High Home Water Pressure Problems/Questions.

[nnnnnate]

Here's the deal, I've got really high water pressure at my house and I think its jacking up some fixtures and I'm hoping to get it resolved in the next few days.

Water pressure measured at the water heater: 100-110 psi.

I have an expansion tank on the water heater but water spits out of the schrader valve so the internet tells me that its toast.
I have a pressure regulator where the main water line enters the house but regardless of how I adjust it pressure doesn't show any different on the gauge on the water heater.

I think my water pressure should be about 60-70 PSI but I'm not positive. I know magna water has high pressure in the water main in my area so my house shouldn't be an anomaly.

Questions:
Is my water pressure regulator at the main toast? Can they be rebuilt or do I just need to replace it with a "like" unit?

I think I need to address the water pressure before replacing the expansion tank. Is this correct? Otherwise the pressure will just pop the bladder again, right?

Pictures.



Thanks for any help that can be offered. We're supposed to close on the sale on the 30th and I'm trying to get this figured out before then. Really though, the bigger issue came about during the inspection with a leak from the water heater pressure valve but it didn't fix itself after changing out that valve. I've chased that issue to this point though in an attempt to get to the bottom of the issue.

 

[CrawlerCraig]

Yes your PRV is toast, if you get the exact same model you can simply un-thread and thread I’m the new one. Be careful not to pinch the O rings. Pretty easy to do. As for the expansion tank you are correct, just replace it after you fix the PRV. Also be sure to set the pressure in the expansion tank to the same pressure as the house......We set our houses at 60 PSI as we expect pressure to fluxuate. I wouldn’t go over 65....

 

[BCGPER]

Your pressure regulator is bad. Replace it and set your downstream pressure to 50 psi and you'll be good to go.

 

[spaggyroe]

I would HIGHLY suggest sourcing it yourself too. We had ours replaced last summer by a local plumbing shop because I was out of town on a business trip. I was shocked by the price tag so I looked into it myself. They charged us almost 4x the cost I could have bought it for (so I'm sure their price was even less). This did not include the installation either.

 

[Gravy]

Super easy to do a pressure regulator.

 

[Jay5.9L]

Same thing happened to my last house. I think I got the replacement at standard plumbing. Super easy to change out but since it will probably be at a lower point on the system there will be water draining out at you.

 

[nnnnnate]

I got everything swapped out. Took 4 trips to the hardware store but apparently that how I roll. I was having a slight leak at the cold water inlet for the WH but after messing around with it and putting on a bunch more flux then hitting it again with solder seemed to do the trick. I've been watching it all evening to ensure things are still holding but I think we're good.

I spent $550 on the 50 gallon water heater, $54 on the pressure reducer, and $42 on the expansion tank. A second pipe wrench (my work buddy forgot to bring the one I asked to borrow) was another $14, then I had to buy some fittings that were either stuck or broken which ended up being about $35. Not cheap by any means but less than a pro would have charged.

The pressure valve was supposed to be set to 50 psi out of the box but I'm getting 40-45 at the WH. I did set the expansion tank to match. I just took a shower to clean up and could definitely tell the difference. Before it felt like getting hit with a pressure washer which I enjoyed a lot. I might fiddle with it a little tomorrow to get the psi a little higher but we'll see. I still have a lot of other things to do before we have to be out in a week.

 

[Gravy]

Nice work!

 

[Brad J]

I noticed that my Pressure Regulator is leaking. How do you test the pressure? Is there a pressure gauge that you buy and screw onto the Water Heater drain valve? I do not have an expansion tank. How do they help? Sorry I know nothing about Plumbing.
Thanks, Brad

 

[SLC97SR5]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004RAC...t=&hvlocphy=9029678&hvtargid=pla-313282488126

 

[nnnnnate]

@Brad J I bought a gauge like the one that was linked on amazon at lowes for about $10. It does screw to the bottom drain valve on the water heater and you just attach it then open up the drain.

An expansion tank is a tank that is half open for water and half a pressurized bladder. You want the bladder to have about the same psi as your line pressure. Modern plumbing systems are closed so when a drop of water enters your home its blocked from going back to the street. This keeps contaminants from back washing and messing with the rest of the water system on your street/neighborhood/etc. When cold water is heated it expands. Since your system is closed an expansion tank is a place for that additional water to go.

I doubt I explained that very well but its the quick and easy version. Hope that helps a little.

 

[Jay5.9L]

Brad, when my pressure reg was going out I bought this gauge and hooked it on to my hose bib and left it open. Your can see the spike because the old house never had a expansion tank. One shower or load of laundry and all of the hot water would be replaced with cold. As the cold water heated up it expanded and spiked the system pressure (which then would piss off my hot water heater safety pressure valve)

 

[Rock Taco]

Im hoping this is not your new house.

 

[nnnnnate]

Im hoping this is not your new house.

Was this directed towards me? Its not, we're moving out of the old place and close in a week on it. The new place hasn't been framed still....