Alright, so I’d been noticing a few weird things around the house. The shower wasn't hitting like it used to, and sometimes the dishwasher sounded like it was struggling a bit. Got me thinking, maybe I should actually check the water pressure. It's one of those things you hear about but never really bother with, right?

Getting Down to It

First thing, I had to get a pressure gauge. Popped over to the hardware store and grabbed one of those simple screw-on types. Pretty cheap, actually. Then, I went looking for a spot to test. The easiest place for me was the outdoor hose spigot. Some folks use the laundry sink faucet, but the hose bib was right there.

So, I made sure no water was running anywhere else in the house – no flushing toilets, no dishwasher, nothing. Screwed the gauge on tight. Then, I slowly turned the spigot all the way on. Watched that little needle jump. And bam, there was my reading.

What's a "Good" Number Anyway?

My first reading was, let's say, a bit surprising. It was higher than I thought it would be. I saw it hit nearly 85 PSI. Now, I’m no plumber, but that sounded like a lot. So, I did what everyone does: I looked it up.

Seems like most sources say you want your house water pressure to be somewhere between 40 and 80 PSI. Lots of folks aim for that sweet spot around 60 PSI. Some even say the ideal is closer to 50-70 PSI. Anything too low, and you get weak showers, and stuff doesn't work right. Too high, and you’re apparently asking for trouble – busted pipes, wearing out your appliances faster, that kind of thing. That 85 PSI was definitely in the "uh oh" zone for potential damage.

Making Some Adjustments

Knowing my pressure was on the high side, I had to figure out what to do. My house has a pressure reducing valve (PRV) near where the main water line comes in. Not all houses do, especially older ones, but thankfully mine did. It usually looks like a bell-shaped thing.

This part was a bit fiddly:

• I located the PRV. It’s usually after the main shut-off valve.
• There's an adjustment screw on top. I loosened the locknut first.
• Then, I turned the screw – usually counter-clockwise to reduce pressure. I only did a small turn, like a quarter or half turn.
• Went back to my gauge on the hose spigot (after opening a faucet somewhere to release pressure and then closing it again) and checked the reading.
• It was a bit of back-and-forth. Turn a bit, check. Turn a bit, check. You don't want to go too far too fast.

My goal was to get it down to around that 60 PSI mark. Took me a few tries, but I eventually got it dialed in. If it had been too low, I would have been looking for different problems, like checking if the main shut-off valve was fully open, or worrying about clogged pipes or, worse, a hidden leak. But thankfully, my issue was just a bit too much oomph.

The Aftermath and What I Learned

Once I got the pressure adjusted to around 55-60 PSI, things definitely felt better. The faucets weren't as splashy, and I felt a bit more at ease about my pipes and appliances not being constantly stressed out. It’s a simple check, really, but one of those things that can save you a headache down the line.

It's kinda funny, I only really dove into this because my neighbor had a pipe burst last winter, and they suspected high water pressure played a part. Made me think, "Hmm, maybe I should actually pay attention to that." Glad I did. It’s a pretty easy bit of home maintenance, all things considered.