How Do I Increase My Home’s Water Pressure?
Water is a household necessity that we use every day. If your water pressure is not quite hitting the spot, there is no doubt that it can be frustrating. Naturally, you’re going to want to get the best out of your water-using household appliances and outlets. Therefore, it’s important to understand water pressure and the steps you can take to increase it.
How Does Water Pressure Work?
Water pressure is the force that water is applied to in your household plumbing system. Changing the pressure will either accelerate or decelerate the rate at which the water moves from one destination to another. This force is measured by pounds per square inch (PSI). This becomes an important unit when it comes to measuring home water pressure.
Here are a few reasons why you could be experiencing pressure problems:
- A failing pressure reducing valve.
- Being under-supplied by your local water department.
- Leaking pipes.
- Using too much water at the same time.
How To Increase Your Household Water Pressure
Low water pressure is a common problem in South Florida homes. But it’s mostly an easy fix. We’re here to provide some suggestions on how you can address the problem.
Test for Your Home’s PSI Level
Before you do anything too drastic, it’s essential that you confirm that your water pressure is, in fact, low. You can do this by using a pressure gauge.
To take the reading, hook the gauge up to an outside water faucet and open it all the way. You will then be able to take the water pressure reading, measured in PSI.
In South Florida, the typical range for a household is 40 to 80 PSI. If your gauge is displaying a reading of less than 40 PSI, you know that you have low water pressure. If this is the case, and you are using city water, a good first step would be to contact your local water department and ask for a pressure reading. It’s possible that the fault is on their end, and they are thus delivering water at a less than sufficient rate.
Check the Pressure Reducing Valve
Next you should check your pressure reducing valve. You can find this attached on the top of your main water supply pipe. This valve is purposed to control the rate at which water travels in your plumbing system, and it can sometimes be turned down too low.
How to adjust the valve:
- Look for the screw protruding from the pressure valve.
- You can open the valve by turning the screw clockwise.
- We highly recommend contacting a professional for this process, to ensure it is done correctly.
- You can use the pressure gauge to double check if your adjusting of the valve has been successful since it should have a higher PSI reading.
Check for Leaks
Low water pressure could also be caused by leaks in your plumbing system. Leaking pipes could lead to several problems, so it’s an important problem to address. It can be an uphill battle trying to find leaking pipes that you cannot see. The United States Protection Agency created a useful guide on how to find these leaks. However, this will only be a temporary fix, so we would suggest getting in touch with our experts at Art Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electric.
Install a Pressure Booster
At this point, you have done all you can, so it’s time to look into installing a pressure booster. In which case, it’s time to call the professionals.
Get Help with Your Water Pressure: Call Art Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electric
A pressure booster is a powerful electric pump designed to boost PSI levels to the required value. A plumber from Art Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electric would be more than happy to assist with suggesting and installing an appropriate water pressure booster that will be a perfect fit for your home. Contact us today at 1-800-475-1504 to schedule an appointment!
