Solving low water pressure problems caused by lead pipes in North West London
Low water pressure can be a big issue in busy family homes, especially in the morning when more than one person wants to use the bathroom! Low water pressure can arise from a number of factors but most often we find it’s the quality of the pipework. Old lead pipes regularly cause low water pressure as leaks and calcification can occur, meaning the water can’t pass through quickly and efficiently. Even if the mains water pressure is good, connecting to the house through old lead pipes is almost guaranteed to cause low water pressure.
At a home in North West London, a family were frustrated with the lack of water pressure for a long hot shower! In addition they had hoped that they would be able to use two showers at the same time to get their busy household moving in the mornings. Unfortunately their water pressure was well under the 10 litres/minute threshold that defines low water pressure, meaning the amount of water flowing through the pipes would be nowhere near enough to service two showers.
The family had already worked with the waterboard to replace a section of pipework from the mains to the edge of their property but with little improvement. This is because the old lead pipework was still in place from the stop tap to the house and was clearly restricting the flow. Even without the water pressure problem, these old lead pipes have been shown to contribute to a number of health issues.
Our expert team conducted an initial conversation with the customer over the phone and during the subsequent site visit, we noted that the water flow rate was around 6 -10 litres/minute in various parts of the property (some taps where microbore pipes so this will naturally restrict flow). We were confident that installing a new 25mm water pipe would provide the customer with the flow they needed.
Due to the location of the property on a busy residential street, with new block paving on the drive, the client hoped to install the new water pipe with minimal disturbance. As experts in Moling and Directional Drilling, we were able to take the 16 meters of new pipework beneath the driveway and connect to the house. Once our new pipework was installed, the flow rate was immediately doubled, achieving up to 18-19 litres/minute.
The client was very impressed with the works, stating: “It’s been a pleasure dealing with you and everyone we’ve had contact with, and most importantly, we’re happy with our water flow!”
Do you have low water pressure and suspect that your old lead pipes might be the problem? Call us for a low impact solution.
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