Water pressure in the water supply: equipment for increasing water pressure in the apartment

Wherever you live - in an apartment or in a private house - you want the pressure of water flowing from the tap to be sufficient. To do this, the pressure in the system must be normal. This is a guarantee of convenience during your stay, since you can normally use the washbasin, shower, household appliances, and also install such luxury items as a jacuzzi.

But situations arise when, having opened the tap in the kitchen, we observe a very weak stream, which already indicates unsatisfactory pressure.

Here the question arises to what extent the water pressure in the tap has deviated from the norm, and whether this situation is a reason to contact the housing and communal services. To answer this question, let's figure out what the standard water pressure should be in the water supply of an apartment and a private house.

Why do you need to know water pressure?

If you know what pressure is in the circuit, then you can easily determine which household appliances and in what quantity can be connected in your home. If there is a stable pressure of 1.5 atmospheres, the washing machine and dishwasher will operate as usual. But for the normal functioning of the jacuzzi you will need 3.5 atmospheres. A pressure in the water supply of 1 atmosphere will already allow you to use the shower in normal mode.

The optimal water pressure in a country house should be
at least one and a half atmospheres. It's all about the heating circuit of the house.
You need to fill it yourself, using, of course, water from your own water supply. The pressure in the heating system should not fall below 1 atmosphere.

If the pressure of the liquid being poured is not sufficient, it will not be able to provide the required pressure in the heating pipes.

Tips on how to determine the pressure in a water supply

The pressure in a water supply can be measured using an instrument called a water pressure gauge. There is a consumer version for home use with an adapter for connecting to equipment, for example, to a kitchen faucet.

There is a method for measuring pressure without using a pressure gauge. To do this, you will need a 3-liter jar and a stopwatch (or a watch with a second hand). It is necessary to open the tap at full power, substitute the can and note the time. After filling, you need to note the time it took to fill the jar. This will become a key indicator for determining pressure. The correspondence between the filling time of the jar and the pressure in the water supply was established experimentally and by calculation.

Let's look at this ratio in more detail in the table:

These indicators are very approximate, and therefore can only become the basis for calling representatives of the management company to carry out official measurements using special equipment.

How is water pressure measured?

Pressure is measured in atmospheres and bars. Often it is “atmospheres” that appear in the conversations of craftsmen; they are used in marking plastic and metal pipes, as well as in detachable and permanent connections.

For example, modern polypropylene pipes for cold and hot water are designed for a pressure of 10 atmospheres. But during operation, it is better not to set maximum loads, but to leave a double safety margin. Therefore, indicators up to 5 atmospheres will be optimal.

This is especially true for hot water supply pipes, since their nomenclature indicates the operating temperature. Often this value is equal to D-20, which means guaranteed operation for a period of 50 years at a temperature of 20 degrees. If the temperature is higher, then the service life will be significantly reduced.

As for the bar, one atmosphere equals 1.02 bars. Therefore, when calculating in bars, the difference is rounded to one.

SNIP standards for regulating water pressure in an apartment and private house

The regulation of compliance with water pressure standards concerns mainly apartment buildings (apartment buildings) and private houses with central water supply. Such standards are regulated by SNiP 2.04.2-84. This SNiP is equivalent to apartments from the 1st floor, which means it is suitable for private houses.

But in the case of houses, everything is much simpler, since here they almost always install either pumping stations that increase the pressure in the water supply system within the required limits, or drill wells and install a pump with a hydraulic accumulator.

As for apartments, according to the specified SNIP standard, the water pressure in the tap of residents of the first floor must correspond to one bar. Taking into account the rise to each subsequent floor, the indicators should increase by 0.4 bar. In five-story buildings, the pressure of the water supply network on the top floor can be about 3 bar. As for high-rise apartment buildings with 9 or 17 floors, everything is calculated individually, but without going beyond SNIP standards.

According to the regulations, the minimum water pressure limit in the taps of multi-storey buildings is 0.3 atmospheres for cold and hot water. The maximum pressure in the pipes is 6 atmospheres for cold and 4.5 atmospheres for hot.

