How to Install a Water Pressure Reducing Valve | This Old House
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- Опубліковано 6 жов 2024
- Taming extremely high water pressure with This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey. (See below for a shopping list and tools.)
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Shopping List for Installing a Water Pressure Reducing Valve:
pressure-reducing valve
two pressure gauges
assorted threaded copper and brass fittings and pipe
teflon tape
lead-free solder and flux
Tools for Installing a Water Pressure Reducing Valve
pressure gauge
pliers
pipe wrench
tubing cutter
propane torch
open-end wrench
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How to Install a Water Pressure Reducing Valve | This Old House
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My water pressure measures 180lbs. Because the max each valve can reduce is up to 75 lbs, I had to install 2 reducing valves in line with one one another to step it down 60-70lbs each. I installed three pressure guages, one before both valves, in between and after both valves. Worked great. I was concerned about the longevity of the guages if left under constant pressure so i installed cut offs with pressure release knobs before each guage. All my plumbing is in a narrow crawl space and I only wanted to do this once. I check it two times a year with a guage on an outside hose. Ten years and still doing great.
It would be great to have a video/photo of that. Great job!
WOW! That's a hecka lotta pressure! Where do you live?
If you do install a pressure regulator, make sure you have a thermal expansion tank to keep the pressure reasonable when the water heater recovers otherwise your pressure will go right back to street level until the next time a faucet is opened. I ran into this problem in a condo I owned in Southern California.
I was wondering if anyone else ran into that problem.
Relief valve on water heater kept dripping at night.
Yeah luckily my prv had a bypass but yes the pressure gets high again
I swear these guys have it easy. All that space in between to put that prv.
I have a furnace with a second prv to reduce pressure to 12-15 lbs psi. The prv and a blackflow preventer are stuffed into a 12 inch section that is full of solder joints and screw fittings. Nothing like the easy thing that guy does with cutting the pipe.
That homeowner has top-notch acting skills!
Love the pressure gauges on bothsides..great idea.
Ya, I wish there was a list of parts that they used.
I'd rather keep the mechanical design simpler and just read the pressure by screwing in the pressure gauge once in a while.
Aaaaw. I wanted to see the faucet working properly after the valve was installed.
they didnt show that part cause the faucet exploded after they installed it.
CasperthefriendlyGhost PeakAboo LOL. Normally would just like that comment.
It still spewed water...cause the aerator simply needed to be tightened.
Richard installed that plumbing before they shot the clip: 1:25 I like how they covered it in dirt to conceal it.
I agree.
CV I’ve just seen that now 😂
Oh look we have an area to test the pressure! How lucky!
He's a clown
You even have to old water shut-off he removed on the washing machine!
Why is this house pipes all nice and accessible? Am I only one with house where pipes simply disappear into the wall?
Agree...and who's plumbing pipes are located six inches off the wall to allow a large cutter to rotate freely? Folly I say!
@@jeffw8057 … perhaps someone who just removed a well tank and the pipe would have been close to the center of the tank? That would explain why he never complained about water hammer till now!
Paradoxical Nightmare what’s a v joint ??
its ok this time the poor man does nt even have a proper basement or foundation wall
Nope you are not the only one ,this set up is dream for plumbers , so easy and accessible , you almost never run it to something like this.
I can't believe this video was all about water pressure and Richard didn't even once use the phrase "full city water pressure"!
its the classic Ask This Old House viewers lament
Lmfao
City stream 💦
Good ol' Rich. This old house has a great selection of experts. I've learned tons.
In 1967 the landlord of our apartment building (At least 12 units) had to install a pump on the main water line inlet because 3rd floor taps would go dry and/or dribble in late July. You knew when the pump was running because the water would come out in surges at times. I think the 30 year old building steel water lines were constricted to some extent.
While installing a pressure reducing valve it’s always a good idea to scratch up the top of your washing machine while slamming down material
I Like the idea of two water pressure gauges. At least I know I did a good job. Thanks.
This happened in our house and there was a pressure reducing valve installed but it turned out the valve was not set correctly and thanks to this video I was able to do that correctly. A word of wise though, the pressure will still shoot up if you do not have an expansion tank installed in the system but that will be done once our new water heater gets installed.
