It can be difficult to know how your plumbing and air conditioning systems are working, but it’s important that they’re in good condition. If you want to test these systems without using expensive equipment, there is a simple way: use water and compressed air! This blog post will teach you 7 easy steps on how to pressure test plumbing with air.

Is It Safe To Test A Plumbing With Air?

This question gets asked all the time. The short answer is “yes,” but it can be dangerous if you don’t do it safely. Air pressure testing will give your home or business peace of mind that there are no leaks in any plumbing system components like water heaters and toilets. Moreover, air testing can indicate whether your home or business has high or low pressure in its water lines.

How to Pressure Test Plumbing with Air in 7 Basic Steps

Step 1: Turn Off The Water

Before doing anything, you need to turn off the water. This will prevent any accidents from happening and can save time in case of a faulty pressure test or an unnecessary service call back by a plumber.

Step 2: Connect Air Line Hose To The Faucets

Next up is connecting the air line hose that came with your kit to each faucet on your plumbing fixtures using Teflon tape and thread sealant (pipe dope).

Please note that not all kits come with this equipment, so make sure you have it before starting this section if needed. If there are no branches involved, simply attach one end of the air line hose to each fixture normally done with threaded adapters or push-in fittings.

Step 3: Seal Faucet Openings

In order to have accurate pressure readings, it is important that you seal off the faucet openings. This can be done with a variety of methods such as duct or electrical tape, plugs, or even wadded-up paper towels. If there are no branches involved in your test setup, then you will need to plug the ends of the air line hose instead.

Step 4: Close Drain Valves And Test Taps

Close off both drain valves (usually found under sinks) and open up the two test taps located on either side of each fixture.

Step 5: Pump Air Into The Lines

Now it’s time to start pumping some air into those lines! Generally, you should pump air into the system for about twenty minutes.

Step 6: Check For Leaks And Resume Water Flow

After pumping all that air, it’s time to check for leaks and resume water flow! At this point your pressure test is complete.

If everything went well then no further action is needed; however, if there was a leak somewhere in the plumbing lines, then it will be necessary to call a plumber back out as soon as possible instead of continuing with these steps.

Step 7: Turn Off The Air Line Hose And Disconnect It From Fixture Taps

Once finished testing & repairing any issues found during your pressure test (if needed), make sure to turn off the air line hose at both ends and disconnect it from the fixture taps. If everything looks good and there were no leaks, then you can safely turn the water back on at the main valve.

If your pressure test kit didn’t come with Teflon tape or thread sealant, then you can purchase these items at most hardware stores. In addition, if you’re not familiar with how to use them, be sure to watch some instructional videos online before attempting this project yourself.

Always remember to exercise caution when working with tools and around water! And as always, if there are any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to contact a professional plumbing service. Thanks for reading!

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