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Water Pressure...

pwilliepwillie Member Posts: 20,253 ✭✭✭
edited March 2015 in General Discussion
....was double today at my house.....seems this AM , my wife asked me why the pressure was up and down...I said that I had flushed the toilet.....she said the pressure was very low, and try to find out what was going on....I called our local water provider,and they came right out. The pressure from the street was supposed to be 55lbs being limited by a preset valve...the pressure at the house was 125 lbs!!! Yikes, I nearly jumped out the window!...The Water supplier forman,said he couldn't figure it out...so he began to renew the supply valve and a new meter with a backwash valve....pressure is now @ 60lbs...These valves come from the factory set @ 55 lbs...the one I had must have lost its value for holding and regulating the pressure...You ever heard of that happening before?
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Comments

  • MobuckMobuck Member Posts: 14,163 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    YES, it happened to me but with disastrous consequences. I'm on the end of a dead end line within sight of the rural water district water tower. We'd had trouble holding the seals in outdoor hydrants and had replaced a couple not long after the district did some line changes a few years back. One day, the Grouch Attack heard a loud bang and a whoosh. A 100psi certified valve had blown out and water was gushing into the basement at whatever rate a 1" line under 100+ psi would run. It took 20 minutes for Dad to get there and shut the meter off by which time water was 2-3" deep across the basement. The water dist came and checked the pressure after I got the valve repaired and found it peaked at 120psi when the pumps at the water plant were running and the water tower hit the "full" mark. Even with the pumps stopped momentum of the water in the 10" line raised the pressure to over double the standard pressure.The pump shutoff sensor was not stopping the flow soon enough and the overflow valve on the tower was stuck. The excess pressure damaged 5 or 6 houses before the problem was fixed but of course, the water district was not at fault.
    I installed a pressure regulator in the house and the water dist installed another at the meter to control pressure at the outdoor circuit.
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  • 11b6r11b6r Member Posts: 16,584 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I lived in Castle Rock CO. 4 of us in one block had failure of pressure reducing valves within a week. Pressure at my place was 120 psi. You could raise a welt with a stream of water from a garden hose, and peel paint. Water dept denied any problems on their end.


    WHICH REALLY SURPRISED US.
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  • KnifecollectorKnifecollector Member Posts: 3,267 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    It's a common thing for a pressure reducing valve to go bad. Normally it's a pin hole in the diaphragm. Just last week I had a customer call me to check some leaks in his home, a supply line on a sink, a couple of faucets were dripping, a tee was leaking in the basement. First thing I did was check the water pressure, it was 168 PSI. The PRV had failed. Our code requires a reducing valve whenever the pressure exceeds 80 PSI.
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  • toad67toad67 Member Posts: 13,008 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Your pressure regulator failed. Most regulators are adjustable from about 20-80 pounds, and are set to about 50-55 psi from the factory to be in the middle of the range. Most of the time the regulator is the homeowners responsibility since it is behind the meter and is private plumbing, so if it goes bad it is your responsibility for any damage that happens.
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  • skicatskicat Member Posts: 14,431 ✭
    edited November -1
    Had a pressure reducing valve fail at my buddy's home. Their symptom was the softener was leaking. I measured the pressure at over 125 psi. Actually split the softeners resin tank. Had to replace both. In MN pressure reducing valves are required by code if the pressure is over 80psi.
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  • Mr. PerfectMr. Perfect Member, Moderator Posts: 66,437 ******
    edited November -1
    It happens fairly infrequently, but it does happen. Good thing you called the city right away!
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    And fiery auto crashes
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    While sifting through my ashes
    Some will fall in love with life
    And drink it from a fountain
    That is pouring like an avalanche
    Coming down the mountain
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  • pwilliepwillie Member Posts: 20,253 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    All I can say, is our water supplier is very good to have replaced all the plumbing on the water outlet! I have a plumber coming tomorrow to check all the valves and spigots and make sure their not leaking... The pressure on the street according to the foreman,is 900lbs....man, I am lucky to say the least...
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  • toad67toad67 Member Posts: 13,008 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I'm guessing that you meant 90 and not 900 psi. Most water fittings are designed to work at a max of 350 psi.

    quote:Originally posted by pwillie
    All I can say, is our water supplier is very good to have replaced all the plumbing on the water outlet! I have a plumber coming tomorrow to check all the valves and spigots and make sure their not leaking... The pressure on the street according to the foreman,is 900lbs....man, I am lucky to say the least...
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  • Mr. PerfectMr. Perfect Member, Moderator Posts: 66,437 ******
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by pwillie
    All I can say, is our water supplier is very good to have replaced all the plumbing on the water outlet! I have a plumber coming tomorrow to check all the valves and spigots and make sure their not leaking... The pressure on the street according to the foreman,is 900lbs....man, I am lucky to say the least...
    Well, if their system fails and it causes a problem in your home, they are liable for damages, so it's in their best interest to fix it post haste.
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    And fiery auto crashes
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    While sifting through my ashes
    Some will fall in love with life
    And drink it from a fountain
    That is pouring like an avalanche
    Coming down the mountain
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  • LesWVaLesWVa Member Posts: 10,490 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have saw the metering valve go bad a few times. Our water meter is adjustable at 40, 50 and 60 PSI (mine is set at 50).

