Super Mario (Power-Up)

Infidel

Hi. Happy 'end of summer' .

I'm looking for some help/advice from any plumbers (or those in the know) out there. Of which I'm sure there are many........

Okay, here's the situation, the water pressure in the house is appalling (especially for the shower) so firstly. Whose responsibility is this? Is it anything to do with the water company ?(rates are high enough - should ideally be a discount for such a **** service). If it's not their responsibility and/or they can't do anything about it, are there any other options?

Would installing a power shower help with the water pressure at all? The current shower (before it broke) has terrible water pressure - and this gets progressively worse the higher you have the temperature - so in winter it's pretty bad.

For the last part, as stated above, the shower (it's actually in an elderly relatives house who I'm asking on behalf of) has broken - as in when I turn it on nothing happens - no light, no water.
I was round there trying to troubleshoot the problem earlier - I'm pretty sure it's not the fuse - as before it finally conked out the shower did turn off - then started working again several hours later - it wouldn't have come back on if it was the fuse would it? So I think maybe the shower has just finally given up and needs replacing. The Triton T80 that's there now looks quite ancient to be honest.

So that brings me onto the next thing. Any recommendations on showers to buy, places to buy from and hopefully any companies that will install the new shower. Not sure whether it would be better to buy a shower from the net and then get a plumber to install it or whether it's better (and more cost effective) to get them 'done together'.

My relatives are thinking I could put it in, as my D.I.Y. skills are pretty decent, but I'm not an electrician or a plumber and said 'when water and electricity is concerned I'd rather it done professionally' - please just confirm I'm right in thinking this. Or is it pretty easy to put a shower in?

Sorry for the length of this post. But I'm writing it up from notes I made earlier and wanted to make sure I didn't miss anything. Thanks for reading. To show my (our) appreciation here's a picture of a cute Super Mario from 1991.

mrs_sparrow

We have a twin impeller shower pump in our house.

This tells you how to install it: http://www.wickes.co.uk/good-idea-leaflets/shower-booster-pumps/pcat/46showerpumps/ My husband found it easy enough to do but might want to get someone in if you are not confident with pipework. The flow is brilliant now, barely a trickle before, 30 minutes to run a bath which was ridiculous.

Like you we did not have any pressure at all for a shower but this gives pressure to the entire bathroom, not just the shower, so the bath runs fast as well.

We have a mixer type that goes from the bath for ours. We have a thermostat tape it locks halfway so the kids cannot turn the water from warm to hot without clicking a button in which they have not managed to do yet.

ETA: I just read the bottom bit, the tap with the push button is a good choice for your elderly relatives, the warm water would be hot enough for them (it is the kids) and might help them from being burned or scaled by mistake, it has marks on it to show how hot it is going to be. Here is the one we have and it is less than £100 - http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Taps+Showers/Bathroom+Taps+Mixers/Stroma+Thermostatic+Bath+Shower+Mixer/d240/sd2691/p91081

Infidel

mrs_sparrow wrote: »

We have a twin impeller shower pump in our house.

:eek: I wouldn't even know where to put that...........(might be better to try leaving this one to a professional).

I had a read through the installation pdf and it says most water pressure problems are caused by the water storage tank being to close to the shower head. But in the house the water storage tank is actually above the house in the loft. So again I'm wondering if a power shower or water pump would solve the problem.
Also, if a power shower was planned - would a water pump and a power shower be needed or is it generally either or?

Ps - Not many Marios around here. Wonder if there are more Luigis........

Infidel

After reading around I'm not sure if an electrician would be better rather than a plumber as I read somewhere that a 'part P' qualified electrician would be needed to install power showers.

Should ideally be a 'safe list' somewhere. As with so many cowboys and incompetents around it can be pretty hit and miss when finding a tradesperson. Don't wanna be looking in the Yellow Pages if possible.

mrs_sparrow

Infidel wrote: »

:eek: I wouldn't even know where to put that...........(might be better to try leaving this one to a professional).

I had a read through the installation pdf and it says most water pressure problems are caused by the water storage tank being to close to the shower head. But in the house the water storage tank is actually above the house in the loft. So again I'm wondering if a power shower or water pump would solve the problem.
Also, if a power shower was planned - would a water pump and a power shower be needed or is it generally either or?

Ps - Not many Marios around here. Wonder if there are more Luigis........

Sorry, forgot to explain, ours is in the airing cupboard.

Obviously being bloke stuff I have no idea except from what my husband told me.... the pipes come from the water tank which is above the emersion heater and the pump is next to that, and then feeds into the bathroom.

Our water tank is pretty much the other side of the house to the bathroom so I do not think that is the case, I did read that and though it that certainly did not apply to our house. We have lived in 2 houses where the pressure has been bad an in both cases the pumping stations have been at the bottom of a hill and they have been there for many years so maybe the stations just cannot cope with the new estates being built that it has to pump water too. Not sure this is your case but thought I would mention it.

I'll be honest, when my husband put it in I went away on holiday so they would not have to listen to the swearing!!

What I do know is that a power shower was not going to be any good because there was not enough pressure to make it work properly and this is why we went for the pump instead.

Rodders53

Instant electric showers have notoriously poor flow - moreso at higher output water temperatures and when the supply water is colder, in winter... They should always connect to the cold water mains supply; they have different kW heat input ratings that can have some effect on flow rates (but the higher wattages may need a 'thicker', more expensive, cable to supply it than is already installed).

Replacement of an existing unit with the same or equivalent model (same power rating) may be well be fairly simple... but, unless the old unit was badly 'furred up' due to hard water is unlikely to have better flow.

IMHO it's unlikely that the incoming water pressure is too low (how long does it take to fill a bucket in the kitchen? and in the bathroom if the cold tap is not fed from a storage tank).

Either an electrical installation or plumbing company may fit a replacement unit - you'll need to ask them when you get quotes... they'll often have people qualified to do both bits and issue any certificates as needed. If they don't have, simply don't use them! A quick google found one company in the Notts area that gives prices.

To get a better shower flow would require more work and money; possibly replacing a gas boiler-fed hot water tank with a 'pressurised' one and suitable additional plumbing to a shower mixer? or a combi boiler?

mart.vader

Ask the Water Co. to check the pressure and flow on the supply, Usually the most convenient place is the cold kitchen tap, tho' if there's a meter in the footpath, it can be done there.

Once you have that info, and whether it is up to spec or not, you can ask a plumber what the best solution is.

Infidel

Rodders53 wrote: »

Instant electric showers have notoriously poor flow - moreso at higher output water temperatures and when the supply water is colder, in winter...

Exactly that. The shower in summer when it's on the lowest warm setting is bearable. But in winter when you need it on the high heat setting the pressure drops right off.

IMHO it's unlikely that the incoming water pressure is too low (how long does it take to fill a bucket in the kitchen? and in the bathroom if the cold tap is not fed from a storage tank).

The cold water pressure in the kitchen seems okay to be honest.
I'm not sure if this is directly related to the water pressure problem, but if someone is using the shower and then somebody else uses the cold tap in the kitchen (at the same time) then the water in the shower runs hot (and vice versa). Seems a bit of a lame system to be honest, I haven't heard of this happening in other peoples houses.