water pressure in flat All aspects of plumbing questions and answers, help, tips and information

[alfier]

My daughter recently had her flat refurbished. This has always suffered from low water pressure at the taps and the mixer shower (New Triton) also has low pressure out with the hot output from the Alpha 280 Combi being a dribble making the shower unusable. After replacing all the flat pipes and the pipe from the flats utility room on the ground floor to the flat no difference was noticeable from the taps or shower. We contacted Thames water who stated our records show that at the time of our technician's visit he recorded the water pressure at the ground floor level of 2 Bar and 15 litres per minute flow rate. He also read the water pressure on the second floor of 1.5 Bar and 15 litres per minute also.

Now I know that this block was converted from offices and that the only feed into the block is the single feed that existed when the block only had offices. It now comprises 3 offices and 8 flats all sharing this single feed.

Thames water has advised that they would do a quote for connecting a separate supply to the utility room but want £230 for that and I heard it would cost £6000 to run from their pipe in the road? A clear run but I could never could find out their connection or stop cock to the utility room!

So my question is should 1.5 bar and 15 litres be ok for the flat. If so how do I trace the problem? If not what should it be? How do I measure flow and pressure?

What can I do please?


:cry:

[stoneyboy]

alfier,
From your description it is very likely that during high demand periods (evenings and weekends) your supply pressure and flow will be greatly reduced.
You need to buy a pressure gauge and fittings so that you can instal it in the supply pipe in the flat. You will then be able to record the pressure at different times during the day.
Flow rate is a lot easier, take a graduated bucket, turn on the tap and measure how much water comes out of the tap in 20 seconds.
end

[alfier]

Thank you. I shall check this next time I am at my daughters flat. If it turns out that the pressure and flow is as they stated should that be ok? If not what options do I have? I've seen a pressure guage in screwfix but what do you use to connect it to the tap?
Alfie

[alfier]

Thank you for taking the trouble to reply, Yes it does go down at times. Can I connect the pressure gauge to a tap as all the pipes are under a bamboo floor. With regard to the flow rate and pressure what would be a sensible minimum as Thames water say they measured it at 1.5 Bar and 15 litres per minute whilst my daughter was in the flat and they say that is fine so they won’t do anything.
Alfie

[stoneyboy]

alfier,
I would have thought you could get at a length of pipe under the sink or basin. Buy a T and fittings to adapt the T onto the pressure gauge. You will then have to turn off the water cut the pipe and fit the T and pressure gauge.
Unless you can see that the water pressure drops considerably during peak demand time and report this, Thames water will do nothing. They will always check the pressure during the working day ie not peak demand time.
The thames water measured pressure and flow rate should be OK if they are consistent.
end

[TheDoctor5]

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[alfier]

Thanks I'm still checking as I have to do it when I vist my daughter.