The minimum indicators are enough to operate a kitchen faucet, washbasin, dishwasher and washing machine; for a shower, swimming pool, jacuzzi, this pressure will not be enough. If you live in an apartment and the water flows poorly, you can contact a plumber, but first you need to check your own home for blockages and malfunctions.

As for private houses, the minimum pressure limit, which is set by means of a hydraulic accumulator and pressure switch, corresponds to 1.5 atmospheres. For domestic needs, the pressure in the circuit should be kept to no more than 3 atmospheres. This can be easily done by any pumping station and hydraulic accumulator with a modern pressure switch. Setting the relay is done quickly by unscrewing the nuts of the corresponding spring.

If a central water supply enters the house, then it is rational to install a pumping station. Its operating principle is such that it receives water with low pressure, fills the container, increases the water pressure and releases it to the main system with normal values.

What indicators are considered the norm (according to GOST, SNiP)?

Water supply is regulated by the following regulations:

• SNiP2.04.02-84;
• SNiP2.04.02-85;
• GOST 356-80;
• Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 354.

In accordance with these documents, the free pressure in the water supply network at the entrance to the building directly depends on its number of storeys - for one-story buildings this figure is equal to 1 atmosphere, which corresponds to 10 meters of water pressure.

In multi-storey buildings this value increases by 4 meters for each floor of the building. At night, the incoming pressure can be reduced to 3 meters.

The pressure of cold water should be in the range from 0.3 to 6 atmospheres, hot - from 0.3 to 4.5.

Attention. According to clause 2.28 of SNiP 2.04.02-84, the maximum pressure at the entrance to the water supply network of a multi-storey building cannot exceed 60 meters of water column (6 atmospheres). Otherwise, you should install pressure regulators or use zoning of the water supply network.

How to determine who is to blame for a weak serve

They begin to look for the reason for the low water pressure in the apartment in the internal circuit.
Those pipes that go after the meter in the apartment are the responsibility of the owner. If the pressure is low, the first thing you need to do is check the quality of the aerator. This is a mesh that sits on the spout. Often it becomes clogged and prevents the normal passage of water. This applies to all points in the house, including the shower rail.

If water does not flow well into the toilet, check the coarse filter at the entrance of the flexible hose to the flush tank. Often rust, chalk, sand, and other elements accumulate there. This can be encountered in an apartment where the pipes are made of metal.

If a coarse filter is installed at the entrance to your apartment, disassemble it, clean it, and only then test the water.

If you haven’t found a problem with yourself, contact your neighbors above and below and find out what pressure their water flows at. If everything is normal for them, but yours is not, then feel free to contact the management company and call a locksmith to resolve the issue.

Changing a self-cleaning filter with a pressure gauge

Now is the time to work on a self-cleaning filter with a pressure gauge. In the figure you can see where you need to unscrew the filter. But this cannot be done right away, because a drain hose is attached to the bottom of the filter, and first you need to remove the clamp and release the hose:

It is for these purposes that we need a screwdriver. So, unscrew the clamp:

Remove the hose. The water has already been drained, but there may still be small residues:

Just as in the case of the coarse filter, for this filter you first unscrew it with a wrench and then by hand. Prepare a container for draining the water. The same plastic bottle will come in handy:

It is advisable to fix the bottle so that the water drains itself, and you do not have to hold the bottle with your hands.

When the water stops flowing, you need to look at the filter itself.

Before us is a depressing picture:

The filter mesh is completely clogged. How to deal with this? I recommend installing a new grid:

The filter itself is also dirty and it would be a good idea to clean off the rust. If there is too much of it, then I recommend replacing the filter itself and installing a new mesh there.

We install the filter in place and check the water:

As you can see, everything is in order! Try it, take another look at the cold water pressure gauge. Now it will definitely not show you zero. You breathed a sigh of relief because now the water pressure in your water supply system is back to normal!

Note that for hot water the actions will be similar.

