Water Pressure

[Eve]

I live in a ground floor flat and the hot water doesn't seem to run with anywhere near the pressure of the cold water.

Is this normal or potentially fixable?

[The Builder]

What heats your water Jen................ as it were?

[Eve]

a big boiler in a cupboard I believe

[terambulan]

Only way would be to put a stronger pump on the boiler.

[RAYMAN]

Jenna how can you get a practical answer with such a nieve answer to the builder.

[matt1e]

if you have a combi boiler your hot water pressure should be more or less the same as the cold. if it's a system boiler (you will have a hot water cylinder) then the hot water pressure is governed by the height of the cylinders' header tank
as you are in a ground flat then i suspect that this is why you have poor hot water pressure as the header tank will be just above the cylinder on the ground floor
there are options open to you but it will cost you your hard earned ���'s

[Eve]

Thank's all.

Sorry, I have no idea what boiler it is, not good with those kind of things and I rent the flat.

I've managed to get some pictures though if that helps?

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2j0cfbo&s=4

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=34dhlhu&s=4

[simonruss]

thats a BIG water tank!!!! by the looks of it its going to be cos you have no 'head pressure'. try and get it pumped.

[zig.zag]

thats not a boiler
its a hot water tank

it must be situated too low in your flat to give any water pressure

[zig.zag]

are you single jenna?

send me your address and i,ll come over and sort it out for you lol

[Jugglering]

Yep... I'd agree - that first picture is of an immersion tank (ie a hot water boiler) - but it is flipping huge ! The second picture seems to be of an electric storage heater or Economy 7 *control panel* which turns the heating on and off...

[scoob101]

As the pictures look like you have electric economy 7 rather than a gas fired heating system, your problem with low water pressure via the hot taps is deffo due to lack of head on the hot system caused by the fact that you live in a flat.
There are options available to you in the form of negative head pumps, but this will cost you and you will need to call in your local plumber to give you a deffo answer on this.

[Eve]

Thanks for your replies. It's huge isn't it!

Everything is on the ground floor as it's a ground floor flat. It's in a cupboard right next to the bathroom with the shower the other side of the wall that the little box is though when they fitted a new shower (previous people put one too powerful in and it melted all the bits) he had to lay cables all the way down the hall.

Would pumping it be expensive?

[simonruss]

the main problem is that cos its so low (ground level) gravity cant help pull the water through with any oommpphh! it must be pumped if you want it to come with any force.

[Eve]

Sorry, cross-posted.

Yes it's economy 7 :)

Next time I move I'm going somewhere with gas central heating, a power shower and no storage heating lol :)

[Eve]

Thanks so much for all your help.

Hopefully the Landlord's plumber is coming back soon to try and fit an electric radiator in the bathroom as there's an existing connection right up the wall which is just connected to a little blowy heater thing.

Needless to say, getting out of the shower in the current climate is an experience!

I can get him to have a look then :)

[zig.zag]

the tank needs raising jenna
possibly up to the cieling at a verticle position

i think i could do it for you at a nominal fee lol

[Eve]

he he :) I don't think it has any room to go any higher as it's so ruddy big and the cupboard's only narrow.

I will see what the plumber says when he comes though if nothing can be done I'll cope, would just be lovely to have decent pressure hot water again.

[zig.zag]

is your landlords name mr rigsby?

lol

[Jugglering]

If the tank was put up in the attic, you would then have a *head* of pressure.. as it is, you need to pump the water upwards to the shower... so the shower is pathetic lol...

Just imagine you have a tank of water high above your head... imagine the force it exerts downwards... yep, you've got the idea !

[scoob101]

Good luck, If you live in the south wales area we will be only too happy to come and have a look for you