Water pressure low. Will a plumbing company be able to trouble shoot?

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NotsoDIY

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Actually I've had this problem since I bought the house(09). At first I thought I might need to replace the water pump but I went through the search function and I've read that it could be to simply change the pressure switch? Either way, the water pressure inside my house is awful. The gauge typically reads between 30-40psi and from what I've read in the search function, going up to 50psi would be pretty adequate.

P.S. I've also been told that raising the psi can bust a pipe underground so if someone could confirm please.
 

Craigpump

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You wouldn't hire an electrician to do your roof, so why hire a plumber to work on your well/pump?

Seriously, the cause of your low pressure could be many things, all of which have been discussed time and again on this forum. If you don't feel comfortable working on the system yourself, hire a licensed, insured, reputable pump company.
 

LLigetfa

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I've also been told that raising the psi can bust a pipe underground so if someone could confirm please.

I don't know of any underground pipe used for domestic water that would have such a low burst pressure. Provided the pump is capable of it, 80 PSI is a normal high pressure.

I use 160 PSI poly pipe between the pump and the house.
 

Craigpump

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I have seen plenty of old 75 & 80 psi poly used years ago in jet systems fail. The old poly was no where as good as today's material and will fail eventually.
 

LLigetfa

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I have seen plenty of old 75 & 80 psi poly used years ago in jet systems fail. The old poly was no where as good as today's material and will fail eventually.

Seriously? People cheap out and use poly designed for sprinklers? I say they get what they deserve. Even so, 75/80 PSI poly should have a burst pressure much higher than the rated pressure.
 

Craigpump

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Yeah dead serious. Back before submersibles were reliable, jet pumps were the hot ticket and there are plenty of those old systems around. The pipe gets old and fails or the system gets converted to a submersible and problems arise. The lighter pipe was used so the jet would hang straighter in the well along with getting the pipe to lay flatter in the trench.
 

Texas Wellman

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They don't sell anything but 80 or 100 psi poly pipe here. Look it up on any lowes/HD site and type in any Tx Zipcode.

I've seen so much poly pipe split I still have nightmares about all the digging we had to do to fix the stuff.
 

Craigpump

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Only 80 & 100 psi? What about the pump supply houses? I like 100 psi for wire conduit in the trench, but I always use 160 for the water, if the trench is boney, though ledge or under a driveway we sleeve it through 4" sch 40.
 
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