Any plumbing experts out there?

nigpd

nigpd

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Nigel
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I have just bought a bungalow that has a gravity fed water system, hot water tank on the ground floor and cold tank in the loft. I have had power showers fitted so we can get a decent quality shower.

My problem is a lack of water pressure, both hot and cold to the bath and sinks and cold water to the toilet cisterns that take an age to fill. A matehas said something about needing a whole house pump, but I've never heard of these. A quick Google has only thrown up some makes and prices, but no description of how they work, plusses and minuses of getting one etc.

Can anyone help or point me in the right direction?

Thanks in advance for your help
 
PM on its way
 
You need to get your mains pressure tested, the water company have to achieve a minimum pressure.
 
If it is an old bungalow there might be a problem with the incoming mains pipe. Ask the waterboard to check the water pressure at the mains stopcock in the road, or on the pavement. If the pressure is ok at this point there may be a restriction in the mains due to corrosion etc. A new mains can be installed and the waterboard will give you a quote for this.
 
Dale_d3100 said:
You need to get your mains pressure tested, the water company have to achieve a minimum pressure.
Click to expand...

dekeyboy said:
If it is an old bungalow there might be a problem with the incoming mains pipe. Ask the waterboard to check the water pressure at the mains stopcock in the road, or on the pavement. If the pressure is ok at this point there may be a restriction in the mains due to corrosion etc. A new mains can be installed and the waterboard will give you a quote for this.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the quick replies guys.

The mains water pressure is fine, but mains only supplies the kitchen with a direct flow (for drinking). The mains splits off to the cold water tank in the loft and this then feeds all the other sinks, bath and toilets, hence the low pressure I'm experiencing :bang:
 
Gravity .....Might help if you could raise your cold water tank up a few feet and also get a bigger tank which will help with the flow of water to your bathroom ...
 
Put the cold water onto direct mains fed so you use the tank to feed the hot water only, check the outlet from the hot water tank for excessive fur causing an obstruction
 
hellogreg said:
Gravity .....Might help if you could raise your cold water tank up a few feet and also get a bigger tank which will help with the flow of water to your bathroom ...
Click to expand...

Not that much room in the loft unfortunately due to roof pitch angle

siomn said:
Put the cold water onto direct mains fed so you use the tank to feed the hot water only, check the outlet from the hot water tank for excessive fur causing an obstruction
Click to expand...

will have to look at that, and hope it's not too expensive :bang:
 
hellogreg said:
Gravity .....Might help if you could raise your cold water tank up a few feet and also get a bigger tank which will help with the flow of water to your bathroom ...
Click to expand...

Get a bigger tank. Cheapest first solution. Pump won't help if your tank is empty from the increased flow. Pumps are great but will empty your tanks super fast.
 
fitted one of these pumps for customer, by the side of copper tank...i was really shocked of
how powerful these are...he had same problem as you, not enough head of water,but when fitted all the taps in house were like power shower...not cheap to buy...he bought it from wicks..you do need a big tank in attic for these ,otherwise it would empty the tank quicker,
than it fills,a bigger tank on its own would not help that much, you need more height,which you
haven't got, being a bungalow...
 
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My inlaws have got a pump in their bungalow because the water tank and boiler aren't located centrally. They were getting a shower put in the ensuite at the far end of the house and it didn't have the pressure. They only turn the pump on when they want a shower (although I think it increases the pressure everywhere); if you forget it's on and turn on a tap the normal amount then you get sprayed in water!
 
Been there done that..:shake:

We have a combi boiler now so its not a problem but originally the mixer shower got its hot water from the cylinder......blah.....I was gonna explain it all but it doesn't matter.....

Ended up with a shower that was a mixer and a pump combined in the same housing, it looked like a small electric shower.
It was less powerful than a full blown separate pump and mixer power shower, it didn't empty the cylinder faster than it could be filled, made a hell of a racket but fired out a decent shower.
Saying that though, I did change the cold water header tank for one 4 times as big because....well....it was pathetic.
We buggered about for a few years with crap showers though, I kinda wish we'd gone straight to a combi and saved all that aggro because it solved so many irritations..
Seems a bit tight to answer a shower question with "spend a **** load on a new boiler."..:LOL:
 
joxby said:
Been there done that..:shake:

We have a combi boiler now so its not a problem but originally the mixer shower got its hot water from the cylinder......blah.....I was gonna explain it all but it doesn't matter.....

Ended up with a shower that was a mixer and a pump combined in the same housing, it looked like a small electric shower.
It was less powerful than a full blown separate pump and mixer power shower, it didn't empty the cylinder faster than it could be filled, made a hell of a racket but fired out a decent shower.
Saying that though, I did change the cold water header tank for one 4 times as big because....well....it was pathetic.
We buggered about for a few years with crap showers though, I kinda wish we'd gone straight to a combi and saved all that aggro because it solved so many irritations..
Seems a bit tight to answer a shower question with "spend a **** load on a new boiler."..:LOL:
Click to expand...

:agree:
 
Am I right in thinking that a combi boiler will produce hot water at pretty much mains pressure then?
 
TopBanana said:
Am I right in thinking that a combi boiler will produce hot water at pretty much mains pressure then?
Click to expand...

I had a plumber round recently so I mentioned my carp hot water pressure, showers etc, he said yes to your question basically.

When and if funds allow (£2600 ish) thats what I'll do to solve my shower woes.
 
Navy showers are they way forward . Turn on shower to get wet , turn off water , soap up then just rinse . Saves loads of water so doing your bit for the environment .
 
TopBanana said:
Am I right in thinking that a combi boiler will produce hot water at pretty much mains pressure then?
Click to expand...

That is not quite right. The combi will allow you to have increased pressure to your hot outlets. Turn on No 1 outlet and the pressure will be very good. Turn on another outlet at the same time and the pressure will be reduced considerably. Turn on a 3rd outlet and you may starve one of the outlets of hot water completely. The real answer is to have a megaflo and boiler system. This will give you mains pressure at all outlets even if you had three or more open.
 
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