Higher Than Usual Water Pressure - Changing a Pressure Reducing Valve 

I think you should use two wrenches when removing a plumbing item, i.e. valves, water regulator etc. One to hold the item and one to remove the nut. That way you won't turn or break the pipe further down the line while you remove the item, using two wrenches will also give you more leverage when replacing the item and it will keep the replacement part in the right orientation when replacing the item. Did you try adjusting the pressure before replacing the water pressure regulator? Turning the adjusting screw could have saved you time, money and effort. Another suggestion is to use a wrench with a longer handle also for more leverage.

You posted this just at the right time because I just discovered I need to replace mine.

Thanks for your video. I'm a DIYer by nature, but never tried soldering copper water lines. I got quotes of $425-$675. Didn't even notice until I watched your video that the valve is threaded, not soldered right on. So figured I could give it a try. The valve I bought looks the same as yours but when I got it home I saw they are made differently. So the existing threaded copper connector would not work. But for anyone else watching and reading and wanting to try yourself, I found a really easy solution. Home Depot sells brass Sharkbite connectors that push onto the copper line and have male threads on the other end. I bought a copper tube cutter for $15, cut the line on both sides so the old valve came completely off. I had a regular Sharkbite (about 3" long) on the IN side, pushed it onto the copper line. I got another 3/4" Sharkbite male slip adapter- which is about 6". The longer slip version gives you several inches of flexibility inside. I threaded onto the valve on the OUT side and pushed onto copper line until the other IN side lined up, then tightened the large nut. There was a very little leak at first but just had to tighten all the connections more than I thought. The great thing is Sharkbites can be taken off if needed.

Need to put a wrench on the copper fitting to the right of the PR valve when you try to remove it. It will come off easier, and you won't run the risk of damaging the copper pipes on the right side of the PR valve. Great video!

This was a pleasant and refreshing video. I certainly have a better understanding of a PRV.

Thank you that was just the info I needed.

Great job, but two things. Try not to wrench down the shutoff valve because it will destroy the washer. You can also turn the water off at the meter, but another topic. Secondly, always introduce water into the house SLOWLY. Otherwise, great video and explanations. An 8" monkey wrench along with your channel lock wrench is a great combo to use.

I’m about to attempt this too so thanks for the vid! Good job!

Easy Peasy! Thanks for your video.

This lady is awesome. ❤

I think the video should have started off by mentioning this project is only necessary if your PRV is broken. For most people, if the pressure is too low or high, you simply need to adjust the PRV by turning the screw to the right place.

Nice repair I like it

I liked it even more when the DIYer started to take the pressure regulator valve apart to see why it stopped working properly.

Great work 👏😅

Nice job.

Using the channel locks to turn off that gate valve on the left was probably a no-no. I've overtightened those before in response to a slow drip, but it actually makes it worse. You likely cracked the plate in there that has the o-ring and now it will never seal.

Good job

You took it apart just to see inside? Hahaha, you are a curious one indeed. 😂

Ow as a plumber watching her twist those solder joints made me uneasy she got it done I’d change the gate valve to a main while at it and call it a day

you're a hoot!

Don't need teflon on union side.

It looked like she was risking breaking the pipe.

Never do that without holding the pipe with a wrench! You're going to break some pipes or fittings.

That is bonding wire rather than grounding

Not bad for an older gal, although i thought she was going to snap that pipe on the right side when taking off the PRV with only 1 wrench. EEK!

Sammy Hagar can’t drive 55. I sure can and it’s 55 psi for me at my pressure reducing valve.

She edited out the part where she realized she left all the damn faucets open when she turned the main valve back on

You should pull this video or make an update to this one, very bad advice about plumbing. Sorry!

That valve it's upside-down.....need to correct it...it' I'll brake prematurely..and you always need 2 pipe Gretchen to loss or tide not just 1. Need hold the other pipe wile the other lose o tide... ..u need a men. In there..mama..

Will you marry me?

