Rising main question

[Nickae]

Hello all

Do you think it is likely that the 15mm rising main in our 1950s-era house would be 15mm pipe all the way back to the water meter at the end of the driveway, or would it be a larger bore pipe, and only step down to 15mm where it entered the house?

Background:

Following a home extension, I have fitted lovely monobloc mixer taps in the new utility room and en-suite, and of course they don't work terribly well on our standard low-pressure, vented hot water system (I took a cold feed to them straight from the storage tank too, to ensure equal pressure).

I'm now debating whether to fit some form of whole house pump system (don't really want to), or perhaps a megaflow. I am aware I need to get a professional in to commission the latter, by the way.

However, I believe the 15mm rising main would need to be enlarged to 22mm for a megaflow.
I don't mind digging 1 hole down next to the house, but if I'm going to have to dig up the whole drive, I think I'll give megaflow a miss.

Many thanks in advance

Nick

 

[muggles]

Hard to say really, as we can't see it. If it's 15mm coming off the stopcock in the road, and 15mm going into the stopcock in the house, I'd hazard a guess that it's 15mm between those points as well.

You'd need to find out your mains flow rate and pressure before going down the unvented cylinder route. It is possible to run one off a 15mm pipe, just depends on supply & demand.

 

[Hot&Cold]

I have fitted lovely monobloc mixer taps

Have these taps any built in flow regulators in the inlet ports or does the aerator reduce the flow ?

Your new taps are for high water pressure (ignore any advertising bumf which says different ). for low pressure,gravity flow this basic tap works well (bristan value dual flow basin mixer tap). As long as the pipework is not blocked and any service/isolation valves are of the full flow variety,more water will flow from the spout.

 

[fixitflav]

Hello all

Do you think it is likely that the 15mm rising main in our 1950s-era house would be 15mm pipe all the way back to the water meter at the end of the driveway, or would it be a larger bore pipe, and only step down to 15mm where it entered the house?

Background:

Following a home extension, I have fitted lovely monobloc mixer taps in the new utility room and en-suite, and of course they don't work terribly well on our standard low-pressure, vented hot water system (I took a cold feed to them straight from the storage tank too, to ensure equal pressure).

I'm now debating whether to fit some form of whole house pump system (don't really want to), or perhaps a megaflow. I am aware I need to get a professional in to commission the latter, by the way.

However, I believe the 15mm rising main would need to be enlarged to 22mm for a megaflow.
I don't mind digging 1 hole down next to the house, but if I'm going to have to dig up the whole drive, I think I'll give megaflow a miss.

Many thanks in advance

Nick

Is the flow worse than from the original, presumably separate H & C taps? If so, it could be as Old&cold suggested, or maybe a different tap would be better. But I don't suppose you're too keen on replacing it.

 

[Ian H]

There are loads of houses, including my own, that have a complete 15mm copper supply.

 

[CWHEATING]

Before you go fitting a mega flow and pressurerising your stored hot water see what your incoming mains cold water pressure is.

 

[Nickae]

Thanks for all the replies so far.

I unfortunately can't see what the pipe leaving the water meter is - it is more than a metre below ground level, and really the water meter is all I can see, no evidence of the pipe itself.
I believe modern houses would have a larger bore MDPE pipe to the house, and step down at that point. I was wondering what the standard thing was 60 years ago?

In the utility room, we used one of those kitchen mixer taps where the end pulls out on a short bit of shower hose - I knew the flow was likely to be poor, but despite me using 22mm pipe all the way to it, with sweeping bends rather than elbows where possible, the flow was so low I fitted a cheap twin shower pump as an interim measure, which is now fine, although of course you can't have the tap half-on, or the pump hunts.
The en-suite has a Hans Grohe Logis 100. I noticed, after fitting it, the the website literature says "let us know if fitting to a low pressure system", so presumably they make a different, more suitable model. I have removed the 'eco' flow restrictor already, which helped a tiny bit.

I know it's possible to get decent flow from the gravity feed - the downstairs cloakroom, albeit with a couple of metres more head, has a perfectly acceptable flow from a Bathstore-supplied mixer tap. I'm happy to switch the en-suite tap over. The thing is, in the main bathroom I'd like a bidet, and a hans grohe button-controlled bath filler, feeding a hand shower too. Both of those are really going to need more pressure I think.

Nick

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

60 years ago I suspect the service would have been lead, time maybe now to look at replacing it. It's possible to avoid digging the drive up, I'd ask for a quote to 'mole' a new service in, and decide from there.

 

[phatboy]

Our 1950's house has a 1 inch screwed iron supply. It has of course got smaller over the years due to build up in the pipe, and the pressure isn't fantastic.

 

[Nickae]

Our 1950's house has a 1 inch screwed iron supply. It has of course got smaller over the years due to build up in the pipe, and the pressure isn't fantastic.

Actually, there was a load of that under the floorboards. It weighs a ton, and is hard work removing! I wonder what state it would be in after 60 years under ground...