Checking for good water pressure and mains gas supply

onthewayout

Is there any practical way to find out (apart from actually living there!) if a property has a mains gas supply, and enough water pressure for a combi boiler and an upstairs shower run directly off it?

thesaint

Yes. Ask the present occupiers.

phill99

It's almost an academic question. Combi boilers run directly off if the mains supply. This pressure is set by the water board and is set to a minimum required pressure, normally about 1.5 bar. As you are looking to install a shower, off it, this, by default would be at the pressure of the boiler, which is dictated by the mains pressure.

Therefore I everything will run as expected.

onthewayout

There aren't any. It's been empty for 5 months, the agent said. Bit of a fixer-upper with ancient storage heaters, but relatively cheap

thesaint wrote: »

Yes. Ask the present occupiers.

onthewayout

I rented in a part of Oxford where all the houses had loft tanks for cold water and cylinders for hot, and the owner said it's because the mains pressure is too low to use directly in a combi boiler. It wasn't just our house either, I asked several neighbours and people in the pub and they had the same.

The dribble of lukewarm or cold water from my shower (once the tiny hot tank was empty) wasn't very impressive, and that's what I want to avoid when I buy. I'm looking at fixer-uppers, so I expect to do plenty of DIY, but it seems like low water pressure isn't something I could fix.

phill99 wrote: »

It's almost an academic question. Combi boilers run directly off if the mains supply. This pressure is set by the water board and is set to a minimum required pressure, normally about 1.5 bar. As you are looking to install a shower, off it, this, by default would be at the pressure of the boiler, which is dictated by the mains pressure.

Therefore I everything will run as expected.

MoneyMate

You should be able to check were the water comes into the property say under the sink ? then check pressure at sink tap, you may then put a water pressure gauge on for test with a temp adtaptor;) . :beer:

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Mains+Water+Pressure+Test+Gauge/p75711

ACG

Probably doesnt help much but i bought a house 6 months ago with storage heaters and no GCH.

I had to install it myself, i did all the work so it only cost about £200 to the gas people. I dug the trench needed etc.

Ive installed a combi boiler, the water pressure isnt fantastic but ive seen worse. I think its something to do with having a wider diameter pipe going from the mains into your boiler? no idea but thats what the gas bloke said.

As for checking if its connected to the mains, can you try calling eon or someone and saying you want to move your supplier over... they will look for a meter point reference number on some central database.... it was a right ball ache when i had it done.

aleksrothis

Your local water company should be able to attend and check the pressure at the external stop tap. So long as the pressure there is high enough for the type of boiler/appliances you want any internal issues can be resolved by replacing your own pipes.

Dave_the_Ginger_Cat

It may also depend on the size and age of the inlet from the mains. I upgraded my boiler and hot tank recently and needed the pipe size increasing.

ILW

If it is an issue, don't go for a combi (they aren't much cop for showers anyway)

MoneyMate

ILW wrote: »

If it is an issue, don't go for a combi (they aren't much cop for showers anyway)

Sorry disagree combi rules ok for Showers (IF THE WATER PRESSURE IS OK) :beer:
And of course the boiler is big enough !!!