Posts in category: Advice

Booster pumps are an effective method of increasing water pressure and ensuring building users can access water of a suitable pressure, regardless of the number of outlets in use or size of the building.

Booster pumps are often used in larger sized buildings with multiple occupants such as flats, apartment blocks, office buildings, hotels, schools and Government buildings where mains pressure alone isn’t enough to meet demands.

Many booster pumps we find in operation are old units with antiquated controls which become less economical and efficient over time. With environmental impact becoming very important and the cost of electricity always rising, it can pay dividends to understand how economical your pump is and take steps to improve it.

Read our blog post to find out more about the considerable savings that can be unearthed through an energy check, the benefits of a modern booster pump and the importance of keeping your booster set professionally maintained.

Booster Set Energy Check Savings

A pump energy check gives you a clear view of your pumps current performance and the associated cost savings that could be made by upgrading your existing booster pumping system. When carrying out an energy check, the following factors are considered:

• Pump & head flow
• Motor power data
• Operating hours per year
• Age of pump
• Pump use
• Operating needs

From this data, the test can ascertain what energy savings could be made with the installation of a new booster set, including how long the payback time would be.

At Mawdsleys Pumps, we regularly carry out energy checks in line with the ISO 14414 Pump Energy Assessment Standards before making system recommendations to clients, often revealing thousands of pounds worth of energy savings that could be made.

In a recent test we carried out, we uncovered potential savings of over £40,000 over a 10 year period at an NHS facility in Bristol, read the full case study here.

The Benefits of a Modern Booster Set

Modern booster sets are made up of several components designed to enable adequate water pressure to any sized building. As technology has improved, so have the number of benefits a booster set offers, the key advantages are:

• Variable Speed Drives – Modern booster sets are fitted with variable speed drives, these drives have pressure sensors and flow sensors which keep the pressure constant with varying demand, extending the life of the pump and meaning you only pay for what you use.
• High Efficiency – As technology has improved, booster pumps have become more and efficient, offering adequate pressure on a normal mains water supply.
• Environmental Benefits – As a result of improved efficiency and variable speed technology, modern booster sets use less energy, reducing the carbon footprint.
• Duty, Standby and Assist – Modern booster sets are usually compromised of multiple pumps, meaning that there is a backup should the demand exceed the main pump, plus a standby pump should one fail. These are known as ‘duty’, ‘duty – assist’ and ‘standby’ pumps.
• Lower Running Costs – Equally, improved efficiency and reduced energy use results in lower overall running costs, building owners can expect a booster pump to pay off its installation cost long before the end of its life.

Keeping Your Booster Set Well Maintained

Due to their critical nature, there is never a good time for a booster pump to fail or start to underperform.

In order to keep your booster set running at maximum efficiency, it is recommended that you have your pump serviced by a professional pump engineer.

As well as keeping the pump running at full strength, regular servicing ensures that any developing faults are rectified, reducing the risk of breakdown.

Additionally, there are maintenance checks such as visual inspections that can be carried out every month to complement annual servicing.

To help keep on top of routine maintenance, we have created a free inspection checklist for responsible persons. Click the button below to download your copy.

Booster Pump Installation, Energy Checks & Service Contracts

At Mawdsleys Pumps, we offer an end to end service for the design, installation, repair and ongoing servicing of booster sets; with servicing contracts including regular preventative maintenance to keep your pump running efficiently, which will reduce risk of breakdown.

We also carry out energy checks for booster pumping systems, to highlight and inefficiencies in your system and suggest upgrades which could improve efficiency, reduce energy usage and save on running costs.

For more information about our energy checks, booster pump service or maintenance contracts, give one of our expert team a call today on 0117 954 8030 or fill out a contact form and we will get back to you.

Water pressure is an essential part of any building with a water supply, yet it’s often taken for granted until something goes wrong and the pressure drops.

Low water pressure can be caused by a number of factors such as high demand and can affect every water outlet in the premises including toilets, showers, taps, pumps, washing machines, and water tanks.

Experiencing low water pressure is extremely frustrating for building users and in commercial and agricultural environments, can result in huge drops in efficiency due to the extra time taken to output water.

Read our latest blog post to find out more about the causes of low water pressure and how you can improve your water pressure.

What are the Causes of Low Water Pressure?

