Hello All,
We are considering doing something to increase our water pressure. We have about 35psi at the outside bib where the water line comes in from the street. I called the water dept. and talked to an engineer and he said that was about average for the area I live in. I know the line from the meter to the street is probably undersized at 3/4″ and that’s not helping. The house is two stories 3bed 3 bath (one bath on the ground floor) someday we will finish the attic and put in another bath. The water pressure is just inadequate. You can not take a shower and wash your hands for instance.
I am thinking about this water pressure boosting pump
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=9670
I think this with some kind of pressure tank to hold pressurized water might do the trick.
I know that I could up the size of the incoming water line and that would help, but its a 20′ run all of it under concrete and even if I did that the existing water pressure in my area is still low.
So has anybody ever installed one of these things?
Daniel Neuman
Oakland CA
Crazy Home Owner
Replies
We had a long discussion about this a few months ago...
Before I post a question here I always search the archives. I searched under 'residential water pressure booster pumps' and under 'booster pump' and saw some results that didn't appear to apply to my situation. What other terms should I be searching under.
Oh btw forgot to mention in my original post that all the plumbing is copper and ~3years old.
Daniel Neuman
Oakland CA
Crazy Home Owner
Yea - the search function is not too UF (-: now it's my term to make up an acronym :-) Here is a few I found but didn't find the one from a few months ago:
http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=2901.1
http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=50126.1
Matt
Aside from the waste of money getting that setup, it won't do the job as well as the following...
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=4039
Pressure tank.
And...
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=47906
Pump.
Even the pump by itself, is better than the simer. It has a 5 gallon tank. Since you are drawing from a 3/" line, the extra 20 gallon tank just means that much less chance of running out before the pump catches up.
I have the blue pump myself, and it is a great pump.
Are we there yet ?
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The pressure tank was definitely something that I was planning on doing already. That pump though, I read the manual and I didn't see any specs about when it kicks on and off? Or if the pressure boost is adjustable. Now it is an HF manual and they generally suck.
Would you recommend plumbing the pump directly into my incoming water line and then having it charge the external tank up so it would pump up its 5 gal tank plus the 20gal tank?
Sorry forgot to ask so Simer is crap huh?
thanks,
Daniel Neuman
Oakland CA
Crazy Home Owner
Edited 7/15/2005 1:25 pm ET by madscientist
Simer is a good pump.Just way overpriced.The blue pump is just as good, if not better. It has the same standard pressure switch that any household pump comes with. None of this, "if your incoming pressure is... the outgoing will be..." stuff. Set the pressure that you want, and leave it alone.Exactly. Directly to the incoming line, then the expansion tank.The best solution, as you already know, is to put in a bigger supply line. That 35 pressure on the city line is being choked by the 3/4" line. You may still have 35 pressure on your side of the 3/4" line, but you only have as much water as 35 pressure can "press" through a 3/4" line.If your house has some age on it, it is possible that that 3/4" line is restricted even further by deposits.Put in a one or one and a half supply line, and you will have better water at the shower head. Even with the same pressure.I would seriously consider putting in the larger line. This pump and tank may help, but it is only a bandaid measure. Treating the symptom instead of the problem.You don't have to tear out all that concrete. Run your new line beside the old. "Drill" it in hydraulically.
Are we there yet ?
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thirty-five pounds is not that much pressure, you can't change pressure by changing the size. I would not change the feed to your house until I did a calculation to see what your system needs. From long distance, you need a booster pump. Lots of luck.
We've installed one of these inline pumps on a cabin where the well was 3/8 mile from the residence. It more than doubled the pressure and the homeowner was very pleased with the results. A lot could depend on the lay of the land, and we had a 1 1/2 line feeding the house. LARGER PIPE DOESNT INCREASE PRESSURE, BUT DOES INCREASE VOLUME, WHICH THE IN-LINE EASILY NCONVERTED INTO MORE PRESSURE.
I talked to a plumber about this once, and he said not to do it. There are too many variables downstream that could be affected by a dramatic increase in pressure. Might have something to do with the house being 135 years old though. Maybe you should ask your plumber the same question just to make sure.
Good luck with it,
Dog