It's true, if you install a PRV then you absolutely need to install an expansion tank. The fact he didn't mention this and many other things he did makes him seem like a hack plumber
@@Ryan-ky3nr but it's not a hotel or multi unit building. Just 1 house.
He installed gauges for horizontal pipe, which reads sideways. You can also get gauges for vertical pipe which show the readings upright instead of sideways... not a big deal, just easier to read.
I love the attention for perfection! I concur 100%! 🙂
This guy got his plumbing upgraded big time. Saved video because I want to do the same with my piping. Having gauges makes everything easier to troubleshoot!
"We do have a lot of banging in here" *giggity*
Sorry I missed that so I went back and he said he got a good thumb throughout the whole house and the garden hose just explodes without warning
Amazing, such clean, organized and professional work! I just loved watching it!
I wish I lived in a house with a basement so that 90% of the stuff they show would be relevant.
Who tapes and threads together, then solder?
This explains so much! Thank you! Buying one tomorrow
Great, informative vlog. I appreciate the knowledge you impart particularly the cutting and soldering of the copper pipe. Thank you!
This isn't a vlog.
@@MAGAMAN whatever!
Thanks for another informative vid! Makes it look so easy I could aaallllmost see myself doing it. Almost.
always learning. great job richard
Water pressure in my neighborhood is 100psi. We had a reducing valve installed shortly after moving in due to numerous leaks and have been fine since. I do see a lot of plumbers trucks in my development though likely fixing leaks caused by the excessive pressure.
Where I live they wanted $1000 to install a pressure reducing valve. Instead, I just turned the main water shutoff valve down to reduce the pressure.
@@MAGAMAN I might try this. I guess if the pipe breaks between the street shut off and my PRV,. I will get screwed anyway.
@@carbonunit That reduces the flow, which can reduce pressure when the faucets are in operation, but does nothing for the pressure when all of the faucets are closed. If you're going to shut off the water at the street to install a pressure reducing valve, I'd take the time to install a main shutoff as well.
@@MAGAMAN $1k!!
So you turned the valve down what? About 25%?
I did it right. I should have seen this a couple of months ago. All is good thanks.
@Hello George how are you doing
Some places your lucky to get the 50 psi let alone 100 psi.
Like most places with their own wells pressure tanks...
City water has what u need and then some..
@@borys444 What about all those cities in Michigan with lead pipes who can't use their city water?
The house I live in has the water pressure at 90psi and it's been that way for 30 years no ill effects on anything.
This is a great video - I’m going to install the gauges like that from now on
What a pro Richard is.
Nice work. Great video . Thank you gentlemen
I've heard that it is important to install an expansion tank on your water heater if you have a PR Valve installed to protect against explosion if your PRV fails and your water supply 'locks'.
Installing an expansion tank is recommended but water heater doesn't explode even if the PRV fails since all water heater has a T&P valve.
There will be no explosion on a properly installed system. You may see your pressure relief valve cut lose on your water heater if you install a PRV without an internal bypass, such as a U5b built by Watts. If you use their 25AUB however, it has an internal bypass negating the need for an expansion tank.
Myth busters UA-cam
Check with your local municipality as to what is code in your area. Most require it from what I have seen.
Should always put valves in for gauges and leave them shut unless reading the gauge, asking for a problem when the gauge gives and nobody's home.
Rich Ts explainations and work are always tip shelf.
We have a TOH drinking game. Every time Rich replies "good" it's time to chug an ice cold piwo. Cheers in advance man.
ਬਹੁਤ ਵਧੀਆ ਵਰਨਣ ਕੀਤਾ ਹੈ। ਧੰਨਵਾਦ l
The water pressure in my house is fine yet here I am. Watching. Just incase the water pressure in my house changes out of nowhere.
The bad acting is hilarious with the homeowner lol😂 they think there going to be a big star in Hollywood. 😂
lucky guy must have a water tower in his back yard, one place i lived at was 15psi and i put in a whole house booster for a well.
Mine checked out at 150psi today. I live at the base of a mountain on a community water system so they have to put it under pressure to get to the top of the mtn. I found it out today when I got a new water heater
You have to make sure the well pressure tank is present, serviceable, and actually charged...
