Screw the pressure gauge onto any hose bib or washing machine faucet. Turn on the cold water tap to measure the water pressure. If the pressure is between 40 and 60 psi, there is no need for a regulator. However, if the water pressure is over 80 psi, it is probably causing excessive stress on pipes, fittings, and fixtures.

Timothy Dale is a home repair expert and writer with over a decade of hands-on construction and home improvement experience. He is skilled in residential, commercial, industrial and institutional plumbing, electrical, carpentry, installation, renovations, and project management.

Alternatively, the screw can be loosened to allow water to flow more freely through the valve, increasing the outgoing water pressure.

To determine if you have a water pressure regulator, first locate where the main water line enters the building and find the main shut-off valve for the home. Typically, if you have a water pressure regulator it will be installed directly after the main shut-off valve.

Inside, a water pressure regulator has a variable spring-loaded diaphragm that automatically widens and narrows depending on the amount of water pressure entering the valve.

If you cannot locate your main shut-off valve where the main line enters the home, then you should do a thorough inspection of the basement, garage, or crawlspace to find this valve. Alternately, the shut-off valve location may be listed in a home inspection report.

During the test, ensure that water isn't being used anywhere else in the house, such as at garden spigots or appliances.

Although it is not necessary for every plumbing installation, a water pressure regulator can be essential when the municipal water supply enters the home at a very high pressure or where water pressure is irregular.

Once you have tracked down the shut-off valve, check the pipes downstream of the valve for a water pressure regulator. If you cannot find one after a lengthy investigation then it's likely that your home does not have a water pressure regulator.

Test the water pressure at least once a year. If the regulator's adjustment screw no longer has any effect on changing the water pressure, it's time to replace the valve.

A water pressure regulator reduces the flow of water into the home to limit the strain on the plumbing infrastructure. High water pressure can cause many plumbing problems, so it is important to keep it under control.

If you choose to complete this job independently, you must purchase the necessary parts and tools, including threaded couplings, a pipe cutter, grit cloth, flux paste, solder, and a blow torch.

An adjustment screw on the top of the regulator can be tightened to increase the tension on the inner spring. This reduces the water pressure as it exits the valve).

Replacing an existing water pressure regulator is relatively easy. A water pressure regulator should be installed immediately after the main valve, using a set of threaded couplings to secure the water pressure regulator.

Unless you are experienced at plumbing work, it's best to call a plumber. The installation may require repositioning the main water shutoff valve to create the necessary space for the water pressure regulator.

A water pressure regulator is a valve that reduces the incoming water pressure to a manageable level for the home plumbing infrastructure. Water pressure regulators are installed where the main water line enters the home, just after the main shutoff valve.

It is common for municipal water supplies to enter the home with pressures as high as 150 or 200 psi. If such high pressure is present regularly, the strain can eventually cause joints to fail, faucets and other fixtures to leak, and appliances to break down.

The cost of a water pressure regulator installation depends on whether you hire a professional plumber to complete the work or if you have the necessary skills, knowledge, and experience for a DIY installation. Typically, water pressure regulators cost about $50 to $100 on average, though you could end up paying up to $200 depending on the size of incoming water line.

A water pressure regulator is a dome-shaped brass fitting generally found just past the main shutoff valve, where the main water line enters the house. It usually has an adjustment screw on top.

If you don't already have the tools in your workshop, this can significantly affect the cost. However, if you decide to hire a plumber to install the water pressure regulator, the average cost for installation ranges from $250 to $450.

Which Trap Seal Primer is right for you? With so many different types and brands of trap seal primers, it’s important to pick the right one for your projects as not all are the same. MIFAB wants to make that search easier for you.Why are Trap Seal Primers needed in a plumbing system?Trap seal primers are a necessity where floor drains are infrequently used and in areas such as mechanical and service rooms. Evaporation of water in floor drain traps allows sewer gas, pests and bacteria to enter the interior of the building. Trap Seal Primers are installed on a cold water supply line, and react to water flowing in the line to trigger, either by turbulence or pressure drop. Once a triggering event occurs, the primer will release water that is piped to a trap primer connector on or near the “P” trap being maintained.How do I pick the right one?There are four main types of trap seal primers, so it is important to know the differences between them as they each have their advantages and disadvantages. You want to make sure you pick the Trap Seal Primer that will meet your needs. The four main types are: 1. Continuous Flow2. Pressure Drop Activated3. Flush Valve Operated4. Electronic Continuous flow trap seal primers are the original style of trap seal primers. They are typically constructed of cast brass or bronze with a neoprene rubber poppet float on the inside that rises upward as water flows through the primer. Continuous flow trap seal primers do not have any method of screening out line debris. This often results in their clogging and either flowing water continuously, or not at all. The volume of water that they discharge is directly related to the amount of water that continuously flows through them. For these reasons, pressure drop activated trap seal primers have become the selection of choice for specifiers.

