En Suite Plumbing...

[timcunnell]

Hello guys
I am starting work on installing a new en suite in my house, by partitioning off a corner of a bedroom. I need to install plumbing and just after some advice really.

I recently had my boiler replaced, and now have H and C pipes in the loft which drop down to feed a shower (standard shower valve type) in main bathroom.

My question is: is it okay to simply come off these H and C pipes in the loft and drop down to feed shower, basin and toilet in the new en suite? Is there any reason why this wouldn't work properly? Boiler is a fairly beefy combi, and pipes in the loft are 15mm. The hot is obviously hot feed from boiler, and cold is from the mains. I planned to drop H and C pipes down from loft into new stud wall cavity to connect into new shower valve, and continue pipes on into floor space with H and C coming back up for wash basin, and the C also continuing on to toilet.

Seems relatively easy to me, but not sure if there is something I am missing!

Any advice would be very much appreciated!

 

[Agile]

Should not be a problem.

But do use proper water regulations insulation to keep hot pipe hot and to reduce the risk of pipes freezing !

Remember a combi can only supply one hot outlet at a time!

 

[timcunnell]

Thanks very much for the reply!

Re the pipe regs - should I have lagging on pipes in the loft then? As they don't at the moment after new boiler install. But then it doesn't get very cold in my loft in winter to be honest. But obviously I'd like to be compliant with regs!

And I guess I was expecting the boiler not to cope with multiple demand on HW. I was expecting not to realistically be able to run two showers at once. Is that essentially the case?

 

[Agile]

What a poor install with no lagging in the loft. It can get very cold there if the heating has broken down! Quite apart from compliance with Building Regulations.

Also what quality installer does not fully appraise you on the performance from a combi?

Simply a combi gives about 9-13 li/min.

Enough for one good shower or ( just ) two poor ones!

Also anyone using a hot tap in the kitchen will kill the showers!

 

[Hot&Cold]

And I guess I was expecting the boiler not to cope with multiple demand on HW. I was expecting not to realistically be able to run two showers at once. Is that essentially the case?

Its possible to run 2 showers from a higher powered combi but your installer would need to use the correct showers and supply fittings to give priority to the showers,its takes some planning/thought to get it all to work at the same time.
Your ensuite addition maybe notifiable for building regulations approval/sign off.

Good luck,

 

[Madrab]

You also want to check you cold water supply - pressure and flow - this will define what if any drop in supply you may see at the shower if say the toilet is flushed/basin run when the shower is running, if on the same 15mm supply pipe.