Is Your Water Pressure Too High? Here’s Why it Matters.

Water pressure is one of those things homeowners don’t think about until something goes wrong. Having good water pressure is important but more pressure isn’t always better. If water pressure is too high or pressure isn’t properly regulated, it can put unnecessary stress on your home’s plumbing system, fixtures and appliances connected to it. Countryside Service thinks homeowners should understand what’s happening in the plumbing system so they can make informed decisions about their home.

What is Considered High Water Pressure?

Water pressure above 80 PSI shall be regulated per Colorado plumbing code. Your home’s water pressure can also change throughout the day. Pressure from the municipal water supply may fluctuate. A 90 PSI reading at 2 PM could easily exceed 140 PSI at 2 AM when not as many homes in the area are drawing off the system. That’s why simply checking the pressure once doesn’t always tell the whole story.

Why Does High Water Pressure Matter?

Your home’s plumbing system is made up of many components, pipes, fittings, valves, faucets, toilets, water heaters, washing machine, dishwasher, and other appliances. When water pressure is consistently higher than these components are designed to handle, it can put additional stress on the system. Overtime excessive pressure can contribute to leaking faucets, leaking from plumbing connections, valves, and other fixtures. Increased stress on pipes and fittings can cause premature failure of plumbing appliances and components, increased water usage, and greater risk of developing leaks. High pressure doesn’t necessarily mean something is going to fail tomorrow. The concern is the additional stress placed on the system overtime.

What Does a Pressure Reducer (PRV) Do?

A pressure reducing valve helps control the water entering the home’s plumbing system. If the incoming supply pressure is higher than the home’s plumbing system should receive, a proper functioning PRV reduces and regulates pressure before it reaches the home’s fixtures and appliances. A PRV can provide more consistent pressure and reduce unnecessary stress. If a home already has a PRV, it is also important to ensure it is working correctly. Regulators can wear out, losing proper adjustment.

What Should Homeowners Look For?

Water pressure doesn’t always announce itself with an obvious problem. Some things homeowners may notice include faucets or fixtures that seem to have unusually strong pressure, dripping faucets that seem to return repeatedly, noisy pipes, knocking in the plumbing system or waterlines, prematurely failing fixtures, recurring leaks at plumbing connections or fixtures that have difficulty turning off. Even something as simple as having to repeatedly replace a float on your evaporative cooler could be a telltale sign of a pressure issue in your home.

Symptoms don’t automatically mean high water pressure is the cause, they are simply reasons to have the system checked rather than guessing.

 The Bottom Line

The plumbing system was designed to operate within a certain range of conditions. Keeping water pressure properly regulated can help reduce unnecessary stress on the system, and may help extend the life of plumbing components and appliances.



At Countryside Service our goal isn’t to sell something that you don’t need. Our goal is to help you understand what’s happening, explain what we find and help you decide what makes sense for your home.

 Sometimes that means adjusting or replacing a pressure regulator. Sometimes it means monitoring the system and sometimes everything is working as it should. You deserve to know what your plumbing system is doing before deciding anything needs to be done.