A pressure reducing valve protects your pipe and your plumbing fitting from bursting due to high water pressure. High water pressure can put stress on your pipes, causing them to break or damage the plumbing fitting leading to leaks.
A Pressure Reducing Valve is self- actuated to keep downstream, or upstream pressure regulated. The foremost function of these control valves is to convert the higher pressure into a much lower pressure. They are widely employed in the water, steam, and oil and gas industries.
In a hydraulic system, pressure reducing valves are used to lower the system pressure for use in circuits that require less pressure than the maximum system pressure. This extends the life of the lower pressure circuits and conserves energy.
1. A Water Regulator Valve May Be Needed to Save Water. If the water pressure level coming into your home from the city exceeds 80 psi, you need a water pressure regulator. Reducing the system pressure 10 to 20 psi can save thousands of gallons a year in the typical home.
A PLV is only able to reduce the pressure to a set pressure, usually 350Kpa, 500Kpa or 600 Kpa, where as a PRV can be set to a pressure usually raging from 150Kpa to 600Kpa. So the difference is a PLV has no or a set adjustment in the pressure however the PRV does.
Pressure-reducing valves are used when maintaining consistent levels of pressure throughout an entire system is necessary, while pressure-relief valves are used when it's essential that extreme overpressure conditions be prevented from occurring within the system.
Water pressure is measured in psi, or pounds per square inch, and represents the force at which water enters your home from the water main. 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.
Do All Homes Have a Water Pressure Regulator? No, and in some cases, you may not need one. Certain municipal supplies regulate their water pressure safely, but if that pressure runs above 80 psi, you'll want to protect your plumbing system by installing one.
Testing your water pressure PSI (pounds per square inch) is the best way to determine if you need a water pressure regulator to avoid plumbing problems. A PSI between 50 and 70 is ideal. You're in the danger zone if you're hitting 80, and you may even be in code violation at that level.
Globe valves are considered the industry standard for control valves because they are good at regulating flow, whereas ball valves are better for on/off control without pressure drop.
Pressure reduction through a control valve is assumed to be an isenthalpic process where no energy is lost to the system; therefore, a pressure reduction causes an inherent temperature reduction to maintain energy balance.
Water pressure regulators are made to reduce the flow of water into the home in order to limit the strain put on the plumbing infrastructure. Too much water pressure can cause many plumbing problems, so it is very important to keep the water pressure under control.
The pressure reducing valve may be used for water hammer protection under properly defined conditions. The water hammer events are so fast that the relief of pressure by this means requires very special rapid response valves designed for the particular system.
First, pressure regulation and backflow prevention are two separate processes that work together to protect against cross-contamination of the water supply. Regulator valves are installed in conjunction with backflow equipment to maintain consistent water pressure levels throughout the piping.
Responds instantly to changes in demand. Reduced pressure accuracy ±5% from full flow to 10% of flow (10 to 1 turndown). Soft valve faces suitable for dead end conditions.
Most often homeowners complain about low pressure; however, having high pressure can result in expensive damage. The pressure level can vary, but 60 PSI (pounds per square inch) is recommended for most residential homes. Water pressure should not be higher than 80 PSI.
Water Pressure Readings
Normal water pressure is generally between 40 and 60 PSI. Most homeowners prefer something right in the middle around 50 PSI. Once you measure the water pressure in your house, you can adjust it to a setting that is ideal for all family members and household uses.
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.
A PRV is a Pressure Reducing Valve that is commonly placed on water distribution systems and within individual homes, multi-family homes and businesses. There are two types of water pressure reducing valves, direct acting and pilot operated. Both use globe or angle style bodies.
A Pressure Reducing Valve is a relief valve and controls and maintains a preset, reduced downstream (outlet) pressure by causing the main valve to throttle and sustain the desired reduced pressure regardless of variations in demand and upstream (inlet) water pressure.
The three basic types of pressure-relief valves are conventional spring loaded, balanced spring loaded, and the pilot operated. Conventional spring loaded.
How long will a Water Pressure Reducing Valve last? The life expectancy of a water pressure regulator is most commonly in the range of 10 to 15 years. However, you may see a regulator malfunction at three years and one still properly functioning at 20 years old if regularly maintained.
If the PRV is improperly adjusted, or has failed, it can result in a pressure loss or even no water downstream.