Everyone knows that low water pressure can be a real pain to deal with. Not only does it make showering a challenge, but it can also disrupt your routine and make it difficult to use the various plumbing fixtures throughout your home.
However, it’s important to recognize that water pressure that’s too high can be just as frustrating to deal with — if not even more so. In fact, high water pressure is known to cause pipe stress.
Pipe stress refers to when pipes are bearing too heavy of a load at a pressure that is too high. When the water pressure in your home’s plumbing reaches this point, it can cause the pipes, gaskets, and seals of your plumbing system to become stressed — and could potentially lead to your water pipes leaking or bursting.
Signs You Have High Water Pressure in Your Home
Although low water pressure can be rather obvious to spot, it can sometimes be difficult to know when you’re dealing with the opposite problem. Fortunately, there are a few warning signs that can make this particular plumbing issue easier to identify.
For instance, water hammering, running toilets, and dripping faucets are some of the most notable indications that you’re experiencing high water pressure. When the water pressure is too high, it can cause water to leak from other overflow tubes into the bowl, which can sometimes be identified by a trickling sound. It can also lead to problems with the water flow and cause faucets to start dripping.
The issue can start small, such as with a leaky faucet, but high water pressure can eventually lead to cracks and pinhole leaks forming in your water pipes.
When it comes down to it, having high water pressure in your home can cause more harm than good. For instance, excess pressure can cause water heaters, washing machines, dishwashers, and various other crucial appliances to fail prematurely. You may also notice spikes in your water bills. So, in short, having high water pressure can be more of an expense than you realize. Between costly plumbing repairs and expensive monthly bills, the cost of this particular plumbing issue can certainly add up over time — putting a strain on your pipes and your wallet.
Do you want to learn how to reduce water pressure in pipes or simply wish to avoid putting excessive stress on your plumbing? You can take various steps to achieve these goals, and we’re here to help. These are a few ways to reduce the stress on your water pipes at home.
Schedule Regular Inspections
The best thing that you can do to help maintain the quality and condition of your aging pipes is to schedule regular pipe maintenance. Weak pipes are not capable of withstanding the stress of transporting water throughout your home, and these pipes could leak or burst at any time. An inspection will allow your plumber to identify any pipes that need repair, helping you avoid serious leaks from forming within your home.
What Can You Expect From a Pipe Inspection?
During a professional pipe inspection, an experienced plumber will thoroughly inspect your home’s plumbing system. When you schedule these services on a routine basis, you can rest assured knowing that your plumbing is running smoothly and that any small issues are caught early on.
By addressing and preventing issues with your pipes, you can potentially save time and money in the long run — which is certainly no small feat if you have a busy schedule. So don’t hesitate to reach out to Lee’s Air, Plumbing & Heating for more information about how we can help.
Get a Water Softener to Eliminate Hard Water
The minerals found in hard water can accumulate on the interior surfaces of your pipes over time, causing the diameter of your pipes to shrink. This reduction in pipe diameter can restrict the healthy flow of water, altering your water pressure and placing unnecessary stress on your pipes. Adding a water softener to your home plumbing system will remove excess minerals from your water supply before the water is circulated through your plumbing system. This will protect your pipes against the damage caused by mineral buildup, helping you avoid pipe leaks and excess pressure.
Water softeners are filtration systems that are designed to trap and remove minerals from water through a process called “ion exchange.” There are many benefits to investing in one of these systems for your home, which we’ll discuss in more detail below.
Why Should You Invest in a Water Softener?
If you experience hard water in your home, you can potentially enjoy many benefits from installing a water softener. For instance, a water softener can help increase the longevity of your appliances. Since these filtration systems remove minerals such as calcium and magnesium from your water supply, this can help prevent significant scale buildup inside the pipes.
Believe it or not, investing in a water softener can also have a positive impact on your comfort. Hard water can sometimes make it difficult to wash the soap out of your hair — which can leave you feeling unclean, even after a long shower. Not to mention, having an excessive number of minerals in your water can leave your skin feeling dry and itchy.
It’s also worth mentioning that these filtration systems can also improve the taste of your food and drinking water. Sometimes, homeowners claim that hard water tastes strange. Fortunately, you can ensure you don’t experience this problem when you have a water softener put in place to keep your water tasting its best.
Check Your Water Pressure
The weaker your plumbing pipes, the more vulnerable they are to harm due to high pressure. Water pressure should always be between 40 and 85 psi. You can check your water pressure yourself or with help from a plumber. If your water pressure is over 85 psi, this can be dangerous — so contact your local plumber or adjust your water pressure yourself to lower it.
Are you interested in learning how to reduce water pressure in pipes? You’ll want to start by locating your water meter, which will be found near the water supply line. From here, you can attach a water pressure gauge to the water meter. As the name clearly suggests, this gauge is used to test water pressure and can tell you about your water flow.
In most cases, you can purchase a water pressure gauge at your local improvement store. These instruments are generally easy to find and can be purchased in many different places, including online.
How to Reduce Water Pressure
All-in-all, it’s important to make sure that your home’s water pressure isn’t any higher than 60 psi. So if you believe that your pressure might be more than 80 psi, it’s a good idea to have it checked and adjusted as soon as possible.
If you want to learn how to reduce water pressure in pipes, it’s important to first start with the water pressure regulator. This regulator is a plumbing valve that can be used to reduce water pressure, ensuring that it’s brought down to a safe level. You’ll need to turn the screw in the regulator in a counter direction in order to lower the water pressure.
Of course, if you don’t feel comfortable handling this task on your own, it’s a good idea to call a professional plumber for help. When you have an expert reduce water pressure in your home, you can feel confident that the job will be completed safely and accurately. As a result, you can keep your plumbing system and fixtures safe, which may help you avoid the need for a repiping service in Sacramento.
Need Help With Your Plumbing? Call Lee’s!
High water pressure can seem like the best-case scenario at first. After all, who doesn’t want a powerful stream of water when they take a shower and clean the dishes? However, it’s vital to recognize that excess pressure can cause major problems and result in significant inconveniences when left unattended. From dripping faucets to pipe stress, high water pressure can wreak havoc on your home in more ways than one.
Hopefully, you now understand how to reduce water pressure in pipes and know the steps you can take to decrease stress on your water lines. Nonetheless, it is also worth noting that you don’t have to take care of your plumbing all on your own.
At Lee’s Air, Plumbing & Heating, we’re proud to offer quality services for residential and commercial plumbing systems. Whether you want to reduce water pressure or wish to schedule a water heater replacement in Sacramento, CA, we have what it takes to get the job completed right.
Plumbing problems can become major headaches in a heartbeat. If you’re in need of any type of plumbing repair, contact Lee’s Air, Plumbing & Heating for help from highly trained experts! You can count on us to keep your water flowing. Call us today to schedule an appointment with our team of plumbing professionals!
