A PRV, or pressure regulating valve, helps control the water pressure coming into your home.

Water pressure from the city or supply line can sometimes be higher than what your home’s plumbing system should handle. The PRV helps reduce and regulate that pressure before it moves through the home.

If the PRV is failing, worn, adjusted incorrectly, or not working like it should, you may notice water pressure problems throughout the house.

Signs Your Water Pressure May Be Too High

High water pressure may feel nice at the faucet, but it can cause wear and tear over time.

Signs of possible high water pressure include:

• Very strong water flow at faucets or showers
• Banging or knocking pipes
• Toilets that run or refill randomly
• Dripping faucets
• Leaking supply lines
• Water heater issues
• Appliances making noise when water shuts off
• Fixtures wearing out faster than expected
• Pressure that feels too forceful

If your pressure seems too strong or your plumbing is noisy, it may be worth having the pressure checked.

Signs Your Water Pressure May Be Too Low

Low water pressure can happen at one fixture or throughout the home.

Signs of possible low water pressure include:

• Weak flow at faucets
• Weak shower pressure
• Slow-filling toilets
• Washing machine filling slowly
• Water dispenser flow slowing down
• Pressure dropping when more than one fixture is used
• Low pressure in the whole home
• Low pressure at only one sink, shower, or fixture

If only one fixture has low pressure, the issue may be simple, such as a clogged aerator or fixture problem. If the whole home has low pressure, it may point to a larger issue.

Pressure That Changes or Comes and Goes

Inconsistent water pressure can be frustrating and may have several possible causes.

You may notice:

• Pressure is strong one day and weak the next
• Pressure drops when another fixture turns on
• Pressure changes between hot and cold water
• Showers change pressure while running
• Some rooms have better pressure than others
• Pressure changed after recent plumbing work or a water outage

These details can help narrow down what may be happening. 

If only one faucet has low pressure, the aerator may be the first thing to check.

The aerator is the small screen at the end of many faucets. It can collect sediment, grit, or mineral buildup over time.

Signs the aerator may need cleaning include:

• Water spraying sideways
• Uneven flow
• Weak flow at one faucet
• Grit or debris at the faucet tip
• Pressure is fine everywhere else

You may be able to unscrew the aerator, rinse it, clean the screen gently, and reinstall it. Be careful not to lose the small washer or screen.

If cleaning the aerator does not help, or if multiple fixtures have pressure issues, the problem may be elsewhere.