1. In order to avoid a situation where the filters become completely clogged, it is necessary to flush cold and hot water for 3 minutes at least once every 3 weeks. The descent is carried out by opening the taps located directly under the self-cleaning filters. That is why it is useful to have not just taps, but hoses screwed to them with clamps that go directly into the drain pipe.
2. You need to spend a little time to: unscrew your hot and cold water filters, temporarily turn off the water, go to a professional plumbing store, show your filter meshes to the seller and buy them home in advance. They are not so cheap, but this must be done, because in a critical situation you will simply replace the grids. Otherwise, you will have to first turn off the water, then disassemble the entire system, and then run around the shops in search of the required mesh. It is not a fact that you will find them right away, but the family will be left without water, and your water supply system itself will be in a semi-disassembled state (tested on yourself).
3. Never turn on the water without installed filter screens, even temporarily for 1 day! This very day may turn out to be ill-fated. If dirt gets into the pipe, a size slightly larger than the permissible size, then, for example, it will clog your meters, and then you will really have a lot of fuss.
4. Imported faucets also sometimes fail. For example, the insides of the mixer become unusable, which it is better not to disassemble yourself (unless you are a professional in this matter). That is, when the faucet is removed, the water gushes out in a powerful stream, and when the faucet is installed, the pressure is much stronger for hot water than for cold water, or vice versa. Here you also need to look and analyze. Sometimes simply replacing the faucet also brings results.

That's all. Today we learned what to do if the water pressure in your apartment suddenly starts to drop.

Situations when the water pressure coming from the tap in an apartment is weak are widespread, so the question of what to do in such cases is quite relevant. Weak water pressure in the apartment, when water flows from the tap in a thin stream, makes it impossible to use washing machines and dishwashers, and sometimes in such cases it is impossible to even take a shower. Meanwhile, you can fix this problem using one of the methods suggested below.

How to find out the water pressure in an apartment

To understand the water pressure in the apartment, you should focus on liquid consumption devices. For example, remove the aerator, open the tap, and make sure that the water flows normally.

For normal water flow in the kitchen faucet and in the bath, a pressure of
0.3 atmospheres .
If the water flows weakly, then the pressure is below this indicator. For water flow in the toilet tank you need 0.4 atmospheres ; if it does not fill, it means the water pressure is less. If you have a pressure gauge, you can install it in a suitable place and take measurements.

If there are no measuring devices, you can call a plumber from the housing department who will take measurements according to your instructions. In the following video you can see how to correctly measure water pressure yourself:

How to measure water pressure without a pressure gauge

If there is no pressure gauge, but the pressure needs to be measured, it is enough to use a regular transparent tube. Select a tube length of 1 m. Place it on the tap, secure it tightly, open the tap, filling the tube a little with water. Close the tap and measure the empty space. Let's assume this figure is 54 cm. Next, hold the tube with your finger, open the tap a little, and see how the water begins to rise up and compress the air.

Accordingly, as soon as the water stops rising, close the tap and measure the distance that remains unfilled with water. If it is 20 cm, then divide 54 by 20 and get 2.7 atmospheres of pressure in the circuit. For convenience, it is better to carry out such measurements together. After taking measurements, you will know whether to pay for cold water and hot water in your utility bill, or ask the management company to carry out repairs.

The water pressure in the tap began to decrease

Finally, in the middle of the week, you realize that the water pressure has weakened so much that you can’t live like this any longer, and on the weekend you promise yourself that you’ll sort it out. But when you come home in the evening after work, you discover the dissatisfied look of the whole family on you, saying that you can’t wash yourself today at all, and that it looks like you won’t have to wait for the weekend, but you need to do something right here and now. Who hasn't encountered a similar situation?

If you have low water pressure throughout the house, an additional booster pump in the line should maintain water pressure. Both of these types of fixes are best performed by a plumbing professional. If you find that low pressure is only in the kitchen faucet, the cause may be debris in one of several places leading to the faucet. Start looking for the cause by first checking the aerator screen on the faucet, following the rest of these steps after clearing your fixtures and lines of clogs or debris.

