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I have a well with a 30/55 pressure switch, and I hate the shower pressure. I am redoing the main water appliances with a new pressure tank (going from 20 gallon to 35 gallon), new 40/60 pressure switch, a sediment filter, whole house filter and water softener.

Each appliance uses a 1" hookup and I'm worried about the flow. Should I use 1" PEX equivalent to 3/4 copper or go with 1" CPVC? I'm worried about all these appliances obstructing the flow.

From my well I have a pressure tank, then a sediment filter, then a whole house Morten filter, than a water softener.....with these appliances I don't want to lose flow....each has a 1" hookup on it and feed in is a 3/4 " copper......should I go with cpvc in between 1" or Pex 1"

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  • I can only write about the showers, have you removed the water restrictors? That typically improves the water pressure greatly at the shower head. Water restrictors are in practically every faucet nowadays...
    – Jack
    Aug 29, 2015 at 4:20
  • I was going to try that after redoing my appliances.....need to change them do to winter freeze
    – Fred Socha
    Aug 29, 2015 at 13:57

3 Answers 3

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I will usually feed the home with 1" but then drop down to 3/4" and have not had problems with flow. Most of the plumbing to your sinks is 1/2" and the orifices in the faucets are much smaller so even with the kitchen sink and a bathroom or 2 having there valves open you should not see much of a change in flow at all with 3/4". The one place that will affect the pressure is hose bibs or outside faucets these have much larger passageways in the valve than sinks do. Already mentioned the flow restrictors in shower heads, these are taken out at my house before even installing them. Not long ago I found a flow restrictor in a bath faucet, don't know how filling a tub slower would save water but that came out also. With my shower head restrictions remove our guests mention how nice our pressure is. 60 should be a big improvement over 50 but look at your restrictor if you have any build up issues like lime, scale or rust the head may need a good cleaning that and removing the showerhead restrictor will probably provide the results you want.

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I haven't done the math but I'd say off-hand that unless the distances between the various items you listed is VERY long it will not impact your pressure. The filters and softener will most likely cause more of a pressure drop than using even 3/4" pipe for a short distance (since that is your input pipe diameter).

Pressure drop due to flow rate is dependent upon rate of flow and amount of restriction. If you have no flow then the pressure will be the same through out the system (assuming everything is at the same height). The greater the flow rate then the more the restrictions matter.

Also height differential can affect pressure (up or down) but this will be the same amount regardless of flow.

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Go from a 1-1/2" line right off of the water heater, down to 3/8" if need be to your appliances.

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    This doesn't appear to answer the question. The OP never mentioned a water heater, and even if they had, the water heater would be hooked up to the output of the softener (the final appliance mentioned), not as the input to the first of them.
    – Niall C. ♦
    Aug 29, 2015 at 23:52
  • I am looking to not restrict on the head end before going out to fixtures
    – Fred Socha
    Aug 30, 2015 at 17:54

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