Just hire a plumber, she almost caused more problems then its worth,

You have now RUINED and WEAKENED ALL the coper pipes from your right hand on where you twisted the heck out the entire line of the pipes GUARANTEED! It will leak within time GUARANTEED. Your supposed to use "2" pipe wrenches or 2 adjustable wrenches to remove or tighten any type of fixtures on a pipe of water or gas. If not you will weaken, break, and disturb EVERYTHING down the line of the pipe. I was cringing as you kept wrestling with that part and I started yelling STOP when you started hammering at the wrench to break it loose and your entire copper pipe twisted. OMG there goes your sweated joints and anything along that entire pipe.. ..

You can install in any direction; however, the two caps below the bell houseing (at the top in your finished "repair") is a strainer and the other is a main drain. You could have loosened the drain cap to drain the line. It is much easier to clean the strainer when its mounted in the down postion. You could have merely rebuilt the PRV with a kit ( new spring, gaskets, strainer and washers) and left the unit in place. Good on ya for doing it yourself!

Just got a quote for of $650 to replace the pressure valve. You have me the confidence to attempt this with my sons muscles

Using 2 wrenches, backup wrench, both pointing opposite ways helps with the leverage to screw out the valve. Great video!

Doesn’t matter how the prv faces. It’s a spring on a diaphragm that only allows a certain amount of pressure by. You can tighten the bolt and put more pressure on the spring allowing less psi in, or loosen bolt relaxing tension on on the spring should allow more psi….

You don't know what you are doing. Totally wrong. Pull this video. You're lucky you didn't twist and damage that copper pipe. Use two wrenches to counter the torque when losening and tightening. Don't use teflon tape on the side that has the rubber gasket. The wire is to bridge electricity over the rubber gasket. Sheesh!

Thank you for the very informative step by step video! I’m sure you have found some of the other comments helpful (possible adjustments, use two wrenches, etc). Still exactly the video I was looking for. Thank you for keeping it simple!

As a fellow plumber in the Apprenticeship program,Good Job.

A video with too much stress work. But you take it easy and make it fun. You could be raised up in the pretty good environment so you're so confident and positive! I admire you.

You are showing bad info on this repair. You need to redue the video showing how to use 2 wrenches so you will not break your pipe on the right side. One to hold and turn the pressure valve and one to hold the pipe from turning. You are very lucky you did not break the pipe.

That's exactly what she needs to do. Use another pipe wrench for leverage, she was lucky that didn't twist the pipe and caused more repairs

You just earned yourself a Sub!!! Great job! I was just quoted $1000 to install one of these things. Im pretty sure I can't install one though.

The only thing that I can add, make sure to support that pipe on the right. You don’t want to twist and torque on one side and let that soldered copper pipe take the torsion. Otherwise, you saved yourself $500 to $800. Good video!!

Any tips on loosening a stubborn thread? Even using two wrenches I’m not able to loosen the original outlet connection. It’s tight quarters in a drop ceiling and using a hammer to nudge it is not happening.

Wow! You’re so amazing and inspirational. I’ve had my water pressure checked because I have stronger water pressure than I need and the good news is, I’m safe. I learned when you live at the bottom of a hill, the water pressure increases as the water flows down the street.

Cool. But be advisee that you can usually buy a service kit for pressure reducing valves so you don't have to replace the entire shabang. Last rebuild kit I bought was $27.50. A complete new valve will likely cost you at least 4x that and is harder to swap out than the rebuild kit is to install--and is less likely to result in some other damage to the piping if you don't know what you're doing. Model # for a common Watts kit is something like 1/2-1 N45B/EZ-N55BM1 RK But Watts sells a lot of different regulators so there are several different kits out there. You need to properly identify your valve to find the right kit. (This is one reason I always keep the original boxes for anything plumbing related that I buy... receipts... etc. Also, your valve may be under warranty if it wasn't installed that long ago (say, less than 5 yrs) so check that out as well.

Why not first try to adjust the PRV? And, why not first clean the bell. RE - copper wire ... meant as a jumper for the #4 ground wire from electrical panel because the PRV may not be considered an adequate means to transfer power in an emergency. ... also recommend she replace ALL house gate valves with 90 degree ball valves. Don't forget under sinks and all toilets. Use SS braided wraps - never the plastic/translucent cheapies! No wrench comment, but, with one wrench a risky road! On the plus--very well done video!

