PRV Problems

The pressure at the tap in my house is 140psi, obviously that is WAY too high. I had a plumber come out, to install a PR valve at the main coming in from the street. Unfortunately the water service coming in from the street is galvanized. He said there is no way to couple galvanized to a length of pvc then back to galvanized again in order to install the PR valve. He said I would have to get new water service run to the house at a cost of around $1200.00.

Is this true? Is there no way to couple PVC to galvanized so that I can install a regulator?

Thanks...

Why would want to keep the galvanized when it is notorious for failing over time.

I'd replace the line with copper, not plastic and have a new shutoff and PRV inside the building wall, not outside.

Having 140psi on that plastic line leading up to the PRV is going to be a connection put to it's limitations. That's questionable logic in itself even if piping is rated for higher. Crimp/banded/compression......it's got a possibility to blow out mainly for thermal expansion/contraction reasons. GOOD LUCK

So you would go ahead and have the new water supply brought in? Are you saying have the 1" line from the street changed to copper?

Thanks...

3/4" copper is the minimum required in my area. Type L or K. Making it one continuous line from meter to the house wall can be done in K type copper only......flared to catch the connection at the meter bracket continuous into the house wall.

If you use plastic......you have to transition twice; once at the 3' pigtail out of the crock off the meter.....and then again right before it enters the building wall as plastic can shear/break off at the wall from movement/ground disturbance.

Make sure they use sand/bank run as fill around that new pipe; dirt causes stress points on all types of pipe and that is a lazy plumber's attitude not to use proper backfill in the ditch to protect the pipe. It leaves voids under the pipe, the dirt above settles over years and the density pushes down on the pipe.

My water service? 3/4" L installed in 1959. Plastic does not carry that reliability, anywhere.

I can't add anything to Rugged suggestions, he's right on the button. It's not a question of can galvanized fail, it's when. It's hard to predicate exactly, differing conditions make it a crap shoot, but it will fail. I just uncovered a leak in my daughter's galvanized irrigation line and found the pipe itself was still in fine condition, but the leak occurred in the threads on the end. I will be replacing that whole system with PVC. You have too much pressure for PVC, so I'd go with the type K copper from the meter to the inside of the house. You might be able to save some dollars if you did the trenching yourself, but that can be a big job because water lines are often quite deep. Mine is 5' down! Something else to consider. If you are going to use this water for a sprinkler system as well as household use, you might want a larger meter that what you have now. A 1" meter would allow you to have plenty of water and pressure in the house even when the sprinklers were operating.

I would consider 1" pipe and copper.
I've seen poly pipe under high pressure, and the pipe stretches over time.

Here is a pipe sizing chart
https://terrylove.com/watersize.htm

I just wish it was not so expensive. And to think this all started because I had my yard sodded and got an irrigation meter installed.

Thanks...

errodr said:

The pressure at the tap in my house is 140psi, obviously that is WAY too high. I had a plumber come out, to install a PR valve at the main coming in from the street. Unfortunately the water service coming in from the street is galvanized. He said there is no way to couple galvanized to a length of pvc then back to galvanized again in order to install the PR valve. He said I would have to get new water service run to the house at a cost of around $1200.00.

Is this true? Is there no way to couple PVC to galvanized so that I can install a regulator?

Thanks...

Click to expand...

There is a simple way to couple just about anything to anything, and that's with waterworks compression fittings.

No question, though, but that a galvanized supply line can be counted on to be a problem, sooner or later.