increase water pressure 2

[paulengineer]

Hi everyone this is my first time asking a question.I recently discovered a problem in an apartment building of mine.The water pressure on the third floor apartment is extremely low and i do not want to purchase a $895 booster kit just to increase the pressure. The pressure reducing valve works and all the taps under the sink are fully open.The pressure on the 1st floor apt is fine but the floors above the water barely flows.what are the possible sites that i can get a inexpensive (thing a ma gig)or any other possible solutions to fixing this problem.By the way the house was built in the 1980s.

 

[hydrae]

Paulengineer

Pressure reducing valve? it may need adjustment or replacement. Get a pressure gauge to check the adjustment, home depot will have one for about $10 to $20 that will hookup to a hose bib. Pressure reducing valves will only last about 10 to 20 years before they need to be rebuilt or replaced, but sometimes just adjusting the valve will get it working again.

You want at least 20 psi on the third floor for the fixtures to operate properly, also check the screens for debris.

Remember for every foot of elevation the pressure will decrease by 0.43 psi so the third floor will have pressure about 10 psi lower than the first floor.

Hydrae

 

[dicksewerrat]

Why is there a pressure reducing valve in the building? I would take it out.

 

[bimr]

Several questions:
1. How long have you had this problem? Is it a recent problem or an old problem?
2. What are the pressures on each floor?
3. Does the water pressure in the building drop when the water is flowing?
4. What size is the pipe coming into the building?5. How many apartments? How many floors?

 

[cvg]

a pressure reducing valve is only needed if the pressure in the main is high (over 60 psi might be considered high). This is to prevent this high water pressure from damaging the fixtures in your house, especially the water heater. As stated, 20 psi residual pressure is sufficient for domestic use. I would recommend that if needed, a pressure reducer be used to reduce the water pressure to the entire building to about 40 psi at ground level. You should then have about 30 psi at the top floor. If you are experiencing pressure drop when the water is flowing, that would indicated excessive head loss in your plumbing and pipes might need to be replaced.

 

[PUMPDESIGNER]

Yes more information is required.
Measure pressure at the source (meter) before any valves.
Then determine height of each floor above the source.
Then make your own diagnosis or come back with that information and we can easily help. What I am saying is anyalyze the whole system so that you know what is going on. If a component is then malfunctioning you will find it. If you must have a booster you will then become convinced that you need it.

Remember as someone already stated, multiply height by .433 to obtain the pressure loss for that height. A 100 foot high elevation would have 43 psi pressure loss to the top just for the elevation, plus the pipe/fitting losses.

PUMPDESIGNER

 

[dicksewerrat]

Since most plumbing fixtures are rated to 125 psi, I would not have pressure reducer in the building unless the main pressure is above 85psi. The local water authority can tell you the main pressure. You may want to consult a local plumber about this rather than just putting in some gizmo. The age of the bldg. tells me the water lines should be copper. However the lines going up may be undersized. Four fixtures should have a 3/4" line. This would be lav. sink, toilet, tub and kit. sink for cold water and 1/2" for hot water. This would be minimum for each unit. So you see that the line size may be the real problem. Traps have no bearing on the water line.

 

[chileheadcraig]

I agree with cvg, although I think 60 psi would be alright (on the high end) coming into the building. Even though fixtures are rated at 125 psi, 85 psi still seems like it would be above the comfort zone for home users.

 

[RDK]

Is the pressure low when you first turn on a tap? If the pressure builds up to main pressure less elevation difference when there is no flow and drops quickly when the tap is opened then you have a blockage in the pipe inside the building.

What is the pipe material? If the building is old and still has lead pipes then you most likely have corrosion inside the pipes that has restricted the flow.

If this is the case the replacement of the pipe is required. Replacing the pipe is not very expensive; it’s the patching the walls that costs all the money.


Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com