Plumbing high pressure low flow

[Tracs]

Some background first.

Moved out of a house in the city I was in for 15 years that had terrible water pressure/flow.

Just moved into a 1980s 4 level split out of town that used to be on a well. About 6-8 years ago city water was hooked up. The city water comes in by a 1.5" poly pipe to a pressure regulator, then the meter and into the house plumbing.

Found out that if the shower is going and want to run the kitchen sink there is barely any flow. Acts the same if other faucets are used, like filling the bathtub and running bathroom sink.

If I have nothing running and open the kitchen sink faucet wide open it comes out hard for a second and then noticeably slows down.

I thought with that big of service and a pressure regulator right there maybe it was set low, so I checked the pressure at the cold water washing machine hookup and got 90psi! I checked the outside spigot that is close to the main service and got 95psi! I've used the gauge before and believe it to be accurate.

So with a 1.5" main water service and 90-95psi of pressure I would think I could run every tap in my house like a fire hose.

I will likely call a plumber and the municipality, but any ideas before I do? Faulty regulator? Build up in the copper pipes from 30 years of well water? Half of the house has been re-plumbed with PEX and those areas have bad flow too.

Pictures of the water service. The pressure tank is for the well and just connected to 1 outside spigot.

 

[Tracs]

 

[PCustoms]

If your regulator is only supposed to give 25-75 and you're getting 95, I'd say the regulator is shot.

That's too much pressure inside a house.

 

[Fixr]

Is that pressure tank still connected? I've never seen that on city water (unless it's just a big expansion tank for a water heater).

 

[PCustoms]

Is that pressure tank still connected? I've never seen that on city water (unless it's just a big expansion tank for a water heater).

Good question.

And occasionally they are used, in areas where there is low pressure. For example a house that is too close to a hilltop tank/reservoir will likely have low pressure and need a booster pump/tank.

 

[Tracs]

If your regulator is only supposed to give 25-75 and you're getting 95, I'd say the regulator is shot.

That's too much pressure inside a house.

I just looked at that picture and seen the 25-75 psi rating.

 

[Tracs]

Is that pressure tank still connected? I've never seen that on city water (unless it's just a big expansion tank for a water heater).

No, just for the well and it supplies 1 outdoor faucet only.

 

[mike93lx]

I think I'd start with a rebuild on the prv

 

[BillK]

I checked the pressure at the cold water washing machine hookup and got 90psi! I checked the outside spigot that is close to the main service and got 95psi!

What does the pressure do when you turn the kitchen faucet on full blast ??

 

[DGersic]

High pressure is easy with no flow. Somewhere, you have an obstruction that is limiting your flow, probably also leading to the too high pressure.

 

[T444e]

Was the 95 psi static pressure or did you have faucets open? Regardless the pressure regulator failed based on the 25 to 75 psi set range. Replace or rebuild the regulator.

 

[Tracs]

What does the pressure do when you turn the kitchen faucet on full blast ??

I never checked but I did think about doing that test I'll do it after work.

 

[Tracs]

Was the 95 psi static pressure or did you have faucets open? Regardless the pressure regulator failed based on the 25 to 75 psi set range. Replace or rebuild the regulator.

On the regulator tag it says it's preset to 50 psi. Even if someone were to crank the pressure up trying to get more flow am I right in thinking it shouldn't go over 75 according to that regulator?

 

[pcmeiners]

"That's too much pressure inside a house."

NYC water comes in from the street at >90 psi, no one has a reducing regulator; perhaps a few million homes have it all wrong

Now, that regulator is probably not needed . Secondly it has a stainless filter as per the link below. Lastly the filter is likely clogged; it is a ridiculously small filter. Yes you could be getting high pressure, but with a mostly clogged filter you get little flow. Turn off the valve before it, drain the system, clean out the stainless filter. A larger capacity filter or Y strainer should have been installed, as that tiny filter should be check often.

https://www.watts.com/dfsmedia/0533dbba17714b1ab581ab07a4cbb521/20214-source/es-25aub-pdf

 

[Viper98912]

Interesting that your regulator is before the meter; here the meters are hooked up to the city and the regulator is after it (for the house).

I've always run the house at 60 psi; it's good enough to give good pressure yet not prematurely blow out seals on fixtures and toilets.

