Water pressure after service line upgrade

[bdx126]

I'm a novice/customer looking for counsel. I recently had my water service line upgraded from the street main into my residence. The old line was a lead 1 inch. The new line is 1.5 inch copper. I was expecting some increase in water pressure as a result of the work. The water pressure change is not noticeable.

Shortly after entering the house, the 1.5 inch line reaches the meter. The line coming out of the meter is 1 inch. A foot or so later, the line changes back to 1.5 inches, runs 25 feet to just before the water heater, and then converts back down to 1 inch. Is this a proper way to run the lines--changing the size of pipe up and down? Could going back up to 1.5 inch pipe reduce pressure along the line? I should also mention the plumbing throughout the rest of the house is two-years new and to code.

Thank you.

 

[Valveman]

Oh sorry you are one of the many who had to change out a perfectly good lead line, that have been used for 100 years, because some moron government official didn't know how to treat and test the water properly, which is really their only job.

1" is still a pretty good size line. I doubt that you will see an increase in pressure no matter how large a pipe you put in. 1" is probably not restricting the pressure very much. If you can get someone with half a brain to tell you what the pressure is at the street, then add a gauge to a faucet at the house and see what the difference is. Probably only a couple pounds difference.

If that is the case, then the only way to increase house pressure is to add a booster pump.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[hj]

Changing/increasing pipe sizes will SELDOM change the pressure, unless the original line was so small that velocity and friction loss became a problem.

 

[Reach4]

I was expecting some increase in water pressure as a result of the work. The water pressure change is not noticeable.

Do you detect what you feel is low pressure? What pressure do you have? Pressure gauges are cheap. You can get them with garden hose thread, that can go onto an outside spigot, a laundry tub or connection or the drain on the water heater.

 

[Dj2]

Your water company knows what pressure they have in the street. Their field reps also know. If you can befriend one of them who works in your area, maybe he can disclose this top secret information...

More important, do you have a pressure reducer valve, between the meter and the house?

 

[Reach4]

The pressure in the street is the same as the pressure in the house when you are not using water (except for altitude differences).