My house has the same situation. The water hose outside of my house shows ~90 psi, whereas my hot water tank pipe (behind the water pressure reduction valve) has much lower. I used the outside water hose to test the water pressure while adjusting the in-door water pressure reduction valve, the pressure gauge shows no difference. (I was confused) Now I understand. Thanks for this shared video.

Great video! You gave me the confidence to go ahead with a project that's been waiting for me to start for months. I like to DIY, but am occasionally dyslexic and freeze up on 'righty-tighty'. 😅😅Showing the direction you go on all the nuts is very helpful. I also can sympathize with your level of swearing-I can't complete anything without a few blue streaks here and there. Keep up the good work! *Also, I think it's fine you changed out the whole thing, rebuilding it is ridiculous: most people never change this thing until it's rusted out and failing.

I’m gonna have to say that the last person (potentially a plumber) that did this job is now the bane of my existence… they used 💢both💢inner threads to put this on and soldered the turning nut side to the incoming water pipe…🤬 No worries, I have a blow torch🔥and fire extinguishers🧯😅

Oh my god! Don't anyone do anything like this. Anybody breaks their pipe doing what she does needs to sue her after your solder joints on your copper pipe break! This is my only professional should be doing these kind of water fixes unless you absolutely know what you're doing. She does not. She's a nut! And you don't use teflon tape on copper fittings on the mainline!

Hello, thank you for the video! May I please ask how to tell whether the garden hose is connected before the PRV or after? My value is around 120 but indoor looks fine. Thank you!

Wow that was a lot of torque u put on copper line! Hopefully it all worked out seems it did. I have to replace my 30+ year old u5b watts prv and redo all connectors. Got a quote for almost 1500 to also add to replace 2 gate valves with ball valves. Just robbery so will do myself.

@ChickFixUSA. This is good to see, including your verbal expression when the connection was so tight. That made me laugh and was very real. However, as someone else has noted here, it would be good to not 'use teflon tape on the side that has the rubber gasket. The wire is to bridge electricity over the rubber gasket.' And to use two wrenches at the same time if possible.

Another thing. Don't ever put your pressure gauge on a water heater drain. There is sediment in the bottom of water heaters that will clog up your pressure gauge. Use your washing machine supply

One BIG Mistake. You almost broke the copper pipe !!! Use two wrenches to counteract the rotation of the PRV against the copper pipe. Two big channel locks .

How much pressure can you give to those copper pipes before you end up breaking a fitting and then need to call a plumber? I had a plumber come and replace mine but I didn't know where to shut off the water main for starters. If you're going to hook it up to the hot water heater, wouldn't you have to drain the hot water heater in order to hook that pressure gauge up? Could you use thread pipe sealant instead of PTFE tape?

I had a laugh the way you man handled that stubborn PRV. Very determined to get the job done, show no mercy, never give up. I think I'll subscribe, can't wait to see what you'll tackle next 😉

Buy a repair kit, there is no need to replace the entire valve body. These are made to live a lifetime with repair kits as consumables.

You should be wearing eye protection for your safety, otherwise well accomplished!

1:17 do you not know which way to turn it? 2:43 and 5:55 nope, you really don't. 3:48 doesn't support the male adapter with a second wrench. holy moley you are thick. Usually people who make how-to videos know how to do what they are doing.

One chick to another: NEVER underestimate the power of a cheater bar! (Dudes use them too, just a lot sneakier than us…LOL)

the wire may be a ground connection

Oh, some people believe in using German Torque…cause pipes will be Guten (good and) tight😂

That wire is to ground any electrical current moving through the copper it’s called electrolysis

Just curious, what made you have to replace it anyway?? Was it a fog horn noise??

The wire is a ground to create a bond between the ground and the pipe at the street, to the pipe passing the preassure reducing valve.

Where did you get that shirt?? My last name is Caulk and I NEED that shirt in a dude version. Thank you in advance

If i would of done this the way she did this with out two wrenches. Everything that could go wrong would have.🤔🤔🤔

That wire is part of the ground that is attach to your water pipes. The PRV has a rubber gasket in it so the bypass wire make a complete grounding connection.

