If you prefer, our professional plumbers can make the water pressure regulator adjustment for you. We can also install a water pressure regulator if you don’t have one.

Simply put, an open water heater system allows excess water pressure to make its way back into your cold water supply line and eventually out into the municipal water supply. A closed system does not allow excess pressure to make it back out into the municipal supply.

These water pressure regulator’s have a purpose, to help reduce the pressure of the water flowing into your home so that damage and leaks do not occur and destroy your property. The amount of pressure can vary depending on how far away you are from the municipal water supply, although it typically ranges from 80 pounds per square inch to 150 pounds per square inch.

Don’t hesitate to contact or call us at 1-Tom-Plumber (1-866-758-6237). We will immediately handle any emergency plumbing, drain cleaning and drain clearing, and water damage problem, including excavation of underground water lines and sewer main lines.

When the water enters the valve at a pressure greater than what it’s been set to allow, the diaphragm and spring will contract and reduce the flow. The reverse is also true, however. If the water enters the valve at too low a pressure, the spring and diaphragm will expand and allow the water to exit through a larger hole.

As their name would suggest, pressure reducing valves control the flow of water into your home. Without a pressure reducing valve, this water would travel through your plumbing at a rate unsuitable for residential use.

It’s recommended that you check your water pressure at least once per year to ensure it’s at the desired level. As with most mechanical devices, however, your pressure reducing valve can begin to function improperly with time.

When thermal expansion occurs, this can be dangerous. To avoid this danger, you will have to match the pressure of your regulator to the pressure of your expansion tank.

A pressure reducing valve is an important part of your residential water system. It allows you to adjust the pressure of water arriving in your home to a level that is suitable for your appliances.

If you have a closed water heater system, you will also need to adjust the pressure on your thermal expansion tank. To do this properly, you’ll need an air pressure gauge to test the existing pressure of your expansion tank. Attach the valve directly to the air inlet valve on the tank.

Inside the valve, there are a spring and diaphragm. These two elements interact with incoming water pressure, either contracting or enlarging the hole that your water ultimately passes through.

If this doesn’t make total sense to you, don’t worry. The exact mechanics and physics of the process confuse even some experienced plumbers. What everyone does know is that the process works.

Most valves have a locking nut. Once you unscrew this nut, you will be able to turn the adjustment screw, knob, or bolt. Adjust it until the pressure shown on your gauge reaches the desired level. For most residential purposes, that means a pressure below 80 psi.

Once the valve has been installed professionally, adjusting it on your own is fairly straightforward presuming you have a solid understanding of the steps outlined above.

If you find that you’re experiencing water pressure that’s too low, check first with your neighbors. The municipal water source in your town may be experiencing (temporarily) low pressure on the system. Knowing this will save you from making an adjustment that isn’t necessary.

Knowing how to adjust a pressure reducing valve is an important part of any DIYer’s toolkit. Be it for a reverse osmosis system or other plumbing needs. it is for In this article, we’ll start from scratch and walk you through the process. We’ll also tell you everything you need to know about pressure reducing valves and why you might need to adjust yours in the first place.

There are a few places you can attach the gauge to get a good reading. As long as the fixture is downstream of the valve, it’s doesn’t particularly matter. Many people attach the gauge to a water heater drain valve or simply a faucet.

Replacing an existing pressure regulator (not every home has one) can be relatively easy. We recommend you replace the old regulator with the same make and model to keep installation problems to a minimum. Just shut off all of your water to the home, unscrew and remove the old valve, and install the new one. Then turn your water on. Make adjustments as noted above when establishing your desired water pressure.

Water heaters in Phoenix are typically capable of handling pressure lower than 80 psi. City officials, meanwhile, consider pressure ranging from 40 to 100 psi acceptable. If the pressure of the water arriving at your home reaches the upper end of that range, it will damage not only your water heater but other appliances and pipes as well.

This may be counterintuitive since it’s the opposite of how faucets work, so make sure you know what direction to turn in order to get your desired pressure.

