How to Adjust Water Pressure to Save Water

Tests show that reducing water pressure saves water and results in fewer leaks.

Greg shows how to adjust your home's pressure regulator to achieve these benefits.

For more information please visit: http://DIYplumbingAdvice.com

Intro music courtesy of Jon Hasz of Ramona Music Center http://RamonaMusicCenter.com
http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/jon-hasz/id382796874

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• plumbing
• plumber
• ramona
• greg
• chick
• pressure
• leak
• regulator
• water
• DIY
• advice
• how-to
• conserve
• save
• maintenance

[ramonasplumber]

Hose clamps on Barbed fittings is your problem. 80 PSI is not. 80 psi is higher than you need, but, a better fitting arrangement is what you need. Try an Oetiker ring and crimper tool. if you continue to use the braided soft hose. That is the approved method for joining that stuff. look in a Restaurant or Bar installation using such High Pressure Tubing. Another method would be using Fluid Master Refrigerator supply hoses and couplings. to use more than the max length one made (72").

[jr3nidad]

@ramonasplumber I bought a new water pressure gauge and hooked it to the faucet outside my house. It started reading about 60-65 psi, but when I leave it for about an hour or so it reads about 100 psi. Is that normal?

[ramonasplumber]

@jr3nidad You need a new regulator. it is leaking past the valve designed to regulate pressure.

[jr3nidad]

@ramonasplumber I had it replaced with a new regulator by a plumber. It was stable at 55-58 psi. But when you leave the gauge attached overnight without water use, the lazy hand read that it reached 110 psi at some point. Is that really normal?

[ramonasplumber]

@jr3nidad Thermal expansion is your source of the pressure. Get a thermal expansion tank hook it up and wa- la your troubles will be over. Do not allow this hyper cycling of pressure to blow a leak. A thermal exp. tank is less than $75. you can install it to the drain cock at bottom of water tank. Use a washing Machine hose from the drain and a brass adapter on the 3/4" MIPT at the expt tank match the air pressure of the water with the tank air.

[drychalice]

I wish to learn how to build a water regulator.

I hate paying $100 buck for one.

[ramonasplumber]

@drychalice It would cost you tens of thousands of dollars to build one. What State are you in? what size is your main? Where in the line is the valve How many people in the house? what is the incoming pressure? do you even need one?

[drychalice]

@ramonasplumber One family dwelling.(Florida) I have a 80lb one inch line coming in.

I'm installing an automatic water feed to my two fish tanks.

1/4 inch high pressure hose. 40' long.

The hose clamps on the barb fittings keep leaking.( too much pressure).

I see one regulator at lowes, and it cost $100 bucks.

There has to be a cheaper way.

.

[ramonasplumber]

@TheAsh274 I recommend using a lazy hand gauge to test pressure for a few days. This second dial needle is left at the highest point it achieved. For safety I like this method because often pressures are manic up & down and a snap-shot reading is too little to trust.. Also gauges range is important, using one that goes to 120psi for you use would be bad idea. . Zero to sixty would be the largest useable or best zero to thirty.

[TheAsh274]

"Turn the tap on a little"... I KNEW I was missing some step somewhere. Working on a new home and the pressure in the house was set to 90psi and I've been replacing taps and valves all over.