As we approach home renovation season, a time when bathroom updates and refurbs are a priority for many, leading water boosting solutions provider, Stuart Turner Group, is keen to educate people on the impact poor water pressure can have, both on a home and the UK as a whole, as well as how low water pressure can often result in unhappy customers.
While awareness of low water pressure and its implication on domestic kitchens and bathrooms has risen in recent times, most homeowners will still not include a pump when budgeting for a kitchen or bathroom renovation. Water pressure determines the flow of water from the tap and all UK properties should have a mandatory minimum water pressure of at least 0.7bar. Poor water pressure not only has a negative effect on the appliances in the home, forcing them to work harder for a longer period of time, it also effects water usage, which is a concern to the UK as whole.
A report from international home improvement company, Kingfisher plc, discovered that seven out of 17 regions in England are set to experience severe water stress by 2030, rising to 12 by 2040. The same report also found that Brits significantly underestimate how much water they use per day, estimating on average they use just 57 litres, compared to the reality which is 144 litres. The Government target for 2050 is to reduce the current personal consumption to 110L per person, per day.
Recent research undertaken by the University of Surrey, Bristol and Swansea shows that increased water pressure across the home can help to reduce water consumption, and in turn energy consumption. Through installing sensors, they analysed over 86,000 individual showers over 39 weeks and found that users turn off the shower when a desired sensation has been achieved, not just when a set of actions are completed. Although water pressure is higher, less water is used as the shower is turned off earlier.
For those that are looking to renovate their bathroom this year, water pressure should be an absolutely priority, not only for the home impact and sustainability points just mentioned, but also for the experience it gives. A good hot shower has been proven to improve cardiovascular health, soothe stiff joints and significantly improve sleep, while a cold shower has several benefits too, including lowering stress levels and reducing fatigue. Added to that, a bathroom renovation doesn’t come cheap and if you’re making that significant investment, you’ll want to make sure that one of the room’s showpieces is firing on all cylinders. Most customers are normally looking for that hotel experience and with the average cost of refurb on a medium sized bathroom being between £4,500 to £6,000, it’s understandable. The above are key points when installers are convincing the customers of the importance of a pump within the budget.
In order to help with the reduction of water and energy use Stuart Turner released its latest product, STORMBOOST. Designed for domestic properties, it will increase mains water pressure by up to 2.5 bar and connects directly to the mains water supply and offers a maximum output flow rate of 12 litres per minute for improved water performance across thehome. Its also great for boosting pressure for combi-boilers.
For homes with vented systems, the popular MONSOON pump know for its reliability and longevity is a great solution, boosting up to 4.5 bar pressure and improving water pressure across the home, not just the bathroom. It is compact and quiet in operation. Both MONSOON and STORMBOOST come with a 5 year extended warranty.
For more information on shower head pumps or other water boosting solutions, or to find a stockist, please visit www.stuart-turner.co.uk.