What pressure of water should be in the water supply system

01-09-2018
Water supply

Low water pressure in the water supply system often causes a number of problems: the inability to use this or that equipment, the difficulty of temperature control, etc. Therefore, it is very important to determine the indicators of the system and, on this basis, to take measures, because the supplying organizations must ensure compliance with certain indicators.

Consider what values ​​are normal and how to increase the water pressure in the water supply or reduce it.

In the photo: good pressure is a prerequisite for quality water supply.

Some important aspects to consider when calculating

What pressure should be in the water supply network, determines SNiP 2.04.2-84. This regulation also defines some important features that must be considered when designing and laying the system:

Water pressure With a maximum water consumption, this indicator should be at least 10 meters at the entrance to a house or apartment. For high-rise buildings on each floor you need to add another four meters.

For example, the calculation of a five-story building looks like 10+ (4 * 5) = 30, that is, 3 atmospheres, this is the minimum acceptable value.

The performance of each device All types of equipment connected to the water supply network have certain indicators of water consumption, so the minimum free pressure for some types of structures is as follows: shower and bath - 0.3 atmosphere, toilet and sink mixer - 0.2 atmosphere.
Average daily water consumption This figure is taken by experts as the basis for the design work on the design of water pipelines. The correctness of settlement works depends on the correct consumption indicator
Type of water supply All of the above requirements are required for both centralized and autonomous systems. That is, the organization of water supply from a well or a well must also be pre-calculated in order to provide the necessary parameters for optimal equipment operation.

Note! When calculating the optimal pressure in a house with an individual water supply, the well depth should also be taken into account. After all, pumping equipment must not only provide a certain pressure, but also supply water from great depths.

Well pumps are located deep underground, so they must be very powerful to ensure optimum head

Methods for determining pressure and its adjustment options

It should be noted that the norms of water supply must comply with the standards of GOST, in which a figure is written in 4 atmospheres. In reality, communications may be old and not provide the right indicators. In this case, it is necessary to decide how to increase the water pressure in the water supply system, but more on that below.

4 atmospheres - the standard reflected in building codes

In fact, indicators can vary significantly, the allowable range is from 2 to 6 atmospheres. With 2 atmospheres you can quite comfortably use the bathtub and wash basin, take a shower and ensure the operation of the washing machine and dishwasher. For shower cabins with hydromassage, jacuzzi and watering the garden will need at least 4 atmospheres.

How to measure pressure

The price of the manometer is small, but it allows you to determine the parameters of the system as accurately as possible.

There are a number of ways to determine the pressure, we consider the simplest and most correct of them - using a pressure gauge, it can be purchased at any plumbing store. It is best to buy a product with a range from zero to ten atmospheres, this is enough to determine the pressure in the system.

Instructions for taking measurements with your own hands the following:

  • The unit is installed as close as possible to the pipe entry into the room, ideally, if a three-way unit is installed behind the main valve, then it is possible to fix a manometer on a permanent basis and take measurements as needed.

    The special three-way valve has a platform for installing a pressure gauge

  • For the most accurate calculations, measurements should be made 4 times a day: in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening and at night. This should be done within a few days in order to get the most complete and correct picture.
  • From the obtained results, it is possible to determine which minimum and maximum values ​​occur during the day and whether any work is required for adjustment.

Head pressure increase

The question of how to increase the pressure in the water supply system is relevant for very many tenants both in city apartments and in the private sector. And here you can select several ways to solve the problem, consider the most common of them.

If the reason for the low pressure is the unsatisfactory condition of the pipes, then the algorithm of work is as follows:

  • First of all, you should try such an option as flushing the plumbing system.. This is done with the help of special formulations, and with a small scale of the problem can help in fixing it.
Over time, the plaque can clog almost the entire internal cavity
  • If flushing does not help, the only option is to replace all the pipes completely.. This is a time-consuming option, but it is unlikely to be able to solve the problem differently.

Tip! It is better to put a system of plastic, such pipes have a very smooth surface, on which plaque does not deposit and scale does not form.

If everything is fine with the pipes and the deviations from the norm are small, then another option is used for how to increase the pressure in the water supply system:

  • A compact booster pump is used, which is distinguished by its small size and quiet operation. Its performance is low, but it is quite capable of raising the pressure by 0.5–1 atmosphere.
  • The equipment is installed at the entrance to the apartment or house, for this a part of the pipe is cut and a pump is inserted by means of threaded connections or welding.
Booster pump can fit almost anywhere

A more productive option is to use a centrifugal pump with a hydraulic accumulator, with this solution you can solve the problem of how to increase the pressure in the water supply system in the country, and how to raise the pressure in the apartment:

  • The automatic system autonomously maintains the pressure in the pipeline.
  • The presence of a special container allows you to ensure the supply of water and not work equipment constantly.
  • The biggest disadvantage is the high level of noise at work.
How to increase the pressure of water in the water supply at a country site? Use a pump station

Head down

The question of how to reduce the water pressure in the water supply is just as important, since too much pressure can damage the system.

It can be reduced in two ways:

  • The easiest way to reduce the water pressure in the water supply system is to install a special pressure reducer at the house. A spring of a certain stiffness is installed in it, which does not allow creating too much pressure in the system and overlaps the system when certain parameters are exceeded.
How to reduce the pressure in the water supply - install the gearbox, it also allows you to monitor the performance, because it has a pressure gauge

  • The pressure regulator is a more complicated mechanism that has an emergency valve in the system, which increases the safety of operation even more.
The pressure regulator can also shut off the flow through the valve.

Conclusion

We considered how to reduce the pressure of water in the water supply system and how to increase it; this allows us to improve the quality of the water supply and ensure the operability of all equipment. The video in this article will explain some of the important features of the workflow.