Watching TOH for years, I have never seen Richard ream the inside of any pipe. Why is this???
Later that night they went and set the pressure back to 100 😂
Um, is it wise to solder those two copper fittings with the tefloned red brass pipes attached? Won't the heat from the solder torch degrade the Teflon tape? Newbie question. Thx
People should realize that the city has no responsibility to regulate your water pressure. They will use whatever water pressure is required to get water to their customers and it can vary based on elevation and distance. They can change it at any time without notice so it might increase over time if more home are added on the line..
High water pressure plays havoc on appliances, hoses, pipes, faucets and can cause major leaks if it is not corrected. It is the home owners responsibility to know and regulate the water pressure in their house and you do this through a water pressure reduction valve as shown in this video.
It is a good idea to plumb in the pressure gauges as these valves have a tendency to get sticky over time and not work as well as when new and you could see that on the gauges.
If you have a full house water filter later in the system you can add another pressure gauge after that to check for a pressure drop when the filter starts to get dirty.
Yes, but the problem that I have seen is that the gauges themselves tend to get sticky when they are sitting at the same pressure level for years and years and years. I've seen it before when the water supply is turned off and the gauges still read normal pressure even though the line has been drained. I much rather use a handheld gauge with a female garden hose adapter and periodically measure the water pressure at a sillcock or laundry sink installed downstream of the pressure reducing valve.
Lol.who soldering with teflon tape on it ?))))
I was gonna say the same thing not the proper way.
Very questionable soldering practices by Ol’ Richard.
At 5:00 and 5:10 as they pan up and down the pipe, there’s a drip coming from fitting where tape is. Look real carefully towards bottom connection of the regulator valve assembly and you’ll see it. That’s why you don’t heat the pipe with tape on it! Leaks!
Good video. Very informative.
I would put the unions on the outside of the assembly. Serviceability. Is there not a screen or strainer to prevent sediment from getting into the regulator?
No way they left all the extra fittings and gauges on after the filming was done.
I agree and I did just that. You can also buy regulators with unions on both the inlet and outlet. External unions can be a little tricky to install properly, which is one reason a lot of plumbers avoid them. Plus the customer does not want to pay extra for the parts and labor.
Richard why didn't you remove the Teflon tape from thread to solder fiting while soldering because of heat Teflon tape could melt and cause a leak
Great video
Thank you for another excellent video!
If you have an expansion tank on the water heater, doesn't that impact what the gauge would read? How do you know if the high pressure is due to a failed expansion tank or a bad PRV?
He tested the pressure right after the meter…
Ever since the city installed a new water meter, our pressure is immense for the first couple of seconds when we open a faucet...
Looks to me like they put dirt on that hose Bibb and piping to cover the fact that it was just installed.
In case anyone is interested. You are supposed to use pink Teflon tape for fittings over 1/2”.
Or you can just use a couple more wraps with the white tape. The only difference is the thickness and density.
Adding water filters would also reduce the pressure alot and have the added benefit of filtering the water
Adding random water filters is prone to causing bacteria in your plumbing, especially when the filters get forgotten about.
i have installed a new pressure regulator valve and adjusted it about one half way with the screw on top, but i still have very little pressure. when i turn the water on i have good pressure but it goes way lower in a minute.
Did anyone see all that water under the water main?
yes
Probably basement moisture
Look at all of the new fittings. They even tried to cover them up with dirt. The show probably went through and made it easy for Richard to do the work.
Jared S I was thinking the same thing!!
@@ryanwhitt1748 … There's a distinct possibility they just got done replacing the main shut-off valve so they could shoot this episode and not have a leaker the first time it was used in 40 years. OTOH, most of that area looks uncluttered as if they might have removed a well tank and recently added public water.
No fresh Teflon tape when you reinstalled the gauge?
Is sodring with teflon tape on the connection ok? I saw the connection with teflon tape is very close to the sodring sites.
I would never solder fittings with teflon tape on them already lol, that could be asking for problems after
are you dumb? No issues at all
I was thinking the same at that clip. Not sure if teflon is made to handle soldering temperatures. It may melt and the sitation becomes luck instead of knowledge that it’s watertight.