Water pressure is effectively the force that transports water through your pipes, so lower water pressure means that the water flows at a lower velocity.

There are a number of reasons why your water pressure may have dropped. The most common reasons for low water pressure are:

• When demand for water is higher, pressure may be impacted
• Properties that have a shared supply are more likely to experience issues with water pressure
• In larger buildings such as hotels, offices, or blocks of flats, water outlets at the top of the building tend to get lower pressure
• In gravity fed systems, your water pressure depends on how high the source of water is above your property
• Additionally, the distance your property is away from the water source will impact the pressure you get
• Old or damaged pumping facilities may no longer be able to cope with the demands of the building
• Pipes restricting the flow of water due to diameter, corrosion, blockages, and leaks can reduce the water pressure

Why Water Pressure Matters

Low water pressure can create several issues in all environments, whether it’s a domestic premises, commercial office or leisure facility.  The most common complaints about low water pressure include:

• Showers and taps can be reduced to a trickle of water
• Toilets may not flush properly
• Results in reduced efficiency in commercial premises
• Any activities requiring higher pressure such as irrigation or high-pressure cleaning may not be possible
• Certain modern appliances do not work below specific pressure thresholds
• Equally, certain pumping equipment requires a specific amount of pressure to work

All of this can contribute to a poor experience for the users of the building and in a commercial building such as a block of flats, gyms, schools or a hotel, is likely to attract complaints.

Steps To Improving Your Water Pressure

If you’ve noticed a drop in your water pressure, here are steps you can take to try and increase it once more:

• Check that the outlet for your water is not clogged up or blocked in any way
• Check that the water valves for your property are fully open
• Check for blockages in your water system
• Check for any leaks in your water system
• Ensure that your current pumping system meets your requirements
• Test your appliances at peak times vs quieter times to see if there is a difference in the water pressure you receive
• Invest in appliances such as power showers which can enable higher output even when overall pressure is lower

If you own the premises, you can take it upon yourself to check these or contact a professional if you do not have the expertise.

However, if you are a building user or rent a space in the building, it is likely that you will need to contact the landlord of the building to investigate further.

Benefits of a Booster Pumping System

If you are still struggling with water pressure, it is likely that you need to consider taking measures to increase the pressure of water to your system, this can be done very effectively with a booster pump.

Booster pumps are installed to increase the water pressure throughout a building and are an effective means of improvement in any type of building.

They can be installed in most properties whether you rely on a typical water supply or get your water from a private supply (such as a borehole or well).

A booster pump is a long term investment that will serve your property for years if properly maintained, download our free booster pump inspection checklist to find out more.

Booster pumps are available to suit any premises, whether it’s fixed speed or a range of multiple pump variable speed sets to meet demands and offer energy saving benefits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can changing a shower head improve water pressure?

Yes, in some cases simply changing the shower head can improve the water pressure you get.

Shower heads can also become blocked up with limescale which restricts the amount of water that can be output, so in some cases a simple clean will help improve the water pressure.

Additionally, some showers have water saving heads that intentionally reduce the water pressure to save money.

How to improve water pressure from a well?

If you rely on a well as your water supply, it’s critical that you get adequate pressure from your system given that there is no backup.

A booster pumping system can be used to effectively increase the pressure received from private domestic water sources.

Can I install a booster pump to the mains water pump?

Yes, a booster pump can be installed to the mains water pump.

However, due to water supply regulations, pumps that draw more than 12 litres of water per minute cannot be connected to a supply pipe without permission, therefore, it’s typically a better option to install a separate water tank for your booster pump.

It’s highly recommended that you engage with a booster pump installation company who will be able to recommend the best course of action based on your situation.

Talk to the Experts

We hope that this post has given you some ideas on how you can improve the water pressure at your premises.

If you are still struggling with water pressure and want to find out more about how a booster pump could significantly improve your situation, talk to Mawdsleys Pumps today.

We are experts in booster pumping systems and have installed units in locations including domestic properties, schools, hotels, apartments, and regularly work with facilities management companies to keep booster systems performing well.

If you would like to know more, contact our expert team today on 0117 954 8030 or fill out a contact form and we will get back to you.

If your operation relies on a booster pumping system, you’ll know how devastating it can be when they fail. If you are responsible for the ongoing maintenance of a booster pumping system, download our free checklist to ensure you identify and rectify problems before they develop.