More Pressure please

[MPiazzisi]

My house was built it 1980. I get decent water pressure with one shower or bath running. Turn a faucet on and the pressure is just bareable. Turn on a second Faucet and for get it they all run too slowly.

I have public water running through a main. The main is full on and one full turn back. The pipe from the city is 3/4" into the main and 3/4" to the rest of the house.

I do not know what to do. Any thoughts?

Mike

 

[Gary Swart]

It may or may not be pressure. People often confuse pressure and volume. It is possible that the city is not supplying enough pressure. This can easily be checked with an inexpensive pressure gauge that can be connected to any hose connection. It is more likely you are not getting enough flow (volume). A couple of thoughts about volume. What kind of pipe is your house plumbed with? If it is galvanized, the pipes may be corroded nearly shut. Another possibility is you have a valve that is either partly closed or defective. I would make certain all valves are full on, including the meter.

 

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[Salesdog]

I just solved a problem simular to what you are describing, The cause was a tree that grew too large near where the water line ran from the city shut off to the home. The roots squeezed the line and caused poor flow. While there was no leak or loss in water pressure there was a substantial loss of water flow because of the squashed line.

If your water pressure is normal you could check water flow by timing how long it takes to fill a 5 gallon bucket, then try filling one at one of your neighbors house with simular plumbing.

If the PRV has a screen make sure to check it for debris, and Gary Swart is probably right its just galvanized piping, or nipples where the water enters the building.

 

[Leejosepho]

If the PRV has a screen make sure to check it for debris ...

Or if he does have a PRV -- nothing said about that so far -- maybe it is not functioning correctly.

 

[MPiazzisi]

Never thought about volume. I will buy a pressure guage and test. From what I have read anything abouve 60PSI is good. (True?) Another note I have no idea what a PRV is. If I just happen to have a large tree that is growing along the path of the inlet what is the fix. Tear tree out? Lay a new pipe to the city's supply?

Thanks for all the input.

 

[Gary Swart]

A PRV is a pressure regulator valve. These are installed when the water supply pressure is excessive. I doubt that you have one because you don't seem to know what one is. "Normal" pressure is in the range of 40 psi to 65 psi. Before you start laying the tree down or laying a new water line from the meter, you need to determine for certain what and where the problem is.

 

[Jadnashua]

Do you ever see any rust when you start to run any fixture - say the shower or sink? If so, they probably used galvanized piping that is rusting so much inside that it is blocking off the flow. There could be galvanized nipples on the water heater, or shutoffs, too. this can have a major impact on the volume.