Easy Ways You Can Test Water Pressure at Home

Dealing with water pressure challenges can be a real pain in the neck. Whether your shower has become a mere drizzle or your garden hose lacks its usual force, understanding and managing your home’s water pressure is necessary for getting things flowing again. The good thing is, evaluating your water pressure is a simple task that doesn’t call for special training. Find out about the simple process of testing your water pressure at home, how to interpret the results and what a professional can do to fix any irregularities you find.

Why Should You Test the Water Pressure?

Understanding your home’s water pressure is a way to make sure you’ll get a satisfying shower, but more importantly, it helps defend your plumbing system from harm. Similar to how you routinely check the oil in your car, assessing your water pressure once or twice a year can prevent bigger problems later on.

After all, low water pressure is irritating, but high water pressure can really damage your plumbing system, including pipe connections, water heaters and appliances. The risk of blowouts in flexible lines, like those connecting to your washing machine and dishwasher, increases with high water pressure, potentially causing leaks and extensive water damage. Evaluating your water pressure and making corrective actions after looking at the results can prevent these issues.

Necessary Equipment for an At-Home Water Pressure Test

To start out, you need a basic and inexpensive tool called a pressure gauge. These are easily available at hardware or home improvement retailers. When choosing a gauge, look for one with female hose threads (to easily attach to an outdoor faucet or hose bib), a rubber gasket for a tight seal and the capability to measure as high as 300 pounds per square inch (psi).

An Easy Guide to Testing Water Pressure

With a pressure gauge at your fingertips, you’re set to determine the water pressure. Just use these steps:

1. Preparation: First, confirm that all water outlets in your home are shut off. Make sure you check the following: faucets, showerheads, dishwashers, washing machines, refrigerator ice makers and sprinkler systems. Any water use throughout testing may affect your readings and give a false impression of low pressure.

2. Connect the pressure gauge: Attach the gauge to an external faucet or hose bib. If your water comes from a municipal source, connect it to the faucet that is as close as possible to the water meter to get the most accurate reading. For homes connected to a well system, attach it to a hose bib close to the well’s pressure tank.

3. Determine the pressure: Tighten the gauge by hand and open the faucet all the way. Now, look at the readout to determine the pressure. An ideal reading runs from 45 to 55 psi. If your reading is lower than 40 psi or greater than 80 psi, it’s time to do something.

Fixing Water Pressure Abnormalities

Here are the steps you should take depending on your pressure gauge reading:

• High pressure: Install a water pressure regulator on your water main. This hardware restricts your water pressure to a maximum flow of 75 psi. Even if you already have a regulator, it’s smart to review the pressure routinely, as these devices can fail without showing any signs.
• Low pressure: To begin with, inspect any pre-existing pressure regulators, which should be set to roughly 50 psi. Adjusting the screw on top usually will increase flow. If a pressure regulator isn’t what’s causing the low pressure, the problem may possibly be with the municipal water source. In instances like this, using a water pressure booster may increase the flow.
• Normal pressure: If your pressure has a reading that falls within the appropriate range, no additional action is necessary. Just don’t forget to test your water pressure regularly to ensure it continues to be within this range.

When to Seek Professional Help for Water Pressure Problems in the U.S.

If you’re uncertain about testing the water pressure on your own, or if you’ve discovered an issue that calls for professional repair, don’t hesitate to reach out to the team at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing. Our skilled plumbers can help you test your water pressure, diagnose issues and check to be sure that no fixtures have been harmed by high pressure. We can also assist with outfitting your home with a pressure regulator or booster if the situation requires. Thanks to our 100% satisfaction guarantee, you can count on us to make the correct fix the first time around. The next time you encounter water pressure problems or other plumbing challenges in the U.S., call Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing to schedule an appointment. We’re here to help!