Many of the older suburbs in Canberra receive mains pressure water to their homes, and while this may seem like a good thing to those who love a strong shower, it can cause damage to your fixtures and increases your water usage, meaning more money out of your pocket and straight down the drain.
How do I know if I have high water pressure?
- Does the water come out strongly when you turn a tap on?
- Do your taps leak frequently, even after replacement?
- Do your pipes make loud noises when water is turned on or off?
If your answer to any of these questions is yes, then you may find that the water pressure to your home is too high.
What are the problems caused by high water pressure?
Erodes fixtures
High water pressure is terrible for your taps, and causes them to wear out much faster than they otherwise would. If you’ve replaced taps before but found that the leak returns after a short period of time, you may find that the cause isn’t the tap ware, but high water pressure instead.
This also applies to garden hoses, which often burst under the high pressure they are subjected to.
Loud and noisy pipes
On a larger scale, the pressure may also cause pipes to erode or leak, and can contribute to a ‘water hammer’ or a banging/noisy water pipes when the water is turned on or off. In worst-case-scenarios, the water pressure may even cause a pipe to burst, which will cause water damage to your home and may not be covered by your insurance.
Water wastage
Water wastage is a large issue associated with high water pressure because more water flows out of the tap in the same period of time, which means more water going straight down the drain whenever you turn on a tap.
Shortens the life of water-using appliances
High water pressure places strains on your appliances such as hot water systems, washing machines and dishwashers. These appliances are not designed to handle pressure higher than the recommended 500kpa, and the parts inside deteriorate at a much faster rate than if the pressure was lower. This can cost home owners money in expensive repairs or replacements.
