Water Pressure Reducing Valve Installation

Installed directly after the water meter in homes commercial buildings and manufacturing plants a water pressure reducing valve automatically reduces the pressure from the water supply main to a lower more sensible pressure.

Water pressure reducing valve installation.

So the home inspector will always recommend getting the valve installed in any home new or old with a psi of 80 or higher. Hold the valve assembly against a water pipe and mark where to cut the pipe. Take the water pressure reducing valve and attach it to the fittings. Turn off all the water.

If the pressure is excessively high install a pressure reducing valve. Unions at the valve. Warm up all of these fittings with the soldering torch and then apply some suitable caulking paste to the edges of the fittings. Hoses are a common location.

It is best to check this before you have soldered up your pipes. Use a tubing cutter to remove a section of water pipe as indicated by the marks made in step 4. The flux needs to be forced down by the pressure of the water so the valve blocks the flow. So any new home will have one of these valves installed.

The city code for new home construction states the psi cannot be higher than 80. Take the time necessary to install the extra piping on the high pressure side of your water service line to allow you to keep high pressure at certain fixtures. Remove the pressure gauges and rubber o rings from the valve assembly. Apply the coupling and put in the adapter.

For the home inspector this is an issue of liability. There are two types of water pressure reducing valves direct acting and pilot operated which use globe or angle style bodies. If you install a pressure reducing valve before the hose bib branches you will lose your wonderful high pressure. Mount the fitting upon the water pressure reducing valve and then fit this into position.