipes have any air in them , or a
bladder system the pressure will be lower and build up as everything
equalizes.
|
|
Posted by SteveBell on June 2, 2009, 12:54 pm
show/hide quoted text
>>>I want to manage the water pressure to have minimal wear and tear
>>>on the pipes.
>>The conventional wisdom is that 80 PSI is the maximum acceptable
>>static pressure. Go adjust your PRV downward.
>When you adjust the valve, you may have to open a valve to let off
>some of the pressure, then close it back and wait to see if the
>pressure builds back up.
>When the water is first turned on, if the pipes have any air in them,
>or a bladder system the pressure will be lower and build up as
>everything equalizes.
Good point, Ralph.
I recommend setting the PRV to the _lowest_ setting that the OP finds
acceptable. 80 PSI is the upper limit.
--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX USA
|
|
Posted by harry k on June 3, 2009, 10:10 am
show/hide quoted text
> >Hi, I have a mid-1980s house with an older pressure reducing valve
> >(PRV) from the street. =A0I imagine it's at least 8 yrs old (owned for 8
> >yrs).
> >I have had 3 significant leaks in the place since I bought. =A0First one
> >was in the slab, but the other two in the pipes between upstairs and
> >down.
> >The plumber who fixed the last one (recently) tested the water
> >pressure at the front hose bibb. =A0When he turned on the water, the
> >meter said 50 PSI. =A0We were both relieved that it wasn't something
> >unusual that would require yet another fix (the PRV). =A0However, I
> >decided to buy a meter from Home Depot just to be sure and monitor on
> >a regular basis.
> >So I put on the meter, sure enough, it said about 50 PSI. Great. =A0But
> >unfortunately, it started to build! =A0After a few seconds it was at 90
> >psi. =A0I think 90 PSI could contribute to pipes bursting, correct?
> >So my question:
> >Is the PSI at the time of just turning on the valve the one you read
> >or do you read it after the time that it stabilizes? =A0I did adjust the
> >PRV down a bit but it would only go to just under 80 PSI. =A0I think I
> >need a new PRV, correct?
> >I want to manage the water pressure to have minimal wear and tear on
> >the pipes.
> The conventional wisdom is that 80 PSI is the maximum acceptable static
> pressure. Go adjust your PRV downward.
> --
> Steve Bell
> New Life Home Improvement
> Arlington, TX USA- Hide quoted text -
> - Show quoted text -
In general, 60 psi is the recommended max for residential unless there
is a good reason to be higher. 60 will give you all the pressure you
need and will run impulse sprinklers with no problems.
Harry K
|
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 > last >>
| Similar Threads | Posted | | Water pressure in house? | October 30, 2007, 11:23 am |
| Water pressure in house? | October 30, 2007, 11:27 am |
| Low Water Pressure In House | June 9, 2008, 7:21 am |
| What is the optimum water pressure for a house? | August 9, 2005, 6:43 pm |
| water pressure coming in to the house | March 18, 2006, 11:51 am |
| 'Lowering' house water pressure | May 20, 2007, 10:52 am |
| Watts Pressure Reducer For House Water: One Screw Turn = psi ? | February 21, 2009, 8:28 am |
| water tank pressure is gaining air pressure | February 2, 2008, 7:42 pm |
| House plumbing pressure? | August 25, 2007, 2:49 pm |
| Pressure Vacuum Cleaner for Whole House | April 7, 2006, 4:18 pm |
|
|
Yahoo! 
Google 
Windows Live 
del.icio.us 
digg 
Netscape 
XML Sitemap
>(PRV) from the street. I imagine it's at least 8 yrs old (owned for 8
>yrs).
>I have had 3 significant leaks in the place since I bought. First one
>was in the slab, but the other two in the pipes between upstairs and
>down.
>The plumber who fixed the last one (recently) tested the water
>pressure at the front hose bibb. When he turned on the water, the
>meter said 50 PSI. We were both relieved that it wasn't something
>unusual that would require yet another fix (the PRV). However, I
>decided to buy a meter from Home Depot just to be sure and monitor on
>a regular basis.
>So I put on the meter, sure enough, it said about 50 PSI. Great. But
>unfortunately, it started to build! After a few seconds it was at 90
>psi. I think 90 PSI could contribute to pipes bursting, correct?
>So my question:
>Is the PSI at the time of just turning on the valve the one you read
>or do you read it after the time that it stabilizes? I did adjust the
>PRV down a bit but it would only go to just under 80 PSI. I think I
>need a new PRV, correct?
>I want to manage the water pressure to have minimal wear and tear on
>the pipes.