Case study – User discomfort related low water pressure available at the point of use

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Incorrect sizing of the plumbing system can lead to problems, including insufficient pressure at a point of consumption, causing discomfort for the user. In this case study, anomalies were identified in a hydraulic system built during an expansion of a single-family residential building, determining the cause of user discomfort when using the electric shower. Through an on-site inspection and an as-built survey based on interviews with the building contractor, it was possible to calculate the available pressure at the point of consumption of the electric shower using the Bernoulli equation. It was found that the available pressure at the point of consumption of the electric shower is approximately 5.90 kPa, which is below the minimum recommended by the standard of 10 kPa. In addition to the pressure being below the specified minimum standard, it was found that there were no regular maintenance procedures in the system, and the existing installations do not meet the recommended criteria for maintainability. Based on these findings, it was suggested to modify the layout and calculate the available pressure at the most unfavorable utilization point of this new installation to verify compliance with the normative recommendations, resulting in an available pressure of approximately 10.27 kPa.