Water pressure at 80-85psi, do I need a PRV?

[Pilotdog68]

My water softener got fried (because of a dumb mistake) and before putting in a new one I decided to install a whole house filter and bypass loop to tame the chlorine. Part of that loop includes some pressure gauges and I found that our pressure is pretty steadily 80-85psi on city water. I always assumed we had low pressure, but it turns out we actually just have low flow caused by the builders feeding the whole upper level with 1/2".

While I'm in the plumbing mood, should I be installing a pressure reducing valve? Would that help protect from pipe and fixture failures in the future? We already have a minor issue with showerheads dripping at random times, which I'm now assuming is due to pressure spikes.

If I do need a PRV, is it ok to install it after my filter loop, so that my end pressure is more consistent? Or does it need to be first before anything else? Will the PRV hurt my flow even more?


Thanks

 

[Breplum]

You are ok with 85. UPC dictates PRV required at 80 psi, but I don't think that the 5psi is significant.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Pilotdog68]

You are ok with 85. UPC dictates PRV required at 80 psi, but I don't think that the 5psi is significant.

Thanks for the reply. Even if its not really required, would there be any benefit to having one in the long term?

 

[wwhitney]

You might want to check for a week with a pressure gauge with high water mark (resettable pointer for highest pressure seen). If your pressure spikes well above 85 psi, and you determine it's the incoming pressure and not some other problem like lack of an expansion tank at the water heater on a closed system, then you'd probably want a PRV. In which case if your filters are rated for the highest pressure you observe, I don't see any reason why you couldn't put the PRV after the filters.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[John Gayewski]

Yes you need a PRV. Put it before the filter you cam adjust it as needed.