Pressure Testing Plumbing

[Heather Thompson]

Creekers,

Advice please, last week we had a water disaster here at home, water through the kitchen and dinning room ceiling. I tore out the kitchen and part of the dinning ceiling, found one leak, think I have another. The village code inspector recommended a pressure test, have called around and been quoted prices of 1000.00+ down to 150.00 for the first hour + 100.00 each additional hour. I advised that I would pull toliets, ect to help offset cost, any thoughts would be appreciated.

Heather

[Chuck Wintle]

What kind of plumbing do you have, copper,pex or other? If it is copper and it suddenly springing leaks then the interior could be eroded to the point that it will all need replacing.

[Kenneth Hertzog]

Having been involved in the water industry for the past few years when we do a presure test you have to shut off all the valves including the hot water tank ( in flow ) so you are just testing the plumbing and not the spigots and other valves ( commode, washer, and such ) then you figure out what the operating presure is and test to three times that presure. That's the rule we go by. Hope that answered your question.

If it were my house and I was having a problem ( like I did a few yrs back )
I would replace the plumbing with new material and insulate the pipes.

Just my 2 pennies worth

ken

[Joe Pelonio]

I spent 17 years working at a water district, and we would send out people to test pressure by request, no charge. Generally we would recommend pressure regulators if the pressure exceeded 125 psi, but many older plumbing and fixtures, especially plastic sprinkler system valves will blow apart at less than that. They should be able to supply you with the static water pressure for your area based on their records.

Before you pay for a plumber to test it, if the local water agency doesn't so it, go to an RV supply and buy a gauge for under $20. Hook it to your front outside faucet, and with all other faucets off turn on that one and see what it reads.

There can be a range of 25 to 150+ psi depending on the elevation difference between your home and the supplying reservoir. If you do need a regulator it has to go on the line from the meter before the main home shutoff valve.

[Lee Schierer]

Creekers,
The village code inspector recommended a pressure test.

Heather
You can do the pressure test with compressed air. Compressed air leaks are easier to clean up and are what is normally used to test plumbing.

If you can attach a pressure gauge to your system and a compressor you have all the tools you need. Drain as much water from the system as you can. Turn off the hot water heater, don't drain the toilets or shut off the hand valves under them and make sure all faucets are closed. Pressurize the system to 40-50 psig with air. Wait 30 minutes to 1 hour if the pressure is still at the starting pressure you have no leaks. If the pressure drops you have a leak. To find the leak, isolate each plumbing fixture with the shutoff valves for that fixture one at a time, repeating the pressure test each time. When the system holds pressure, the last part of the system you turned off is the one where the leak is. You don't need to isolate the hot water system, just turn off the heater. (Make sure it is full and all air is removed from the line before turning it back on)

You should not have to pull the toilets or any faucet. 40-50 psig will not hurt any plumbing device.