After a U.K. homeowner modernized their home heating and cooling systems, they were met with a frustrating situation that had no clear and easy solution.
They hired a contractor to remove the boiler and radiators, shift heating and cooling to air conditioning, and place a 180-liter (47.6-gallon) hot water cylinder in the loft. However, problems arose when most indoor taps delivered less water. That is not the kind of result one would expect after such a costly installation.
Such situations may be blamed on an installation issue rather than a technology one. Electrification can still pay off when it is done correctly.
Here's what to know
"The water flow wasn't amazing beforehand, but it was perfectly usable," the original poster said on Reddit's r/ukplumbing. "Immediately after the plumbing work, the flow noticeably dropped at most indoor taps, including the kitchen and upstairs bathroom basin. Both hot and cold are affected about equally."
They noted two outdoor taps seemed unaffected and that "the water heats up fine."
That indoor-outdoor split caught commenters' attention, and some suspected the new installation had added a bottleneck to the system.
The consensus among commenters, most being plumbers themselves, was that the installation was not great. "No way this was notified to building control," one wrote.
Another focused on the pipe sizing, saying, "Yeah, that's not going to work," after noting what appeared to be a 15-millimeter plastic supply running into larger pipework.
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Other users pushed simple checks first, such as making sure the stopcocks were fully open, cleaning tap aerators, and checking for debris or a blocked filter in the combination valve.
The installers had recommended installing a booster. Since the weaker flow started only after the install, commenters judged the install as poor.
More background
With the expansion of electrification, more homeowners are moving away from gas-fired systems. But those upgrades can be undermined by poor design, undersized pipework, or incomplete commissioning.
"Could something in the new pipework or valve arrangement explain the drop on both hot and cold?" the homeowner wondered.
Whatever the diagnosis, the exchange highlights a common problem homeowners face when an installation company doesn't meet expectations.
Such uncertainty can lead to extra spending on fixes that may not be necessary.
What can be done?
If a new hot water setup seems to make tap performance worse, the first step is to document exactly what changed.
A good starting point is to measure flow at the kitchen tap, identify which fixtures have been affected, and ask whether the installer checked static and dynamic pressure before and after the work.
It is also reasonable to ask whether the installation was properly done and whether all valves, filters, and balancing components were checked.
For households shopping for electrification options, Cala offers customizable smart heat pump water heaters. Those units help homeowners decrease their energy bills by heating water when it's needed. That can matter a lot in homes where demand changes throughout the day since smarter timing can avoid waste while keeping hot water available.
A properly matched system can improve comfort, but a rushed or poorly planned installation can wipe out those gains.
As one commenter put it, "Installation looks a bit rough, not horrific, but looks like a few shortcuts here and there."
Where can I learn more?
These stories look at the shift toward home energy upgrades and new ways of heating water.
• In Australia, homeowners are weighing low-maintenance heat pump upgrades against upfront costs and plumbing considerations.
• After four years, one homeowner showed heat pump water heater savings adding up through smarter use.
• In the U.K., millions of households could get free home upgrades to cut energy bills.
• In England, officials plan heating from sewer energy for hospitals, schools, and nearby homes.
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