Have you noticed that the water pressure in your home seems to decrease if you have two sources of water running at the same time? If watering your lawn decreases the water pressure in your shower, it could be because of the city water pressure.
How exactly does water pressure work? And, when is it time to contact a Toronto plumbing service if you notice any issues? Read on to find out more.
Facts about City Water Pressure
Toronto water pressure should be set to around 50-70 PSI (pounds per square inch). To measure the water pressure in your home, you can use a water pressure gauge, which you simply attach to one of the faucets in your home. These can be purchased from a local hardware store.
Those Toronto residents who get their water supply from a water grid (via the city or municipality), the water pressure is actually at a higher rate than standard home plumbing can accommodate. If your plumbing were connected directly to the water supply, your pipes would inevitably be damaged beyond repair.
So, how is the city water pressure regulated to prevent damage? A pressure reduction device should be installed between the city water pipes and the internal plumbing in order to reduce the water pressure so it will not cause any damage to your piping.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, water pressure is at a rate that is too low for those who get their home water supply from a well. It does not essentially pressurize at all if you pull your water directly from the ground. If your plumbing is hooked up to the well, it will have more pressure. However, if the water source is located above, such as on the second or third story, there will be little to no water pressure.
In this instance, you will need a pressure addition device that consists of a large tank into which your well water filters to get your water pressure to the correct level for your home plumbing system. However, both the pressure addition and pressure reduction devices will need to be replaced due to gradual wear and tear.
When you start to notice that your water pressure is either too high or too low, it is time to replace the aforementioned devices. Failure to do so could result in damage to your plumbing system. For those with a well, the well pump will burn out and there will be no water pressure. For those with city water pressure, you will start to notice increased water pressure, which could result in burst pipes and leaks in your plumbing.
At the first sign that the level of well or city water pressure is too high or too low, you should contact DrainCom. We will send out a licensed plumber to replace or repair any issues with your plumbing and water pressure.
