Water Pressure In The Water Supply System: Why There Is A Weak Pressure In The Tap, How To Fix It

2023 Author: Philip Bishop | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 07:54

• Reasons for low head
• What to check
• How to increase water pressure in an apartment
• Installing an additional pump
• System modernization
• Installing a hydraulic accumulator
• Water pressure in the water supply system: what is worth considering

Unsatisfactory water pressure is a fairly common everyday problem faced by residents of both apartments and country houses. As for the latter case, here the water supply can be equipped from an autonomous source or connected to the central highway. Regardless, the pressure problem is familiar to many. Therefore, the actual question is considered how and how the increase in water pressure in an apartment or a country house can be performed. You can solve this problem with your own hands, without any large material costs. So, how to increase the cold water pressure in the apartment?

Reasons for low head

Before deciding how to increase the water pressure in the apartment, you need to determine the cause of such a problem. This will allow you to choose the optimal solution. Most often, a decrease in pressure is associated with the following factors:

• leakage or accident on the highway;
• reduction of the pipe diameter of the route caused by deposits during its operation;
• clogging of the filter, which is installed at the entrance to frequent homes;
• the pressure reducer is clogged and adjustment is required;
• factory defects or malfunctions of valves caused by long-term operation.

Also, a common reason is the poor quality of the supplier. This problem can affect both residents of apartments and country houses that are connected to the central water supply. Thus, a drop in pressure in the pipeline can be caused by the shutdown of one of the pumps

located at the substation. Thus, the supplier wants to save on electricity. Also, the head can drop sharply as a result of an accident at a substation or highway.

Before making any decisions, you need to analyze the situation. Interview residents of neighboring houses and apartments for a similar problem. If we are talking about a general problem, then first of all it is worth asking for an explanation from the utilities. The water pressure in the pipeline must correspond to the set parameter. Otherwise, it will be a violation of the rules.

To save time looking for the cause of low water pressure, experts recommend installing pressure gauges on the pipe section between the well and the house. This will allow you to understand exactly where to look for the cause.

What to check

The solution to this issue is carried out according to the established algorithm. This is a list of actions that need to be performed as a result of a drop in water pressure in the water supply system. So, for this you need to check:

• The efficiency of the pumping station. This primarily applies to residents of country houses. If there are measuring devices on the pipeline, then they can be used to determine where to look for the problem. If the pressure gauge readings are below the nominal, then we will talk about malfunctions at the pumping stations. In the city, this problem should be dealt with by the appropriate utilities. In the case of a country house, a drop in pressure can be caused by a blockage of the deep pump.
• Fine filter condition. Often, the device is installed at the entrance to the building or directly in front of the point of water consumption. Such devices should be periodically inspected and cleaned. This is especially true for country houses with autonomous water supply.
• Head at all points of water consumption. If the head is small in all taps, then the problem is hidden in the central pipe. In the event that the pressure is low in only one tap, then it is worth checking the condition of the branch that connects the consumption point to the central pipe. If there are no leaks, then you need to disassemble the tap and check it for clogging.

Often, a pressure drop in the pipeline occurs as a result of a violation of the integrity of the circuit. As a result, a puddle or wet spot forms on the site, which indicates the presence of a water leak. In the case of an apartment, the appropriate services are involved in solving this problem. The owner just needs to inform them.

How to increase water pressure in an apartment

There are several ways to increase the water pressure in the water supply system. Among the main methods are:

• installation of an additional pump for water pressure in the apartment;
• modernization of the water supply system;
• installation of a hydraulic accumulator.

Each of the methods is used depending on the situation and has its own characteristics. Therefore, it is worth carefully considering each of them. So how to increase the water pressure in the apartment?

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Installing an additional pump

The pump for raising the water pressure in the apartment is selected individually for a particular system. In this case, some parameters are taken into account. These include the length of the line, the diameter of the pipes, the number of storeys of the building, and others. In this regard, when choosing a power unit, it is worth considering:

• performance;
• power;
• pressure.

As for the cost of the pump, here everyone chooses a model for themselves whenever possible. So, the cost of such units is in the range of 7000 - 8500 rubles. It should be borne in mind that the price directly depends on the characteristics of the pump for increasing water pressure in the apartment. Therefore, savings are inappropriate here. So, if you buy a cheap model that does not meet the requirements, then this will not give the desired result. This means that the water pressure in the water supply system will remain at the same level.

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System modernization

This method is especially often used in suburban areas. The fact is that many owners of private houses prefer to independently engage in the installation of engineering systems. As a result, some problems may arise during their operation. In this case, we are talking about low water pressure. That is why professionals should be engaged in these works.

In the process of laying a water supply system, it is necessary to perform a number of engineering calculations. This will allow you to establish the features of the highway. It should be borne in mind here that turns on the route, valves and pipe diameter reduce the water pressure in the pipeline. There are quite a lot of such nuances, and only a specialist can make accurate and error-free calculations.

For apartments, the drop in water pressure can be caused by improper replacement of pipes. Today, plastic pipes are very popular. It is they who are widely used for the restoration of the water supply system in old apartments. If the pipe size is incorrectly selected, it will negatively affect the water pressure. But, an increase in the cross-section of the pipeline will slightly increase this parameter. If necessary, you can install a pump that increases the water pressure in the apartment.

Installing a hydraulic accumulator

In modern apartments and houses, this device is an integral part of the system. With it, you can raise the water pressure to the required level. Of course, even with such a device, some problems may arise. First of all, this applies to cases when the hydraulic accumulator is selected incorrectly. The only way out is to replace it.

You can also solve the problem of insufficient water pressure in the water supply system using a storage tank and a pumping station. To begin with, a plastic storage tank is connected to the system, the volume of which on average is 550 liters. In the future, a pumping station is connected to it. The installation for increasing the water pressure in the apartment consists of a pump and a hydraulic accumulator.

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Water pressure in the water supply system: what is worth considering

Low pressure in the water supply system causes some discomfort. In addition, a drop in pressure can lead to malfunctions in the operation of household appliances. Therefore, households are forced to control this parameter. First of all, you need to perform the following work:

• Make a list of devices that are consumers. This applies not only to plumbing, but also to household appliances such as a washing machine, dishwasher, heating boiler and others.
• Study the technical data sheet of each technique. In particular, pay attention to the value of the nominal head, which ensures the normal operation of the device.
• Compare the nominal value and the actual head. This will provide an opportunity to assess the situation. If the measuring instruments show that the pressure is at a low level than necessary, then it is worth taking care of increasing it.

Many do not pay enough attention to this problem. But, everything changes, when equipment fails, then everything changes radically. The fact is that the manufacturer's warranty obligations automatically terminate if the operating conditions of the equipment are violated. One of these violations is the use of technology with insufficient water pressure. Therefore, this parameter must be monitored and everything must be done to keep it at the proper level.

If the water pressure in the circuit is at a normal level, then it is worth thinking about how the parameter will change when several consumers are turned on at the same time. This is especially true for the winter period, when an additional consumer is included in the system - a boiler. As a result of such intensive consumption, the head can drop sharply, which will create new problems.

Low pressure in the water supply system in an apartment or private house is a very common problem, for which various methods are used. But, do not overdo it, as a significant increase in this parameter can lead to some problems. So, it can be a rupture of the highway or a malfunction of household appliances. Therefore, it is necessary to raise the water pressure in the apartment no higher than the permissible level; the reducer helps to solve the problem of strong pressure.