Did you know that your home has a water pressure regulator which enable to make your own water pressure regulator adjustment? This bell-shaped device manages the amount of water pressure entering your home from the city’s main water line.

Before you make any adjustments to your pressure reducing valve, you need to understand the existing circumstances. While you may know your pressure is too high due to symptoms such as dripping faucets, you want to get an exact reading on the pressure.

In other words, if you’re uncertain about what you’re doing, contact professionals like our technicians at American Home Water and Air.

However, that may not always be the case and your home may be the only one experiencing low water pressure. If that’s the case, here are the step-by-step instructions you need to for adjusting a water pressure regulator.

For this reason, you’d be wise to contact your water department to see if the issue lies with them. If not, it’s possible that your valve has gone out of wack somehow and requires adjustment.

Your pressure reducing valve setting will determine what it considers acceptable at both the upper and lower limits of its range.

Before you go about adjusting the pressure, contact your municipality to ensure the abnormal pressure is not just a temporary issue with their systems.

However, a brand new installation is trickier and requires plumbing knowledge and experience with how to make adjustments to the main water line. In effect, you might find yourself needing to rework and lower the main water shut-off valve (to allow room for the water pressure regulator). In this case, call your local plumber and get an estimate in advance before any work is done.

If you’re unsure of what you’re doing and live in the Phoenix area, give us a call at American Home Water and Air. We’ve been repairing residential water and HVAC systems for more than 30 years and we’d be delighted to serve you. We also provide top-notch HVAC and plumbing services in Gilbert, Glendale, Goodyear, Buckeye, and many other areas surrounding Phoenix, AZ.

Do not make huge adjustments at once. Make no more than a quarter turn each time before taking a look at the gauge to see what effect you’re having.

Many valves have a nut, screw, or knob attached to them that allow you to do the actual adjusting. Turning the screw or knob clockwise typically increases the water pressure while turning it counter-clockwise lowers the pressure.

You can also find other useful guides like AC troubleshooting or Why is Your Air Conditioning Unit On the Roof in Arizona?

Want to read more? Check out 6 Air Conditioner Fire Prevention Measures and How To Protect Yourself From Poor Air Quality In Phoenix.

Now that you have a good understanding of how pressure reducing valves work, you should have an idea of what’s happening when you do the adjustments.

Also, note that adjusting your pressure reducing valve setting without fully understanding what you’re doing can lead to issues. Setting the pressure too high wastes water and can be harmful to your appliances. In extreme cases, your water heater can explode. Appliances like water softeners can also face damage.

You’ll know this is the case when adjustments to your valve do not result in changes to your water pressure. The pressure may be consistently high regardless of your efforts and you’ll likely notice issues such as water hammers and dripping faucets.

If you think you need to replace your pressure reducing valve, you’d be smart to contact a professional to do the job. It can be a confusing process for inexperienced DIYers as it requires soldering, plumbing work, and potentially the installation of other equipment to mitigate any issues you come across.

If you’re experiencing increased or decreased water pressure due to an abnormality in your municipal water supply’s function, adjusting the valve may throw things out of wack when the system returns to normal.

A pressure reducing valve is typically close to your water shutoff valve. You’ll know you’re looking at the valve because it will have a gauge nearby.

Once you’ve determined the pressure, use a hand pump to raise it to a pressure equal that of your home’s water pressure. Don’t use an air compressor; doing so risks damage.

A pressure reducing valve usually resembles a bell or dome. As mentioned earlier, you’ll usually see it alongside a gauge. It may be built right into your water meter. In most cases, however, you’ll find the valve in the form of a separate device that lies after the meter within your home’s water supply chain.

Make sure you lock the adjustment nut on your pressure reducing valve. This will prevent the screw from turning easily, which would undo your adjustments.

Sometimes, you need to reduce or maybe even increase water pressure (just a bit). Thankfully, water pressure regulator adjustment often can be made with the turn of a screw.