.
I was wondering about that too. If he is using real Teflon tape, it isn't a problem . A lot of that PTFE tape is rated for 500 deg F. Plumbing solder melts at 370 degrees.
That’s the way I was taught as well. Anytime you had a male adapter with dope or tape you’d swear on a 3-4” lead so your heat isn’t right on it. We’d also wrap a wet rag around that or any parts that could be damaged by heat. I love the comment that your obviously not a plumber. I’ve met several plumbers who did it this way and some who didn’t. Personally I go with better safe than sorry. Especially when the PRV comes with unions you could dry fit everything mark your copper then sweat your two males then put every thing together.
Dill Wiggle na they are fine they could always tighten it a little later on if need be. What he should have done to be safe is put megaloc on it with the Teflon if he was going to solder.
My Space
1 second ago
Wow! who could foresee, having a pressure gauge in your pocket will come in handy
Always had one in my truck.
Nice Job!!!
nice video , Thank you for sharing !!
My house is 60 psi - 70 psi on average. Would you suggest installing a sharkbite prv? Or hire a plumber.
A question for the plumbers. My main supply is 3/4" and at some point, it's reduced to 1/2" to the rest of the house(probably typical setup my guess). Is it OK to install a PRV on the 1/2" line right after the 3/4" from the main? I'm asking because it would be an easier job than installing a PRV on the 3/4" pipe. Thanks!
You don't solder on fittings with the Teflon tape already on them . The heat from the torch will damage the tape. Also you should always use tape and pipe dope together.
I really think after they were done, they were taking all that BS back out and redoing it from the meter.
I agree regarding not soldering with the fitting installed and taped up, if at all possible. However, I totally disagree that you should always use tape and pipe dope together. This is not recommended by ANY pipe dope or tape manufacturer that I know of since it is redundant. It really is one or the other. But some people who think they know better use both because they don't understand either product really and it makes them feel better. Not necessary, wastes product and if done incorrectly, can result in a leak. Use a good pipe dope product OR use quality teflon tape and be done with it.
You don’t know what you’re talking about, tape and dope every time unless doing high purity process and cda. Of course the manufacturer won’t admit their product alone does a half assed job lol
repair tech that worked on our gas furnace that has low water pressure told us that the screen you see in the value at 2:17 can get clogged up and cause pressure reduction and low flow issues .
I think the screen itself is there to prevent debris from getting jammed in the valve part of the prv valve. If it gets jammed open, the prv valve won't be able to regulate the pressure and the pressure would go too high.
I suppose too low of a pressure is better than too high.
Anyone else notice the connection is leaking at 4:58? It also drips once more later on..
No way they left all the extra fittings or gauges. Probably redid it all the way back to the meter.
Can you show us closer exactly where you cut the old copper pipe? It was so quick we can't see exactly where you are measuring to
Water Hammering - Been there.
Did you replace the O-rings after soldiering the joint???
i live in a small city and city's psi is 80. i think it is still kind of high compared to this Gentleman over 100psi. anyhow great video
4:59 "And dat comes from da city, right?"
A great idea for an episode is to ask some local water companies WHY some of them insist on delivering water to residential customers at such a ridiculously high pressure. I have 3 properties in Salt Lake City and 2 of them have pressure from the city around 50 to 60 psi while the other--which is not that far away--has pressure from the city closer to 150 psi. THAT property has constant plumbing problems due to this unusual and ridiculously high water pressure. Sure, yeah, I've installed a pressure reducing valve exactly like the one in this video... but guess what? What you failed to mention here is that they FAIL regularly... (at different intervals depending on things like how hard your water is, how much volume you run through valve on a regular basis--and how much pressure is coming from the city supply side). For example, in 2016 I installed a new PRV at this property... and by 2021--just 5 yrs later--it had already failed--and I had to "rebuild" it with a Watts kit... which has now failed again (in 2024). So, it's not a "once and you're done" kind of fix. It's just one other expensive and annoying FUTURE plumbing you're going to have to deal with... as long as you own the house. And it would be completely avoidable and unnecessary if the local water companies would simply deliver water to you at a reasonable and somewhat consistent pressure. Right? So... why don't they?
