Sorry for the late response, been driving. You need the PRV to protect the new items (washers, toilet valves, sinks) because they have been engineered to work at or around 60psi.

The pressure doesn’t affect the copper piping. (BTW the piping has a lifespan too- CU-60-100 yrs)

Were it my home, I’d put one in. If you can’t do it-call the man. They can be installed anywhere from the meter to the house.

If you
Ike the high pressure in your shower, after the install of the prv, you can remove the restrictor in the shower head .

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:

quote:

Originally posted by pbslinger:
I'm putting an expansion tank on my water heater inlet line, I think my new PRV will bleed any house pressure over 2 psi higher than municipal system back into the municipal system.

Does your municipality require a backflow preventer on the supply? I was told the the reason for the need for the expansion tank was because of the backflow preventer not allow pressure to go back into the supply.

The municipal system may have a back flow preventer at the meter. If so, the ability for a PRV to return pressure higher than the muni system won't do much. One of the reasons for back flow preventers is back flow could contaminate the muni system.

We moved into a new house that had a city water tank on top of the hill. Massive water pressure.
I realized this was a problem when my garden hose split. First, a plain hose then a heavy duty hose.

quote:

Originally posted by pbslinger:
I've lived in my house for 40 years and never knew the PRV was a maintenance item. Checked pressure for the first time ever and it was 105. A new PRV is ordered. The only sign of high pressure I've ever noticed is a sporadic lavatory faucet drip with a new faucet.

Ordered a Watts PRV on Amazon and it turns out it is coming from Canada and may take 3 weeks to get here.

3 week shipping turned out to be 1 week. Installed today and 55 psi is noticeably different than 105 psi. Can almost hear system going ahhhhh! Just kidding

quote:

Originally posted by sgalczyn:
A WH manufacture may not honor a warranty if pressure is too high - from Lochnivar:
This warranty shall apply only when the heater is:
• owned by the original purchaser;
• installed for indoor operation only;
• used at temperatures not exceeding the maximum
calibrated setting of its thermostat;
• used at water pressure not exceeding the working pressure shown on the heater;
• filled with potable water, free to circulate at all times

AO Smith has a 80 psi limit in their warranty

Rheem won't warranty if subjecting the tank to pressures greater than those shown on the rating label.

I lived in a neighborhood that had about 50 pound pressure... the city sent everyone in the area a letter saying they were going to increase the pressure to accommodate new developments. They advised installing a pressure valve. I was still in the contracting/plumbing/electrical business at the time with my Dad. People started calling for them... we had to start buying the things by the case. I have no idea how many we put in but it was a lot! The pressure eventually went up to about 100 pounds. 60 to 70 is plenty.

I am the opposite problem in my current location... have considering adding a booster pump. My pressure average is about 35 pounds. Got down to 23 pounds at one point, I can monitor constantly via a gauge. When I mentioned it to a member of the utility, they said the law requires them to provide 20 pounds minimum and if it ever drops below that let them know and they will put in a pressure booster pump at my house on their dime.