Pressure reducing valve service in Aurora, CO

City water often arrives at a higher pressure than a house needs, because the supply system has to push water uphill and across long distances. A PRV uses a spring and a diaphragm to cut that pressure to a set level on the house side. Most homes run comfortably in the range of roughly 50 to 70 psi, and we usually aim near the middle.

The valve works quietly for years, then wears out. The diaphragm stiffens, the seat collects scale, and the spring weakens. Because the change happens slowly, many homeowners never notice until a fixture fails. A simple gauge test at a hose bib or laundry faucet tells us right away whether the valve is still doing its job.

If the PRV is fairly new and the pressure is only a little off, an adjustment of the screw on top may be all it needs. Some valves can be rebuilt with a cartridge kit, which replaces the worn internal parts without cutting the valve out of the line. We check the brand and model first, since parts aren't available for every valve.

Older valves, valves crusted with corrosion and valves that won't hold a setting after adjustment are better replaced. A new PRV goes in with unions or fittings that make future service easier, and we often add a gauge port so pressure is simple to check later. Replacing a failing valve costs far less than the leaks high pressure causes.

A PRV acts like a one-way gate, so water heated in your tank can't push back into the city main as it expands. That trapped expansion raises pressure every time the water heater runs. Without somewhere for it to go, pressure spikes can open the relief valve, stress fittings and shorten the life of the heater itself.

That is why we check for an expansion tank whenever we work on a PRV. If one exists, we test its air charge and set it to match the house pressure. If none is installed and the system is closed, we explain the reason one is needed and price it, so you can decide whether to handle both items in the same visit.