My house only has the PRV on the line to the HTW, the other lines to the kitchen sink, 2 bathrooms and 2 outdoor spickets are NOT. I asked a Lowes plumbing rep if that was right, he said Yes, I think it is Wrong, all cold water lines should be PRV'd before their end faucets...
see that old gate valve on the top of the washer @ 1:50 that must have been there before TOH installed a ball valve without telling us.
Just have to be careful when soldering that you dont burn too much of that teflon. It'll loosen up the connection
Does it matter which direction to mount and location to install a PRV?
“We have plenty of banging” - homeowner
By me installing one of those in my house. Will that make my water bill lower ? 🤔
Yes, at a lower pressure your flow of water through your consumption points will be less. Not sure how much the overall savings will be.
did utube change our names that appear with an @ ? now ,,,,,thanks very helpfull
Pro press man. Pro press
Anytime a pressure reducing.regulator is installed and expansion tank need to also be installed, not sure if already had one but should have been mentioned.
Not if you use a PRV with an internal bypass.
lol the solder drips
Bang bang bang 🧨
wow...that's great!!
lovely video....
Can I use this to increase my water pressure I have 55 psi but want more for my lawn sprinklers.
adding the two pressure gauges reduces water flow and should be considered. most PRV come factory set at 50-lbs
Why a threaded tee why not 2 sweat sides and one threaded side for gauge just wondering. Is it just preference?
How would this affect the backyard sprinkler system? Would it also reduce the water pressure back there? Our house is on a hill and we get about 120 psi from the main, but when I reduce it to anything less than 80 psi, the backyard sprinklers won't even pop up and the pressure inside the house is still too strong. What's a good fix?
Prv after the irrigation tee
It would. And if your sprinkler was properly set up before putting something like this will totally cause havoc with underwatered spots, and may require extensive rezoning.
Would u recommend that on a community well the pressure pump and motor arent submerged they're in the basement
I have a psi of 120 but double storey house. is a pressure reduction valve indicated in this scenario with a double storey?
Does the heat from the torch damage the teflon tape on threaded fitting???
Could it cause a leeak.??
The leek is a vegetable, a cultivar of Allium ampeloprasum, the broadleaf wild leek (syn. Allium porrum). Not sure how a torch is related to said vegetable. Cheers
Why didn't you show putting the O rings back in?
Should I install after the water softener or the meter after the main city pipe
Install right after your main shutoff valve
Hi Roger , I was wondering instead of installing pressure valve why not to shut the main ball valve to 50% . That would have surely reduced pressure to 50 from 100.
I may be wrong but I found that as quick fix
That does nothing to reduce pressure, only flow rate.
Rich, you just burned out the teflon tape with that torch, solder the adapters first, cool the pipe, & then screw on the other fittings....just sayin
Question: Will Teflon tape survive soldering?
peger that was kind of dumb IMHO. I'd solder the threaded adapter separately and then screw the rest together when it cools. Why risk it?
I normally use the blue monster teflon tape plus pipe dope (Rector Seal 5) what one suppose to do is to get wet rugs prior to solder in order to protect it. White teflon tape might not survive soldering
Can a pressure reducing valve be used on a well system that uses a on demand style pump switch?
My well pump delivers 4.75/5 bar every time a tap is opened, I would like to reduce this to the 50lb/3 bar as recommended in this video
You need a pressure tank. It has a air bladder to maintain a specific pressure range
You need to read up on well pressure tanks. I'm surprised you're getting above 50psi from a well system, though if the pressure tank assembly has a 30/60 or 40/60 switch, I'd still leave it alone. Make sure the tank is charged and the bladder isn't broken. Almost sounds like your water heater's expansion is trapped by the well system's check valve, in which case I'd wonder if your well pump isn't running all the time, with a pressure tank with a ruptured bladder and completely filled with water...
It's called a pressure regulating valve not a pressure-reducing valve
How does the pressure valve readings behave if the incoming water line has reduced volume to due mineral deposits and thus reduced flow?
well the PRV is self adjusting, so if the city side drops to say 40, the PRV would simply go full open and allow 40. IF the city drops from 120 to 80. The PRV would still give you only 50.
Pressure is pressure and volume is volume. 2 different things.