Clothes washers, dishwashers, and some other household appliances have built-in pressure regulators. Even so, a whole-house water pressure regulator offers protection to those appliances, and it protects all the pipes and fixtures throughout the house.

Pressure drop activated trap seal primers are typically manufactured out of brass, as are MIFAB’s. The M-500 Pressure Drop Activated Brass Trap Seal Primers can be connected to any cold water line and will be automatically activated when a valve or faucet is on the line, is opened. They are made with a ½” MIP inlet connection and a ½” FIP outlet connection. They have an interior cartridge that seals when the line pressure is in a static state. It only requires a 3 PSI line pressure drop to activate the primer. The opening range for all of MIFAB’s M-500 Series of trap seal primers is 20 to 80 PSI. Even better, there is also no precharge needed which makes cleaning and repairs simple. MIFAB has also made it easier for the inspection of water delivery by strategically placing four view holes to shine light through one side while looking into the other to see the water delivery. The stainless steel sediment filter keeps the primer clean, and because of their unique design, after wear the filter can be replaced without affecting the performance of the primer. The M-500 Series of trap seal primers do not require adjustment (except M3-500-NPB). They are engineered to deliver enough water to serve 3, 6, or 10 floor drain traps without adjustment. Also the “O” ring seals are tested for reliability at a temperature range of -40 degrees to 450 degrees F. All three models are listed with IAPMO and CSA and are tested and certified to the ASSE Standard 1018 and are so marked. U.S. Patent # 6,152,164. Flush valve trap seal primers are installed below the flush valve and direct an amount of waste water discharged from the flush valve into a tube that connects to the floor drain trap to maintain the water seal. Their advantages are that the water used is already consumed by the flush valve operation, and this type of primer has no moving parts. Their disadvantage is that their location is determined by the location of the fixtures which may be too far away from the floor drains to be practical; Many installations cannot use flush valve trap seal primers because the floor drain traps are too far away to be reached by the flush valve trap seal primer. Looking for something Electronic? MIFAB also has that covered! MIFAB’s MI-100 series of electronic trap seal primers are a pre-assembled electronic trap seal primer system programmed to maintain the water seal of floor drain traps. It is made with an ASSE approved vacuum breaker, solenoid valve operated by a timer, shut off valve for maintenance. The MI-100 is engineered for equal distribution of water to all ports. like the M-500 it prevents the backflow of sewer gas, bacteria, and pests from crawling up. For the M-500 it is recommended to keep the trap seal primer close by, anything farther away than 20 feet could be an issue, as the farther the primer is away from the source of the pressure drop, the less likely it will sense it and work. The MI-100 on the other hand can be located anywhere in the building owner to adjust the frequency and amount of water delivery through a timer and stainless steel solenoid valve. The design of these primers is programmed at MIFAB’s factory with standard flush times. These flush times can be adjusted by the operator in order to discharge more or less water to the floor drain traps, depending on the installation and climate conditions. The MI-100 can be installed with a cabinet cover and capable of priming 1 to 30 floor drain traps. It is practical to serve many floor drain traps in infrequently used buildings such as convention centers and sports facilities. Knowing which trap seal primer will work best for you is important, MIFAB is proud to offer all four types and if you need any more information please visit www.mifab.com.

If the water pressure is too high, it can cause significant damage to the valves, faucets, appliances, pipes, and plumbing fittings. When the system is protected by a water pressure regulator, there is less stress on the inner valves of appliances, faucets and shutoff valves will be less likely to leak, and fluctuations in water pressure are evened out.

City water pressure can fluctuate considerably, often increasing at night when the overall load goes down. So, test at various times of the day.

A water pressure regulator can last from four to 12 years in a healthy plumbing system. However, most manufacturers recommend replacing them about once every five years to limit the potential damage high water pressure could cause to the plumbing infrastructure.