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Plumbing

low water pressure in flat with gravity fed system

Anonymous user 03/03/2024 - 3.08 PM

I have recently purchased a flat, there is no gas supply and a gravity fed system all on the same floor so never expecting great pressure, the mains pressure coming in is fine in the kitchen sink. I have a terrible low water pressure in the bathroom both basin and bath to the point where you cannot run a bath and you can just about brush your teeth with the dribble in the basin if both hot and cold are on, I mean its really bad, the kitchen sink hot is a bit better, usable but still awful. I have fitted a pump to try to sort the problem out which works fine in the kitchen sink as there is enough water pressure for the pump to start up but in the bathroom I have to turn on all the taps for any of them to work as the pressure is so bad it won't even start up the pump. The flats where built in 1982 its hard water could it just be that the pipes are scaled up or something? any advice would be appreciated. Thanks --- Additional I've bypassed the mains water now like you have said so thats the cold water pressure sorted, so when you say universal single pump is that the same as using a negative head one? Thanks Ok, I have now fitted a negative head single pump to sort out the hot water pressure, which has worked only sometimes it will not switch off? Am I supposed to fit a surrey flange or something like this? Sorry I am just learning as I go along.....

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2 Answers

A Simon Bathroom Installations

Rating: 5 out of 5

Sidcup

Hi there! At first i would pressurize the whole cold water system, by cutting off the pipe under the cw storage tank, and connect it with the mains feed. This way you wont have problem with your toilet, as the mains will fill the cistern up so fast. Cold water problem done. Then I would check the pump. This way you need a single universal pump , not standard. Standard pumps needs 0.6 l gravity flow(what you don't have) to start up. The universal starts up automatically. Make sure, that it has been fitted correctly. Follow the instructions, don't use too much elbows, and keep the pump close to the cylinder. It must work this way. Hope I could help.

Answered5 June 2014

Anonymous user

The pump you would have Required would have been a negative head pump. These work even when the outlets are above the supply outlet level from the tank ! Now that you have already fitted a pump, I would try fitting a mini expansion vessel in the line, that way once the pump is initially activated, when you turn of the she outlet the pump will over run slightly and the pressure taken up in the expansion vessel. That way the next time you go to operate the tap it will in effect already be under initial pressure. ( This is the principle how negative head pumps work anyway)! Adrian Southsea plumbing.

Answered7 June 2014