At Hamblin Watermains, we wanted to take the time to address a subject that has confused more than a few of our customers, and that is the difference between ‘water pressure’ and ‘water flow’. While these two things might seem quite similar, there is a lot more going on in your pipes that make these two things different:
Water pressure is the term use to describe the speed of the water as it travels through the pipe and this speed is determined by the amount of force used to move the water through the pipes. The higher the pressure, the faster the water is able to get to you and the more force is behind it when it exits the pipe. Water pressure is what guides the water through the pipes and around your house. It is measured in bars, with 1 bar defined as being the force needed to raise water 10 meters, and most of the time it is relatively constant. This is because it is your local Water Board that has control over the water pressure.
Water flow, on the other hand, refers to the amount of water that is distributed. Measured by volume, the term defines the amount of water that travels through the pipe after a length of time. While water pressure can have an effect on water flow, water flow doesn’t affect water pressure. What does affect your water flow, however, is the size of your pipes. When you have particularly narrow pipes, you might find that there is not enough water in the pipe for it to reach all of the places that it needs to go. As soon as you turn on an appliance, most of the water will be directed to it, which means that anyone trying to use a different appliance at the same time will likely experience lower water flow.
While water pressure usually stays consistent, there are some factors that can affect the water pressure in your home. The height of your home, for example, as well as the time of day can affect the water pressure, as well as your location relative to your water service provider. A leak can also affect your water pressure, which is something that can be fixed. If you suspect that there is a leak in one of your pipes you can call Hamblin Watermains for our leak detection in Bracknell and surrounding areas. While specialists like us will be able to fix issues affecting your water pressure and return it to normal, they cannot increase it beyond the standard bar that is set by your supplier. The only way to increase the water pressure of your home beyond the standard is by contacting your local Water Board.
Unlike water pressure, water flow is something that a specialist will be able to improve. Because low water flow is usually due to narrow pipes, the best way to increase the water flow in your home is to increase the size of your pipes to allow more water to travel through it. You might need to increase your water flow if you wanted to install something like a power shower, which is something that we can do. Water flow can also be affected by leaks and pipe restrictions, which we can easily detect and repair.
If you would like to learn more about increasing water flow and would like to employ our services, contact us today.
