Do you know what the signs of high water pressure in a house are? If not, don’t worry! We’ll go over them in this article.
High water pressure in a house is not something that you want to deal with. If the problem persists, it will only get worse and cause more damage. Find out how to resolve this issue before it becomes a bigger problem for your home.
Increased water pressure is a common concern for many homeowners, and can lead to leaks in the plumbing system. Leaking pipes are not only costly to replace but also dangerous because they could cause flooding if there’s no containment point nearby.
The increased water pressure might even shorten appliance lifespan by weakening seals or wearing out parts prematurely.
Causes Of High Water Pressure
If you live in an area with a high water pressure, it might be due to the city’s strategy of keeping higher pressures near tall buildings and fire hydrants. If your home is located at the bottom of a hill, gravity may also contribute to this problem because there will not be enough force on these areas for consistent flow.
There are many different reasons that can cause homes around Georgia (or elsewhere) to have problems with their water supply leading up from low-pressure zones like hills or closer proximity towards taller structures such as downtown skyscrapers where harsher conditions exist between lower hydrant locations.
Tell Tale Signs Of High Water Pressure
The main 5 signs that indicate you’ve got a high water pressure problem are…
- Your toilet is running constantly.
- You have noisy pipes.
- Your appliances are running loudly.
- You run out of hot water faster than you used to.
- Your water bill is higher than it used to be.
These signs may not necessarily mean you have a high water pressure problem but they are the most common signs associated with this plumbing issue.
Let’s go over each one of these issues.
Running Toilet
A high water pressure inside the pipes causing your toilet to run constantly, may also be causing damage to the toilet tank and bowl. It can cause your toilets internal parts to break down more quickly than normal, so if you see any of these signs in your house, it’s time to schedule an appointment with a plumber to get the issue fixed.
Noisy Pipes
Inevitably, when you have a high water pressure in your house, you will hear some banging, clanging and loud noises somewhere in your walls.
This is known as water hammer.
When this happens, it’s more likely that your plumbing system will develop leaks and cause damage to other parts of your home such as walls or ceilings.
So anytime you hear noises like banging sounds from your pipes run to turn down the water pressure to a safer setting.
Loud Appliances
If your dishwasher or washing machine start sounding much louder than before, this could be a sign that your plumbing system is struggling with the high water pressure.
This will probably damage these appliances and you will need to replace them much sooner than you would have if your water pressure wasn’t so high.
Running Out Of Hot Water
Another sign of high water pressure problems is that you start running out of hot water sooner than you used to.
If your water pressure is too high, it can make your hot water heater tank fill up too fast. This results in more cold water than hot water in the tank which ends up giving you lukewarm water instead of the hot water you are trying to get.
High water pressure can lead to a hot water heater that doesn’t last as long either, which is likely due in part because of the constant heating and cycling. When this happens, there’s an increased chance you’ll have leaky pipes well before your expected lifespan!
Higher Water Bills
You probably already know this but hot water tends to use more water pressure than cold water does. Because of this, you will start seeing higher bills if your water pressure is set too high.
Typically, water coming out of a faucet at a normal water pressure rate of 50 PSI uses about 30 gallons of water per minute. However, if your water pressure is higher, let’s say 60 PSI then there’s 36 gallons of water coming out of that faucet every single minute.
More water used = higher water bills for you.
Fixing High Water Pressure In Your House
One way to fix water hammer issues is to install (and or repair) a water hammer arrestor. This usually looks like a pipe that is located close to a fixture. Your plumber can help you locate it, fix it and/or install one for you.
Otherwise, because each homeowner’s situation is unique, we recommend that you call a professional plumbing company like Atlantis Plumbing to assess the situation and work on a solution for your home.
If you have any questions about your water pressure or are having some problems with it, call Atlantis Plumbing today at 770-443-8229. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.