Do I need a pump?

TheBody

Hi folks,

I have a few plumbing jobs I need to get sorted and was calling around getting prices this morning.

I live in a two story house and one of the issues I have is that the water pressure in all the taps is quite poor. I have mixer taps (if that makes any difference). See similar below:



One plumber said I need to get a pump fitted on both the hot and cold water in the hot press to fix this. He said I need the pump to keep the air out of the system. Bear in mind that this is all over the phone. He has never been to my house.

Maybe he is correct but it seems odd to me that my parents have SAVAGE pressure in all their taps in a bungalow yet I have poor pressure in mine but my tank is up much higher.

Is he correct?

TheBody

Just off the phone with a different plumber and he too said I needed a pump but for a different reason to the last guy.

This one claims the poor pressure is due to the mixer taps. He said the flexi pipes out of the taps are too small and need a pump to get the desired pressuure. He estimated around €800 for a pump.

When I pressed him further, I asked if there is an "Irish Version" of these taps and he said there is....cost around €60 per tap. Wouldn't you think he would have suggested this option to me rather than the pump!!

It's a nightmare for Joe Public to get make an informed decision when you get such different solutions to the same problem.

On a side note, when I asked one guy if he would analyse the gases from my oil boiler if he was to service it, he said he doesn't use any of those fancy tools. "I just have a smell of the gases to see if it's ok". Christ on a bike!

Sleeper12

There are Irish versions of taps and they do give better pressure. If you already have these and aren't happy with the pressure then raising the attic tank will make a little difference or installing a pump will make a huge difference.

You may have taps intended for a pressurised system.

I'm a plumber but I don't do the gas. In fact I don't even service my own boiler. I get an rgi guy to do it. There's a huge difference between the guy offer a service for 40 euro & being in & out in 10 minutes & someone that knows what they are doing. There are some great gas guys here on boards.ie I'm sure they'll be rolling around reading about your gas sniffer.

TheBody

Sleeper12 wrote: »

There are Irish versions of taps and they do give better pressure. If you already have these and aren't happy with the pressure then raising the attic tank will make a little difference or installing a pump will make a huge difference.

You may have taps intended for a pressurised system.

I'm a plumber but I don't do the gas. In fact I don't even service my own boiler. I get an rgi guy to do it. There's a huge difference between the guy offer a service for 40 euro & being in & out in 10 minutes & someone that knows what they are doing. There are some great gas guys here on boards.ie I'm sure they'll be rolling around reading about your gas sniffer.

Thanks for the reply. It's great to get an independent opinion.

My op may not have been clear. (I'll see if I can edit it.) I have an oil boiler. I'm told that the gases should be checked/analysed when getting it serviced.

Sleeper12

I know nothing about the plumbing company above but I have to say we're all pretty ripe smelling in this heat. I shower twice a day and have spare polo tops & deodorant in the van. We do the best we can but it's tough. I was in an attic on the hottest day of the year and it must have been in the 40s in the attic. You have to make some allowances for us at this time of year