Water Supply PSI

The "innerds" of the Wilkins model 70 pressure reducing valve on the water supply entering my house have gone bad and the water pressure slowly creeps up to 90 psi (valve set at 50). I've been able to get the rate of pressure rise to slow substantially by cleaning the internal cartridge and reversing the seal ring, but the pressure eventually builds back up. Obviously I need to replace all the internal components. They make a nice repair kit to do just that, but since it's Saturday, I can't get one. My question.... is 90 psi in the lines to high to leave for a few days until I can do the repair or should I get a pro in asap? Thanks!

A few days longer is fine.

Your plumbing will work at that higher pressure, but it is a bit high.
Plumbing Code likes 80 or less.
I like something like 60-70

Great. Thanks very much for the reply, Terry.

Prv

Very few plumbers will spend the time and money to repair ANY pressure reducing valve. Even using new parts, the end result may not be satisfactory and we would wind up installing a new valve anyway.

Even using new parts, the end result may not be satisfactory and we would wind up installing a new valve anyway.

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And that's even if you can find the parts.
It takes less time to install a new reducer, then the time it takes to locate parts for an old one.

Watts 25 AUB is the one I would use.

If you have any water treatment equipment, like a water softener, it has a max pressure rating of 125 psi. If you have 90 psi during waking hours, it can go up substantially over night when the least water is being used in the water system.

Gary Slusser said:

If you have any water treatment equipment, like a water softener, it has a max pressure rating of 125 psi. If you have 90 psi during waking hours, it can go up substantially over night when the least water is being used in the water system.

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While it may be able to handle higher pressures, anything over 80psi is violating code.

You say it creeps up. if you open a faucet a few seconds then close what does the pressure read? you want to be sure you don't have a problem with thermal expansion.

99k said:

While it may be able to handle higher pressures, anything over 80psi is violating code.

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Maybe in your area but around the US that is not true. Neither is it code outside city limits in most cases. You also need to know that there are whole states that don't have codes.

Jim, opening a faucet relives the pressure.

Gary Slusser said:

You also need to know that there are whole states that don't have codes.

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I'm pretty sure that the areas on a map of the US not covered by code would be very small indeed...
While the state may not have a code covering the whole state I'm sure individual counties and cities would...

Redwood said:

I'm pretty sure that the areas on a map of the US not covered by code would be very small indeed...
While the state may not have a code covering the whole state I'm sure individual counties and cities would...

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I don't agree but if the cities and counties are covered by code, what part of a state is left to not be covered? The only place in the US not covered by counties is Washington DC, and it is all city.

Let me ask you this, if no one has to pull a permit and there is no inspection, or no inspector to make an inspection, even if there was a permit required, is the code in effect or not? And which of the 5 national plumbing codes would apply?

And what do we do with all the millions of rural houses/buildings with their own wells? It is not code all over the US that all of them must have a PR(elease)V.

Maybe in your area but around the US that is not true. Neither is it code outside city limits in most cases. You also need to know that there are whole states that don't have codes.

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Gary, I'm going by the International Plumbing Code ... it is hard for me to even comprehend a state without plumbing codes. Could you name one for me please?

This might help somewhat.

Plumbing code usage by state

Pennsylvania, Texas, Wyoming, could be you best hope of proving something here as they do not have a state code...

However, Texas is a mix of county codes some of which are UPC and some of which are IPC, Pennsylvania is a mix of County and city codes...

Guess that leave the possibility of Wyoming... But a quick google seach shows that to be a hodgepog of codes Casper is UPC, Star Valley Ranch is IPC, Alpine Wyoming is IPC...

So, Name a place where the plumbing code doesn't apply!

99K and Redwood are referring to situations covered by a plumbing permit. Where a permit has been issued, the 80psi max rule should be enforced. However, there are all those houses (lots of them) built long ago that wallow in limbo because they haven't been subjected to the code process in a long time, if ever. I think Gary is referring to the latter. To answer Redwood's question: Name a place where the plumbing code doesn't apply? I would say it doesn't apply where permitted improvements haven't been done.

I was referring to Gary's comment that there are many places not covered by code...

Heck even Alaska has a state plumbing code... UPC 1997 based...

It is my understanding that much of Alaska is about as rural as it gets...

As far as code not applying to a house where work has not been done, that is essentially correct however even in that situation if the house is up for sale the new buyer may be able to insist on pressure regulation as part of the sale.

I answered the OP's question correctly; water treatment equipment has a 125 psi rating and his 90 psi waking hours pressure can easily go up over night to exceed that (implying he needs a PRV).

Then someone with tunnel vision wanting to pick at me claimed 80 psi is code everywhere (because his state has one and he can't believe others don't). And then someone else defends him...

If there is a code everywhere calling for 80 psi or a PRV, it hasn't been in place for very long in a number of states (PA, TX, TN etc.) but, hundreds of millions of houses/buildings do not have PRVs on 'city' water supplies, not to mention the millions of buildings on their own well, and many DIYers won't install one even if I tell them they need one; I think they like to gamble or at least say to themselves, "it ain't gunna happen to me!".

Yes, anyone buying an existing house can ask/demand or pelad for anything, and the owner can tell'em to pound sand if they want to, or not. Many reduce the price instead of doing whatever themselves.

Question, do all the plumbing codes limit pressure to a max of 80 psi?

My guess is no, it will vary per code, we have so many codes that the odds are in my favor... Also, if the water system limits the psi to say 85-90, will the "Authority" require a PRV? I know that many haven't in the past and I talk to many 'city' people from all over the US without a PRV, and next to none outside town have one.

Most do limit it to 80 PSI...

The only one that I can think of that doesn't is GSOPC 2009.

Yes, anyone buying an existing house can ask/demand or pelad for anything, and the owner can tell'em to pound sand if they want to, or not. Many reduce the price instead of doing whatever themselves.

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They could also claim it was an undisclosed fault and demand recourse after the sale... Unlikely but possible.

The plumbing inspectors in our area always put pressure gauge on at the final inspection.This was 15yrs ago,the pressure in the house I lived in for 20yrs
had a static pressure of 125 PSI,it has a 1&1/8th lead line 100ft long.
reduceded down 1/2 gal and copper and still having no problems today.
to get back to the point is on a new or remodel 80 PSI or less is the
manufactuers recamendation for proper operation of the fixtures.
So plumbing codes adopted this standard.

This part has been in the Illinpis plumbing code for well over 20 years.

Section 890.1210 Design of a Building Water Distribution System