It’s not as hard as it sounds!
We’ve all been there before. You turn on your faucet or shower and are blindsided by a deluge of fluid that practically knocks you off your feet. Alternatively, you’re greeted with a pathetic trickle that’s barely enough to get your skin wet. In either case, your home’s water pressure needs adjusting—and fast. While this might seem like a task for a professional plumber, it’s possible to do on your own. Your family is sure to thank you for it.
How Can You Adjust Water Pressure on Your Own?
Every residential structure that doesn’t use groundwater is outfitted with a pressure regulator that protects its water system from the industrial-strength flow of water through municipal pipes. This reduces the average flow into your home from about 200 psi—an extreme torrent—to about 50 psi. However, various factors can interfere with this flow, and your regulator can fail as well. Most DIY pressure adjustments begin with this regulator.
Getting Started
Adjusting the pressure on your home’s regulator isn’t a complex task, but you will need some basic tools, including a wrench and a socket wrench. Ideally, you’d also use a water pressure meter. However, it’s possible to forgo the meter and adjust by trial and error.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Using the pressure meter, determine your home’s current pressure at an outdoor faucet or laundry spout. Note this amount and leave the meter in place.
2. Find your home’s regulator and loosen the lock nut that holds it in place.
3. Find the adjustment nut on the regulator valve’s top and turn it until you reach the desired pressure. Whereas clockwise turning increases pressure, counterclockwise adjustment reduces it.
4. Replace and tighten the lock nut to its previous tightness. Test all the faucets in your house and repeat if desired.
We Take Care of All Your Plumbing Needs in Austin
We hope you feel a bit more confident about adjusting the water pressure on your home’s fixtures. Of course, that’s not the only type of plumbing project that you’ll need to tackle during your time as a homeowner. If you need to replace or repair any parts on your quest to make your system’s pressure amenable to all, don’t hesitate to call us at (512) 837-9500. For any other plumbing or home improvement needs, check out our website!