Our house has suffered from its fair share of water disasters. And unfortunately we've come home to find water leaks in our ceiling just above our kitchen (this happened as we walked through the door from a red eye flight back from Seattle, NOT FUN!).
I've also handled numerous calls from our tenants that have dealt with overflowing toilets, faucets leaking, washer hoses bursting, you name it.
So after my neighbor had to replace his water pressure regulator I decided to share easy plumbing tips that you can act on today or over the weekend that will help prevent water leaks:
+Test your water pressure with a $10 gauge and make sure it's not above 80 psi
+If your water pressure is too high have a licensed contractor install a regulator
+Adjust your existing water pressure regulator to reduce pressure to 55-75 psi
+Replace old supply lines with the steel braided variety
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+Replace old shutoff valves in kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms with quarter turn ball valves-they are easier to use and rarely break compared to older valves
It's much cheaper to avoid replacing a collapsing drywall ceiling then actually having to hire a contractor to fix it :)
For more pictures and a video on how to adjust the water pressure in your house you can visit my latest blog post http://www.homerepairtutor.com/water-leaks-3...
Have a great day!
#Bestof2012
It's also a good idea to check the drain lines at your water heaters....if it feels warm, it likely means that TPR valve (temperature pressure relief valve) is leaking. This is another valve that should be tested periodically...just don't do it late at night...as sometimes older valves will ...»