Low hot water pressure
I’m redoing my kitchen and had put in a pull out hose kitchen tap. Since changing, the hot water pressure is very low. I did read some reviews saying this so wasn’t a complete surprise. I’ve bought another tap to replace it but a family member has said it still won’t work as I need a 15mm hole bore. I can’t find of these any online! Is he right in what he’s saying? The new tap had all good reviews. I’m in the uk.
Advice from 3 local tradespeople
It’s unlikely that you need a 15mm bore tap. Most modern kitchen mixer taps use 15mm flexible tails, so the tap itself is rarely the problem. Low hot water pressure is usually caused by the tap not being suitable for a low-pressure system, a partially closed isolation valve, a kinked flexible hose, or debris in the tap or cartridge. If you have a combi boiler or mains pressure, a quality tap with the correct minimum operating pressure should provide good flow. Check the tap’s pressure requirements before replacing it.
If you have bought a high pressure tap and you are on gravity hot water still then you would experience pressure drop .
Hi, low hot water pressure after fitting a pull-out spray tap is often caused by the tap itself restricting the flow, but it can also highlight an existing low-pressure hot water system. Before changing anything else, I'd check that the isolation valve under the sink is fully open and that there isn't any debris trapped in the tap's filter or aerator from the installation. If your hot water comes from a gravity-fed system or older vented cylinder, some pull-out spray taps are not suitable and can significantly reduce flow. You do not normally need a 15mm bore hole specifically to improve water pressure, so your family member may be mistaken unless they're referring to a particular tap installation requirement. If you can tell us whether you have a combi boiler, unvented cylinder, or gravity-fed hot water system, and the make/model of the new tap, we can advise more accurately.
