If you suspect your water pressure is too high, it's actually quite tricky to measure. There's only so much water that can come out of a tap, so plumbers use a water pressure gauge, which they hook up to a tap to measure it. Ideally, your home water pressure shouldn't exceed 60 psi on this gauge.
The average American household needs 100 to 120 gallons per person per day, and a flow rate of about 6 to 12 gallons per minute. This requirement may be higher if it serves a home housing a large family or there are large water demands.
The average flow rate for faucets is between 1.0 gpm and 2.2 gpm. In the US, the maximum flow rate for kitchen and bathroom faucets is 2.2 gpm at 60 psi. In more environmentally regulated areas, the maximum flow rates are further restricted. For example, Georgia is down to 2.0 gpm and California is at 1.8 gpm.
The water flow rate is the measurement of how fast treated water will come out of your faucets throughout your home. It's measured in gallons per minute (GPM). The average household has a water flow rate of 6 to 12 GPM. Therefore, most households use roughly 100 to 120 gallons of water each day.
Normal psi for a home pipe system is between 30 and 80 psi. While you don't want the psi to be too low, it violates code to be above 80. Instead, you should aim for a psi that's between 60 and 70.
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. When water pressure reaches over 80 psi, signs of trouble may start to occur.
The ideal water pressure for a house will be somewhere in the range of about 45 to 65 psi. Anything higher than 80 psi can cause damage, and anything much lower than 45 psi may result in issues when you use your shower, toilet, dishwasher and other water-consuming appliances.
Standard shower heads use 2.5 gpm, but to earn the WaterSense label, a product must use no more than 2 gpm and still meet strict performance requirements. The EPA estimates that the average family could save 2,900 gallons of water per year by installing a WaterSense-labeled shower head.
Shower gallons per minute
The average American shower uses 17.2 gallons (65.1 liters) and lasts for 8.2 minutes at average flow rate of 2.1 gallons per minute (gpm) (7.9 lpm). Consider, if you will, the relevant calculations. Water utility bills are on the rise across the US.
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.
The greater the water pressure, the greater the water flow rate. So, the larger the plumbing system, the harder it is for the pressure to be dispersed evenly, and so the water flow rate will be lower. This is known as the flow rate and differential pressure.
The relationship between the pressure in the pipe and the flow rate is proportional. That is, the higher the pressure, the higher the flow rate. The flow rate is equal to the velocity multiplied by the cross section. For any section of the pipe, the pressure comes from only one end.
Open your main water valve.
Your house has a main water valve, usually located near the meter; the valve controls the flow of water into your home's pipes. Find the valve and check to see if it's completely open. Opening a half-shut valve is one of the quickest ways for increasing home water pressure.
Generally, contractors or professional cleaners will find that they prefer a higher GPM machine over PSI since they use cleaning solutions to loosen grime instead of relying fully on PSI, their job primarily becomes one of rinsing the dirt away. The higher the GPM the faster it will be to clean large surfaces.
A quick and easy way to increase water pressure (for homes supplied by a municipal water system) is to adjust the pressure-reducing valve, which can be found on the main water-supply pipe; look for a conical-shaped valve next to the water meter, close to where the main water pipe enters the house.
Ways to increase water pressure in your shower
Clean your showerhead. Remove the water restrictor. Replace your shower hose. Check if your water shut-off valve is fully open.
A toilet will normally use about 2-3 gallons per minute (gpm), a shower from 1.5 to 3.0 gpm, a bathroom or kitchen faucet from 2-3 gpm, a dishwasher from 2-4 gpm, and a washing machine from 3-5 gpm. When you start running more than one fixture (sink/dishwasher/toilet/etc.)
Many modern shower heads are designed specifically to increase the pressure of the water coming out of the showerhead itself. So, while they can't increase the actual water pressure of the home, they do improve the showering experience.
Federal standards mandate that for water conservation purposes, all bathroom faucets sold in the U.S. after 1994 have to have a flow rate of no more than 2.2 GPM at a water pressure of 60 psi (pounds per square inch).
Pressure, Flow & Your Plumbing System
When you get right down to it, the easiest way to describe the difference between water flow and water pressure is that water flow is how much water comes out of your pipes while water pressure is how hard it comes out of your pipes.
Shower Heads - The optimal water pressure for a shower head is between 40-60 PSI. Below 40 PSI the flow of water may be weak and unsatisfying, while over 60 PSI it may be uncomfortable or even painful.
Banging or Clanging Noises in Pipes
This is a sign that the pressure in your pipes is already extremely high, and the shuddering is your pipes adapting to the pressure increasing when you turn off the water. This also means that you could find yourself dealing with plumbing leaks within a short period of time.
Many toilets really do leak only at night; that's because people use much less water during these hours and in many municipal water systems, the water pressure rises considerably during this time.