wademjwade
Jun 20, 2009, 11:46 AM
How do I get more water pressure in my house
massplumber2008
Jun 20, 2009, 03:07 PM
Hi Wademjwade...
First, we need to know if you really have a reduced pressure or a low volume of water available to your house..
Do you know what your pressure is now.. If not then the next step is to purchase a hose bib pressure gauge (see image) at any home improvement store, hook it onto any outside faucet (or inside faucet with male hose threads) and take a reading.
If your pressure is anywhere 60-80 P.S.I. then you should not be increasing the pressure in any manner as anything beyond this range is bad for any plumbing pipes/fixtures.
If your pressure is between 40-60 P.S.I. then you are in the normal range and you may be having more of an issue with volume than with pressure. In other words, the pipes in your home may be small and the hot and cold water main lines may need to be increased in size to make any difference in availability of water delivery.
Finally, you could also have a pressure regulator somewhere near the main water meter (see images). If you have this device then you should be able to increase the pressure to your home by spinning the screw on top of the regulator COUNTERCLOCKWISE a few turns. Don't forget to take another pressure reading and set between 60-70 P.S.I... MAXIMUM!
Anyway, that is my thoughts, let me know if you have more questions...
MARK