Have you been experiencing small plumbing problems around your home? Even though a leaky faucet handle can seem like an easy fix, it may point toward a larger problem. The bigger issue at hand is the potential damage to your plumbing system that high water pressure can cause. High water pressure can cause many issues to pop up throughout your property. Besides leaks, damaged fixtures and ruined seals, high water pressure can also harm the longevity of your water-based appliances.
Luckily, our team at Mr. Plumber in San Antonio knows all about plumbing issues! So, we’ve rounded up a few ways for homeowners to tell if their water pressure is too high.
Running Out Of Hot Water
Steaming hot showers are fantastic, but do you never seem to have enough hot water to last? If so, your water pressure may be the issue. Water heaters can only heat so much water at a time. If high water pressure is causing your water to flow too quickly, then you’re probably running out of hot water quickly, too.
This can overwhelm your water heater, making it die out sooner than expected. It is definitely worth checking out the cause of your short hot water supply!
Loud Plumbing Appliances
Your water-reliant appliances can be strained when your home’s water pressure is too high.
Here are some things to look out for with your appliances:
- Your washing machine being extra noisy while filling up
- An unusually loud dishwasher cycle
- A toilet that continues to run or flush on its own
These are all signs of water pressure problems. The mechanisms and seals inside of these machines wear out quickly when they have to work with high water pressure. When these pieces wear out, your machines work harder and die out sooner.
Leaks
Faucets, shower heads and pipes can all leak when your water pressure is too high. Sometimes all of your faucets can have a constant drip, which is money down the drain! Faucets can also spit and spray water quickly when turned on. As for your pipes, high water pressure will put a ton of strain on your home’s water lines. This can cause loose joints and pressure leaks in the pipes. If pipe leaks aren’t fixed, they can lead to water damage and mold growth.
Sometimes pipe leaks are hard to spot. They can hide behind walls, ceilings and floors, where you don’t notice the damage until rot or a foul odor occurs. No matter what kind of leak you have, it’s important to have it fixed right away!
Banging And Noisy Pipes
When you turn off your faucet, do you hear a banging noise like a hammer? This is called “water hammer” and excessive water pressure in your house’s main water pipe can cause it. This high water pressure causes the pipes to clang together whenever the water flow stops or changes. While this sound is definitely annoying, it can also be harmful. Water hammer often loosens plumbing connectors, and even breaks pipes.
Expensive Water Bills
If your water bill is raised suddenly, or if you’re paying more than your neighbors, you may have undiagnosed plumbing issues on your hands. Again, high water pressure could be the culprit. The reason for this is that high water pressure causes you to use more water. High water pressure can cause you to use 6 more gallons of water every 10 minutes when a faucet is running. This can make that water bill rise quite fast.
Essentially, it’s wasting both water and money!
What Should My Water Pressure Be?
So obviously, high water pressure is not good. But what exactly should a home’s water pressure be? And what is a high water pressure versus a low water pressure? Our Mr. Plumber experts have the answers!
First, water pressure is the measure of how forceful your water flow is. We measure water pressure in PSI, or pounds per square inch. Typically, normal water pressure is from 40 to 60 PSI. However, the ideal measurement is usually 50 PSI, but it can vary slightly from home to home. You can always check and adjust your water pressure levels at home, or call in the experts!
San Antonio Plumbing Services
There are countless plumbing issues that can arise, so you need a reliable plumbing company to call on. At Mr. Plumber, our experts are always here to help. We offer all kinds of services, from kitchen and bathroom plumbing, to water heaters, to sewer line inspections. When you call on our team, you can trust we will fix things right the first time!
For high quality and reliable service, call us at Mr. Plumber! We’ve proudly served the residents of San Antonio, Texas, and its surrounding area since 1977.
