Pressure regulation

[JIMMIE]

My friend has a problem getting blasted by hot or cold water when he is taking a shower and someone turns on the water elsewhere in his house. Curb pressure is about 100 PSI and regulator takes it down to

50 PSI. He has tried a new regulator. The distribution manifold is not near the regulator or water heater which is in the garage, rather it is near the middle of the house fed with 1/2 pipe. He doesn't want to add temperature compensating shower controls. I suggested that separate regulators for the hot and cold water supply might help. I am also trying to get him to install a permanent pressure gauge on the curb side, as I would like to see if the input side has been restricted somehow.

Jimmie

[JIMMIE]

My friend has a problem getting blasted by hot or cold water when he is taking a shower and someone turns on the water elsewhere in his house. Curb pressure is about 100 PSI and regulator takes it down to

50 PSI. He has tried a new regulator. The distribution manifold is not near the regulator or water heater which is in the garage, rather it is near the middle of the house fed with 1/2 pipe. He doesn't want to add temperature compensating shower controls. I suggested that separate regulators for the hot and cold water supply might help. I am also trying to get him to install a permanent pressure gauge on the curb side, as I would like to see if the input side has been restricted somehow.

Jimmie

[hrhofmann]

If you turn the shutoff valves on toilets and sinks to refuce their flow somewhat, that should help his showering. On toilets, if the tanks take longer to fill, that is not usually a problem. On sinks, cutting the flow to 1/2 of the wide-open flow is probably not going to make anyone unhappy.

[HeyBub]

Just food for thought:

1. Get water the right temperature. Activate shower head. Wet body.
2. Re-route water from shower head to tub.
3. Lather up.
4. If toes are getting the right temperature water from the spout, activate shower head.
5. Rinse.

'Course this doesn't make a lick of sense if he's in a shower STALL.

[Van Chocstraw]

You can get a balancing valve for your shower. It keeps the hot and cold at even pressures.

[Ed Pawlowski]

He doesn't want to

Controlling the pressure alone is not the problem and he does not want to tackle the best solution. My advice is to not get involved if he does not want to put in the proper solution.

[Bob F]

Replace the pipe to the manifold with 3/4" or 1" or move the regulator to the manifold.

[Joe]

The solution to the problem is adequate volume, not fiddling with the pressure. The piping is too small and badly placed. Since your friend would rather whine about it then fix the problem, just tune him out and change the subject, but be distantly sympathetic. His mind is made up, and facts do not matter.

Joe