Upgrading water mains with wider Pipes

Bleg

I would like to have the mains water supply upgraded with wider pipes to enable me to have a good pressurised hotwater system when I change the whole of my heating system.

The stopcock is just to the side of my property and at most 12m from the mains in the road.

What I would like to ask is what exactly does this involve labour wise. Can I hire someone to do it or does it have to be done by the water board. The current mains at the moment appears to enter the property from below via the foundations if I do upgrade it could I just have it come through the wall????or must it follow the course of the present one.

Any Idea on the costs to expect. 100's or 1000's

Calling on all my MSE out there I welcome all opinions and comments

Tucker

Do you know what the existing pipe is made from?

A friend of mine had his replaced free by the water company. The water board inspector was a few doors down and he approached him about it.

He told him to submit a request via their website for lead replacement pipes and the inspector would pick up the job and sort it.

As it was his pipes weren't actually lead, but the age of the house fitted in with the time when lead was used and the inspector said he arrange it as a lead replacement, even though it wasn't. Cost him nothing.

googler

Will increasing the pipe size increase the pressure, or merely the flow rate?

Discuss.

ormus

check with the neighbours first. a new pipe may not make any difference to your water pressure.
the water companies pressure can differ greatly in any given area.
hence some homes cannot fit a combi boiler.

keystone

Bleg wrote: »

I would like to have the mains water supply upgraded with wider pipes to enable me to have a good pressurised hotwater system when I change the whole of my heating system.

Then you'd be wasting your time, money and energy on a number of grounds. Mainly, though as Gogler rather obliquely points out, pressure is pressure and flow rate is quite different. In your case the flow rate of hot water will be determined by the throughput of the system you use to heat it not the pressure supplied by the water company. So whether the supply pipes are 15 or 100mm in diameter it won't have any effect bcause thats not the limiting factor.

Cheers

vaio

keystone wrote: »

......In your case the flow rate of hot water will be determined by the throughput of the system you use to heat it not the pressure supplied by the water company. So whether the supply pipes are 15 or 100mm in diameter it won't have any effect bcause thats not the limiting factor.

Cheers

As long as the existing pressure/flow is enough to allow the new system to operate at full power

keystone

vaio wrote: »

As long as the existing pressure/flow is enough to allow the new system to operate at full power

which would be why you would measure the pressure provided by the water supplier before deciding on the design of the system to be installed.

Cheers

1984ReturnsForReal_2

vaio wrote: »

As long as the existing pressure/flow is enough to allow the new system to operate at full power

Like Keystone says.

The pressure will not change.

gas4you

googler wrote: »

Will increasing the pipe size increase the pressure, or merely the flow rate?

Discuss.

Just the flow rate

diable

Can't you just fit a Grundfos pump to the pipe work where it enters the house? I think they cost about £1200 plus fitting.

keystone

diable wrote: »

Can't you just fit a Grundfos pump to the pipe work where it enters the house? I think they cost about £1200 plus fitting.

Nope - thou shalt not directly connect a pump to mains water. So sayeth the Water Regs. Here endeth the lesson.

If the house has low mains pressure as supplied by Water Co then the solution is to install a break tank between the incoming mains and your pump. Then you can pump away to your hearts content.

Cheers