How to choose and install a pump to increase water pressure in an apartment

Tags:Pumps

Insufficient pressure in the water supply system worsens the level of comfort and makes it impossible to fully use household appliances. To eliminate this disadvantage, a special pump is used to increase the water pressure in the apartment. Correct purchase and installation of the appropriate equipment will ensure its subsequent operation without unnecessary problems and costs for the owner.

Pump for increasing the water pressure in the apartment

Comfortable use of multiple devices will require a good head

The content of the article

1 What tasks will the pump help to solve to increase the water pressure in the apartment
2 How to buy the right pump to increase water pressure: prices, models, manufacturers
3 Installation of equipment
4 Additional tips and conclusions
5 Video: installing a pump in an apartment that increases the water pressure GPD 15-9A

What tasks will the pump help to solve to increase the water pressure in the apartment

Before implementing this project, you need to make sure of its necessity, study the technology market, and clarify the price level. This will help to more accurately determine the amount of funding and time costs.

What is this technique used for?

In the autonomous water supply systems of personal cottages, appropriate user adjustments are provided. But there are no such opportunities in standard city apartments.

The greatest difficulties arise for the owners of real estate objects on the upper floors of high-rise buildings

Utilities do not always fulfill their obligations exactly. Sometimes the capacity of centralized equipment is poorly calculated. In other cases, attempts are made to "save" at the expense of ordinary consumers. Be that as it may, but as a result, the head is too small:

It takes a long time to fill the bath.
Only in the absence of other residents of the house can you take a shower.
Excessively low pressure causes malfunction washing machines.
It is not enough for the productive operation of flow-type filters and reverse osmosis systems.

More serious difficulties arise when there is a separate heating system. Built-in sensors disable gas boilers and electric boilers when the pressure drops below a certain level.

How to Determine Your Actual Needs

The list of possible troubles is clear.But first it is necessary to clarify the state of the existing engineering system.

The splitter on the tap must be free of dirt

It is fashionable to remove hard deposits from calcium salts with citric acid, or with the use of specialized anti-scale products. Such deposits can gradually build up in pipes. Over time, they will reduce the working holes to a critical level, which will create a corresponding negative effect.

To check, you need to go to the neighbors. If they also have a drop in pressure, you can try to influence the management company, or a direct service provider, using legal methods. If the result is negative, you will have to buy a pump to increase the water pressure in the apartment.

When the study does not reveal any flaws in the neighbors, the condition of the pipeline is checked. In some cases, you will have to turn to the help of specialized enterprises.

Note!Replacing pipes is not always necessary. Sometimes problems can be solved with the use of flushing.

Removal of blockages is performed using specialized equipment

Criterias of choice

In order to consider suitable equipment samples, attention is paid to the following factors:

The pressure drop below 1-1.5 atm is critical.
The norm for the operation of household appliances is from 2 to 3 atm.
The maximum threshold is from 4.5 to 5 atm.

Parameter control with measuring devices

Note! If a pressure gauge in combination with a filter is installed in the inlet line, an operational pressure check will become available, and the causes of mechanical blockage of pipes will be eliminated.

Manual pump control is not convenient enough and less productive. The drive will not consume energy efficiently. But due to the relative simplicity, the overall reliability of such a system is higher and the cost is lower.

Automated counterparts are more expensive. However, they provide not only the rational use of energy resources:

Such a pump for increasing the water pressure in an apartment performs its functions for a limited time, which increases its resource.
When fully equipped with sensors and emergency valves, the pressure will be prevented from rising above the critical level. It should be remembered that such differences can provoke service and repair companies.

Pressure regulator

To accumulate water and damp pressure surges, some projects include special tanks. Such a stock will be useful in case of increased consumption and interruptions in the operation of centralized networks.
Systems of this kind are convenient. They work independently, without settings and other user actions.

Automated system with flow-through filter and storage tank

Related article:

Why do you need a water pressure regulator? In a separate publication you will find useful information about this device: principle of operation, purpose, prices, etc.

How to buy the right pump to increase water pressure: prices, models, manufacturers

To concretize the study of the modern market, it is recommended to consider the products of well-known manufacturers. It is created on the basis of modern technologies and scientific research, with good consumer characteristics.

A typical Wilo water pressure boosting pump has the following parameters:

It turns on automatically when water consumption increases above a certain threshold (1.5-2 liters per minute).
It is designed for operating fluid temperatures up to + 85 ° C. This means it can be used in hot cold water supply systems.
Special units cut off the power supply in dry running mode and when the drive overheats.
Low noise level at maximum speed allows installation near residential premises without additional insulation.
Such a device is capable of performing its functions fully without an additional pressure sensor and storage tank.

Wilo PB-400EA pump

Equally well equipped are Grundfos water pressure boosting pumps. The following table summarizes the features of several popular models from these manufacturers.

Table 1. Features of several popular pump models.

Picture	Model	Head, m	Productivity, l / min	Power consumption, W	price, rub.
Wilo
	PB-088EA	8	35	140	3000-5000
	PB-200EA	15	55	340	4500-6000
	PB-400EA	20	75	550	11000-12000
Grundfos
	UPA 15-90	9	40	118	4000-5000

Despite the general similarity, some important parameters differ. So, for example, the manufacturer Grundfos declares the operating temperature of the liquid to be no more than + 65 ° C. Therefore, careful checking is necessary to take into account the compatibility with the specific operating conditions.

Pump UPA 15-90 Grundfos

Installation notes from the manufacturer

Installation of equipment

Installing a pump to increase the water pressure in the house is no different from inserting another device into the main pipeline:

The water supply is cut off.

If the common valves are located outside the apartment, it is necessary to prevent accidental opening.

At a suitable site, the pipe is cut and a pump is inserted into the gap with two separate valves at the inlet and outlet.

Layout of the site for the installation of the unit

When installing, equipment must take into account the normal direction of water movement.

Cranes are installed on both sides, allowing you to replace or repair the device

Appropriate technologies are used depending on the material.

To connect polymer pipes, you need a soldering iron with a set of nozzles

The integrity of the connections is checked.

Control procedures are performed under pressure

If there are no defects, the motor is connected to the power supply and checked in operating modes.

Note! The pump is installed in accordance with the manufacturer's official instructions. Certain models may only be installed in a specific position to provide sufficient lubrication and cooling.

Additional tips and conclusions

In the simplest cases, anyone can make the right decision when choosing the right equipment after reading this article. Real needs must be taken into account. To calculate the required performance, the maximum values are summed up with the taps open and household appliances running. This approach will help you buy a pump to increase water pressure without errors.

It should be noted that it will be difficult to install the most complex modifications independently without practical experience. It is also better to rely on experienced specialists to adjust the initial parameters of automated systems with sensors, filters and storage tanks.