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New bathroom

Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 4:30 pm
by caddie1
I am having a new bathroom fitted at the moment.
The hot water pressure seems to be less now than it was.
I asked the fitter and he says it could be the taps we have chosen.
Is there such a thing as high and low pressure taps.
Thanks

Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 5:50 am
by Steve the gas
Hi Caddie,

Yes.

As a test, put on one of the old (low pressure) taps to prove.

Hth

Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 6:42 am
by rosebery
Yes there is.

Do you have a combi boiler or a gravity system?

If the latter you have a flow rate problem not a pressure problem. The people that sold you the bathroom should have told you the consequences of 1/4 turn ceramic disc taps on a gravity system.
A lot of them say operates down to 0.1 bar on the packaging but its the flow rate thats carp because they are so restrictive.

In all honesty the fiter should also have mentioned it before he started - particularly if hes used flexi connectors because such have a reduced bore which also cuts back the flow rate.

Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 1:28 pm
by caddie1
It is a gravity system, and yes he has used flexi connectors and pipe.
Is there anything i can do or do i need different taps.
Thanks

Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 9:26 pm
by rosebery
The taps are a major contribution but there are others. The fitter should probably (although he's not necesarily obliged to I guess) plumb it properly in 22mm fixed to the bath taps not use flexis. Has he fitted service valves (which he should have done)? Are they full bore? If not they will also be restrictive.

Does the fitter work for the bathroom company? If so I'd try complaining to them that the flow isn't so good as it was. If the fitter really knows what he is doing he knows its not just a case of "maybe its the taps you have chosen". Is it a case of the taps you have chosen or the taps you were sold?

Actually perhaps what you should do first is:

1. Ask the fitter to put one of the old taps back on (if the installation hasn't gone too far) and measure the flow.

2. Measure the flow rate through the new tap.

Ask him / the company to account please for the difference as they are the experts and you, as the client, are not satisfied. Recommends may depend on it!

Cheers