Water pressure issue upstairs only

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slicendice

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So I've just had a new bathroom fitted - all very nice and all that, but the water pressure in the sink, bath and shower is way down on what it was prior to fitting. Initially when I first turned the tap on upstairs (the refit was done whilst I was on holiday so this was my first use of it), the water was literally a dribble...as in barely anything coming out at all. Strangely enough, it has improved over the last week without anything being done, though it is still down on what it was. As a rough guide, before the refit I could fill a 1 litre bottle from the sink tap in roughly 8-10 seconds. Now it takes ~20 seconds. I never really used the bath before the refit so I can't say what it was like previously, but again it seems to be lower than I'd expect (or hope for!). The shower as well is usable, but it also has lower pressure than previously.

There wasn't any major pipework done - the sink and shower are in exactly the same location as previously so basically the same pipework. The main difference is that the heated towel rail was moved from one side of the room to the other and the bath taps are now at the opposite end of the bath to where they were before.

I've spoken to the fitter who said he's tried everything he can think of, including checking the stopcock in the street to check it was properly open. It had actually seized so United Utilities are going to be fitting a new one and will measure the pressure at the property boundary once that's done...although it could take up to 30 days for it to be fitted.

Have to admit, I don't think it's the mains pressure that's a problem though as the downstairs tap in the kitchen is fine, as is the outside hosepipe in the back garden.

I know diddly squat about plumping so I was just wondering if anyone could maybe give me a few ideas as to what might be the problem or things to check/test to see if it's possible to narrow down the issue? It is weird how it improved from being a dribble to start with to now being kind of usable (although way lower than it should be). I did wonder if it was some kind of airlock...? But then again I thought an airlock would prevent flow altogether? Or maybe some kind of blockage/sludge in the pipes somewhere (though I'm really hoping not as that sounds like it would need the brand new floor to be ripped up in order to resolve! :cry::eek:)

Any pointers or ideas would be very gratefully received...

Thanks
 
First thing - have you got cisterns in the roof feeding (Central Heating and ) cold water to bathroom and a hot water cylinder ( in an airing cupboard ) You won't need any floors up.;)
 
Sorry - meant to mention that but completely forgot! I have a combi boiler so no cistern or hot water cylinder in the roof
 
- new shower fitting ? New taps could be smaller bore than the old ones. When the roadside stopcock is renewed, check the in house one
 
Nige F said:
No worries - new shower fitting ? New taps could be smaller bore than the old ones.
Click to expand...
Yes new shower and fittings. The weird thing is that it was so bad to start with and then improved a bit without anything being done? If it was the bore of the fittings it would stay the same wouldn't it?
 
Indeed so - perhaps there is some kind of airlock - though unusual with mains pressure water. I think you'll have to wait for the new outside stopcock:unsure:
 
And maybe there are Inlet filters on each fitting and (even on the cold inlet to the combi) and these have clogged up.

Is the problem hot/cold/both?

All new pipework needs proper flushing before fittings are installed.
 
Take a pressure and flow reading downstairs, then a reading off the pipework upstairs before the fittings to rule out the replacements. Could be a blockage/restriction.
 
Thanks for all the replies so far - much appreciated.

So UU have now been and replaced the stop cock in the street...but there's no difference in the situation :( The water pressure in the bathroom sink tap is still very low (I just tested...28 seconds to fill a 1 litre bottle with the cold tap full on).

The bathroom fitter is now saying that he thinks it's the taps that are the problem and doesn't want to spend any more time investigating and doesn't think that "messing around with the pipes" will yield any benefit. The trouble is, I know rock all about plumbing so can't really speak with any authority at all...but to my simple mind, if the old pipes/taps had OK pressure and the new pipes/tap don't, that would indicate an issue somewhere in the new pipes/tap! That's not so unreasonable is it?

Is there anything in the possibility that because the old taps were individual (i.e. a hot tap and a cold tap) and the new tap is a mixer, it could be something to do with the mixer tap itself? From a quick Google it looks like mixer taps do need greater pressure to operate, but would the difference be that noticeable?

As the floor in the bathroom is now all laid, it's only possible to get at the pipework through the kitchen ceiling below...and as that's being replaced at the moment, it's an opportunity to get at the pipes. The fitter (who's also doing the ceiling!) is pushing to get the ceiling all done and plastered...but once that's done, if there is a problem that requires access to the pipes to resolve, it will either mean ripping up the new bathroom floor or ripping down the new kitchen ceiling...neither of which I'd like to do if at all avoidable!
 
Could any muck have been disturbed or introduced into the system? That's a pretty good way to ruin your flow by blocking tap inlets etc.
 
Madrab said:
Take a pressure and flow reading downstairs, then a reading off the pipework upstairs before the fittings to rule out the replacements. Could be a blockage/restriction.
Click to expand...

Thanks Rob...presumably taking a pressure reading is something that would need some kind of specialist kit? Would most plumbers have this?
 
John D v2.0 said:
Could any muck have been disturbed or introduced into the system? That's a pretty good way to ruin your flow by blocking tap inlets etc.
Click to expand...

This is what I don't know...it seems like a valid possibility to me, but I have no way of knowing. What would be the best way to test for this?
 
slicendice said:
This is what I don't know...it seems like a valid possibility to me, but I have no way of knowing. What would be the best way to test for this?
Click to expand...
I tested for it by dismantling the wc cistern fill valve and blasting out the crud i found. And the same for the kitchen cold tap tails. As those were the things that weren't working.
I also found a piece preventing the internal Stockbridge from closing completely later.
 
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