Tap pressure help

curious_badger

Hi, firstly - I hope you all had a great new years eve!

I've recently moved in to a flat which is electric only (no gas), There is a hot water immersion cylinder housed in a hallway cupboard, also there is a separate cold water tank in the loft.

I have a problem with the pressure coming from the kitchen tap (just the hot pressure), the water is indeed coming out hot (as it should be), but the pressure is very weak
Here is an image of the weak hot pressure (hot) - http://imgur.com/icFe40C

The same tap on cold works fine, with a much healthier and stronger pressure (cold) - http://imgur.com/47g2FL6

I have already tried adjusting the pressure valves (on the pipes) under the sink with a flat head screwdriver, but the hot pressure is already as good as it gets (as already shown above in the first photo)

The bathroom, on the other hand has a perfectly fine strong pressure (for both hot and cold) on both the bathroom sink and bath. It's just the kitchen taps hot pressure which is weak.

- Does anybody know how I can resolve this issue? Do I need a new/different type of tap? Thanks, any help is appreciated as I know very little about plumbing

Hasbeen

Usually kitchen sink cold supply is mains high pressure.


Hot water supply is from loft cold tank to hot water cylinder then to hot taps, low pressure.

Just reread post re bathroom as you describe should be similar?


Some people suggest holding cloth under spout to stop flow, turn hot on then turn cold on for a minute or so then turn both of and open hot.

Crinkmeister

Can you post a picture of supply pipes under your sink please?

curious_badger

Hasbeen wrote: »

Just reread post re bathroom as you describe should be similar?

The hot flow in the bathroom isn't super but is better than the kitchens hot flow. I'm wondering whether the previous occupier fitted the wrong type of kitchen tap (i.e. High pressure) - I measured 1.25 metres from the kitchen tap straight up to the cieling (the cold water tank sits near by, in the loft just above the kitchen cieling) - if I'm not mistaken this would mean I'd need a 0.1 bar tap?

Crinkmeister wrote: »

Can you post a picture of supply pipes under your sink please?

Sure, it's an awkward angle to snap pictures from though - the copper pipe at the very back of the cupboard is for cold and the copper pipe nearest is for the hot

http://imgur.com/kxR1hUx
http://imgur.com/El5WKfb
http://imgur.com/dj1BDxT
http://imgur.com/I6eqOcg

Do let me know if a different angle is needed

Thanks

Crinkmeister

You might have a kink in your flexi connection to the tap. Unfortunately, it doesn't look very accessible! Cheap flexi connections tend to have quite a small bore which will restrict flow. You could try changing for a full bore flexi connector. I'm guessing bathroom taps are plumbed in with rigid copper (not flexi).

curious_badger

Crinkmeister wrote: »

You might have a kink in your flexi connection to the tap. Unfortunately, it doesn't look very accessible! Cheap flexi connections tend to have quite a small bore which will restrict flow. You could try changing for a full bore flexi connector. I'm guessing bathroom taps are plumbed in with rigid copper (not flexi).

Thanks, I will take a look at the bathroom pipes (will need to get the screwdriver out as it's a panel I've yet to take off and look behind).

If I bought a full bore flexi connector - and turned both valves (with a flathead screwdriver) on the pipes so there's no risk of water flowing through - is the flexi something I could change myself?

Thanks again for your help

wealdroam

curious_badger wrote: »

I have already tried adjusting the pressure valves (on the pipes) under the sink with a flat head screwdriver, but the hot pressure is already as good as it gets (as already shown above in the first photo)

They are not pressure valves, but isolating valves.
Ensure that the screwdriver slot is parallel with the pipe for maximum flow.

As shown here...

curious_badger

wealdroam wrote: »

They are not pressure valves, but isolating valves.
Ensure that the screwdriver slot is parallel with the pipe for maximum flow.

As shown here...

Ahhh, thanks - so when turned a quarter (of a full turn), it will completely stop any more water passing through? I'll be sure to do this before changing the flexi connector

Crinkmeister

You can change the flexi yourself as long as you are confident! If not, then I'd get a plumber to do it - saves all the worry in case you hit a problem. Biggest problem is access. If the flexi goes direct to the tap. you might have to remove the tap to change the flexi tail. They have different thread sizes (tap end) too, so you'd have to get the old one out to measure it before getting a new one. All in all, a bit of a faff!

rockin_plumber

Are the taps in the bathroom two single taps?
If so that will be why the pressure is better in the bathroom.
It could be a kinked flexi hose but it's more than likely the taps are designed for high pressure rather than the low pressure you have on your hot water system.

It does look a bit tight but you will more than likely need to remove the taps if you change the fllexis on the tap... It will either be a 1/4 or a 3/8 thread.

And why people wrap PTFE tape around the thread on a compression fitting I will never know? It either needs to go round the olive or use a jointing paste, like boss white for example.

Crinkmeister

rockin_plumber wrote: »

And why people wrap PTFE tape around the thread on a compression fitting I will never know? It either needs to go round the olive or use a jointing paste, like boss white for example.

Because they don't understand how a compression fitting works!