A warm shower with just the right water pressure is a great feeling, but did you know that the water pressure in your Tampa home could damage your plumbing system? In this plumbing blog article, we show the ideal water pressure setting for your home and how to check it.
What is Water Pressure?
Water pressure refers to the amount of force the water to push it through your pipes. This is reported in pounds per square inch (psi) and can be measured by a gauge.
Water pressure can be affected by altitude, current demand, sediment buildup, or a blockage in the plumbing pipes.
Every Tampa Homeowner Should Test Their Water Pressure
Too much water pressure often damages flexible plumbing lines like washing machine hoses. The high pressure can cause a blowout of the line and flood damage to your home.
High water pressure can stress your plumbing system, increase the likelihood of a break in your lines, and reduce the overall life span of your plumbing system.
The Ideal Water Pressure for Your Tampa Home
It’s important to maintain your home’s water pressure within an acceptable range. The ideal water pressure ranges between 40 and 80 pounds per square inch, with the recommended home water pressure at 60 psi.
How to Test Your Home’s Water Pressure
Here are some simple steps to test your home’s water pressure.
- If you get your water supply from a municipal supplier, the best spot to test your home’s water pressure is at a hose spigot closest to where your main water supply enters the home. If you don’t have a hose bib, you can also test your home’s water pressure from the washing machine’s cold water supply. Disconnect the hose, and take precautions to catch the water trapped in the hose. Attach the pressure gauge to the faucet and open it up to read the pressure level.
- Before testing the water pressure at the spigot, make sure water is not being used anywhere else in the house. Check for places like dishwashers and laundry machines that might be running and create a false low reading.
- Use a pressure gauge that reads in psi and install it onto the faucet, hand-tightening it for a tight seal. If water is leaking during the test, it will result in an inaccurate reading.
- Open the faucet completely. If working properly, the pressure gauge should start to read the water pressure level.
Want the Perfect Water Pressure? Call Cass Plumbing!
If your home has high or low water pressure, call the Tampa plumbing professionals at Cass Plumbing.
The plumbing professionals at Cass Plumbing have solving high water pressure problems throughout the Tampa region for 2 decades. Cass Plumbing has earned an A+ Rating with the Tampa Better Business Bureau, is ranked as the Best Plumber in the Tampa area by Best Plumbers, and has received over 1,000 – 5 star reviews. At Cass Plumbing of Tampa Bay, we are here to serve you for all your plumbing needs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
