responsibility for water flow and pressure-too low for combi

[piper64]

My parents are considering a combi, but their water pressure has always been poor. They are at the end of a rank of four houses, which has been blamed in the past for such low pressure.

The pipe run comes down from the road, to the back of the houses, then tee's off for each one.

The flow at the road is 50 l/m, the pressure is 30 mh. By the time it reaches the house, 100 yds away, the flow is 9 l/m and 10 mh. This the minimum that the board need to supply, which I find very convenient that it is smack on that figure. They say they have met their commitment.

The water board are now suggesting that a new supply be tee'd off from the main in the road.
They want £1500 to shut the road, which is daft as it's not a 'traffic sensitive' road.
Then they want £1500 to do the connection only. An independent would do the pipe laying and trace wiring from the road to the house, as the Water board are not responsible for that, they say.

Then the cost of the combi, makes this an expensive plan.

If my parents have been paying water rates for 6o years at this house, surely they should be getting a better supply than this?

They pay for a service that they are not getting, whereas others in the road are.

 

[JohnD]

it will be cheaper to stick with a tank, a cylinder, and a shower pump, then.

if the service pipe between the road and the house is an old lead half-inch, replacing the homeowners part may help a lot. New polypipe is not expensive, but digging a trench is tiring.

 

[dcawkwell]

You can still use a combi boiler if you want one. But you will
have to use a cold header tank that you already have.

For old people I would suggest keeping the hot water tank as you
have the immersion header for hot water backup unless you have
an electric shower.

 

[piper64]

JohnD, it would be cheaper to stay as they are, but as they are elderly now and had a flooding leak from one of the roof tanks recently, a new system was being considered.

The other three houses in the rank have had them fitted by the local authority, but that doesn't apply to my parents, who bought their house years ago.

My point is though, that the pressure and flow should be better than that and for it to drop so much from the road is daft. They've paid their fair share and to be expected to pay in order to get a decent service isn't right.

The pressure has always been low they say and I remember it being so myself, so they have not had the service they've paid for.

Who is responsible for the piping from the road if it has never been right?

I'll get them a second opinion on those readings, odd that they are right on the line.[/i]

 

[doitall]

The home owner is responsible for the pipe from the Company stopcock, not the supplier or the taxpayer.

Your Mother probably has an old lead mains that is shared with the other houses and by the time it gets to her

Get a new pipe installed from the stopcock, she'll need to talk to the others if it crosses their property, so ask about sharing the cost.

Ask the supplier about lead replacement schemes if it is.

 

[piper64]

Get a new pipe installed from the stopcock, she'll need to talk to the others if it crosses their property, so ask about sharing the cost.

Ask the supplier about lead replacement schemes if it is.

Thanks, how will they confirm if the old pipe is lead or not? The Board should know I imagine.

 

[doitall]

Get a new pipe installed from the stopcock, she'll need to talk to the others if it crosses their property, so ask about sharing the cost.

Ask the supplier about lead replacement schemes if it is.

Thanks, how will they confirm if the old pipe is lead or not? The Board should know I imagine.

Expose the pipe, it's nothing to do with the board.

You still need to dig the trench and lay the pipe.

 

[Phill Peck]

Why do they want a combi?
This is the key issue

 

[JohnD]

if the pipe is lead there will probably be a replacement subsidy scheme.

 

[SaladFingers]

Mention lead to the local pikéys, they'll have it dug up in a jiffy, leaving you to just lay some poly pipe.

 

[piper64]

Get a new pipe installed from the stopcock, she'll need to talk to the others if it crosses their property, so ask about sharing the cost.

Ask the supplier about lead replacement schemes if it is.

Thanks, how will they confirm if the old pipe is lead or not? The Board should know I imagine.

Expose the pipe, it's nothing to do with the board.

You still need to dig the trench and lay the pipe.

The existing pipe, which runs to the back of the house, will be bypassed and no digging near it. The only digging will be from the main road to the front of the house.[/b]

 

[piper64]

Why do they want a combi?
This is the key issue

My Dad doesn't, my Mum does. That's another discussion.

The reason is that the back boiler system that they have now is old and with the recent flood in the attic and the fact that their neighbours were all getting combis fitted and the fact that we had one fitted last year.

If the cost is as it is now it's a no go anyhow, which is why is started the thread, to find out about responsibilty for pipes, pressure and flow.

 

[Nige F]

JohnD, it would be cheaper to stay as they are, but as they are elderly now and had a flooding leak from one of the roof tanks recently, a new system was being considered.

]

Then they need a new roof tank , installed properly - it will keep water Wholesome ( potable) and drinkable You need an Old Skool Plumber to install it - not a Gas Safe merchant to throw a combi on the wall And a surestop remote water valve on their incoming main - then , @ the push of a switch their house is isolated from incoming water .

 

[piper64]

JohnD, it would be cheaper to stay as they are, but as they are elderly now and had a flooding leak from one of the roof tanks recently, a new system was being considered.

]

Then they need a new roof tank , installed properly - it will keep water Wholesome ( potable) and drinkable You need an Old Skool Plumber to install it - not a Gas Safe merchant to throw a combi on the wall

My Dads thinking exactly.

 

[JohnD]

If the old pipe is lead (and also if it is leaking) they will be eligible for a subsidy even if the new pipe takes a different route.

If they ask for a water meter after putting the new pipe into place they might get it connected free to the new meter as well.