Step 2 - Unscrew the aerator screen

Most faucets have a small screen at the end of the drain where the water comes out. Unscrew the spout by hand and remove the blockage on the screen. You may find sediment clogging the screen, and removing the sediment is a small cleaning project. Disassemble it and wash the parts in warm water and vinegar solution. If the blockage remains, you can try a commercial calcium cleaner. Dry the spout, reassemble and reattach to the faucet.

And of course, someone starts talking about how a pipe burst somewhere far away, or there was an accident at a thermal power plant, or the pipes are being replaced, and that this is probably the case, and nothing can be done about it. Having “calmed down” yourself and everyone at home with this explanation, you can calmly lie down on the sofa and watch your favorite show.

We dreamed :).

Now let's get down to business! Of course, this cannot be ruled out either. And first you need to call your neighbors and ask how they are doing. It’s also a good idea to ask the chairman of the housing cooperative what could be the reason? In 10% of cases it will probably be as you dreamed. You will actually go watch your favorite show. But, unfortunately, the remaining 90% will say that the problem is in your apartment, and not somewhere far away...

Step 3 - Remove the Faucet Head

After replacing it, turn on the faucet to ensure that pressure has been restored. In some faucets, the cartridge that moves to allow water to pass through may not function properly or become stuck. You can easily replace it or free it from objects covering it. To remove the faucet head, locate the screw under the faucet outlet. Unscrew it and remove the tap head. If not, remove the thin housing. Clean out any debris or calcium buildup with a calcium remover.

Step 4 - Solve the problem within the line

Replace the thin body and faucet head. Try installing the faucet again to see if the water flows as it should. You may have a buildup in the pipe leading to the faucet. If the piping is galvanized piping, it is likely accumulated debris from age and sediment. You can pull or unscrew the riser from the foundation using a pipe wrench. Backing up a fitting in the basement so the fitting or pipe doesn't break With a bucket and another person, turn on the water and see how much pressure you get from the pipe you just removed.

How to increase water pressure in an apartment

The simplest and most reliable way to increase water pressure in an apartment is to install a pumping station.
The operating principle of the pumping station is such that the pump will turn on when the pressure in the apartment circuit is less than the specified values. Responsible for turning on the pressure switch pump, for which the upper switch-off threshold and the lower switch-on threshold are adjusted.

To accumulate water, a tank with a capacity of 25, 50 and 100 liters is used, which is selected individually by the consumer. The larger the tank, the less often the pumping station will turn on, the less noise there will be in the apartment.

The design of the pumping station includes a fitting with five terminals, as well as a pressure gauge, pressure switch, and tank.

Such a device will receive water at any pressure, convert it and release water for needs with already increased pressure. There will be no more problems with a gas water heater that constantly does not light up, there will be no problems with the shower and faucet in the kitchen, the toilet tank will always be full.

You can see how a pumping station is installed and operates in an apartment in the video:

Problem solution

1. How to find a section of a water pipeline that limits its capacity?

By measuring pressure at different points in the water supply system. After a narrow section it will be noticeably lower.

Control measurement of water pressure in the apartment

Captain Obviousness suggests: measurements are taken at the peak of water collection. At zero flow, the pressure will be the same at all points at the same level.

1. How to deal with clogged pipes?

The problem of deposits can be solved in several ways:

• Cleaning the riser or bottling with stiff steel wire. For cleaning, a window is cut out in the steel pipeline, which is welded after the work is completed;

Welded surgical seam for cleaning the pipeline with wire

• Chemical flushing of the water supply system or its individual sections. Rust and lime dissolve in an acidic or alkaline environment;

Chemical washing results

• Replacing a problem area of ​​the water supply system. It can be made either with a steel pipe or with modern materials that meet the requirements of SP 30.13330.2012. Most often, for routine or major repairs of water supply, polypropylene pipes are used, which compare favorably with competing solutions in their low cost and manufacturability of installation using low-temperature welding.

Problem areas of risers were replaced with polypropylene pipes

1. How to increase water pressure when there is insufficient water pressure?

The simplest solution for an apartment is a booster pump. It raises the pressure by 8-20 meters. A typical in-line pump consumes only about 100 watts, and only turns on at the water flow level set by the manufacturer.

