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Loss of pressure in one shower - advice

Posted: October 3rd, 2019, 8:31 am
by H Martin
Hi everyone,I’m new here and looking for a bit of advice.

We had a new bathroom suite fitted in our main bathroom and had our en-suite replaced through our insurance following a leak.

Our main bathroom initially had a Mira shower which had great pressure and temperature, there was never any problem. For a bit of background I believe our boiler is a system boiler which has a tank. We have an immersion which we can use if the hot water breaks for any reason.

Our main shower was replaced first and initially all was well. However after a day or two the water was a trickle. We had the company out again and they said that since the boiler system had to be emptied due to the installation of a heated radiator, the sediment from the tank was getting stuck in the shower filters and these would have to be removed and cleaned. They did this a couple of times and also fitted a filter to the tank but this happened again. In the end they replaced the whole shower and it was better but nothing like the pressure we had before.

Now that the weather is colder the shower pressure seems has dropped again. Our home is very well insulated so we have yet to put the heating on! I don’t know if this could be a factor or if there is something else wrong.

Our en-suite shower which runs off the same system is absolutely fine and has been excellent since it’s installation.

The shower causing the problem is this one https://www.mylifebathrooms.com/product/flo-round/. In the en-suite we have a Grohe shower with just one shower head.

Could it be simply down to the quality of the shower? Both were around the same price.

Any advice would be appreciated,
Thanks!
H

Re: Loss of pressure in one shower - advice

Posted: October 3rd, 2019, 1:42 pm
by REDSAW
hi and welcome to the forum.

those watering can heads are notorius for flow.
however, the min head it requires is 1.0bar and your system pressure may be at 1-1.5bar set.
whats the mains flow pressure rate on your kitchen tap?
you need an available comparrison as it might just be the fact the other shower requires a lower bar pressure.

Re: Loss of pressure in one shower - advice

Posted: October 3rd, 2019, 3:38 pm
by H Martin
Hi, thanks for your response.

I’m not sure about the pressure rate in the kitchen but it seems pretty high! How would you determine this? (I am by no means an expert!).

The flow is poor from the small head on the main bathroom shower too. I just don’t understand how it worked properly at first with decent pressure and is now pretty rubbish.

Thanks! H

Re: Loss of pressure in one shower - advice

Posted: October 3rd, 2019, 7:51 pm
by REDSAW
H Martin wrote:
October 3rd, 2019, 3:38 pm
Hi, thanks for your response.

I’m not sure about the pressure rate in the kitchen but it seems pretty high! How would you determine this? (I am by no means an expert!).

The flow is poor from the small head on the main bathroom shower too. I just don’t understand how it worked properly at first with decent pressure and is now pretty rubbish.

Thanks! H
i have a feeling its one of those jobs where a thorough inspection is needed to installation faults.
the mains incoming needs pressure testing. the shower supplies the same test. next the regulators and cylinder presure charges etc.
However:
i bet there is no expansion vessel fitted at cylinder? therefore its probably lost its cylinder 'bubble' which your installers dont have the insight to the problem !! (thats an easy fix) i think 'BEST' has an unvented license so perhaps he might stear you later on but it generally means you need to isolate cold mains and drain cylinder through taps until no water flows, turn off tap and turn mains back on.

Re: Loss of pressure in one shower - advice

Posted: October 3rd, 2019, 8:03 pm
by REDSAW

Re: Loss of pressure in one shower - advice

Posted: October 6th, 2019, 3:11 am
by Best
Sorry, missed this thread as been busy recently! :(
If you have an unvented system I could try to advise on it.
I am wondering do you have gravity system by your description?

Re: Loss of pressure in one shower - advice

Posted: October 8th, 2019, 6:38 am
by H Martin
Hi,
Thanks for the advice. I’ve discovered when I turn the temperature to cold the pressure is great, but as the temperature is turned up the pressure drops right down. I don’t believe it is a gravity system. Again I’m no expert but we live in a flat with a tank in an airing cupboard and a boiler in the kitchen. If this ever fails we also have an immerser which we can use if needed. I want to contact the installer again but don’t want to get fobbed off with chat about sediment!

Also our system does look like an unvented system having read a description online. We contacted the company who make the tank (Heatrae Sadia Megaflo) and they couldn’t understand why the tank would have been drained in the first place.

Thanks! H

Re: Loss of pressure in one shower - advice

Posted: October 8th, 2019, 9:00 pm
by Best
Does sound like you have blocked filters in your new shower or blocked pipework to it.
The hot side having poorer flow to the cold side would explain it.
Also hope there isn’t small bore isolation valves fitted on pipes going to shower ?

Re: Loss of pressure in one shower - advice

Posted: October 8th, 2019, 9:02 pm
by REDSAW
Best wrote:
October 8th, 2019, 9:00 pm
Does sound like you have blocked filters in your new shower or blocked pipework to it.
The hot side having poorer flow to the cold side would explain it.
Also hope there isn’t small bore isolation valves fitted on pipes going to shower ?
Good shout Best.
small bore iso will hamper the ballance flow.
sounds like needs plumber with some nonce to go through it !!!

Re: Loss of pressure in one shower - advice

Posted: October 9th, 2019, 1:49 am
by Best
REDSAW wrote:
October 8th, 2019, 9:02 pm
Best wrote:
October 8th, 2019, 9:00 pm
Does sound like you have blocked filters in your new shower or blocked pipework to it.
The hot side having poorer flow to the cold side would explain it.
Also hope there isn’t small bore isolation valves fitted on pipes going to shower ?
Good shout Best.
small bore iso will hamper the ballance flow.
sounds like needs plumber with some nonce to go through it !!!
Seems nowadays everyone uses cheap isolating valves instead of connectors.
:D

Re: Loss of pressure in one shower - advice

Posted: October 10th, 2019, 7:43 pm
by H Martin
Thanks for your help. It’s good to get some independent advice and now I can proceed with a bit more understanding of the possible issues. Really appreciate it!
Thanks H

Re: Loss of pressure in one shower - advice

Posted: October 11th, 2019, 12:04 am
by REDSAW
Best wrote:
October 9th, 2019, 1:49 am
REDSAW wrote:
October 8th, 2019, 9:02 pm
Best wrote:
October 8th, 2019, 9:00 pm
Does sound like you have blocked filters in your new shower or blocked pipework to it.
The hot side having poorer flow to the cold side would explain it.
Also hope there isn’t small bore isolation valves fitted on pipes going to shower ?
Good shout Best.
small bore iso will hamper the ballance flow.
sounds like needs plumber with some nonce to go through it !!!
Seems nowadays everyone uses cheap isolating valves instead of connectors.
:D
;)