How Does Water Pressure Affect My Home?

If you turn your shower on and notice drips or streams with greater force than usual, you may be seeing signs of bad water pressure. Water pressure plays a key role in how water is transported throughout your home. Besides inconsistent water from your showerhead, how else does water pressure affect your home?

At Monkey Wrench, we’ve seen plumbing nightmares caused by lousy water pressure throughout homes all over Los Angeles and the surrounding areas. Still, with specialized training, insightful experience, and available resources, we’ve repaired and restored water pressure at hundreds of homes.  

Whether you’re dealing with possible bad water pressure in your home or curious to learn about it so you can prepare yourself for the future, this article will provide you with the knowledge on the following things.

• What should your water pressure be set at?
• Low water pressure: causes and possible solutions
• High water pressure: causes and possible solutions

Once you’ve read the abovementioned topics, you can confidently move forward with any possible water pressure issue, knowing it can be fixed.

Let’s get started!

What Should Residential Water Pressure be Set at in Los Angeles?

There’s no set pressure level for homes in Los Angeles, but according to the California Plumbing Code, water pressure in homes should be set between 60 to 75 PSI and should not exceed 75 PSI. 

Water pressure is measured using pounds per square inch (PSI). The higher the PSI number, the higher the force of the water exerted. 

With a water pressure gauge tool, you can measure your home’s current water pressure by locating a faucet outside and connecting it to get a reading. You can also have a technician come out and measure your water pressure to get an idea of the PSI.

The reading can determine whether you have low or high water pressure. In the next section, we’ll review low water pressure and how it affects your home. 

Low Water Pressure in House

Low water pressure occurs when the force of water flowing through your home’s plumbing system is weak. It is noticeable by the slow or poor flow of water from your home’s fixtures, such as showerheads and faucets. 

Anything under 60 PSI would be significantly noticeable in a home. Low water pressure can negatively impact your home in the following ways.

• Increased water waste
• Difficulty showering 
• Hard to wash dishes 
• Difficulty using appliances like washing machines and water heaters

You may have higher water bills because your fixtures and appliances struggle with low water pressure. All of these adverse effects should be addressed immediately by calling a technician who can help determine what caused low water pressure in the first place. 

What Causes Low Water Pressure in the Whole House?

Various factors may have caused low water pressure.

• Pipes in poor condition: Clogged, damaged, or leaking pipes can all experience a drop in water flow, resulting in low water pressure.
• Bad valves: If the main shutoff valve, where the water supply enters your home, is not fully adjusted, it can lead to lower water pressure due to restricted water flow. Some fixtures have shutoff valves, which can lead to low water pressure for those particular piped fixtures.
• Municipal water supply problems: Sometimes, emergency repairs or routine service to your area’s local water utility plant can decrease the water pressure coming into your home as it reaches your main water line.
• High water usage: Using multiple water fixtures and appliances simultaneously can cause a drop in water pressure. In most cases, it is temporary, but it’s still worth having it inspected to avoid any underlying problems.

Another probable cause for low water pressure is a faulty pressure regulator. Also known as a pressure-reducing valve, a malfunctioning regulator can cause the water pressure coming into your home to decrease significantly, leading to subpar water pressure throughout your home. 

Only a technician can inspect and diagnose low water pressure issues with your home, but figuring out the root cause can lead to finding solutions. 

How to Fix Low Water Pressure in the House?

Once a plumber completes an inspection to determine why your home has low water pressure, they can apply a fix. Each low-pressure problem is unique to that home, but here are some of the most common solutions.

• Repair any damaged pipes
• Replace the water pressure regulator
• Clear any clogs in pipes or fixtures
• Adjust the main shutoff valve or any other valves
• Look for and fix any leaking pipes

After applying a fix, a plumber can turn on different fixtures to examine the water flow and test the water pressure with a gauge to ensure it’s within acceptable limits.

Low water pressure isn’t the only issue you may face; sometimes, your home can experience high water pressure. 

High Water Pressure in House

High water pressure is when the force of water flowing through your home’s plumbing system is stronger than usual. For example, your fixtures, like faucets, will experience stronger water flow.

Homes with water pressure above 75 PSI can be considered high water pressure. Anything higher can cause multiple types of problems within the plumbing system.

• Damage to fixtures and appliances
• Increased wear and tear on appliances that use water and fixtures
• There is a high probability of pipe bursts
• Increased water waste, which can lead to high water bills

The causes of high water pressure can vary, but in the next section, we’ll look at the most common ones. 

What Causes High Water Pressure in the Whole House?

Any of the following issues may have caused high water pressure in your home.

• Bad pressure regulator: A pressure regulator helps decrease the high water pressure from your home’s main water line before it enters your house. If this particular valve is malfunctioning, then it can lead to increased water pressure.
• High water pressure from utility plants: In rare cases, homes located closer to the municipal water supply can experience high water pressure due to the natural flow of water pressure being released from the supply plant to homes nearby. 

A faulty pressure regulator is the main culprit behind high water pressure in most scenarios. Still, contacting a professional plumber is highly recommended because they can identify the cause of high water pressure in your home and, once that inspection is completed, move forward with repairs. 

How to Fix High Water Pressure in House?

The most common fix for a high water pressure problem in your home is to have a plumber install a water pressure regulator. Replacing or adjusting a current pressure regulator may also fix any issues with high water pressure.

Once installed or serviced, a water pressure gauge test can show if the water pressure PSI is within acceptable limits.

Keeping Your Home With Adequate Water Pressure

Normal water pressure in your home helps you complete daily tasks without the disruption caused by low or high water pressure. Now that you’ve seen what high and low water pressure are and how they can affect your home, you can take the necessary precautions to protect your home’s plumbing from the effects of low and high water pressure. 

Whether it’s high or low water pressure, our technicians at Monkey Wrench have serviced hundreds of homes throughout Los Angeles with water pressure problems. 

If you’re dealing with possible water pressure issues, contact us using the button below or book an appointment directly with our online plumbing scheduler.