Boost pump for water supply

Please note: the pump increases the existing excess water pressure. If it doesn't rise to your floor, a booster pump won't solve the problem.

In a private house, in case of interruptions in the water supply, a backup water supply system with a storage tank is assembled. Water can be supplied from the tank by gravity (when installed in the attic) or using a pumping station.

The last scheme was implemented in the house of the author of the article: as soon as the pressure in the central water supply drops below 15 meters, the pump begins to pump water from the reserve tank.

Scheme with a storage tank and gravity water supply

Water supply diagram with reserve tank and pump

Connecting the pumping station to the storage tank

1. Is it possible to reduce excessively high water pressure?

Of course. The fittings required for this are called pressure reducers. The simplest piston reducer costs about 1000 rubles, is mounted at the water supply inlet, and keeps the outlet pressure equal to 1-4 atmospheres, regardless of the pressure in the main water supply.

Piston gear design

Please note: the already mentioned SP 30.13330.2012 directly prescribes the installation of reducers at the entrances to apartments in cases where the features of local development force the supply of water at a pressure higher than the standard.

Reducer at the water supply inlet

1. How can you protect your water supply system from water hammer?

This function can be performed by a gearbox that is already familiar to us, or by a membrane tank installed at the inlet. During a short-term pressure surge, the air in its air compartment will act as a damper. With collector water distribution, the tank can be mounted on cold water and hot water collectors.

Membrane water hammer damper from Valtec

At what values ​​does the equipment function normally?

For normal operation of the washing machine, it is necessary that the pressure be at least one and a half atmospheres. The dishwasher also operates at 1.5 atmospheres. As for individual heating of apartments using electric and gas boilers, everything is purely individual.

The average value is 2 atmospheres, but many boilers operate from 1.5 to 2.5 atmospheres.

Water pressure for full consumption

Are you wondering what water pressure should be in the water supply of an apartment building? The answer is simple, as for sinks, faucets, shower cabins, toilets and bidets, the pressure here should be no less than 0.3 atmospheres. The greatest needs are for a jacuzzi with a hydromassage function; here the pressure must be at least 4 atmospheres.

Danger of overfeeding

An emergency situation will never arise with low pressure.
It is the increased indicators in the system that need to be feared. This is especially true for old multi-storey buildings, where repairs to the water supply system have not been carried out for a long time or have never been carried out. Here the pipes have already worn out, corrosion has partially corroded the metal over the course of long use. Therefore, excessive pressure can lead to leakage and flooding of neighbors. In this case, it is recommended to install a pressure regulator in front of the meters.

For ordinary plastic pipes, a pressure of about 10 atmospheres is recommended. That is, this limit cannot be exceeded.

It is best to arrange the system so that the pressure in the circuit does not exceed 4–5 atmospheres, since you must always leave a safety margin for water hammer.

Water hammer is a strong one-time increase in pressure at the moment the water supply is turned on. This can happen after repairs, when the pump immediately turns on at full power and a sharp jolt is obtained, which leads to faucets breaking, meters failing, cracks appearing on the body of brass fittings, and also to the breakage of flexible hoses.

Causes of problems

Now let's figure out why the water pressure can noticeably deviate from the norm.

High pressure

1. Why might the normal blood pressure be exceeded?

Water pressure is created by pumping stations. Excessive pressure, first of all, can occur with different number of storeys of buildings and with significant unevenness of the relief: with its normal values, the water simply will not rise to the upper floors.

However: current building codes and regulations recommend that in such cases, separate buildings be equipped with pumping stations.

Pumping in the technical basement of a residential building

In addition, the cause of excess pressure may be an incorrect calculation of pump power. Pumps are often collected by housing organizations from warehouse remains: for example, a two-kilowatt electric motor with a burnt-out winding can easily be replaced with a three-kilowatt one during repairs.

Installing an overly powerful electric motor on the pump may cause the standard pressure to be exceeded.

Further: an incorrect connection of the boiler can lead to an uncontrolled increase in pressure. A check valve is installed on its inlet pipe, preventing the draining of heated water and drainage of the heating elements when the water supply is turned off. When heating and the accompanying expansion of water in a closed volume, both the tank and the water supply may well be damaged.

