Water Pressure In The Water Supply System: What Should Be And How To Increase If Necessary

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Water Pressure In The Water Supply System: What Should Be And How To Increase If Necessary
Water Pressure In The Water Supply System: What Should Be And How To Increase If Necessary

Video: Water Pressure In The Water Supply System: What Should Be And How To Increase If Necessary

Video: Water Pressure In The Water Supply System: What Should Be And How To Increase If Necessary
Video: Drinking Water Video 6: Distribution Systems 2024, March
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Water pipes laid inside an apartment or private house are a complex system that requires care and attention. One of the performance characteristics of such a system is water pressure. The work of plumbing and heating devices depends on this indicator.

Water pressure in the water supply system: what should be and how to increase if necessary
Water pressure in the water supply system: what should be and how to increase if necessary

Reasons for a decrease in water pressure

Insufficient pressure in the water supply system is a problem that owners of apartments and private houses often face. Low water pressure sometimes makes it impossible to use shower cabins, dishwashers and other household appliances. There are several ways that you can adjust the water pressure in the system.

The main reasons for the violation of the water pressure in the water supply system:

  • accidents at the central water supply;
  • violation of the tightness of the pipeline, leaks in the common house system;
  • worn out and clogged pipes;
  • unauthorized modification of the water supply system.

Unauthorized system changes occur when saunas or car washes are arranged on the lower floors of apartment buildings, where the water supply is calculated without taking into account the needs of residents, only based on the needs of the enterprise.

The most effective way to increase the pressure in the water supply system is to install an additional pump or even a pumping station with a large container. Both options have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Tap water pressure standards

There are two main units of measurement used to estimate the pressure level - bar and atmosphere. The difference between the two is that 1 bar equals 1.0197 atmospheres. Therefore, they can be considered almost identical. One unit of measurement corresponds to the pressure produced by a column of water 10, 19 meters high.

If the pump needs to pump water to the height of the fourth floor (this is about 10 m), then at the entrance to the water supply system, a pressure of 2 atmospheres is required. If, at the same time, a submersible pump pumps water from a well 20 meters deep, then a pressure of about 5 atmospheres should develop at the outlet of the device.

The main role in the calculations of the system through which water is supplied to the house is played by the resistance of the water supply system. It depends on the diameter and length of the pipes, on the number of turns and the material from which the pipeline is made.

Owners of private houses should be aware that artesian wells can provide a pressure of up to 10 atmospheres. Most of the shut-off and control units are destroyed under the influence of such pressure, leaks occur in the sections of the water supply system.

The pressure of cold water in the water supply system, in accordance with the standards, should be in the range from 0.3 to 6 atmospheres. These are the permissible limits of water pressure. The owners of private houses have to calculate the pressure on their own. It is believed that pressure above 6.5 atmospheres can damage sensitive household appliances. The norm for hot water supply is considered to be a pressure ranging from 0.3 to 4.5 atmospheres.

When determining the normal pressure for a private country house, it must be remembered that some types of plumbing will not work at excessively low pressure. For example, a washing machine requires 2 atmospheres, a fire extinguishing system - 1, 5, and a jacuzzi already 4 atmospheres. For a lawn irrigation system, the pressure should be even stronger, most often up to 6 atmospheres.

For a country house, the optimal level of pressure in the water supply system will be the standard mark of 4 atmospheres. This pressure is quite enough for the proper operation of the vast majority of devices that use water. Fittings and assemblies of control and shut-off valves can easily withstand this pressure.

In accordance with the established norms, the pressure in the centralized water supply system is 4 atmospheres, but in practice it is in the range from 2 to 6 atmospheres. If the network is subject to sudden pressure surges, this can adversely affect the condition of the plumbing equipment. The so-called water hammers in urban water supply networks occur with sudden pressure surges, for example, with the formation of air jams. Plumbing elements, mixers, taps, washing machines and dishwashers, as a rule, are designed for a working pressure of 6 atmospheres.

A pressure gauge is used to measure the pressure in the water supply system. Usually it is installed at the entrance to the house, in the same place as the water meter. Some types of equipment are already sold complete with a pressure gauge. An example is a heating boiler. A conventional pressure gauge has a graduated scale from 0 to 7 atmospheres (bar), which makes it possible to use the device in an apartment or a private house.

In general, pressure rates should be considered relative; most often they depend on the number of points of water consumption. The more such points, the lower the pressure in the system will be if all the taps are opened simultaneously and all devices that consume water are put into operation. Therefore, they try to calculate the pressure in the water supply system with a certain margin, so that at maximum water intake the pump can guarantee sufficient pressure at each point.

When choosing household appliances, it is always necessary to clarify according to the technical documentation what are the minimum and maximum pressure parameters within which the equipment can operate smoothly. It is desirable that the capabilities of the technician have the necessary margin in terms of the level of allowable pressure in the system.

How to increase the pressure in the water supply system

To increase the water pressure in home systems, use:

  • manual pumps;
  • automatic high pressure pumps;
  • pumping stations.

The most practical way is to use a pumping station, to which an additional tank with a large capacity is connected. This solution makes it possible to eliminate pressure surges. Installing a storage tank allows you to have a sufficient supply of water required for domestic needs.

High pressure pump

The high pressure pump may not be very powerful because it increases the pressure just in front of the points where the water is drawn. The power of some pump models can be adjusted manually or automatically. The second option is more practical: the pump turns on itself if the pressure drops below the limit set by the user. It should be borne in mind that the pump will be able to raise the pressure only if it is supplied from the city water supply. It is possible to increase the pressure in this way by 1.5-2 atmospheres.

Preference should be given to vibration pumps. Centrifugal models are capable of creating harmful vacuum, that is, pumping water saturated with air. It is necessary to put the pump on a pipe leading to a household appliance, in which the water pressure needs to be increased. To simplify the installation of the pump, a rubber or polypropylene hose is often used, which usually come with this equipment.

Pumping station

Possessing a number of advantages, a pumping station with a capacity has a significant drawback: for its construction, it will be necessary to allocate significant space in a living room, in the attic or in the basement of a house. Another disadvantage of this solution: the automatic switching on of the station is accompanied by a high noise level, which is not observed when using a compact pump.

In addition, a container with water (accumulator) requires regular maintenance, cleaning and disinfection. The water in the tank should not stand for more than three days. The advantage of using such a system is that the container can be filled at night; when using a meter with two tariffs, this makes it possible to significantly save energy.

It makes sense to install a storage pumping station if the water in the house does not rise to the highest floors, and the pressure in the system does not exceed 0.2 atmospheres. The installation of the station is carried out at the point where the external and internal branches of the pipeline are connected. The principle of operation of the storage station is as follows. First, the pump pumps water into the accumulator; the liquid enters there until a pressure of 1.5-2 atmospheres is established in the tank. After that, the pumping station is automatically turned off. If the pressure drops below the reference mark, the pump starts.

Pumping stations make it possible to:

  • set the desired pressure in the house;
  • use plumbing fixtures that require a relatively high water pressure;
  • ensure an uninterrupted supply of water, even if it is absent from the central water supply.

A pumping station with a storage tank has several rather complex units, so not everyone can install it on their own. In order for the equipment to work without interruptions, it is recommended to entrust its installation to professionals.

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