    It has been years since the last one went bad. But when it did I installed a Water Pressure Regulator in the basement and set it at 60 PSI. If the meter valve ever goes bad the regulator will protect the system and keep the pressure at or below 60 psi.

    Most of the water system components (lines, valves etc) should be rated to around 300 psi. So all of your supply lines and valves should be fine. The sinks, shower and commode float valve may have been damaged. But it they were you should notice them leaking by now.
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  • fordsixfordsix Member Posts: 8,554 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    lucky it did not blow you off the pot[:D]
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  • toad67toad67 Member Posts: 13,008 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    System failures are considered an act of god since there is no way to tell when or where something might go wrong. This includes main or service breaks, system PRV, or pump station failures. Homeowners insurance will cover most damages to private property. Negligence however, is another issue.



    quote:Originally posted by Mr. Perfect
    quote:Originally posted by pwillie
    All I can say, is our water supplier is very good to have replaced all the plumbing on the water outlet! I have a plumber coming tomorrow to check all the valves and spigots and make sure their not leaking... The pressure on the street according to the foreman,is 900lbs....man, I am lucky to say the least...
    Well, if their system fails and it causes a problem in your home, they are liable for damages, so it's in their best interest to fix it post haste.
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  • ChrisInTempeChrisInTempe Member Posts: 15,562 ✭
    edited November -1
    YIKES! Could've been one nasty blow-out!

    Years ago I rented a mobile home while doing a job in Sierra Vista, AZ. The first night I awaken to a roaring noise. Electricity is out, no lights, I walk to one end of this mobile home and open a door into a second bathroom. There is a column of water shooting out of a hole in the floor, up through the ceiling and out the roof.

    A big water line had broken underground. Thousands of gallons were blasting right through that trailer. Took a couple hours for someone to find a main valve someplace and turn it off. Talk about a mess!

    I was lucky, got out of there with my money returned and found another place to rent the next day.
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  • Mr. PerfectMr. Perfect Member, Moderator Posts: 66,437 ******
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by toad67
    System failures are considered an act of god since there is no way to tell when or where something might go wrong. This includes main or service breaks, system PRV, or pump station failures. Homeowners insurance will cover most damages to private property. Negligence however, is another issue.



    quote:Originally posted by Mr. Perfect
    quote:Originally posted by pwillie
    All I can say, is our water supplier is very good to have replaced all the plumbing on the water outlet! I have a plumber coming tomorrow to check all the valves and spigots and make sure their not leaking... The pressure on the street according to the foreman,is 900lbs....man, I am lucky to say the least...
    Well, if their system fails and it causes a problem in your home, they are liable for damages, so it's in their best interest to fix it post haste.

    Exactly my point. If you report it, and they neglect to fix it promptly they're liable.
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    And fiery auto crashes
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    While sifting through my ashes
    Some will fall in love with life
    And drink it from a fountain
    That is pouring like an avalanche
    Coming down the mountain
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  • fishkiller41fishkiller41 Member Posts: 50,608
    edited November -1
    "You ever heard of that happening before?"



    Been in the sprinkler business for about 35 years...Yep.Seems strange that your water works allow their mains to exceed 55PSI.
    U should need nothing but a PPVB (pressure Principle Vacuum Breaker) after your meter.U should NEVER need a CFCP or "Clay-Valve"..

    The water Co. is supposed to have the CFCP (constant Flow Constant Pressure)on their end..
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  • spasmcreekspasmcreek Member Posts: 37,717 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    i would think that after one of these events i would have a set of pressure valves on my side/inside/somewhere after theirs ...cheap insurance
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  • Smitty500magSmitty500mag Member Posts: 13,623 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I carry a high quality water regulator for my travel trailer, not the type that Walmart sells. Probably most RV parks have to little pressure but it's the ones that have to much that can destroy an RV.

    There's a park on a lake near Nashville, TN that has a sign up warning about their very high water pressure. People that don't heed the sign pay the price!
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  • SperrySperry Member Posts: 5,006 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    A friend with a foreign car repair shop had a big old water service right at a major crossroads. He had 100+ psi and never let them put a PRV on the line.

    The hose was like a pressure washer!
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