Pressure regulator · Devin Brooks
110 psi and a failing pressure regulator
Product manager at a software company, working from home today. Friendly and quick, and he has already read a lot about this job online.
What you know walking in
Service call. Customer says the relief valve on the water heater drips and the pipes bang when the washer shuts off. He asked for a quote to replace the water heater. Two-story home built in 2001. Not a member.
- 3/4-inch pressure regulator at the front hose bib, 25 yrs
- 50-gallon gas water heater in the garage, 6 yrs
- 2-gallon thermal expansion tank, 6 yrs
What you found
- Static pressure at the hose bib is 110 psi. Code requires a regulator when pressure is over 80.
- The 25-year-old pressure regulator has failed. Turning the adjusting screw does not lower the reading.
- The relief valve on the water heater drips because the pressure is too high, not because the water heater is failing.
- The 6-year-old water heater has no leaks, lights normally, and heats normally.
- The expansion tank's air charge is low. It can be reset to match the new pressure.
- The toilet fill valves hiss and the pipes bang when the washer shuts off. Both are signs of high pressure.
Your price book for this job
Replace the pressure regulator Fits this home
New lead-free 3/4-inch pressure regulator with a union · Set to about 60 psi and checked with a gauge · Expansion tank air charge reset to match · Relief valve rechecked after pressure drops
$650
Regulator, new relief valve, and hammer arrestors
Everything in the regulator option · New relief valve on the water heater · Water hammer arrestors at the washer valves
$895
The honest fit is marked. Recommend what the home needs, and only that.
Your goal
Show him the 110 psi reading, correct his water heater theory respectfully with the evidence, and recommend the regulator instead of the replacement he asked for. State the price clearly and ask for a decision.
Difficulty: Easy
Plan you can offer
- Summit Care Club$19.95 a month
Speak naturally. Devin hears you, reacts to how you say things, and remembers. Headphones make it feel real.