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So we had a plumber come and test our water pressure due to pitiful performance of the dishwasher. non existent pressure if we water the back and front yard at the same time with a sprinkler on a hose. showering - flush the toilet and the stream is very weak for 1 minute.
anyways, tested pressure comes in at 50, where 90-120 is the norm.
he quoted us on the work to put a new pipe to replace the galvonized pipe that's probably original from the 20s or 30s.
1. I'd like to get some comp quotes to know where i sit with the price. I like the guy and he seems trustworthy, so i'd love to give him the work if his price is fair.
2. Is this worth it? house was built circa-1930. Water pressure is weak. I just bought the house in March. Is this something that I should just deal with the low pressure, or is it something that causes other issues down the line?
I don't know who told you that 90-120psi is the norm, but that's far from the truth. Code requires a minimum of 40 psi, and a maximum of 80 psi- anything over 80 psi requires a pressure regulator to be installed, or you'll end up tearing fittings apart. While your current pressure is on the low end of the scale, increasing the incoming pressure could cause you problems if the interior piping is older- it's used to working at 40 psi, and boosting the pressure significantly may cause leaks to start developing. Is the piping inside the house galvanized as well?
i'll have to talk to the plumber. i could have sworn he told me 50 is what it is, and i thought i read online that 90is the normal at the point it comes in the house.
the basement plumbing could definitely be upgraded. i might want to consider doing that first?
Yeah, that 90-120psi is WAY off. May want to find a new plumber, unless that is the true pressure in that area coming in from the main and everyone has regulators installed. When my house was built they only pressure tested it to 100psi for a day or so to make sure nothing leaked. My static water pressure is 51psi and I have plenty of pressure to take a shower while watering the lawn.
Your house is old enough that you could have quite a bit of corrosion and/or sediment built up in the pipes which can have a big impact on your water pressure. Especially, if they are all galvanized.
90 could very well be what the pressure is coming from the street into the house, but if that's the case, the first item inside the house needs to be a pressure reducing valve, to get the pressure inside down below 80.
Replacing the piping in the basement may help somewhat, but unless you get all the way to the fixtures, you may still have issues. You also run the risk of creating leaks up the line as you take piping apart. Working on old piping is a royal PITA, unfortunately.
if my pressure is low from the street, are there any systems that are good options to put in the house rather than putting in a new pipe from street to house?
wife said plumber tested it and it was 50, and he said normal is around 75. so at least now we know he's not nuts!
so if it's 50, and you folks are saying that's not terrible, maybe i should start with basement plumbing first. significantly less expensive job, gonna need to happen anyways before a pipe bursts.
now - what's this mean for the pipes in the walls? am i in trouble if i don't replace those? that's gonna get expensive i assume. maybe just start with the basement and see if we have an improvement there. i'm sure they are all galvonized pipes anyways, and i know they could benefit from updated connectors due to the mineralization buildup that's visable at most connections.
does anyone know some good plumbers near essex county area?
Pressure isn't the only factor to be considered, volume is just as important, if not more. As mentioned by another poster, galvanized pipe is famous for building up sediment on the inside, there by reducing the volume. If the inside of the pipe is reduced to a quarter inch, it doesn't matter how much pressure you have, you won't have enough volume to run several faucets at once..!. Galvanized pipe is no longer used for this reason.
Put in a new pipe that has the proper inside ID, and the volume increases, and eliminates the problem. That's why you cant run sever faucets at a time, the pressure is adequate, the volume isn't.!
Replacing the main service pipe will make a huge difference, but you may still have galvanized pipes throughout the house that will restrict volume. Getting the proper volume to the house will help immensely.
Start there and worry about the inside pipe if you still have areas of problems.
I have a home that was build in 1952. Replacing the main line solved the problem, altho things could be even better if I re piped the whole house. If money is no object, do it all, but I never knew anyone who said money is no object..
Pressure isn't the only factor to be considered, volume is just as important, if not more. As mentioned by another poster, galvanized pipe is famous for building up sediment on the inside, there by reducing the volume. If the inside of the pipe is reduced to a quarter inch, it doesn't matter how much pressure you have, you won't have enough volume to run several faucets at once..!. Galvanized pipe is no longer used for this reason.
Put in a new pipe that has the proper inside ID, and the volume increases, and eliminates the problem. That's why you cant run sever faucets at a time, the pressure is adequate, the volume isn't.!
Replacing the main service pipe will make a huge difference, but you may still have galvanized pipes throughout the house that will restrict volume. Getting the proper volume to the house will help immensely.
Start there and worry about the inside pipe if you still have areas of problems.
I have a home that was build in 1952. Replacing the main line solved the problem, altho things could be even better if I re piped the whole house. If money is no object, do it all, but I never knew anyone who said money is no object..
thanks. this is good insight.
you're right. pressure could be fine, but if the pipe is galvanized, it's probably got the buildup.
oh well. guess i gotta bite the bullet and start there. we've been saving for these issues, so it's not a money problem, it's just that i was hoping to do the roof first, then the plumbing. neither are need-to-do now, but i'd like to get some of these big projects tackled before they become need-to-do now projects.
Dave at New Jersey plumbing in Clifton was excellent when we lived in Passaic county. He cared and always returned calls
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