G
Greenwellies555
Moved house a while ago and had a few issues with the plumbing. Taps dripped, pipes rattled when cold water switched on, washing machine leaked etc etc. Builder turned up and said pressure seemed a bit high. As I am in Cornwall pressure anywhere I have lived has been good but never to this extent. Borrowed a pressure tester from builder and put it on washing machine feed and it hit the buffer (about 10bar +) Builder reckoned if pressure was over 10 bar South West water were obliged to do something.
Decided to ring South West Water, girl said people only ring about low pressure but she would make an appointment for someone to call in and check with me in a couple of weeks. South west water turned up on time and put a 'proper pressure tester' (he said mine was Micky Mouse) at the Meter. It came up at 9.7 bar so less than I thought! My builder now reckons it was pre set at max 9.7 to keep it under the 10 bar he was talking about!
He said we only deal with low pressure, if we turn down the mains pressure the neighbours might complain. There are only 4 properties on this main... a holiday cottage, a church, the village loos and mine. I have been helping maintain the village loos, and had noticed a couple of times the over flow was running so 'bent' the old metal rod attached to the ball valve. The reason it bends back is this high water pressure!
Anyway explained problem of washing machine etc and guy rummaged around in the back of his van and produced a pressure reducing valve and told me to fit it either at my side of the metre (dig a hole) or above the stop tap in the house. Knowing what the answer would be I said how high does pressure need to be before you fit it he said 'cut backs, do you know on the next job I have to back fill a hole with 12 wheelbarrows full of top soil because they won't pay the contractor to do it. Where will I get that from and how do I move it in this van?" He had a point, his little shelved out van was immaculate and
he was wearing a tie!. Made me feel a bit sorry for him ha ha!
Anyway fitted the valve (pre set at 3 bar) Its like a miracle, taps stopped dripping, washing machine has stopped complaining and can turn on basin tap without risk of cold shower!
Village loos now need the same so will report back to parish Council!
Morale of this is don't waste time waiting for South west Water if pressure is high (unless you want a free prv)
Gerry
Decided to ring South West Water, girl said people only ring about low pressure but she would make an appointment for someone to call in and check with me in a couple of weeks. South west water turned up on time and put a 'proper pressure tester' (he said mine was Micky Mouse) at the Meter. It came up at 9.7 bar so less than I thought! My builder now reckons it was pre set at max 9.7 to keep it under the 10 bar he was talking about!
He said we only deal with low pressure, if we turn down the mains pressure the neighbours might complain. There are only 4 properties on this main... a holiday cottage, a church, the village loos and mine. I have been helping maintain the village loos, and had noticed a couple of times the over flow was running so 'bent' the old metal rod attached to the ball valve. The reason it bends back is this high water pressure!
Anyway explained problem of washing machine etc and guy rummaged around in the back of his van and produced a pressure reducing valve and told me to fit it either at my side of the metre (dig a hole) or above the stop tap in the house. Knowing what the answer would be I said how high does pressure need to be before you fit it he said 'cut backs, do you know on the next job I have to back fill a hole with 12 wheelbarrows full of top soil because they won't pay the contractor to do it. Where will I get that from and how do I move it in this van?" He had a point, his little shelved out van was immaculate and
he was wearing a tie!. Made me feel a bit sorry for him ha ha!
Anyway fitted the valve (pre set at 3 bar) Its like a miracle, taps stopped dripping, washing machine has stopped complaining and can turn on basin tap without risk of cold shower!
Village loos now need the same so will report back to parish Council!
Morale of this is don't waste time waiting for South west Water if pressure is high (unless you want a free prv)
Gerry
