How do I increase my water pressure

[Wanting-to-learn]

Hi - can anyone help with how I can boost my mains water pressure.

The local supplier over time has reduced the mains pressure however they maintain that it is still over 2 bar to my stop.

Problem is that if the water is used downstairs my upstairs taps don't work. Its especially a pain as I have a combi boiler so when the shower is in use no one can use the water

Any ideas on what I can do to fix this?

 

[JPC]

wow....are you sure ?

Are you getting 2 bar ?
what about flow ?

 

[bengasman]

9 times out of 10 it is a flow problem, not a pressure problem. buy or borrow a pressure tester. If it turns out to be really a pressure problem you will have keep nagging the supplier.

 

[holty]

try turning your incoming stop tap fully open if its not, sometimes dirt collects especially if waterworks have been done, and restricts the flow.if your taps are 20 meters high then i could see a problem.

 

[tonybhoy]

Up here,the WB only need to supply one bar.

Not kidding BTW.

Happened to me but I asked them to put me onto the higher pressure main (there are two in the road in front of my house) and with a bit of huming and hawing the did,thankfully.

You can fit a pump on the main,apparently.

Do a google for Ferrier pumps in Glasgow.Guy in there said he can do any type of pump for any purpose.

This problem is becoming all to common nowadays.

 

[Balenza]

tonybhoy wrote

You can fit a pump on the main,apparently

I was led to believe you are not allowed to pump the mains supply. (water regs)
Has this situation changed ?.

 

[tonybhoy]

tonybhoy wrote

You can fit a pump on the main,apparently

I was led to believe you are not alowed to pump the mains supply. (water regs)
Has this situation changed ?.

Me too but the guy in Ferrier's said he could supply any pump for any situation,even mains.

http://www.ferrierpumps.co.uk/

 

[bengasman]

The fact that you can buy one that is technically suitable to boost the mains does not mean it is legal to fit one in the mains.

I wonder what the situation is with tall buildings though.

 

[simond]

Tall buildings use a break tank or accumulator and pump set.

The OP should investigate accumulator specialists in his area for a solution, down here we could sort his problem out relatively easily.

 

[billy bob]

You can use the Grundfos Home Booster, this unit incorparates a break tank to comply with the regulations

http://www.grundfos.co.uk/web/HOMEUK.NSF

 

[bengasman]

As you seem to have experience with these solutions, what is the influence of these on the quality of the water? The ones I have seen were all open to the atmosphere, which would mean the water is not potable.

 

[billy bob]

They have a close fitting lid, look at the link, it is not like the old type of boosters

http://www.grundfos.co.uk/web/homeUK.nsf/Webopslag/DMAR-6RZKWV

 

[bengasman]

Bacteria don’t care about the size of the gap. Contrary to most people (users) I am not too worried about a bit of dust at the bottom of a tank.
As this sort of tanks tend to be in nonventilated places that get pretty hot in summer, bacteria numbers go off the scale in summer.

 

[billy bob]

Bacteria don’t care about the size of the gap. Contrary to most people (users) I am not too worried about a bit of dust at the bottom of a tank.
As this sort of tanks tend to be in nonventilated places that get pretty hot in summer, bacteria numbers go off the scale in summer.

As soon as you open a tap and collect the water in the cup, glass or pan it gets mixed with bacteria that is on the item used, we cannot get away from bacteria, it does seem to me that if a company comes up with a solution to a problem, people will always try and criticise, maybe we should tell Grundfos not to produce these units anymore because of the risk of bacteria and anyone with pressure problems will have to learn to live with it.
Does it not seem a simple solution to take a drinking water point off before the break tank to supply the kitchen tap, the rest of the bathrooms hot and cold can be boosted, no different to a tank in the loft, which has served this country for many years.

 

[holty]

water regs still state you cant pump mains water over 12L a min