Increasing water pressure - advice?

[Sleepthief]

Any plumbing experts out there? Is there anything we can do to increase the water pressure in our 7-bed Victorian semi? We're in a small seaside town in the south west (in case that's relevant) and the pressure is so crap that if you're in the shower and someone runs a tap/flushes the toilet/puts a wash on, the water disappears. This is obviously somewhat limiting in a 7-bed where we often have friends staying and also Airbnb it... any tips or advice would be most gratefully received! Thank you

We've got a valiant combo boiler, by the way.

Vaillant

Can you ask the water company to check your pressure.

We had similar and were on shared water main in our victorian terrace. In the end 3 houses paid to have individual supply pipes fitted - solved the issue

It might be Flow rather than pressure.

Flow is number of litres per minute delivered to your house.

If you get 10 litres in, and your sink tap uses 10 litres, there will be nothing left to come out of the upstairs taps.

You have a Victorian house so it was probably built with a half-inch or three-eighths internal diameter lead pipe out to the street. If the ground has moved or settled it may have squashed the pipe.

Fill a bucket at the kitchen cold tap (and the garxen tap and scullery tap if you have them). Time it. Calculate how many litres per minute you get.

Is there a stop-cock or water meter in the pavement outside your house?

Look at the supply pipe where it comes out of the floor in your house or cellar. Is it lead?

Please photograph the stop-cock(s) and show me. Check they are all fully open then backed off only a quarter-turn. Ignorant people often screw them part-closed if they get plumbing noises.

Do your neighbours have the same problem? We had this, but our neighbours/ surrounding houses had great water pressure. Turned out the stop cock out on the pavement had been damaged by workmen, resrticting the flow. New fitting there and the problem was solved.

We had this issue and brought a pump - was about 300 pounds plus then had to have it fitted but has massively helped!!

I agree that it is likely the flow rate related to narrow bore pipes. If the pipes are old they could have been furred up.
One solution is to put a cold water storage tank and pump in the loft. Another is to replace any obstructed or narrow pipes.

We are just renovating our 6 bed Victorian detached

We have 5 bathrooms so - on the advice of the plumbers we have:

1. Replumbed using 22mm pipes

1. Got a 300litre hot water tank and new vailiant boiler

1. Got a grundfos home booster pump system - it is a pump about the size of a washing machine attached to the megaflo system

There was a combi boiler in situ when we moved in but no way would it have coped

Hi OP do you have a cold water tank in the loft or are you straight off the mains? Pressure can be affected if you have a cw tank and the distance the water has to travel to various points. If this is the case you can buy a pump like a Pp mentioned which will significantly help.

If the issue is general low pressure then contact your water company who are able to help in most cases

Thanks everyone. Turns out the stopcock was only partially open. My uncle (aka the strongest man in the world 😁) has turned it fully and the shower would now take your top layer of skin off! So, all good. Thanks again for your advice.