1/2" copper feeding 2 floors

crazychef55

I am renovating my house and I have 1/2 copper that feeds the 2nd floor shower and 3rd floor apartment with shower, kitchen, dishwasher and washing machine. Do I need a larger line going to the 2nd or 3rd floor? I was going to add a pressure booster in the basement. Will that suffice?

Another question is I am replacing my shower faucets with balanced pressure devices. If the pressure is not even with myhot and cold will I have a problem? Currently I have to turn the hot all the way open and the cold just a little bit. Increasing the temp at the hot water tank does not seem to make a difference.

Thanks!

Jim F

Preferably you would want 1 inch from the main, 3/4 inch in the house then 1/2 inch branching off to the fixtures. This keeps the pressure more ocnsistant when multiple fixtures are in use. Less liklihood of scalding hot showeer when toilet is flushed. Mine has 1/2 throughout form the main probably installed by the original buider who did averything himself apparently without researching first. I have lived with it for 14 years but would eventually like to replace with 3/4 PEX to improve pressure.

Alan

Sizing is based on fixture units, incoming pressure and developed length of your system.

We would "normally" run a 3/4" hot and cold line in that situation

Pressure balance devices balance the pressure on their own. You should have the same amount of pressure throughout the system, however.

__________________
Journeyman Plumber