What is a Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) and Why do I Need One?
Tradies often get a reputation for the unnecessary upselling of products when they get their foot in the door of your home; their standover tactics can be intimidating for homeowners who have lay knowledge of the trade and feel pressured to say yes to make the uncomfortableness end.
The word ‘upsell’ is banned from use in our business; we hate that ick feeling you get when someone tries to sell you something you clearly don’t need for their financial gain. We do get our guys to suggest improvements that may either enhance your home or stop damage from occurring, but they receive training on how to do this in an ick-free way.
There is one upsell enhancement that, unfortunately, we are bound by law to suggest for our plumbing work to be compliant and therefore insured; the installation of a pressure reducing valve.
What is a Pressure Reducing Valve?
Pressure Reducing Valves, also known as PRV’s, are engineered to lower the incoming water or steam pressure to a safer, consistent level downstream. The downstream pressure is determined either by an adjustment setting on the valve or by an external sensor, depending on the valve type. These valves are commonly used in residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial settings.
They are designed to open and release pressure and need to be installed on every residential water meter at 500kPa which ensures internal tapware warranties, and compliance for insurance purposes.
Why Do I need a Pressure Reducing Valve Installed in my Home?
As licenced and insured plumbers, we need to abide by the rules and regulations set by the Victorian Building Authority’s plumbing regulatory framework. The three key documents which form this include:
- Building Act 1993 (the Act)
- Plumbing Regulations 2018 (the Regulations)
- National Construction Code , Volume 3 (Plumbing Code of Australia, PCA).
The Victorian Building Authority (VBA) reminds all licensed plumbers that ‘it is mandatory to install a pressure limiting valve when the maximum static pressure at a property exceeds 500 kPa, as detailed below:
- AS/NZS 3500.1:2021, clause 3.3.4 states that water at any outlet, other than a fire service outlet within a building shall not exceed a static pressure of 500 kPa.
Pressures above 500 kPa can result in:
- Failure of piping and appliances, leading to property damage.
- Excessive noise in the water supply system (water hammer).
- Excessive water usage.
- Voiding of appliance warranties and property insurance’.
When non-compliance is identified by the VBA, the licensed plumber must return to site to ensure compliance is achieved. Where damage at a property has occurred due of non-compliance, it may result in a claim on the responsible plumber’s insurance.
Is my Home Plumbing Compliant Without a Pressure Reducing Valve Installed?
Essentially, no. Consider the following scenarios;
You call a plumber to change all of your flexi hoses over in your home. The plumber suggests that you require a pressure reducing valve be installed on your water meter as your home water pressure is too high. You politely refuse as you don’t want to pay anything extra at the moment. A few days later, one of the new toilet flexi hoses bursts and floods your home. If your plumber wasn’t licensed, they will also not be insured for plumbing works meaning the claim falls on you. Your insurance will not pay out due to non-licensed and non-compliant work being conducted. If your plumber was licensed, they complete non-compliant work by not installing a pressure reducing valve on your water meter.
The above scenario essentially ties our hands when it comes to requiring pressure reducing valves be installed on all homes that we conduct sanitary or water works on (this includes work in changing tapware, adding toilets, plumbing in fridges etc). Failing to do this would deem our work non-compliant and leave us open to potential insurance claims on our public liability insurance should our clients have flooded homes cause by the pressure being too high for their plumbing fixtures.
Cornerstone Insurance Director Todd Arnold reiterated this to us recently when he stated ‘Pressure Limiting Valves are effective in reducing static water pressure at your home. High water pressure can lead to excessive water usage, appliance failure, or worse; – a burst pipe. Burst pipes are common sources of water damage related insurance claims and can be very costly to rectify. Not to mention the inconvenience. Installation of the valves is mandatory in VIC to keep static water pressure below 500 kPa. Please don’t balk when your plumber mentions needing to install the valve – they are looking out for your best interests”.
How Much do Pressure Reducing Valves Cost?
A pressure reducing valve will cost between $300-400 in Victoria to supply and install by a licensed plumber (the plumber must hold a VBA license to ensure compliancy).
The good news is that if your home was built after November 2005, it will probably have a pressure reducing valve installed as per the National plumbing standards, and all our plumbers will need to do is conduct a pressure test to ensure it is working optimally and the water pressure in your home is below 500kPa.
Will having a PRV installed reduce my shower pressure?
You can still enjoy good water pressure in your home and remain compliant. In fact, you may get even better pressure if you have an optimally installed PRV as your home is less susceptible to leaks and appliance deterioration. Failure to install a pressure reducing valve (PRV) can lead to:
- Increased Water Consumption and Higher Water Bills
- Leaking Mixer Taps
- Higher Risk of Burst pipes and Flexi hoses
- Added Pressure on Plumbing Fittings and Fixtures
- Additional Wear on Dishwasher, Toilet Cisterns and Washing Machine Hoses Which Can Lead to Warranty Voidance
Pressure Reducing Valves are Important For Your Home Plumbing
We hope this has helped give you some information about the importance of Pressure Reducing Valves (PRV’s) and why sometimes even McCarthy Plumbing Group plumbers need to do the seemingly ick upsell in this instance. We don’t make the rules, but we do need to follow them to ensure your plumbing remains compliant and works efficiently. Call us today on 9931 0905 if you require a Pressure Reducing Valve tested or installed at your property.