Change in the volume of water when it is heated

Hint: the problem is solved by installing a safety valve after the check valve. When the pressure rises critically, it dumps excess water into the drain. Large volume boilers are equipped with membrane expansion tanks instead of safety valves.

Check and safety valves can be combined in one housing

Membrane tank in the boiler trim

Finally, short-term pressure surges (water hammer) can result from improper operation or malfunction of shut-off and control valves. For example, if you quickly close the ball valve in a hot water circulation system, the inertia of the water flow will lead to an increase in pressure at its front. The same effect will be achieved by falling of the valve cheeks due to wear of the rod or wedge.

The mechanism of water hammer occurrence

Low pressure

1. What can cause a drop in water pressure?

Here is a list of the most likely reasons:

• Incorrect calculation or malfunction of the boost pump;
• Partially closed shut-off valves in a water metering unit, heating point or on water supply risers. At the moments of greatest water consumption (they usually occur in the morning and evening of the day), its throughput may not be enough;

The passage of the water supply may be limited by a partially closed valve.

Please note: the pressure will decrease only during water withdrawal. In its absence, the pressure in the water supply after a partially closed fitting will be the same as before it. This is obvious to anyone who remembers the basics of physics; however, the author, when he was a plumber, was faced many times with attempts to reduce water pressure with a closed valve on the supply line.

• Garbage (scale, sand, and so on - right down to wooden choppers). They enter the water supply system during its repair, and create blockages in narrow sections of the water supply system - at the bends of risers and connections, as well as under the seats of screw valves;

Garbage in water supply bottling

• Water leaks due to corrosion of pipes, partially unscrewed plugs on risers, etc.;

Leaks can lead to a noticeable drop in pressure

• Overgrowing of steel pipes. It is worth talking about it in more detail.

Steel rusts in constant contact with water and oxygen dissolved in it. In addition, lime deposits actively accumulate on the walls of rough steel pipes. As a result, over 10-20 years the internal diameter of the water supply system can decrease by 3-4 times.

Deposits and rust in steel water pipes

Please note: the water pressure drops not only due to a decrease in the cross-section of the pipe, but also due to an increase in the roughness of its walls and, accordingly, an increase in hydraulic resistance.

That is why SP 30.13330.2012 actually prohibits the use of non-galvanized steel pipes in water supply systems. The set of rules allows the use of materials that last at least 25 years in hot water and 50 years in cold water, while maintaining constant hydraulic resistance throughout their service life.

Plastic pipes do not rust or become overgrown with deposits

Where to address the problem of incorrect pressure

In conclusion, we note that if the problem is local in nature and difficulties arise only in your apartment, then you can contact any master plumber for help. If you are sure that the pressure is initially underestimated, then contact the management company with a complaint. At the appointed time, a specialist will come and take measurements, based on which measures will be taken.

Previous entry Water pressure regulator: principle of operation and correct installation in the water supply system

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Authorities responsible for water supply

Before contacting any authorities regarding poor water pressure, you must make sure that the reason for this is not the device being clogged with lime or other deposits, equipment malfunction, etc.

If the reason is not the above, then if the pressure standards of the water supplied to the apartment building are not observed, you can contact the following organizations:

• to the management company (MC), on whose balance sheet this house is located . The management company, by definition, is an intermediary between the provider of life support resources for apartment buildings and the citizen who is the owner or tenant of housing in a given house. The following must be done:
• write an application to the Criminal Code describing the problem, with demands to eliminate the violation of water supply standards and recalculate the cost of paid housing maintenance services,
• take the complaint to the Criminal Code in 2 copies, leave one with the company, the other, with a note indicating acceptance of the application, take it for yourself,
• to expect the problem to be resolved, management companies are required to consider the complaint no later than 1 month after its acceptance.

• to the city administration department, if the measures on the filed complaint were not timely considered by the Criminal Code . When contacting the administration, you should write a new application and attach to it a second copy of the complaint previously sent to the Criminal Code.