Advice for shower & hw tank on same floor?

Anfimova

Hi all,

We're thinking about installing a shower in the upstairs bathroom. We were told by the former owners of the house (neither one a plumber) that there isn't enough pressure (or gravity) for a shower since the hot water tank is on the same floor and the cold water tank (not sure what this is for exactly) is in the loft, on the floor above. Is this is true? If so, will a pump (on the cold water tank?) be sufficient to get enough water to the shower? If not, any other ideas?

Any advice will be very much appreciated.

Thanks.

bryanb

The cold tank in the loft supplies the head of pressure for the hot water. You may have trouble balancing the mix of H&C at the shower control if the cold is direct off the rising main, but if the cold is from the loft tank as well everything should be OK. How is the pressure at the bathroom taps?

sparky883

What type of shower,Do you have a Combi Boiler?

Anfimova

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The cold tank in the loft supplies the head of pressure for the hot water. You may have trouble balancing the mix of H&C at the shower control if the cold is direct off the rising main, but if the cold is from the loft tank as well everything should be OK. How is the pressure at the bathroom taps?



Thanks for the very quick reply. I don't know the pressure level at the bathroom taps, but the water does come out very fast when they are turned on full. Would there any additional pipework for the plumber to do if the cold is taken from the cold water tank in the loft?

mebumu

Why not go for an electric shower and tap into the mains pressure feed to your cold water tank?

Anfimova

sparky883 wrote: »

What type of shower,Do you have a Combi Boiler?

Thanks for your very quick reply. We have a Mira Thermostatic Mixer Shower (gravity fed), but are thinking of buying an electric one, if it'll be O.K. to go in the bathroom upstairs, so that we have constant access to hot water. The boiler we have is an Ideal Condenser.

Anfimova

mebumu wrote: »

Why not go for an electric shower and tap into the mains pressure feed to your cold water tank?

Thanks for the advice. As I understand it the plumber will need to take the cold water directly from the cold water tank in the loft by installing a new pipe between cw tank and shower?

mebumu

Hi Anfimova
If you decide on an electric shower, simply fit a tee fitting into the pipe which feeds the cold water tank (i.e. before the cold water gets to the tank); this gives you mains pressure, which should be fine; taking a feed from the cold water tank would defeat the purpose.

Canucklehead

Hi
Have a look here,
http://www.bathroom-academy.co.uk/guides2.asp

Specifically, water systems and showers controls.
I would suggest a small pump like a Stuart Turner Showermate. I don't see the point in an electric shower when you have a cylinder of hot water sitting there.

Corgi Guy.

smcaul

We have a Stuart Turner showermate pump, nice and powerful. Our first one leaked around the seals within 2 weeks of fitting, but to their credit they sent out an engineer quickely, although he then fitted a faulty part and did not bother to test!!!!! But Stuart Turner then sent out someone from their factory who got it sorted and they paid to have out living room repainted as the walls had water marks down them! I would get another ST pump as their customer service was good.