Water Pressure Problem

[ukdaasfan]

Hi,

Our new bathroom has really low pressure. Even the toilet takes an age to fill up. I was thinking of getting a pump installed in the floor space in the hall where the 2 22mm pipes feed into the bathroom. This means that all the tapes and toilet will get better presure. There is already a fused spur under floor near it so that isn't a problem.

The bathroom is on the second floor, the hot water tank is in the other bathroom, the hot water tank is in the ceiling above.

The cold water is coming for the ceiling tank (mains pressure is very good) as is the hot. I do not know if the feed to both is direct form the tank. All I know is that it is connected somewhere under the floor in my other as they did it when the ceiling below was removed for replastering.

What I want to know is:

1) Can I fit a pump to increase pressure to the entire bathroom ?
2) What type of pump will I need ?
3) How powerful whoul this pump be ?
4) Do I need to add aything else to the system ?

Cheers

Ben

 

[Bahco]

Forget the pump!

Change all the cold feed taps to mains fed. Will be ok as long as you have no mixer taps.

 

[ukdaasfan]

Both mixer taps I am also not sure how this will help the hot water feed.

But thanks anyway.

 

[Bahco]

The cold water is coming for the ceiling tank (mains pressure is very good) as is the hot.

Which taps are poor?

 

[dextrous]

Unfirtunately, you can't just put a pump in in the way you describe. You're looking at getting a twin impellor, which will require a dedicated supply from the cold water tank and a flange fitted to the cylinder for it's hot water supply. Search google for a pump and download the installation manual to get an accurate picture of what's required.

 

[seco services]

Hi,

I was thinking of getting a pump installed in the floor space in the hall . There is already a fused spur under floor near it so that isn't a problem.

Ben

a pump installed in the floor and the fused spur under the floor.

thats sounds like a great idea a pump that will make a racket on the ceiling and a fused spur you can't get to.

 

[ukdaasfan]

So what are the solutions. We have a bathroom where the water pressure is so low that it takes an hour to fill the bath.

The other bathroom is ok.

I have no way of telling if the feed is dedicated as it is under a tiled floor.

The only solution seemsto be to ripout the other bathroom to see what the connections are. Which really isn't going to happen.

So there is no way I can just increase the pressure to that room.

As for the racket, surely the pump will make a racket where ever you put it that case ?

 

[ukdaasfan]

The cold water is coming for the ceiling tank (mains pressure is very good) as is the hot.

Which taps are poor?

All the supply to that bathroom is poor. Hot and Cold, Sink and Bath. Even the toilet.

Bathroom was part of a extension.

 

[seco services]

to a certain extent but not in the floor space on top of a plasterboard ceiling.
and a fused spur should be accessable

 

[ukdaasfan]

to a certain extent but not in the floor space on top of a plasterboard ceiling.
and a fused spur should be accessable

Would actually be restingon the old external wall. As for accessable there is a trap built into the floor was for access to the 22mm pipes when the shell was built so easy to get too.

 

[seco services]

don't matter you might know where it is someone else don't .
can't just go bunging them under floorboards etc.

 

[ukdaasfan]

don't matter you might know where it is someone else don't .
can't just go bunging them under floorboards etc.

Fine move spur above floor. Not a major issue. Wall chase, make box hole etc....

This done.

What next ?

 

[seco services]

you say bathroom is on second floor.

wheres other bathroom with hw cylinder in that has good pressure ?

 

[TicklyT]

Are the taps with the 'low water pressure' designed for the gravity system you have, or are they ones designed to work only with a pressurised system?

The minimum water pressure is usually somewhere in the manufacturer's blurb. Brassware for gravity systems is usually designed with a minimum pressure of 0.1 or 0.2 Bar, but many modern 'designer taps' have a minimum working pressure of 1 Bar.

It could end up a lot simpler, cheaper and quieter just changing the taps.

 

[ukdaasfan]

All taps and the toilet are affected.

The other bathroom is also on the same floor in the old part of the house. The tank is in that bathroom.

The pipe come out of the old bathroom as we should now call it. Along the hall (half in the old house and half in the new) Under the stud wall and into the bathroom.

The water then splits off to the sink tap and the bath tap. The toilet is tee'd of the 22mm just before this.

The pressue in the old bathroom is OK. Not great but liveable with. Hot water is worse thatn the cold.

In the new bathroom cold is pretty rubbish, the hot water is totally rubbish. (In about same proportions pretty much to the other bathroom).