We work on homes across metro Atlanta. Call us at (404) 482-2527 and tell us what you are noticing and, if you have a gauge, the readings you took.

Common Problems & Warning Signs

Weak pressure inside, good pressure at the front spigot. Gwinnett County's water department names this pattern as the sign of a failing PRV (Gwinnett DWR).
Pressure that swings up and down instead of simply dropping, which can point to a valve that is starting to fail.
Pressure that is too high: Cobb County says a reading after the PRV should be 80 psi or lower, and a valve whose downstream reading tops 80 psi needs adjusting or replacing (Cobb County).
A dripping or leaking valve body, or a valve that won't hold its adjustment.

Low pressure everywhere can also come from a leak in the buried service line or a problem on the utility's side, which is why we test before we touch the valve.

How We Find the Cause

We read the pressure at the front spigot and again after the PRV, with no water running. We check whether the meter dial moves while everything is off, which points to a leak rather than a valve. We look at the main shutoff and any partly closed valve, and we ask whether the problem is new, whether neighbors have it too, and whether anything changed recently on the street. If the utility's side is the problem, we tell you so and you report it to them.

What Our Service Visit Can Include

Testing: static pressure before and after the valve, and a check of the meter for a hidden leak.
Servicing the valve: cleaning a clogged strainer or freeing a sticking valve when it can be repaired in place, as the code requires a PRV to be (2024 IPC, Chapter 6).
Replacing the valve: a new PRV when the old one won't hold its setting, leaks or has failed inside.
Setting the pressure: within the code limit of 80 psi on the house side, and we tell you the reading we left it at.
The water heater: on homes with a storage water heater, we check how the system handles thermal expansion once the valve is in.

If the job needs a permit, we tell you before work starts.

When the Line Is the Problem

If the valve tests fine and pressure is still low, the cause is often the service line between the meter and the house: a leak, an old galvanized pipe that has narrowed inside, or a line that is too small for the house. We explain what we found and offer water line repair or water line replacement when the line is the real problem. Our article on low water pressure and the service line walks through the checks.

Who Owns the Valve

The PRV sits on your side of the meter. Cobb County's water system maintains the pipes from the main to the meter box and leaves the rest to the owner (Cobb County), and Gwinnett's water department treats the PRV as the homeowner's responsibility (Gwinnett DWR). Water running in the street or at the meter box goes to your utility; anything after the meter is the work we do.

Request PRV Service

Call Georgia Sewer at (404) 482-2527. Tell us whether the pressure is low, high or swinging, which fixtures are affected, and any gauge readings you have. We test first, explain what we found and what the work involves, and only then fix the valve or the line.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know whether the PRV is the problem?

Compare two readings. A gauge on the front spigot usually reads the street side, before the valve; a gauge at a spigot or washer connection after the valve reads the house side. Gwinnett County's water department says good pressure at the front spigot with weak pressure inside points to the PRV (Gwinnett DWR). We take both readings when we come out, so you know whether the valve or the line is at fault.

Will the water utility fix my PRV?

Usually not. Gwinnett County's Department of Water Resources treats the home's PRV as the homeowner's responsibility and doesn't send staff to investigate or repair one (Gwinnett DWR). Cobb County's water system maintains the pipes up to the meter box and leaves the rest to the owner (Cobb County). The valve is on your side, and that is the work we do.

What pressure should the house have?

The plumbing code requires a pressure reducing valve where static pressure exceeds 80 psi, so the house side stays at 80 psi or less (2024 IPC, Chapter 6). EPA's WaterSense program recommends incoming service pressure of 45 to 60 psi (EPA). We set the valve within the code limit and tell you the reading we left it at.

Can I just turn the PRV up to fix weak water?

Please don't turn it above 80 psi, and don't remove it to make up for a weak supply. If pressure is low with the valve fully open, the cause is usually the valve itself, the service line or the utility's side, and turning the screw only hides it. Call us and we find which one it is.

Do you repair the valve or replace it?

Both, depending on what we find. The code requires a PRV to be repairable in place, so a valve that is simply sticking or has a clogged strainer can sometimes be serviced. A valve that won't hold its setting, leaks or has failed inside is replaced. We explain which applies before any work starts.

Does a new PRV affect my water heater?

It can. A PRV, check valve or backflow preventer can stop water from expanding back toward the street when the water heater heats it, and Georgia's plumbing code amendments address that arrangement for storage water heaters (DCA amendments). When we replace a PRV on a home with a storage water heater, we check how the system handles that expansion and tell you what we found.

Learn More Before You Call

All articles by service: Sewer & Drain Advice Hub.

PRV Repair & Replacement Service Areas

We do PRV repair and replacement across metro Atlanta, in every city we serve. Every city we serve is listed under service areas.

Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) Repair & Replacement in Metro Atlanta