Mysterious drop in psi at back hose bib
#1
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Mysterious drop in psi at back hose bib
Luckily it has rained at least once every 10 days, so the grass in my backyard isn't completely dead. But I know it'll eventually happen… which brings me to this forum.
A couple of months ago I noticed that the sprinkler attached to the hose bib at the back of my house wasn't working. At first I assumed I that I needed a new sprinkler. But after switching the sprinklers at the back and front of my house, I discovered that the water pressure at my back hose bib had mysteriously dropped since I last used it last fall.
A visit from someone from the Water Company confirmed it– my front hose bib is at 40psi and my back hose bib is at 16psi. I was told that both should be between 50-60. But not above 70-80. The Water Company guy told me to buy a water pressure gauge (which I did) and to adjust the pressure regulator in my garage until I can get the back bib increased to 50.
Two questions–
1. If I increase the pressure at my water regulator so that my back hose bib goes up to 50psi (+34), does that mean I'll be increasing the water pressure at every outlet (both inside and out), potentially increasing my back bib to a danger-zone high of 74 psi (40 + 34)?
2. Does the mysterious decrease in water pressure at my back hose bib over the winter (without any changes to water usage) mean my house has a serious plumbing problem? I ask this because my house is only a year old– it was a new build and we moved in July 2013.
In case it matters, water pressure at every other outlet seems fine. And I've tested the back bib at different times of the day. It was 14psi every time.
A couple of months ago I noticed that the sprinkler attached to the hose bib at the back of my house wasn't working. At first I assumed I that I needed a new sprinkler. But after switching the sprinklers at the back and front of my house, I discovered that the water pressure at my back hose bib had mysteriously dropped since I last used it last fall.
A visit from someone from the Water Company confirmed it– my front hose bib is at 40psi and my back hose bib is at 16psi. I was told that both should be between 50-60. But not above 70-80. The Water Company guy told me to buy a water pressure gauge (which I did) and to adjust the pressure regulator in my garage until I can get the back bib increased to 50.
Two questions–
1. If I increase the pressure at my water regulator so that my back hose bib goes up to 50psi (+34), does that mean I'll be increasing the water pressure at every outlet (both inside and out), potentially increasing my back bib to a danger-zone high of 74 psi (40 + 34)?
2. Does the mysterious decrease in water pressure at my back hose bib over the winter (without any changes to water usage) mean my house has a serious plumbing problem? I ask this because my house is only a year old– it was a new build and we moved in July 2013.
In case it matters, water pressure at every other outlet seems fine. And I've tested the back bib at different times of the day. It was 14psi every time.
#2
Yes, if you only have one regulator feeding everything, then they will all increase. I'd inspect the low bib. The thing about pressure is, if you put the gauge on it, even if something was blocking the line or crimped, it will still rise up to the supply pressure.
Could you possibly have 2 regulators? Is it possible you have a split line to the back bibb thus lowering the pressure? If it's a freeze proof, the part in the wall could have frozen and split. You could still open and close it, but some water would spray out the split, lowering the pressure out the bibb.
Could you possibly have 2 regulators? Is it possible you have a split line to the back bibb thus lowering the pressure? If it's a freeze proof, the part in the wall could have frozen and split. You could still open and close it, but some water would spray out the split, lowering the pressure out the bibb.