Supply+install Water Pump to increase bathroom Water Pressure

Dandytf

Ive been advised to hire plumber to supply+install Water Pump to increase bathroom Water Pressure
Top of 4 floors inc' basement floor flat roof.
Bath hot water is very low and Home Emergancy could not improve pressure, advised a water pump could help?
Is there general cost guide t.i.a.
either hire local plumber or may builder etc

plumb1_2

Would you hire a plumber to build a wall? 

You will need the pressure and flow testing as it enters your flat. And ideally what they are when it enters the building if possible.
Price will depend on what set up you have and what’s required. Only an on-site survey will determine this.

FreeBear

plumb1_2 said: You will need the pressure and flow testing as it enters your flat. And ideally what they are when it enters the building if possible.

Price will depend on what set up you have and what’s required. Only an on-site survey will determine this.

Also - Is the hot water fed from a cylinder with a header tank in the loft ?

If that is the case, then a pump is the only way you'll get hot water gushing out of the taps. This one might do the job (subject to survey) -> https://showerpowerbooster.co.uk/

Dandytf

plumb1_2 said:

Would you hire a plumber to build a wall? 

You will need the pressure and flow testing as it enters your flat. And ideally what they are when it enters the building if possible.
Price will depend on what set up you have and what’s required. Only an on-site survey will determine this.

I think there's been trade comments before suggesting low pressure could be caused by 'shared' supply.
I'll try property management 1st as don't want to guess type of pump required, it was today's emergency plumber that was confident a water booster pump could improve pressure, it seems extremely slow from Hot Bath Tap, though was fine when bath was replaced approx. 5-6 years earlier. 

Dandytf

FreeBear said:

plumb1_2 said: You will need the pressure and flow testing as it enters your flat. And ideally what they are when it enters the building if possible.

Price will depend on what set up you have and what’s required. Only an on-site survey will determine this.

Also - Is the hot water fed from a cylinder with a header tank in the loft ?

If that is the case, then a pump is the only way you'll get hot water gushing out of the taps. This one might do the job (subject to survey) -> https://showerpowerbooster.co.uk/

Boiler is in hall cupboard, 1 bedroom flat.
Todays plumber advised though the boiler feeds. hot water via pipe to bathroom, there isn't anything to boost pressure.
Is there any additional running costs for booster.

plumb1_2

Dandytf said:

it seems extremely slow from Hot Bath Tap, though was fine when bath was replaced approx. 5-6 years earlier. 

It could be a simple air lock ? Faulty tap?
have these been checked? What the flow like in the kitchen or whb tap

Dandytf

plumb1_2 said:

Dandytf said:

it seems extremely slow from Hot Bath Tap, though was fine when bath was replaced approx. 5-6 years earlier. 

It could be a simple air lock ? Faulty tap?
have these been checked? What the flow like in the kitchen or whb tap

Checked via Home Emergancy today, thanks No Fault Found, though Booster Pump could help.

plumb1_2

And how did he check them 

Dandytf

plumb1_2 said:

And how did he check them 

Not sure from bathroom+hall cupboard.

Dandytf

I'm due deposit partial refund as No Fault Found.

ThisIsWeird

Dandy, are you saying it's a 'combi' boiler, one that fires up every time you turn on a hot tap, and supplies instantly-heated water? IE you do not have a 'hot cylinder' anywhere?

If so, then yes, in theory, all you need is a mains booster pump fitted to the water mains pipe after it comes into your flat. A common model is by Salamander and costs around £300. It should provide 12lpm water flow, which is the most you are allowed to draw from the mains.

But... if you have a single shared mains pipe coming into and up through the block, with 'tees' coming off for each flat, I can foresee problems where you could very possibly deprive other flats of flow. There's even a potential risk of drawing in air from an opened tap in a lower floor. So, a plumber would have to check the mains supply layout first to check this solution is suitable.

Stop press: I notice you suggest that it's only the hot bath tap that's at fault? And that it used to be ok a few years back? Ok, a few checks, please:

1) IS it a combi boiler?
2) what is the cold mains flow rate from your cold kitchen tap? (Pan under tap, turn on full for 10 seconds, measure no of litres, and 'times' it by 6 to get 'litres per minute'.
3) repeat this test for the HOT kitchen tap.
4) repeat again for the hot basin tap.
5) once more for the hot bath tap.

Please report back.