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    Leonard12's Avatar
    Leonard12 Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #1

    Nov 18, 2006, 07:36 AM
    Condo water pressure
    Ref: 18th floor condo, low water pressure. Condo has 192 units.
    History: Three months ago a neighbor busted a washing machine cold water input hose and it destroyed the ceiling in a unit below, on the 17th floor. The association was sued by the owner of the unit on the 17th floor stating that the water pressure was to high.
    Two weeks later the water pressure in my unit on the 18th floor dropped a lot. I asked questions but never received an answer as to why the pressure dropped. I was told that the city water into the bldg was 30 PSI and a pump on the first level of the bldg was rated at 130PSI and all floors were normal. I don't know what is normal, or, if each floor is regulated separately. On every floor, each unit has a utility room in the hallway where the water heater is and a cold water supply pipe coming off a larger pipe. I purchased a water pressure gauge. I attached a two foot hose and connector to it for testing by removing the shower head. Both showers read 26 psi and 14 psi for 2 hours in the morning. On the first floor I measured 68 psi and 60 psi on the 6th floor. These readings have been consistent. Can you tell me how this system works and what is or should be normal. What was done to reduce my water pressure? How would I get it fixed?


    Couldn't figure how to respond to your answer so I'm using e-mail. Thanks for
    The help,
    Your information was good. The Condo is in Miami on Brickell ave. It's was built
    In 83.
    After turkey week, a groop of us will take our findings to the association and
    Demand a fix. Will let you know what the result is. Would you believe with
    Every one taking showers in the morning, my water pressure is 14 psi. Have to
    Take my shower at night.

    Leonard12
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
    Eternal Plumber
     
    #2

    Nov 18, 2006, 08:10 AM
    In my area, (Tampa Bay) I have worked on mid and high raise condos as the foreman on the job. The average house pressure should be 45 PSI, (that's why city water towers are 100 foot high) and a jocky,(booster) pump is installed about half way up to maintain the pressure lost in lifting it up to the upper floors. 135 PSI is too high. It puts a strain on joints and faucets/ appliances. There should be pressure regulator valves installed on the lower floor condos to reduce the pressure going into the unit.
    However, as the levels increase the pressure drops until it reaches the top floor. It sounds like the condo association reduced the pressure at the jocky pump without regard for the upper floors. I would take my concerns to the condo board meeting along with other unit owners that are affected by this pressure loss and make my complaints as a group. Please keep me in the loop on this and let me know the outcome. Tom
    shamilton's Avatar
    shamilton Posts: 10, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #3

    Nov 27, 2006, 10:19 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by Leonard12
    Ref: 18th floor condo, low water pressure. Condo has 192 units.
    History: Three months ago a neighbor busted a washing machine cold water input hose and it destroyed the ceiling in a unit below, on the 17th floor. The association was sued by the owner of the unit on the 17th floor stating that the water pressure was to high.
    Two weeks later the water pressure in my unit on the 18th floor dropped a lot. I asked questions but never received an answer as to why the pressure dropped. I was told that the city water into the bldg was 30 PSI and a pump on the first level of the bldg was rated at 130PSI and all floors were normal. I don't know what is normal, or, if each floor is regulated separately. On every floor, each unit has a utility room in the hallway where the water heater is and a cold water supply pipe coming off a larger pipe. I purchased a water pressure gauge. I attached a two foot hose and connector to it for testing by removing the shower head. Both showers read 26 psi and 14 psi for 2 hours in the morning. On the first floor I measured 68 psi and 60 psi on the 6th floor. These readings have been consistent. Can you tell me how this system works and what is or should be normal. What was done to reduce my water pressure? How would I get it fixed?


    Couldn't figure how to respond to your answer so I'm using e-mail. Thanks for
    the help,
    your information was good. The Condo is in Miami on Brickell ave. It's was built
    in 83.
    After turkey week, a groop of us will take our findings to the association and
    demand a fix. Will let you know what the end result is. Would you believe with
    every one taking showers in the morning, my water pressure is 14 psi. Have to
    take my shower at night.

    Leonard12
    I live in Maine and have a well. My water pressure has always been bad. My wife and my children have always complained that they can not rinse the soap off their skin or the shampoo out of their hair. I think that I bought and tried every shower head that I could ever find in every home center and hardware store in New England. They were all junk!! Finally I found the solution at a small home show in Portland. A company was there that specializes in shower heads for low water pressure. Their name was Water Management in Boston, MA, and their website address is www.TAKEASHOWER.COM. They sold me a shower head that worked so well with my low water pressure that it almost felt like we had drilled another well. IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE!! Unlike all the other shower heads we bought this one actually worked. If you are suffering from low water pressure you MUST visit this website. I only wish that I had found this company 10 years ago when I first moved to Maine because I would have eliminated a decade of suffering in the shower for me, my wife and my family.

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