Originally Posted By: jpope This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Typical residential regulators are listed with a range of 25 - 75 p.s.i… Does this mean that any pressure reading outside this range is an indication of a malfunctioning regulator?
Here is the listed range of the regulator.
This was the pressure at an upstairs bathroom.
Comments. . .
Questions. . .
Anyone?
-- Jeff Pope
JPI Home Inspection Service
"At JPI, we'll help you look better"
(661) 212-0738
Originally Posted By: charper This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Jeff,
When I have pressure this high I recommend a pressure regulator. Water pressure in the range that you show can, in the long run cause damage to the pipes. I see a lot of high pressure here, but mostly outside just off of the main line. I still would recommend a regulator, for anything over 80 psi.
Originally Posted By: jpope This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
a regulator. I recommended replacement in the initial inspection due to a measurement of 110 p.s.i.
The owner had a plumber come out and "adjust" the regulator. The plumber stated (verbally) that there is no problem with the existing regulator (even though the pressure was outside the range of its listing).
I saw the receipt for an $85 service call to " test and adjust the water pressure."
No mention in the work order as to the integrity of the regulator.
The previous pictures were a result of the re-inspection I performed this morning. My recommendation remains - Recommend replacement of the water pressure regulator.
The owner is not happy because the buyer (my client) says "fix it or give me a $500 credit."
-- Jeff Pope
JPI Home Inspection Service
"At JPI, we'll help you look better"
(661) 212-0738
Originally Posted By: lschmid This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Yes, I always check the pressure at an outside faucet. If the prv is of the 25-75 psi range, and the pressure is 110 psi, I would recommend changing it. Around here, the watts prv’s are $35.00 at Home Depot and easy to change.
Originally Posted By: anatol polillo This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
One of my mentors said the following:
About 30% of the regulators malfunction or are set incorrectly. I check pressure when possible at the lowest point in the house, usually at the laundry tub
Originally Posted By: jpope This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
You can get them at Home Depot or Lowes for less than $10.
Where you live Kevin, you may want to invest in one that won't freeze up. I don't think you'll find one like that at the stores, you may have to order it.
-- Jeff Pope
JPI Home Inspection Service
"At JPI, we'll help you look better"
(661) 212-0738
Originally Posted By: rmoore This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Back when I was just starting?all those years ago?my SOP was to clamp my shiny new meter onto the first hose-bib I found without running any water first. This worked fine until the first house I found with excessive pressure…about 115 psi if memory serves. I made a note. Much later, in the crawl, I found that there was a pressure regulator. It was an older home, the water heater needed replacement, but the plumbing was copper and the pressure regulator looked to be relatively recent. While I?m completing the crawl I?m going over various scenarios in my head. Eventually I end up back outside and recheck the pressure after running the hose-bib for a few seconds. 70 psi! Back at the office, I discovered ?thermal expansion? while Googling around the net. I ended up recommending a new water heater fitted with a thermal expansion tank and, just to cover my butt, also suggested the plumber check the pressure regulator.
I also changed my SOP to always run the hose-bib for a while and then check the pressure.
While they won?t prevent backflow under all circumstances, pressure regulators do make a very effective check valve once excess pressure is on the demand side. With a backflow preventer and/or pressure regulator, and with no TX tank, you can get some pretty high readings if no water has been run since the heater last fired up.
I don?t know if this was the problem in Jeff?s case?it still could be a bad regulator?but I thought I?d share.
-- Richard Moore
Rest Assured Inspection Services
Seattle, WA
www.rainspect.com
Originally Posted By: afernbaugh This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
This an area that I have some expertise in. I have almost 40 years of specifying, using, repairing and selling regulators and other process control equipment.
The basics are: the regulator is designed for control or throttling and is not really designed to shut off. When there is no demand for water the valve attempts to close because the downstream pressure is higher than the set point. With the stem and plug fully closed the regulator still leaks through the seat and pressure builds. An expansion tank might be useful as a “leak accumulator”, but when it is full the entire system will be at or very near system supply pressure.
When demand occurs (water is turned on) the regulator will throttle and control around the desired setpoint of the spring.
There are regulators available with soft rubber seats that giver better shutoff performance, but only until the seats get cut.
