Water pressure varies at different times of the day. Your pressure is usually lower during the morning and the evening, as more people are at home so the demand for water is higher.
You might also experience low water pressure when an incident has occurred, such as a burst water main. This is because the pressure in the water main is not enough to reach the top of your house.
Pressure is measured in bars, and 1 bar of pressure will push water to a height of 10 metres in your home. The minimum water pressure we’re legally required to supply to your boundary stop tap is 7 metres head (0.7 bar).
If you’re not on a joint supply, your neighbours should have the same water pressure as you, provided your houses are of very similar height and the same distance from the point where our water main is located. Your water flow is individual to your property and may differ from your neighbours.
Low pressure is not to be confused with low water flow. It is possible to have high water pressure, but a low water flow. The flow of your water depends on your private supply pipe.
What can affect my water pressure?
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- Heating appliances and showers - The layout of water pipes in your home may reduce the water pressure or water flow to your taps and your shower.
- Homes with a water tank - Water pressure is lost the higher water has to be lifted, so how high your water tank is positioned above your underground supply pipe will affect how quickly it refills.
- Homes with a combination boiler - The water from our mains flows through your underground supply pipe and the water goes to your combination boiler. The boiler then supplies all the hot taps inside your home. Combination boilers will not work below certain pressure levels.
- Megaflows - Megaflows are another system for heating your water. They operate differently to conventional heating systems because they are directly fed from the water mains instead of the cold water tank, which can make them more sensitive to fluctuations in the mains water pressure.
- Pipes inside your home - Some pressure problems can be caused by faulty, damaged or leaking pipes and fittings, like ball values and stop taps. Corrosion, a partially closed stop tap and leaks could all be affecting your water pressure.
- Supply pipe length and size - The water flow and pressure in your home will be affected by the length of your supply pipe. For example longer supply pipes with a small diameter may be too small to deliver the flow of water to your property, even though the pressure at the boundary meets the 7 meters head (0.7 bar) target
- Geographical location - Water pressure can be affected by the height of your property in relation to the local area around it. If your home is at the top of a hill, you may experience lower pressure than properties that are at the bottom of the hill, especially during busy times of the day such as morning and early evening and during the summer.
- Booster pumps - Booster pumps are connected to the private supply pipe of flats or to large houses. They help to boost the water around the property. If you notice a problem with your water pressure, there could be an issue with your booster pump, if you have one. Please contact your Landlord or managing agent to reset the pump.
- Water pumps – We provide you with the legal minimum requirement of water pressure, but if you feel you need more pressure you may think about fitting a water pump to your home which helps to increase the pressure. Please contact an approved plumber to fit this water pump.
Still need help?
If your water pressure is still affected, contact our team and we can help to give you the best advice
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