Weak showers, a toilet that takes forever to fill, or pipes that bang when a faucet shuts off all point to the same thing: water pressure that is out of range. Simply Green Plumbing tests, adjusts and replaces pressure regulators for homes in Los Gatos, Saratoga, Monte Sereno, Campbell and the rest of the South Bay. We find out why the pressure is wrong before we touch anything, so you only pay for the fix your home actually needs.
Signs Your Water Pressure Is Too Low
- A weak shower, especially upstairs or at the far end of the house
- Pressure drops when a second faucet, the washer or the sprinklers turn on
- Toilets and the washing machine take a long time to fill
- Pressure that faded slowly over months or years
- Only one fixture is weak while the rest of the house is fine
Signs Your Water Pressure Is Too High
High pressure gets less attention because the shower feels great. Your pipes, fixtures and appliances pay for it.
- Banging or knocking pipes when a faucet or appliance valve closes
- Toilets that run or refill on their own
- Faucets and shower valves that start dripping again soon after a repair
- The relief valve on the water heater dripping or discharging
- Washer hoses and supply lines that bulge or leak at the connections
Most household fixtures and appliances are built for 80 psi or less. Street pressure in parts of the South Bay can run well above that, depending on elevation and where a home sits in the water system. That is the job a pressure regulator does.
What a Pressure Regulator Does
A pressure regulator, also called a pressure reducing valve or PRV, sits on the main water line where it enters the house, usually close to the main shutoff. It takes whatever pressure the street delivers and lowers it to a steady, safe level for everything inside.
Regulators wear out. The spring and diaphragm inside lose tension, the built in strainer clogs with sediment, and the valve starts to drift. Some fail toward low pressure and choke the whole house. Others fail open and let full street pressure straight into your plumbing. That second kind is the one to worry about, because you usually do not notice it until something starts to leak.
How We Find the Cause
Low or high pressure has a handful of usual suspects, and the fix is different for each one. We start with a gauge on a hose bib to read the static pressure, then watch how it holds while fixtures run. From there we check:
- The main shutoff valve. A valve left partly closed after earlier work is common, and it is an easy fix.
- The pressure regulator. Whether it holds a steady setting, drifts, or is stuck.
- The pipes themselves. Older galvanized steel narrows inside as it rusts, and hard water scale does the same to copper over many years.
- Single fixtures. A clogged aerator, showerhead or worn cartridge can make one tap weak while the rest of the house is fine.
- The water heater. When only the hot side is weak, the cause is often a partly closed valve or sediment at the heater.
If the street supply itself is low, we will tell you so instead of selling you a part that will not help.
Pressure Regulator Adjustment and Replacement
Sometimes a regulator only needs to be set correctly. When it no longer holds a setting, we replace it with a new brass valve, set it to a safe working pressure, and confirm the reading at the gauge before we leave.
We also check that the water heater has a working thermal expansion tank. With a regulator in place, the water in your house has nowhere to go when it heats up, and the expansion tank protects the heater and its relief valve from that extra pressure.
If the regulator sits on a section of old, corroded main line, we can replace that pipe too. Our water line service covers the run from the meter to the house.
Water Pressure in Los Gatos, Saratoga, Monte Sereno and Campbell
Pressure in our area changes a lot from street to street. Homes in the Los Gatos hills and up toward the Saratoga foothills can see very different pressure than homes a mile away on flatter ground, simply because of elevation. Two neighbors can have opposite problems.
The age of the house matters too. Many older homes in Los Gatos, Saratoga and Campbell still have some galvanized pipe, and it narrows from the inside as it ages. If your pressure faded slowly over the years, that is often why. Our guide to low water pressure in Saratoga homes walks through it, and our copper repipe page covers the long term fix.
Hard water adds to it. Scale builds up inside pipes, valves and fixtures across the area, and a water treatment system slows that down.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is normal water pressure for a house?
Most homes do best somewhere between 50 and 70 psi. Below about 40 psi starts to feel weak at the shower, and above 80 psi puts extra wear on fixtures, appliances and the water heater.
How long does a pressure regulator last?
Many last 10 to 15 years, but it depends on water quality and how hard the valve has to work. A home with very high street pressure or a lot of sediment can wear one out sooner.
How do I know if my home has a pressure regulator?
Look where the main water line comes into the house, near the main shutoff. A regulator is usually a bell shaped brass valve with an adjusting screw on top. Not every home has one, especially older homes.
Can I adjust the regulator myself?
The adjusting screw is there, but turning it without a gauge is guesswork, and a worn valve will not hold a new setting anyway. We test first, then adjust or replace so the number is right.
Why did my water pressure drop suddenly?
A sudden drop across the whole house usually means a failing regulator, a partly closed main valve, or a problem on the street side. If only the hot water dropped, look at the water heater. If only one fixture dropped, the problem is usually in that fixture.
Not sure what is going on with your water pressure? Call Simply Green Plumbing at (408) 358-6446 and we will come test it.