boiler / water pressure advice

ROL1983

Hi folks,


Just looking for a bit of advice regarding boilers and improving my water pressure. I have a 5 bedroom detached house with 13 radiators and 2 bathrooms (1 bath and two showers). Our current system is a gravity fed system with cold water tank in the loft and hot water in the cupboard in main bathroom. It is approximately 15 years old.


We had a new main bathroom fitted last year and since doing so the water pressure to the bath and shower is terrible, to an extent that the shower is unusable.


We are now in the process of planning to get our en-suite replaced with the consideration of replacing the boiler at the same time.


My question is how can I improve the water pressure in the main bathroom and how can I avoid the same problem when replacing the shower in the en-suite?


I understand my options may be
- fit a combi boiler - however will this cause problems having two showers running?
- fit an electric shower in the en-suite?
- fit a pump to the shower in the main bathroom?


Any advice on boiler type and how to improve pressure whilst keeping costs sensible would be appreciated from anyone in the know.


Thanks in advance.

SuzieSue

Get a unvented cylinder such as a Megaflo if you are thinking of replacing your boiler anyway.

Alex1983

Unvented would definitely be the system design you need.

martinsurrey

I would just fit dual flow pumps to the bathrooms.

You can fit a whole house pump which would boost all hot water, but if it fails you lose all hot water pressure in the whole house, with 2 separate pumps, you can use the second while you fix the first if/when it fails.

or if money allows, an unvented system

ROL1983

Thanks folks for the quick responses. Roughly how much more is an unvented system compared with a combi installation?


Ta

SuzieSue

ROL1983 wrote: »

Thanks folks for the quick responses. Roughly how much more is an unvented system compared with a combi installation?


Ta

A few thousand extra, I would say £2-3k extra but it depends where you are in the country and whether you pay VAT etc. You also have to be careful that your pipes can cope with the extra pressure.

keith969

+1 for pressurised unvented. I can have 2 showers running full blast upstairs without affecting the hw from the taps.

I had a new cylinder/expansion vessel etc. a few years ago and it was about £1200 to update the existing system with minimal changes to pipework. Be aware that you will need someone with the right ticket to fit/service it, i.e. not just any plumber.

bris

A no problem change over from your system to an unvented one would cost around 3.2k from me. This would get you a good mid range Baxi (or similar boiler). You can upgrade to a Worcester (I don't recommend then) for around 3 hundred extra.


This would use existing radiators and pipework without much alterations. If things need moved about then that would be a different story but it's often possible to just replace the system where it's already located.


I have no idea where you are so some places are more expensive than others.


Bear in mind the big hitters such as BG are twice the price, you need a good independent local fitter.

SuzieSue

bris wrote: »

A no problem change over from your system to an unvented one would cost around 3.2k from me. This would get you a good mid range Baxi (or similar boiler). You can upgrade to a Worcester (I don't recommend then) for around 3 hundred extra.

Whereabouts are you? We were quoted just over £5k to replace a storage combi with a WB system boiler and an unvented cylinder in the Home Counties by local independent firm.

macman

Assuming that you mean by 'new', a replacement main bathroom, then the issue that needs addressing is why the flow or pressure is so much worse than before. What else has changed?

ROL1983

I am in the Glasgow area. Had been quoted around £2000 for a straightforward replacement to a Combi boiler but having now researched the unvented cylinder system it seems that a Combi probably won’t be suitable.

Macman...nothing else changed other than us stupidly electing for a waterfall shower and having it fitted by a plumber who possibly should have checked the pressure first. The pressure was never great but the previous shower head was small and clearly designed to handle the low pressure.