Lately when I turn on any faucet in my house the water comes rushing out at about twice the normal pressure for about half a second and then drops to normal pressure. I am worried the pressure is building up to high in the pipes. If I turn off the faucet and then turn it back on within a minute the pressure comes out normal. Its only when the water hasn't been used for a while that the pressure seems to have built up in the pipes. I tried turning the pressure down on my pressure regulator by turning the adjustment screw on top one full turn counter clockwise but the water still comes out way too high when the faucets or the clothes washer or shower is first turned on. After a second the pressure drops way down now that I adjusted the regulator.
Plumbing – What would cause the water pressure to be too high for just a second
plumbingwater
Related Solutions
You may need an aerator. If it needs replacing, then the water may spatter a lot. The aerator is the piece that screws into the end of the spigot. It limits the flow of water to between 1.5 and 2.5 gallons per minute and entrains air into the water stream to prevent splashing. From what you describe, it may even be missing. You can pick one up at any hardware store.
Silly suggestion, but have you checked if somebody turned off the water shutoff for just this faucet's hot water pipe?
Is this faucet on an outside wall? You shouldn't have any pipes running within exterior walls, but this may be a factor.
Do the pipes out of your water heater show any indication of running water if all the other faucets / showerheads are turned off? That may indicate a broken connection somewhere.
Related Topic
- Water – How to stop loud rushing water sounds when we flush
- Plumbing – How to fix low water pressure in one shower
- Water pressure inside house drops to zero when sprinklers are on
- Water – High water pressure issue from hot water heater
- Plumbing – Shower runs cold, then hot, then cold. Faucet in same bathroom runs hot after shower
- Water pressure became a problem – city water
- Plumbing – High Water Pressure After Rebuilding the Regulator
Best Answer
The problem is your expansion tank, or lack thereof. Your home has a check valve somewhere in the system, possibly included with the pressure regulator or as part of the municipal water meter. When your water heater turns on, the heating of the water causes it to expand, and that pressure has nowhere to release until you open a faucet. What you need is an expansion tank installed in your water lines. If you already have one, then it has failed (they usually have a bladder separating the air from the water, and this can fail over time or if not properly maintained). Installing a tank isn't too difficult, but will require shutting off the water to your house, cutting your pipes, and adding a T to your water line. If you have an existing tank, then they are often threaded and are simple to replace (the connection is often threaded and can be screwed off). Note that if you don't fix this, valves in your toilet and other fixtures will start to fail, or the TPR valve on your hot water heater will begin to leak water.