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PRMaintenance

Water pressure and valves

Pressure testing and pressure limiting valves, because mains pressure well above 500 kPa quietly destroys everything downstream of it.

Plumber holding a pressure test gauge connected to a blue test hose, reading just under 500 kPa
Fig. PRPressure
Discipline
Maintenance
Reference
PR
Coverage
Melbourne and the north-western suburbs
Quote
Worked out on site

In detail

High pressure feels like good pressure. It is not. Mains coming in at 700 kPa puts constant strain on tap spindles, flexible hoses, cistern inlets and every appliance solenoid in the house, and the failures it causes look random until someone puts a gauge on the line.

The fix is a pressure limiting valve at the meter, set so the house sees a steady pressure it was designed for. It is a small part and a short job, and it is the cheapest insurance in plumbing.

Testing takes minutes. If the reading comes back fine, that is a useful thing to know too.

From a completed job

Installed a pressure limiting valve to bring the water pressure down from 700kPa to a safe 500kPa, protecting the plumbing system and preventing long-term damage.
See the original post

How a job runs

Four steps, start to finish

  1. Tell us what is happening

    A message with the suburb, the problem and a photo. Most jobs can be narrowed down to one or two likely causes before anyone gets in a van.

  2. Looked at on site

    Quotes get worked out against your actual setup, not a price list. What is behind the wall changes the job, so the job gets priced after someone has seen it.

  3. Price agreed before work starts

    The price is agreed up front. If something genuinely unexpected turns up once things are open, work stops and you get a message before it continues.

  4. Installed, tested, commissioned

    Pipework tested before it is covered, appliances checked running rather than just connected, and the site left clean. Captions on completed jobs regularly note testing and commissioning.

Questions

Before you book

Send the suburb, a description of the job and a photo if you can. Most jobs get narrowed down before anyone attends, then the price is confirmed on site and agreed before work starts.

Yes. Their public positioning covers residential and commercial plumbing, drainage, gas fitting and maintenance. Ask with the suburb and what is happening.

The quoted price is agreed before work starts and covers the labour and materials for that scope. If something genuinely unexpected turns up once things are open, work stops and you get a message before it continues.

Next step

Need water pressure and valves looked at?

Tell us the suburb and what is happening. Work on record in 6 suburbs across Melbourne and the north west.