Water pressure problem

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Hi everyone;

I lived in a three floors + attic house, we have a shower room on the first floor and we'd like to fit another bathroom on the attic room.

I have had some plumbers coming to have a look the job but I've been told that it won't be enough pressure to take 2 showers at the same time.

(My system it's a combination boiler Wooster 42 cdi)


Is anyone who could give me a solution?

One plumber told me that I may need to fit another main water supply + another combination boiler to fit only this bathroom. (Quite expensive solution)

I've been advice to fit a water cylinder + a pump,

Could anyone told me if that will guarantee me if that will resolve the water pressure?

Can you think of any other solution?

Many thanks in advance.
 
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In principle a Worcester 42CDi combi should be able to run two showers at around 8-9 litres per minute each - just, and with an optimum water supply.

If you have inadequate incoming water flow or pressure there are a variety of solutions which depend on measurements of the static pressure and water flow. Without these metrics it is guesswork.

My company have a website with pictures and case studies of water pressure and flow solutions for domestic properties in the South London/Kent/Sussex regions. This forum does not allow advertising but I am not aware of any similar site I can point you at.

I would avoid break tanks and pumps because they are noisy and there is nothing to prevent water stagnation, other than a planned chlorination programme - which is not justifiable for a simple domestic system.
 
...I have had some plumbers coming to have a look the job but I've been told that it won't be enough pressure to take 2 showers at the same time.
That is nonsense, pressure is the same for 1 kitchen tap or 6 showers; it is the flow that will be different

(My system it's a combination boiler Wooster 42 cdi)
If you use thermostatic shower mixers and a reasonably economical showerhead, the boiler will happily service 2 showers

Is anyone who could give me a solution?
First thing to find out is what your pressure and flow actually are.

One plumber told me that I may need to fit another main water supply + another combination boiler to fit only this bathroom. (Quite expensive solution)
Ignore him, he clearly has no idea how to remedy faults.

I've been advice to fit a water cylinder + a pump,
It would work, IF it is the pressure that is the problem), but will be very expensive and using an oldfashioned method

Could anyone told me if that will guarantee me if that will resolve the water pressure?
It will not solve the pressure issue. If you really have a pressure problem, it is due to the water company,and they will not increase the pressure if you ask them.

Can you think of any other solution?
The vast majority of houses that are more than 30 years old have very small incoming mains compared to what would be the norm today, so probably upgrading the mains is something you need to look at.
 
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Didn't say he had a flow problem......the electric shower removes the boiler from the equation. It's an option thats all.....if he has flow issues then he needs to upgrage his water supply and all anwers above are moot....
 
Didn't say he had a flow problem......
True, that is only my guess based on not getting enough hot water out of a 42 CDI.
From the comments of op, I deducted that he knows very little about boilers/plumbing and is going by what "they" have said.
 
Hmmm...thinking about it again i can't see even a 15mm supply being unable to give 20l a minute. OP silly question, is your stoptap all the way open....worth checking. That said test your supply. Fill a bucket timed over 1 minute and empty out with a measure jug....that will tell you approx your flow rate in litres per min.....as long as its over say 18 that will be plenty for your boiler to supply to 2 thermostatic showers.....
 
Thanks for your advice I have not idea obout plumber that much...

Fill a bucket timed over 1 minute and empty out with a measure jug....that will tell you approx your flow rate in litres per min

I have followed this advice and the water flow in 1 minute was only 9litres

Any solution withoud having to fit another water unit supply? as this will be quite expensive...

many thanks
 
That IS low........you could either get that sorted via new/upgrded pipe line in or maybe fit a cws cold water sorage tank and run an electric shower off this.......pressure will be as good as the height from the tank to the shower head but it's an alternative to getting the flow sorted which maybe quite expensive
 
...Any solution withoud having to fit another water unit supply? as this will be quite expensive...

many thanks
You have a flow problem, not a pressure problem.
The only way to do it properly is to bring your cold mains up to spec.

You could get an installer to fit a tank, a cylinder, a pump, and new controls. To do that properly would cost in excess of £1000 pound (quite possibly a lot more), and still leave you with a good boiler that only can do half of what it is designed to do, and a system as was popular 50 years ago, which will use more energy than necessary, is prone to problems, leaves you open to all sorts of nasties breeding in the tank and the cylinder, not to mention quite likely a lot of disturbance to get the pipes to the loft.

It might work out a bit cheaper than getting the mains sorted, but it would be as sensible as buying a second car because the tank of the good one is empty.
 
Could someone tell me more or less how much could cost me to updated the mains and what that does it mean to updated the mains?

Many thanks
 
Could someone tell me more or less how much could cost me to updated the mains
Impossible without seeing the situation, not even a vague number.

and what that does it mean to updated the mains?
Upgrading the mains is simply removing the old pipe with a small bore, (15mm or even less) with a larger one, preferably a 32 mm MDPE outside, with 28mm inside as a principal pipe, from which 22mm and 15 mm are branched off as needed.

6Litres a minute does not just indicate a small mains, but a fault; even 15mm should provide about 3 times that.
 
Could someone tell me more or less how much could cost me to updated the mains and what that does it mean to updated the mains?

Many thanks

A new pipe is laid from the street.
Cost depends on distance from street, ease of dig, is ther concrete to get through etc.

A mole can be used sometimes.

Around london i expect to start around 2k roughly but have seen one that cost 30 odd k.
Only way to answer that is to get quotes.
 

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