In part one of this two-part blog series, we looked at some of the most important themes to be aware of when it comes to plumbing water pressure in your home. No one wants to deal with low water pressure, which results in weak streams of water and several related concerns, and it’s also important not to have pressure that’s too high, as it may risk the quality of your appliances.
At City Creek Plumbing, we’re happy to help with a wide range of plumbing repair areas, including for homes having issues with pressure in any part of their system. While part one of our series went over the importance of pressure and some general levels you should set your system at, today’s part two will look at how to test your home for water pressure.
**Note: If you’re uncomfortable carrying out any of the following steps, simply call our plumbers for help.
Find a Hose Spigot
Generally speaking, at least if you’re drawing your water supply from a standard municipal supply, the best place to test your water pressure will be from a hose spigot. This location is also easy to carry out testing on, as you can attach a vacuum gauge directly to the spigot and use it without needing to actually open up your plumbing system in any way.
Find a good hose spigot outside your home — ideally, one that’s close to where your main water supply enters the home. Disconnect any hoses that are connected to it, and be sure to catch any water that’s trapped in them
Ensure No Other Water Usage
Before proceeding any further, be sure that there are no other water usage appliances actively drawing water from the system. Turn off all faucets and toilets, as well as any appliances like your washing machine or dishwashers.
Attach Pressure Gauge
Now that you’ve located a good hose spigot and ensured that no one else in the home is using water, it’s time to attach your pressure gauge. This is usually very easy — most gauges will be designed to fit directly onto a standard hose spigot.
Once the gauge is attached, open up the valve and allow some water to flow through it until the gauge reading has stabilized. This will give you an accurate representation of how much pressure is in your system at that specific moment. You can then close the valve and remove the gauge.
Check Your Findings
As a general rule of thumb, most homes will be able to maintain good pressure with a reading somewhere between 40 and 60 PSI. Of course, every home is different, so it’s always best to check with your local building code requirements or with a professional plumber if you’re unsure about what range is ideal for your specific situation.
If your results show low pressure, there may be a number of potential culprits. If this is the case, contact our team for help improving your pressure levels.
For more on this, or to learn about any of our plumbing services throughout Utah, speak to the team at City Creek Plumbing today.