High Water Pressure Service Near Kansas City, MO

Direct Acting Valves: This is the most commonly used PRV, especially in a residential application. They have a simple design and are a more economical choice.

Pilot Operated Valves: This type of regulating valve is typically for larger diameter pipe, which makes them ideal for industrial work.

At Inception Plumbing, we specialize in a wide range of quality plumbing services including professional water pressure reducing valves in Kansas City, MO, and nearby areas. Also known as a Water Pressure Regulator Valve, this compact mechanism provides us with two basic functions. First, they reduce any high water pressure that is supplied to us from city water mains. A PRV can give us a lower, safer water pressure to distribute throughout our homes. Second, these valves not only reduce excessive pressure but also regulate it by maintaining a set pressure downstream of the valve. This ensures that the dwelling’s fixtures, piping, and appliances function at a safe, consistent pressure. Pressure-reducing valves are typically located directly after your Kansas City water meter and have an adjustment screw for setting desired pressure.

When opening a plumbing fixture in your home, water is forced out by a “push”. This “push” can be measured in pounds per square inch (PSI). This reading is a measurement at which the water is forced through. The higher the force, the higher the velocity in which the water moves through the piping. So in short, the higher the pressure (PSI), the stronger the “push.”

Higher water pressures are put into place for good reason. This excessive pressure is to accommodate for things such as high-rise buildings and elevation changes. To overcome pressure loss Kansas City and the surrounding areas also need sufficient water pressure to accommodate fire protection, such as hydrants and fire sprinkler systems. This all starts first with pump stations that draw water from a nearby treatment facility. These pumps will then distribute water throughout the city or fill elevated storage tanks (water towers) for distribution.

A water tower is an elevated structure supporting a water tank constructed at a height sufficient to pressurize a water supply system. This system is then used for the distribution of potable water and emergency storage for fire protection demands. Water towers are able to supply water even during power outages because they rely on hydro-static pressure produced by the elevation to push water into domestic and industrial water distribution systems. However, the water tower cannot supply water for a long period of time without power, because an electrical pump is typically required to refill the tower. A water tower also serves as a reservoir to help with water needs during peak usage times. The water level in the tower typically falls during the peak usage hours of the day, and then a pump fills it back up during the night.

Below is a non-scale drawing of a potable water distribution system using elevated storage. This is a general concept of how water pressure can be created within a city. This example gives us an understanding of how pressures can differentiate based on a structure’s elevation in relation to a water tower. It also tells us why some structures are more susceptible to excessive pressure and are in need of a pressure regulating valve. If provided with height measurements, we can use simple math to determine the approximate pressure at each fixture.

Fixture 1: Noticing the elevation in relation to the water source in the tower we can determine our water pressure. On average with every 2.3 vertical feet down from the water tower’s highest level we gain 1psi in water pressure. So, this would make this fixture’s pressure roughly 9psi and it would not require a pressure reducing valve.

Fixture 2: Moving on to the next fixture, we examine the elevation in relation to the water source again. Knowing that the top of the water source represents 0psi and we are 150′ away, we can use our formula again. This fixture’s pressure would be 65psi. This fixture is starting to gain excessive pressure but is not in the red zone.

Fixture 3: The last fixture’s elevation in relation to the water tower is roughly 200′. This fixture would require a pressure regulating valve because its pressure would be close to 87psi, which is over the recommended limit.