Small pumps to improve kitchen water pressure?

boombang · 30-04-2019 9:03am #1

I live in a mid 1990s apartment in Dublin. It's owner-occupied. The hot water and cold water header tank are within the same floor and the water pressure isn't great as a consequence. There's a big Stuart Turner pump that I switch on when I want to use the shower or washing machine, but this provides way too much pressure for washing up at the sink.

Are there small pumps that can be used to provide a modest boost that would be automatically activated by a draw on pressure that I could install under my kitchen sink? I'm thinking of something like those used in public bathrooms that respond to sensors under taps. The only difference I'm thinking is that I want the pump to kick in when the tap is opened rather than an optical sensor alerted.

Thanks

boombang · 21-05-2019 7:56am

Just returning to this to pass on some advice on what not to buy. I bought a pump from Amazon. Despite some reasonable reviews it was broken on arrival and clearly made out of totally inadequate materials.

Do not buy!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nordstrand-Water-Pressure-Booster-Pump/dp/B01CO2WLJO/ref=aw_pd_cart_rp_3_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01CO2WLJO&pd_rd_r=Q18F6EQ6MQJV45XXJYB7&pd_rd_w=LW5pK&pd_rd_wg=xSxZt&pf_rd_p=8ffafabe-24a7-4b2a-a64e-3f395e14d6b8&pf_rd_r=Q18F6EQ6MQJV45XXJYB7&psc=1&refRID=Q18F6EQ6MQJV45XXJYB7

Any advice on what I should use to boost pressure still appreciated.

Sleeper12 · 21-05-2019 8:52am

boombang wrote:

Any advice on what I should use to boost pressure still appreciated.

Fit a pressure reduction valve on the kitchen pipes. With this done you can run your regular pump all the time. You will have great pressure in the shower & bath but reduced pressure at the kitchen sink. These valves are adjustable so you can tinker with them till you are happy with the pressure

Dardania · 21-05-2019 8:54am

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Fit a pressure reduction valve on the kitchen pipes. With this done you can run your regular pump all the time. You will have great pressure in the shower & bath but reduced pressure at the kitchen sink. These valves are adjustable so you can tinker with them till you are happy with the pressure

Great solution, or equally get a tap with reduced flow

boombang · 21-05-2019 8:59am

Dardania wrote: »

Great solution, or equally get a tap with reduced flow

I think Sleeper 12's solution is best. The mixer tap I've bought was marketed as being suitable for low pressure situations, but was next to useless (I suspect bogus claim by the manufacturer). There's an irritation that you often have to buy to see if something works.

Small pumps to improve kitchen water pressure?

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