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Low shower pressure upstairs - old, oil-fueled boiler
I'm about to move into a new house. It has an oil fuelled boiler on the ground floor (internal, floor mounted worcester, a hot water tank on second floor, but that's all I know).
There is one bathroom upstairs and the showerhead over bath is very weak.
I want to add a second bathroom and perhaps more radiators too.
Can the pressure be improved? Are there workarounds (pumps, electric showers, etc) to get GOOD shower pressure. Would a new boiler help? Will the addition of a bathroom/radiators worsen the problem.
Any advice gratefully received.
2 Answers from MyBuilder Plumbers
Best Answer
Hi. The problem you are experiencing is a common one for my customers. It all falls down to head pressure. The higher the tanks are in the loft, in relation to the shower head, the more pressure you will have. One meter head hight will give you 0.1 bar of pressure. With the shower head being the highest outlet that sounds like your main problem. I would suggest the installation of an unvented pressurised cylinder. As long as the pipework and in-coming main is suitable this should solve all of your hot water pressure issues, without the replacement of your boiler.
If you have any further questions just contact me.
Tim Coney
TC Heating
Answered 28th Jul 2016
Agree with TC, Either raise the tanks in the loft as described above, or if you have a big enough cold water storage tank in the loft and big enough hot water cylinder you could install a shower pump, install unvented cylinder, replace boiler with a combi or could install a pump on the hot and cold pipework to shower using these- http://www.showerpowerbooster.co.uk/
They give you extra pressure, not loads like a normal pump but act in the way of raising the tanks in the loft, ive fitted them before and are easy to install and work. Plus you can fit and try and if not happy you can return !
Tom
Avonvale Plumbing Services
Answered 29th Jul 2016
