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PRV adjustment screw is getting hard to turn
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How do you tell whether a pressure-reducing valve’s adjustment screw is simply stiff or the regulator itself is starting to fail? I’m not looking to turn it just to see what happens.
If pressure readings stay steady when no fixtures are running and during ordinary water use, would that point away from a failing PRV, or can a regulator still be sticking despite stable readings? What can a plumber test or inspect without changing the set pressure, and what symptoms would make servicing or replacement more sensible than leaving it alone?
3 replies
Stable readings with no fixtures running and during ordinary use are reassuring, but they won’t necessarily catch a slow response or intermittent sticking. A plumber can compare pressure upstream and downstream while running a controlled flow, then see whether the outlet pressure responds consistently without changing the setpoint. That gives more useful information than forcing a stiff screw to see what happens.
Checking whether the outlet pressure settles back to its original reading after the controlled flow stops would add a useful check. A slow or inconsistent return could point to sticking even if the pressure looked steady while water was running. That lets the plumber assess response and recovery without changing the setpoint.
If pressure rises while water is being heated in a closed system, thermal expansion is another possibility to distinguish from a PRV that isn’t returning to its set pressure. The plumber can assess whether that explains the pressure pattern before recommending PRV service.
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