Plumbing

Increasing mains flow rate (SE London, Thames Water)

Anonymous user 01/03/2024 - 2.57 PM

Recently bought a house and planning renovation, including loft extension with additional bathroom. But certainly need to do something about the flow rate. I measured the flow rate from a kitchen tap - get roughly 9 l/m (I think this is the minimum that Thames Water guarantees). Is this typical? I don't know what kind of supply pipe (16mm?) I have from ThamesWater main to the house, but would upgrading that line to a bigger diameter give me any significant flow rate increase? Is there anything ThamesWater can do (short of giving me a dedicated line, not shared with anyone) to increase the flow? I will most likely need a pressure booster with accumulator tank, but really keen to see if I can increase the flow rate first (may need a smaller tank then...)

Joseph Preston Plumbing & Heating

Rating: 4.9 out of 5

4.9/566 reviews

Stoke Newington, London

Have you checked to see if there is a partially closed valve somewhere that is restricting flow? Alternatively, depending on what kind of set up you have, a Mains Booster Pump might be what you need.

Answered19 January 2022

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Garry Cunningham

No reviews yet

Birmingham

Although fitting a bigger pipe would give you more volume of water. It would not increase the pressure. Fitting a larger supply pipe from the boundary to the stopcock then a reduction in the pipe size from your stopcock should increase the pressure. Failing that you could fit a booster pump. Hope this was useful.

Answered20 January 2022

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Anonymous user

Kitchen tap airator should be checked for any blockage. Is internal stop cock fully open? Are any outside stop cock and meter outside? Is outside stop cock fully open? Replacement of the old lead mains water pipework to 25mm MDPE pipe to the property should help increase flow rate.

Answered6 February 2022

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