Changing from cold water header tank to mains pressure plumbing problems

[DundeeDancer]

Hello Buildhub people,

 

Looking for a little advice once more. ?

 

About 6 months ago in a flat I let out. I had an old system boiler replaced with a new combi boiler and the fitting company said they could take away the hot and cold water tanks and run everything off the mains.

 

Seemed like a good idea at the time but now I'm a little worried that everything hasn't been thought through.  The boiler is operating fine.  It's the toilet that is the current problem but I'm also worried about the bathroom taps.

 

I think running from mains pressure is possible too much for the current plumbing.  The ball-cock fitting in the toilet, when I had the lid off the force of the water on refill caused considerable spray all over me and half the room.

 

I've manage to tweak the main pressure inside the flat's by turning the stop-cock all the way down so only half the force of the water comes out but I'm not convinced this is a long term solution.

 

Maybe I need to consider getting fitted a water pressure reducing valve into the system or changing toilet ball-cock and taps into ones that can handle high pressure. Wonder is the electric show is OK with the increased pressure.

 

Any advice appreciated.

 

Best wishes, DD.

[Temp]

Perhaps get a pressure gauge from screwfix/tool station and measure it?

 

Pressure at our house isn't huge but we needed to fit pressure reducing valves on wash basins to stop splashing. If you do the same make sure they are accessible as you may have to adjust them up a bit after a year or so.

[Nickfromwales]

A pressure reducing valve on the cold mains at source sound like a good solution. Even if you turn the stopcock down to a dribble, the static pressure will be the same once it equalises.

You were right to bring things into the year 2000, so stick to your guns. Just a shame the plumbers didn't give you a bit more advice on the pro's and con's before getting paid and moving on. Still doesn't make them terrible, just a bit complacent.

[Ferdinand]

If you pressurise the heating system to the max recommended by the Boiler manufacture, that should (?) give you an indication of what the mains pressure is as a minimum.

 

eg 1.5 atm plus whatever the drops across the boiler repressureisation gubbins are,

 

As to whether that is a useful number...

 

Ferdinand

[dpmiller]

The float valves would need their restrictors changed surely?

[Miek]

There are high and low pressure ball (float) valves too, so maybe your original were low pressure and the don't like the new system. You can change the nozzle for a high pressure one or just buy a whole new unit. Nozzles are very cheap

Edited January 20, 2019 by Miek
Edite to include float to a void confusion

[Danny68]

If you have old style ball valve and float (the screw on ball) then your need to Change the venturi, they come in high pressure and low pressure and cost about 50p. You will need an h/p one That will sort out the toilet. Very easy to change over especially on brass ball vales, if you have plastic then I'd just change the whole valve.