Low water pressure at home

luke123456

Hi

I live in a 4 bed semi detached, in London and the water pressure is very low.

We had a large valiant combi boiler installed, but looking back at it now we should have had a mega flo but didn't know much about this at the time.

If anyone opens the kitchen tap for example the water pressure anywhere else drops and so the person having a shower can't really shower with low water pressure! Or even if you flush the toilet you have to wait a few minutes before any other tap will give you a decent flow of water.

We had a builder install some kind of pump (don't ask me more, it didn't cost more than £100 and is in the garage..) but this hasn't worked.

Someone suggested calling the water company and they install a bigger diameter pipe, but they have t install a water meter aswell (which I don't want) is this right?

We moved in about a year and a half now and did a lot of refurbishment to the house so I am looking for something that's not gonna destroy most of the work we have done. But nay ideas and advice is welcome please!

Many thanks!

andyhop

A unvented cylinder would be even worse

Have you checked your water pressure, should be minimum of 1 bar

You can fit a home boost mains pump but it still will only give 1-1.5br max

I'd get the pressure and flow checked, you could be on a old lead main which could be replaced

macman

If you bought the property 18m ago then Thames Water should have put you onto a metered supply anyway: you cannot refuse a meter if they wish to install one. The supply pipe between meter/street stop valve and the property is your responsibility, and nothing to do with TW.
A combi, even a decent brand like Vaillant, is not designed to feed more than one tap/shower/bath simultaneously.
As above, the first thing to do is check what the actual pressure is. If the mains pressure itself is poor, then fitting a larger supply pipe alone won't improve it.

firefox1956

It might sound a bit daft but have you checked that both stop tapsare turned fully on ???
The one in the street & the one in the house.
Sometimes the simple things are overlooked......
HTH

luke123456

macman wrote: »

If you bought the property 18m ago then Thames Water should have put you onto a metered supply anyway: you cannot refuse a meter if they wish to install one. The supply pipe between meter/street stop valve and the property is your responsibility, and nothing to do with TW.
A combi, even a decent brand like Vaillant, is not designed to feed more than one tap/shower/bath simultaneously.
As above, the first thing to do is check what the actual pressure is. If the mains pressure itself is poor, then fitting a larger supply pipe alone won't improve it.

Yes we bought the property 24 months ago actually but the water company is not thames water it is Affinity water does that change things?

luke123456

firefox1956 wrote: »

It might sound a bit daft but have you checked that both stop tapsare turned fully on ???
The one in the street & the one in the house.
Sometimes the simple things are overlooked......
HTH

I think both taps are open fully as I got two separate plumbers to look but I don't know for sure if they did this I will have to double check.

Do you know how I can check this myself?

Also, how do I check the mains pressure?

Sometimes the pressure is so low the valiant boiler actually stops working and cuts out as saying low pressure....

macman

luke123456 wrote: »

Yes we bought the property 24 months ago actually but the water company is not thames water it is Affinity water does that change things?

No, it doesn't. All water utilities can enforce metering upon a change of occupancy.

luke123456

macman wrote: »

No, it doesn't. All water utilities can enforce metering upon a change of occupancy.

OK but I have moved homes a few times now and with different companies and a water meter wasn't ever forced upon me...?

luke123456

luke123456 wrote: »

I think both taps are open fully as I got two separate plumbers to look but I don't know for sure if they did this I will have to double check.

Do you know how I can check this myself?

Also, how do I check the mains pressure?

Sometimes the pressure is so low the valiant boiler actually stops working and cuts out as saying low pressure....

About getting this pressure sorted any advice please how I can check the mains pressure?

Thanks

Myser

Connect one of these at the nearest point after your internal stopcock:

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p75711

luke123456

OK, I will get this and what if its normal or low?

Thanks!