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One "trick" I use to loosen things that are as tight as yours is a steel pipe that fits over the end of the adjustable wrench. In your case you would need 2 pipes. Unless you could set one wrench handle against the wall, ceiling, or floor. I wish you could have taken the old one apart and taught us how that contraption works.

I'm sorry.i was looking for the men's department.

thanks for the video alot of guys worried to death about tightening with 2 wrenches lol. sure that's good but more single women have to do their own home maintenance and it isn't rocket science ! We girls need to be raised to take care of ourselves so more power to you lady! Agonizing over little details and shortcuts maybe are meant as constructive criticism. Practice makes perfect or nothing would ever get done in the world. Tired of raised eyebrows and condescending attitudes when at auto parts or hardware stores. I don't have the extra money to throw away on simple repairs and wouldn't if I was rich either. I like to know how things work. If the guy across street can rebuild carb and is barely hitting 3 digit IQ why the hell can't I? Ok, that's not accurate I bought a $15 carb online.

When you were twisting the old regulator, I felt like I was getting kicked in the nuts, I was wincing so hard.

You need two wrenches. You are lucky you didn’t break the copper pipe

Good way to twist the solder joints loose. Use two wrenches.

Great video! I think you have better skills than me!😢😊😊😊

Miller Michael Davis Nancy Davis Matthew

You have no idea what your doing.

You were lucky you didn't nick the oring

Canada forums here same idea's too. John.

you should change the title to “How not to change a PRV” God that was painful to watch

Do not do this at home 😂😂😂😂😂

You are amazing!! What else can I say? 👌👌👌👌 Nice work.

Great video and thank you for posting the detailed installation procedure. It is somewhat scary for me dealing with the main plumbing because if I mess up, I have no water. My recommendation is to replace the gate valve for the main shut off with a ball valve as they last longer and easier to use. My gate valve was stuck and I did not know until I had to use it one day and had to resort to turning off the water at the meter. BTW, how old was the PRV that you replaced?

Do u know what u are doing girl?

Good video! Now to change mine out. Thanks for this video 👊

Thank you for this whole video! I have a few things I gotta fix around the house 😒 and until yesterday, I didn’t make any connection as to why. My pressure is at 140psi as well! And that additional pressure is gonna cause wear and tear on all the faucets and appliances(!) downstream. Initially, I thought I had to replace my Temperature & Pressure Relief (TPR) Valve on my water heater. But after some research, I realized it’s more likely my whole home pressure, which had caused leaks with my toilet fillers and other places, caused excessive hammering as I tried to turn on my rear outside hose bib and who knows what else. Given how close I am to the city’s main water supply, I will set my PRV a bit lower than comfortable (but still within the recommended 40-75 psi) so when I do notice a change, hopefully it alerts me to checking or replacing my PRV. Is that a good plan? Maybe? I could dispute my own point that by setting it lower, I could make it wear out faster😅 but I feel I’d rather take an extra clue of stuff failing than letting other things fail before a realize and remember what might’ve be the problem.

Hey yall that gal got lucky she didn't break that pipe by not using two wrenches didn't she? LOL!........

I love how she does this, I swear she sounds like me! 😂 I feel ya girl, I'm going to have to do the exact same thing, thank you for this!❤

All I want to know is which way to turn it to decrease the pressure I don't want to turn the regulator knob in the wrong direction right off the bat because it's already high I'm gonna blow something apart you say turn it up or down as you need it well what the h*** does that help?!

Thank you, I just replaced mine, this video helped alot. I used 2 wrenches like the comments suggested but all in all great video. Thank you!

Great job, but I recommend using two wrenches, one to twist the valve, and the other to hold the pipe to prevent it from twisting, which can cause welding to crack and leak elsewhere. I know lots of men that do not even try to learn how to use a wrench, while I do most of the repairs myself and save lots of money for my steaks and vacations!!!

Wish my wife was like youuu. We would have so much fun working on our house together

Good job!

Pipe wrench

Thanks for sharing. That is what i have the pressure is too high .. and now its dripping a little from that screw on top .. that was pretty easy to change once that thing unscrewed .. does it matter if it hangs or be on the top that cone looking thing i was wondering .. ? Great Job

I really cannot believe Matt didn't assist you...good job👍