Water supply pressure in the apartment

One of the most important indicators of the quality of the water supply system of a multi-storey building is the pressure level. Too low or, conversely, high water pressure in the water supply system negatively affects the work of plumbing appliances and household appliances connected to the water supply system, and also entails a number of other problems. And if you can find out about reduced pressure by the low pressure of the jet from the tap, then the increased pressure will be felt by leaks and rupture of pipes. Each owner should have an idea of ​​the number of bar pipelines within his own apartment in order to take timely measures and avoid many inconveniences.

What should be the water pressure in the apartment?

To begin with, water pressure is measured in bars or atmospheres. Since 1 bar is 0, 99 atmospheres, these units are considered conditionally equal. 1 bar (1 atm.) Is able to create a column of water 10 m high.

There are documents that stipulate the minimum and maximum allowable pressure in the pipeline of an apartment building (SNiP 2.04.02-84, SNiP 2.04.01-85). Some of these standards relate to the pressure at the entrance to the building, others - at the entrance to a separate apartment, the latter specify the pressure in the in-house wiring near plumbing fixtures. We find out what significance should be on each section of the water supply system.

• At the inlet of the water supply network to a one-story house, the pressure should be 10 m water column or 1 atm. (1 bar). For each next floor, 4 m is added. We will calculate for a standard 9-story building: 10 + (4 x 9) = 46 m. ​​Therefore, the inlet pressure should correspond to 4.6 atm.
• The pressure in the water supply at the entrance of the apartment will be already lower than this value, since the water rises to the upper floors through a complex pipe system. For cold water, the value should be in the range from 0.3 to 6 atm., For hot water - from 0.3 to 4.5 atm.
• The water pressure level of plumbing fixtures should correspond to the following values:
  • for a mixer mounted on a washbasin - not less than 0.2 atm .;
  • for a toilet bowl tank - from 0.2 atm .;
  • for a bath mixer - from 0.3 atm .;
  • for a shower faucet - not less than 0.3 atm.

The necessary level of pressure for everyday needs

An important nuance is the fact that building codes indicate extreme permissible boundaries, and one cannot help but notice that the spread is very large. The minimum allowable pressure is not able to provide comfortable use of water in the apartment and the normal operation of household appliances.

The optimum pressure in the in-apartment part of the cold water supply is 4 atm. In everyday life, this indicator usually ranges from 2.5-7 atm.

Low pressure

If the pressure is low, then problems can arise even with such an elementary procedure as taking a shower. With insufficient pressure, such devices as a washing machine, dishwasher, shower and Jacuzzi will not function.

Normal level

What pressure allows you to use the water supply in comfort?

Only 2 bars is enough for such everyday needs as:

• washing and taking a shower;
• washing dishes by hand or using a household appliance;
• washing in the washing machine.

Some plumbing fixtures require a higher water pressure of 4 atm. Among them:

• Jacuzzi bathtub;
• shower cabin with hydromassage function.

The effects of high blood pressure

If the pressure is too high - from 6.5 bar - the fittings and connections in the pipes suffer, at 10 bar they can easily withstand and burst. Such high pressure can withstand only welded joints and fittings of industrial type. A pressure of 6–7 bar can also lead to disturbances in the operation of highly sensitive plumbing, damage to ceramic valves.

Tip: when choosing mixers, taps, pumps and pipes, the possibility of sharp pressure surges in the network, called water hammer, should be considered. To avoid unpleasant situations in the form of accidents and flooding, it is necessary to purchase devices and elements for installation in a system with increased margin of safety: in normal operation, they must withstand 6 atm., but be designed for a short-term increase in pressure up to 10 atm.

Reasons for low blood pressure

1. Clogged pipes with small debris and deposits on the inner surface, reducing the bore diameter. To resolve this problem, you will need to replace the risers and the in-house wiring.
2. Clogged pre-filter or incompletely open inlet valve. In this case, check the valve and filters. Perhaps, it will be enough just to replace the mesh on the filter so that the water flows as usual.
3. The breakthrough of the city water pipe. In this case, the residents of the apartments cannot do anything, it remains only to wait until the city services restore the integrity of the water supply network.
4. Increases in water intake by residents of the house - usually observed in the evening and morning hours, when water supply is especially actively used.
5. Malfunctions of the pump at the distribution station or poor supply of electricity to it.

In the event that you are no longer satisfied with the pressure of water, try first to determine the cause of its decline.

• Ask your neighbors on the landing if they have problems with pressure. If everything is in order with them, then the reason is not a violation of communal water supply.
• Quench the riser neighbors who live one floor higher and lower. This will let you know if the problem is with a separate riser. In the event that there are no complaints from the neighbors, the reason must be sought in the wiring inside your apartment.
• Compare the pressure in different rooms of the apartment - in the kitchen and in the bathroom, see if there is a difference between a stream of cold and hot water. Perhaps the problem is local in nature, and a certain section of the pipe is clogged.

How to increase pressure

If all measures to stabilize constant low pressure, such as contacting the housing office or replacement wiring and filters, do not give results, you can resort to installing a special equipment. There are two ways to increase the pressure:

• Connection of a circulation pump that increases the pressure by drawing in water. This is a great solution for an apartment: the device is small in size, it can be mounted in the water supply in front of water access points.
• Installation of a pumping station. Despite the advantage of such equipment in terms of power, this option has serious drawbacks: the station requires special coordination and takes up a lot of space.

Head reduction

It is possible to lower a constant high pressure by installing a special reducer at the inlet of the water supply to the apartment, which will help regulate the water pressure. In order to monitor the pressure value, a water pressure gauge must be installed near the gearbox.

How to measure?

In order to choose the optimal method of regulating the pressure in the water supply, it is necessary to precisely set its value. For these purposes, a water manometer is used, installed on the pipe section near the entrance of the water supply system to the apartment.

To measure pressure in plumbing fixtures, you will need:

• pressure gauge;
• thread extension;
• 1/2 inch adapter;
• fum tape.

Connect all the parts together, unscrew the watering can from the shower hose and screw in the advanced pressure gauge. Open the water, wait for air to escape from the hose and observe the readings of the device.

Important! When measuring pressure, it is necessary to take into account the fact that at different times of the day the pressure may be different due to changes in the intensity of water intake. Take readings 4 times a day for a week, only in this way the data obtained will show a more or less accurate picture.