Home water regulator???

Our house is nine years old. Last week the water pressure in the house began to fluctuate while being used. And the pipes now make a rattling or vibrating noise when the water is flowing. Also the water in the house actually shut-off for about two hours. The water shutting off for over an hour during the day happened again four days later.

I was told that the problem is probably the water regulator under the house, and that I could replace it myself.

Any comments or thoughts regarding this issue would be appreciated.

Cybertrout

Are you served by a municipal water system or your own well? If it's your own well then you probably don't have a regulator.

If you must replace a regulator it would be best if you can find the exact model which is usually marked on a metal tag attached to the regulator. If you can match the model then it is just a matter of turning off the water supply, and remove old and install the new regulator.

A pressure regulator is not difficult to replace especially if you have a union on both sides. If you do not, it will require sweating a joint, and while that is not difficult if you know how to sweat a copper joint, if you don't know how, you'll need help. You will need a pressure gauge to set the regulator, they are about $15. If you do not have a thermal expansion tank, you should install one at this time also. If you do have one, chances are it's bladder may be shot after 9 years. If it is full of water, it's toast. Now, all of this is assuming you are one a city water system. If not your may have a problem with your pump.

The house is on a city main which has about 100lbs of pressure, all of the homes in our area have regulators which are set at 50lbs.

The current regulator has union joints on both sides, 3/4" copper pipe, I cannot read the metal tag which is on top of the valve. And the house does not have a thermal expansion tank.

I greatly appreciate your responses...

It doesn't really matter what brand you get, but Watts is a commonly used PRV. You need a thermal expansion tank because when your water heat heats water, the water expands. This water needs to go somewhere. In a home with no PRV, this expansion is simply absorbed by the city water main. However, a PRV has a check valve built into it that prevents this from occurring. The result is the pressure in you water heater rises dramatically. Usually it trips the TP valve on the heater. The expansion tank gives this expanded water a place to go until the heating cycle is completed. The expansion tank is installed in the cold water line between the water heater and the PRV. Watts makes them in several sizes. The installation is very straight forward. You cut the line, solder a tee in that space, then the adapter for the tank. The tank just screws on the that adapter. The tank must be well supported because when there is water in it, it becomes quite heavy. There are illustrations on the box the tank comes in on how and where it can be installed and supported. The tank is air charged to the same pressure as you set the PRV, so you must have a pressure gauge to set the PRV and tank. Air is added or subtracted through a Schrader valve like a tire. A small hand pump is sufficient to add air. This topic is frequently discussed on this forum, so you can do some searching if you want to read what has been discussed before.

Gary and Bob:

Thanks for your input:

I purchased a Watts regulator and installed it this afternoon. The water now flows with good pressure and the pipes are now quiet. I will probably address the thermal expansion tank over the weekend.

Thanks again, Bill

Home Prv.

"correction " Thermal Expansion Tank Goe's Between Water Heater Shutoff And The Water Heater :d

Macplumb 777 Ph.d Water Heaterolgy

Hm? I'm just a DIYer so I can quote chapter and verse of code, but this is the first time that I am aware that in all of the discussions on expansion tanks that anyone has specified the expansion tank must go between the water heat shut off and the water heater.

MACPLUMB 777 said:

"correction " Thermal Expansion Tank Goe's Between Water Heater Shutoff And The Water Heater :d

Macplumb 777 Ph.d Water Heaterolgy

Click to expand...

Why can't it be anywhere on the cold side between the check / PRV and water heater...

It should be on the heater side of the shutoff ... allows for future servicing with just shuting off the heater supply and not the main shutoff...

It's much simpler and gives more flexibilty to just put a shutoff on the t going to the expansion tank. Then, you don't need to shut the water off at all to isolate the tank needing maintenance.

Press. Regulator

This Is Also To Maintain Expansion Protection On Water Heater In Case Water Off At Heater To Do Other Mainenace

Macplumb 777

To have it on the other side of the valve makes it possible to close the inlet valve on the water heater and isolate the expansion tank from the water heater... It needs to be idiot proof!