How to Mount a Pressure Gauge to a Pipe

Use a pipe wrench to tighten the gauge to the faucet.

Water pressure is the rate at which water flows through household water pipes. This pressure, depending on circumstance -- such as being on a hill above the road where the city water supply pipe is installed, for example -- can vary, but most homes have water pressure around 55 to 65 psi. If pressure is too high in the water pipes, it can damage joints and fittings attached to the water line over time, and if the pressure is too low, only a trickle of water may come out of the faucets.

Things You'll Need

• Pressure gauge
• Pipe wrench
• White sealing tape

Instructions

1. Turn off all faucets and water appliances in the home so the water is static in the pipes. Then locate a faucet where a standard garden hose can be screwed on -- this is usually an outside faucet or one in a cellar/buildup area.

2. Wrap white sealing tape twice clockwise around the faucet's thread and screw on the pressure gauge by hand. Tighten it in place with a pipe wrench. Turn on the faucet, wait one minute and read the setting on the gauge. Turn the faucet off and use the wrench to remove the gauge.

3. Install the gauge at second faucet on another floor of the house -- such as the faucet hookup on a washing machine -- to take another reading. Two readings will give a better and more accurate reading of the water pressure in your home.

Tips & Warnings

• Low water pressure can sometimes be caused by old pipes with fragments breaking off on the inside of the pipe. However, whether the pressure is too high or too low, call out a plumber to attempt to set the pressure to the desired level.

References

• Irrigation Tutorials: Step #1 Measure Your Water Pressure City Slicker Method
• Big Brand Water Filter: Water Pressure Gauges