My house water pressure is too high?

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Jun 25, 2014
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IL
So I just fixed a leaking valve. Now I did a pressure check on the outside hydrant. when the water is running I got 40 psi. continuous. When everything is shutoff, it stays at 40 psi for like ten seconds and then starts creeping up, it keeps going until the gauge is pegged over a 100 psi.

When I turn a faucet on it goes whoosh for a second.

Is my regulator defective, and who is responsible for replacement? It is plumbed in the same hole as the meter and main shutoff.
 
thats not good.
I've seen this happen with a water heater and no/bad expansion tank but that doesnt seem to be your issue.

You checked at a hydrant what does that mean exactly?
 
thats not good.
I've seen this happen with a water heater and no/bad expansion tank but that doesnt seem to be your issue.

You checked at a hydrant what does that mean exactly?
I think he means an outside hose faucet. I have the same issue, regulator bleeding, I’ll have to rebuild or replace it soon.
 
When we bought our house seven years ago, the home inspector tested the water pressure and said that it was too high. He told the owners to call the city. They did and the next day they came out and adjusted.
They actually had it too low then, so the owners called back, and they came back out and set it correctly.
No cost, of course.
 
It's on my side of the meter, shut off water to house and tried the test again.... still creeps up over a hundred in 3 minutes. Going to take a bath and shut off the water....

If the valve was working right, then it should maintain 40 psi like it does when the water is on, right?
 
It's on my side of the meter, shut off water to house and tried the test again.... still creeps up over a hundred in 3 minutes.
Doesn't make sense to me. If you shut off the water main coming into the house, how would it creep up, other than the water heater explanation or bad main shutoff valve.

- Where is the pressure gauge located?

- Does your pressure regulator have an adjustment nut on top?

Is yours similar to this, ....................................................................................................................or this
1507s.jpg
Water_Pressure_Regulator066-DJFs.jpg
 
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*sigh it goes Master shutoff/meter/regulator in the manhole/yard hydrant at a "T"/ house shut off valve in house crawl space/fixtures.
Pressure gauge tester is screwed on the hydrant. So you shut off the house you eliminate the WH.
 
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If you tested at a yard hydrant, are you sure that’s pressure regulated? My irrigation system is unrelgulated and the pressure regulator is just inside the basement where the water line comes in.
 
Is your gauge like this? I just bought one of these gauges to check pressure at our house and our daughters. Ours is 45 psi, hers is 65 psi. The regulator is supposed to be set at 50.
gauge.jpg


Your pressure stays at 40 running then builds because it has to build pressure in all of your plumbing back up from running pressure. If it's your regulator because it's after the meter try turning it down. 100 psi would make me nervous.
 
Is your gauge like this? I just bought one of these gauges to check pressure at our house and our daughters. Ours is 45 psi, hers is 65 psi. The regulator is supposed to be set at 50.

80 PSI is the maximum. There is no reason why the regulator needs to be set at 50PSI. My house has a well with a variable speed pump and I keep it set at 70PSI. If I had city water with a regulator I would adjust it to the same 70PSI.
 
I do not know what to think now... I looked in the manhole at the curb, and there is an "S" pipe in there, the regulator(PRV) is BEFORE the meter.
I have no regulator after the meter, and have not had one for 25 years. ago when we hooked up to municipal from well water. High pressure was never an issue in the past. Since the PRV is on their side, I'm going to inquire of them. PRV may have debris/deposits in the seat area, allowing pressure to leak through the valve. Dirt in PRVs, allowing pressure leak, is a "failure" mode.
 
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Call your water company and ask them who is responsible for the regulator.
Yes. Tomorrow.
80 PSI is the maximum. There is no reason why the regulator needs to be set at 50PSI. My house has a well with a variable speed pump and I keep it set at 70PSI. If I had city water with a regulator I would adjust it to the same 70PSI.
What's magic about 70 psi? Our regulator has a range of 25-75 psi and was supposedly set at 50. A cheap gauge can easily be off 5 psi. We've been here 4 years and haven't thought the pressure was too low.
 
Your pressure is way too high. 50-65 psi is ideal. My pressure went to 80-85 psi, sometimes higher after my city built a new water storage tank. I was getting hammering sounds in the system. They wouldn't listen to me saying nobody else complained about it. I then installed an adjustable regulator and dial the pressure down to around 50 psi. Costed me around fourty dollars at the time.
 
I have a pressure regulator before the acteal water meter at the street. It is very easy to adjust...just take a few times... Mine was around 80 psi. I lowered it to 60 psi....and yes they do go bad over time...Mine was replaced for free by the water company a few years ago...
 
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