low hot water pressure All aspects of plumbing questions and answers, help, tips and information

[nathalie]

Hi, I have a problem with the pressure in my shower upstair, i have a gravity fed system with a boiler in the cupboard and then a water tank on the loft, we do not have pressure in the shower head on the hot water; someone told me thqt i should use a mixer shower, is it true will it really solve my pb?

[grahamjohn]

if u have a electric shower u must run it off mains power cold water only
if a mixer and both hot and cold are gravity fed u need to buy a pump
to make it a power shower and u will have the best shower in your street?

[jondeau]

Your problem is related to lack of pressure and fitting another type of shower valve is not going to solve the problem.

You mention that hot water pressure is low at the shower head but do not mention the cold water pressure. Which does make me wonder if someone has connected the cold shower supply to the mains water supply.

If the cold water supply to the shower is good this may be the case, this higher pressure on the cold will overpower the low pressure on the hot side and result in at best lukewarm showers.

If both hot and cold supplies originate from the tank in the loft then the plumbing is correct and the only way to improve things is to fit a shower pump or, if you have room, have the cold water tank in the loft raised.....the higher you can get it the more pressure you will have.


JD.

[htg engineer]

Depends on the type of shower you have as how to remedy the pressure problem.

Is it an electric shower or mixer shower ?

Mixer showers cannot be fitted directly off the mains cold water supply, regulations state it has to be fed by a cold water tank, this is because if the mains cold water is turned off whilst someone is in the shower, the hot water will still flow maybe scalding someone. With a tank you will still get cold water to the shower even if only for a short time.