On Oct 23, 3:20*pm, engwar wrote:
I was told recently I should have a water pressure regulator installed
as my pressure is too high.
In the city nearby, the normal pressure is 60 to 110 psi, depending on the location. Here on the acreage, my pump starts up at 20 psi and shuts off at 40 psi. What would be "too high?" You could read the boxes on some of the plumbing fixtures in a store; they probably would say what pressure range the fixture is designed for. If the pressure is more than what the fixtures are designed for, I suppose you could get more leaky taps and trickling toilets. If you do get a pressure reducing valve, the screw on the top adjusts this way: "In will Increase the pressure".

We live in a two story house and some of the faucets on the second
story seem to have low pressure (or low flow rate.)
We also live in a two storey house. To calculate the pressure difference, I take the total vertical rise from my pump in the basement to a faucet on the second storey (19 ft), and multiply that by 0.4329 psi/ft to get 8.23 psi pressure difference. If my pump is nearly ready to start up, the pressure in the basement is 20 psi, and the pressure on the second storey is 8 psi less, which is 20 - 8 = 12 psi. One of the faucets on the second storey does seem pretty slow to me, but its one that we don't use much. We're generally pretty content with our water system.

Will the faucets and shower-heads that have low pressure on the second
story get even worse after a pressure regulator is installed?
Yes. Some fixtures are "low flow" to save water, but in this case, you might prefer fixtures that are non-low-flow. Another idea would be to have the pressure reducing valve on a line serving only the basement and main floor, and have the second floor served by a line that tees off *before* the prv.

If the low pressure or flow rate on those faucets is due to the fact
that they are old and corroded I can see how the issues we're having
with those may not be affected by a pressure regulator.
Some cities have galvanized water lines, and these are notorious for a build-up of scale. These need to be replaced by copper lines or cpvc water lines, which will stay free of deposits indefinitely. PVC water lines are for cold water only, but CPVC water lines are good for both hot and cold lines. Put a couple of cups of vinegar in a plastic bag and tape it up to a shower head so that the mineral build-up is submerged in the vinegar. Leave it overnight, and the next day, the shower might operate much better. Happy plumbing!