Anything over 80 psi is considered too high and could damage your plumbing system. On the other end of the spectrum, anything below 40 psi is considered low pressure, and anything below 30 psi is considered too low.
The water pressure in your house measures how fast water travels through your pipes and out of your faucets. Normally, the standing residential house has a water pressure of around 80 PSI (pounds per square inch). Anything above 80 PSI is considered too high and can cause serious damage to your pipes and equipment.
Pressure above 80 pounds per square inch (psi) is considered high water pressure. Plumbing fixtures are designed, produced, and tested to perform best with water pressure under 80 psi. Optimal water pressure is 50-80 psi.
A limit of 80 psi (551.6 kPa) is the maximum static pressure of any water supply system.
Pressure Reducing Valve
In accordance with Uniform Plumbing Codes, property owners and/or customers are responsible for installing and maintaining their own individual PRV devices whenever static water pressure exceeds 80 PSI .
High water pressure is any pressure in your home that is over 80 PSI (Pounds Per Square Inch). Homes newly built are required by UPC (Uniform Plumbing Code) to have a pressure regulating valve installed if the pressure to the home is 85 PSI or higher.
Pressures above 80 psi are too high. Whereas low water pressure is more of a nuisance than a serious problem (some fixtures, like washing machines, have minimum pressure requirements), high water pressure carries with it a significantly increased risk of damage to pipes, joints, fixtures and seals.
Signs of High Residential Water Pressure
Most times, your focus is on the water's temperature and pressure. Having high water pressure might seem like a good thing. However, with most fixtures only able to handle a maximum of 80 pounds per square inch (PSI), too much pressure can be detrimental to your plumbing system.
Most water fixtures are designed to withstand 80 psi, but the water pressure coming from the City of Austin water supply requires a pressure reducing valve if your water pressure is greater than 65 psi. That is why a PRV or pressure reducing valve is often recommended by plumbers.
Most residential plumbing systems are designed to handle 40 to 60 PSI of pressure, with 80 PSI being the typical maximum and anything over 100 PSI being possibly detrimental to plumbing components.
The ideal range of normal water pressure for a house is between 30 psi (pounds per square inch) and 80 psi. Anything over 80 psi is considered too high and could damage your plumbing system.
IPC: 608.2 Excessive Water Pressure. Where static water pressure in the water supply piping is exceeding 80 psi (552 kPa), an approved-type pressure regulator preceded by an adequate strainer shall be installed and the static pressure reduced to 80 psi (552 kPa) or less.
Check your pressure at an outside hose bib
This will give you a baseline of the water pressure at your hose bib. Standard pressure should be between 40-80 pounds per square inch (psi). Pressures higher than 80 psi can possibly damage household appliances. Generally, the ideal pressure is 65 psi.
It's important to maintain your home's water pressure within an acceptable range. The ideal water pressure ranges between 40 and 80 pounds per square inch, with the recommended home water pressure at 60 psi.
High water pressure in the home isn't only a nuisance, but also damaging to a home's plumbing and appliances. On average, the water pressure in a home should not be more than 80 psi.
Over time, high water pressure wears on your plumbing system and leads to: Leaking Pipes: High water pressure continuously puts too much force on your pipes. Eventually, your home's pipes will likely wear down until they can no longer hold back the water.
Normal water pressure range
In general, residential water pressure ranges between 45-80 psi (pounds per square inch). If your water pressure is under 40 psi, it's considered low.
Install a pressure-reducing valve
Installing a pressure-reducing valve can regulate and decrease the incoming water pressure to a safe and optimal level for your home. A PRV valve can lower water pressure coming into the home if the municipal water supply has a high pressure exceeding 80 PSI.
While 50 to 70 pounds per square inch (psi) is the ideal range, most plumbing fixtures are designed to work with water pressure up to 75 psi. Anything higher than this can damage your pipes and fixtures.
Maintaining water pressure between 40–60 psi is recommended for well water systems. It's important to periodically test the water pressure to ensure it falls within this range and detect any issues early on.
If your pressure is higher or lower, then you'll need to install, repair, or adjust your pressure regulator to comply. Adjusting your regulator is easy, as long as it's working properly. Simply tighten the screw down clockwise to increase pressure and counter-clockwise to decrease pressure.
Maximum Pressure Limit: Many plumbing codes specify a maximum allowable water pressure to prevent damage to plumbing fixtures, pipes, and appliances. As mentioned earlier, this maximum pressure is often around 80 psi in residential settings.
Measured in pounds per square inch (PSI), the water pressure inside a house is usually anywhere from 30 to 80 PSI. If you're wondering if your water pressure is on the high or low side, you can measure it with a water pressure gauge. Optimum water pressure is between 60 to 70 PSI.
The average cost to replace a water pressure regulator ranges from $300 to $650 for most homes, including labor and materials. However, the cost to install a water pressure-reducing valve can vary significantly depending on your location, the regulator type, and the installation complexity.
When the pressure reaches levels of 100 PSI or above, it usually indicates an issue within the water network, rather than something within the home. Get in touch with a representative from your water supplier to discuss the problem, and they'll be able to advise you on what they can do to fix the pressure.