How High Water Pressure Harms Your Building's Plumbing System

While strong water pressure feels great in the shower, excessively high pressure is one of the leading causes of hidden plumbing wear, pinhole leaks, and appliance failures. Property owners often confuse strong pressure with good system health, but unmanaged water pressure puts immense stress on your entire piping infrastructure.

Managing line pressure properly safeguards your fixtures, appliances, and pipe joints from premature failure.

The Dangers of Excessive Water Pressure

Standard residential and commercial water systems are designed to operate safely between 40 and 60 PSI (pounds per square inch). Pressure exceeding 80 PSI can cause serious long-term damage:

• Pinhole Leaks and Joint Strain: High pressure weakens soldered copper joints and causes microscopic cracks in plastic or PEX piping, leading to hidden leaks inside walls.

• Water Hammer Damage: When a valve closes quickly under high pressure, a shockwave travels through the pipes. This loud banging noise ("water hammer") can loosen pipe hangers and burst supply lines.

• Shortened Appliance Lifespan: Water heaters, washing machines, ice makers, and commercial dishwashers contain sensitive internal valves that fail prematurely when subjected to excessive PSI.

• Wasted Utility Costs: High pressure forces far more water through fixtures than necessary, driving up monthly water and sewer bills.

How to Protect Your Plumbing

Installing or adjusting a Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) on your main incoming supply line ensures that municipal water entering your building is regulated to a safe, steady level.

Have a qualified full service plumbing company ohare test your current system PSI and install a PRV to protect your property's plumbing infrastructure.