Water pressure refers to the force required to move water from the main supply into the pipework running around your house.
Water pressure is most noticeable when it is low. This can cause water to leak from the taps and showers, making it difficult to clean your hands and body.
Calculate water pressure
The flow rate of water that is considered good water pressure is 15 litres per minute or more. This will give you a pleasant shower and allow you to rinse off your soap suds easily.
You will need to do some math in order to check your water pressure. This can be done by yourself, but two people might make it easier.
- Get a 2 Liter measuring jug
- Get a stopwatch or stopwatch app
- Place the jug underneath a tap, and turn on the tap
- Start the stopwatch at the same time and set a timer for 6 seconds
- After six seconds, turn off the tap
Multiply the water content of the jug by 10. For example, 0.6L x 10 = 6 Litres per minute.
Our hypothetical sum would indicate that water pressure is too low and should be addressed by a professional. If the calculation yields a result of fewer than 15 Litres/minute, you might also want to consult a plumber.
Is it possible to increase water pressure?
In most cases, the water pressure can easily be raised without causing too much disruption.
To ensure that the water supply is working properly, a plumber will measure the water pressure at the point where the water enters your property.
Water suppliers have a duty to supply mains water with 1 bar pressure. It's worth consulting a professional to confirm this.
You may need to raise the height of your water tank or install a shower pump to increase water pressure in gravity-fed systems.
Your plumber can verify that the central heating system of combi boilers is properly pressurized to at least 1 bar. This gauge can be found on the combi boiler.
Water pressure and whirlpool bathtubs
It is worth checking your water pressure before you consider installing a luxurious whirlpool tub at home.
You can have a whirlpool tub installed in a shower if the water flow is not perfect. This is particularly important if you have the main bathroom upstairs.
Whirlpool baths should be relaxing and comfortable. If the water pressure is not optimal, it will lead to slow and frustrating filling.