I'd also say start first with changing the regulator. Depending on the cost, it's worth it sometimes to just replace the entire regulator and not buy a seal kit. In my case, the regulator had a simple union nut on each side and it was a 5 minute job to install the new one. Trying to break open the old one was impossible because it had a decade of corrosion on it, and frankly, just not worth the small savings (especially if you were to damage the house piping).

Hopefully, your flow problem is regulator related and not piping buildup related. Because if it's the piping, well....

 

[Tracs]

Interesting that your regulator is before the meter; here the meters are hooked up to the city and the regulator is after it (for the house).

I've always run the house at 60 psi; it's good enough to give good pressure yet not prematurely blow out seals on fixtures and toilets.

I'd also say start first with changing the regulator. Depending on the cost, it's worth it sometimes to just replace the entire regulator and not buy a seal kit. In my case, the regulator had a simple union nut on each side and it was a 5 minute job to install the new one. Trying to break open the old one was impossible because it had a decade of corrosion on it, and frankly, just not worth the small savings (especially if you were to damage the house piping).

Hopefully, your flow problem is regulator related and not piping buildup related. Because if it's the piping, well....

I was just told by a co-worker who lives 20 miles away but is serviced by the same water co-op, that his regulator is before the meter and responsibility of the water co-op. I'm going to make a call and see what they say.

 

[OccupantRJ]

The inlet valve could also have come apart inside, partially blocking flow. I have seen this in industrial settings before. That would require shutting water off at the street and bleeding down pressure to check.

 

[Viper98912]

I was just told by a co-worker who lives 20 miles away but is serviced by the same water co-op, that his regulator is before the meter and responsibility of the water co-op. I'm going to make a call and see what they say.

Your coworker has a good point. In my area, the water authority is responsible up to the meter. The homeowner is responsible for everything after the meter. Since your regulator is pre-meter, maybe it's true, and they need to come fix it?

 

[Tracs]

Your coworker has a good point. In my area, the water authority is responsible up to the meter. The homeowner is responsible for everything after the meter. Since your regulator is pre-meter, maybe it's true, and they need to come fix it?

I called and they said it sounds like the flow control. I can pick up a replacement from them and do it myself or they can come and bill just time. I'll get the part and do it myself. I will have to discuss the regulator issue with them again. It won't be until Friday I can pick up the parts.

 

[firebirdparts]

No flow control at my house. but anyway, there's something stopped up AND the PRV is not controlling pressure in a reasonable spot (2 possible reasons for that)

 

[Tracs]

Installed a new pressure regulator and municipal mandated 4 gpm flow control.

Pressure measured at 50 psi which is the setting of regulator, so I know my gauge was right before.

Obviously the flow still isn't the greatest, but you can open multiple taps and its consistent at least.

All the bathroom faucets and showers are acceptable, but the kitchen faucet is still weak. I took the aerator screen off and it wasn't clogged at all.

 

[PoorUB]

Check the water pressure at a point close to the pressure tank, then open a valve elsewhere, farther away. I bet the pressure drops like a rock to nearly nothing.
I agree with the others, most likely your regulator is shot and not modulating to maintain pressure. It is stuck nearly closed so you get a high pressure when you are not using water.

 

[mike93lx]

Is there a flow restrictor on the faucet supply?

 

[Tracs]

Is there a flow restrictor on the faucet supply?

I googled that and some posts explained the same situation. It is a Glacier Bay faucet and has "quick connect" hose.

This is the part that was broken and seems like a common occurrence.

Glacier Bay Quick Connect Faucet Assembly Kit RP90004 - The Home Depot

This Glacier Bay Quick Connector Assembly Kit helps you get your faucet working with ease. This kit is compatible with Glacier Bay faucets and it includes O-rings, block and quick connect. It's easy to

www.homedepot.com

I took the it apart and found it has 2 one way check valves/restrictors. One of mine was broken and piled up. I took a pick and removed both.

Flow is much improved now.

 

[CraigStu]

Glad you found the problem. 6-7 years ago we got a new shower head to get a better spray pattern. We liked the pattern but my wife said the flow was way to low to get shampoo out of her long hair. I unscrewed it and looked inside. Just beyond the threads there was a plastic restrictor built in w/ about a 5/16 hole. A 7/16 drill bit got the flow acceptable. A few years ago in our new house the flow out of my sink faucet wouldn't clean my shaver head well enough. I unscrewed the cap and there were 5 layers of plastic screens etc. Took them all out and had great flow but lots of splashing. I put back in the minimum to get that aerated flow and it works a lot better.