Everything usually works-out fine
Products are usually selected and purchased with attention to water systems and the manufacturer’s reccomended water-pressure requirements and all works-out well.
We’ve only experienced a handful of customers over the years mentioning that they felt the flow or water pressure from their tap, shower or bath-filler was underwhelming when:
They expected a large ‘rain-head’ to have the same concentrated pressure sensation of a small head/handset
They had previously experienced the free-flow of old-fashioned taps
They had an Aqualisa shower on a low-pressure system which arguably provides an unbeatable flow sensation with it’s traditionally high flow-rates
They wanted a particular design with a manufacturer’s water-pressure recommendation greater than or boarder-line with what their house plumbing system produced at that outlet
99.9% of the time everyone is happy, but it’s worth remaining aware of the following key points that most manufacturers do not share:
Key points
Flow-rate and water-pressure requirements are very general and subject to significant variation due to conditions
One brand’s ‘0.5 bar’ tap can vary in flow sensation to another brand dure to the overall design of their products
Most products are primarily designed for high-pressure systems nowadays
Most manufacturers are (we suspect) a little lazy in simply limiting the chances of customer dissatisfaction by quoting ‘MP or HP only’ in the same way that clothes labels say ‘dry clean only’ or food packaging says ‘not suitable for the microwave’. It limits liability, but it usually doesn’t mean that the tap will not work, it’s just that the flow won’t be as fulfilling as the manufacturer would prefer you to experience.
Almost all tall mixers or wall-mounted mixers require (according to the manufacturer) medium pressure an upwards. However, UK manufacturer Flova have added optional low-pressure kits to their MP range of taps which expands your options beyond the basic
There’s very little choice of low-pressure taps but you can can still have a nice bathroom design overall.
What water system do you have?
Majority manufacturer’s guide to what is deemed LP, MP or HP
Can you pump the basin tap?
The answer is yes (subject to the pump manufacturer’s guidelines), but the increased frequency of operation can reduce the life of your pump and of course you’ll have the pump noise every time someone uses the basin.
There is a possibility of connecting a single pump to feed the hot and connecting the cold to the mains. It requires the fitter to balance the flow to the mains pressure at the tap point, but it has been done and it’s been found that at a basin only the cold is required during 78% of uses.
Can you pump a combo boiler?
Unfortunately no. It is illegal to attach a device to the direct water system that boosts the pressure, apart from a regulator pump that simply stops the pressure into the boiler dropping below a certain bar.
Combi boilers are technically part of a high pressure system using mains pressure that should usually be a minimum of 1 bar. Some old or weaker boilers can slow that pressure down, in addition to the turns in the pipes from the boiler to the bathroom, but generally there’s rarely an issue with choosing medium to high pressure components (0.5 - 1 bar) taps and / or 200-250mm ‘rainheads’.
If unsure, it’s best to stick with taps stating 0.5 bar and below for minimum pressure.