A pressure booster is an integral part of a pressure booster system, whose task is to maintain constant water pressure. The pressure booster works with a surface pump, and this set is essential for drawing water from your own water source. Pressure boosters are used in holiday cottages, allotment gardens, as well as in single-family homes, service facilities, and industrial plants. The installation and operating costs of pressure boosters are low. However, the question arises: where should a pressure booster be installed?
Compact pressure booster under the kitchen sink
Modern pressure boosters are characterized by their small dimensions. A pressure booster set consists of a pump and a water-air tank, and in its compact version it can easily be installed inside the house. Pressure booster sets are very often placed in the basement of a building. Some pressure booster models can even fit under the kitchen sink, which is a practical and convenient solution. The capacity of such tanks is a maximum of 50–60 liters. Ready-made sets available for sale are convenient to use and quiet. At the same time, remember that tanks with a pressure greater than 0.005 MPa/m³ must have a certificate issued by the Office of Technical Inspection, while those used for drinking water should additionally have approval from the National Institute of Public Health.
A pressure booster can be installed in a room where the temperature is not lower than +5°C and not higher than +40°C. The room must have a functioning ventilation, electrical, and heating system. The floor beneath the pressure booster should have a 1% slope toward the drainage grates. However, these are not all the requirements. The room in which you intend to install the pressure booster must be at least 2.2 m high, and its minimum area must be 5 m². Free access to the inspection opening must be provided. The pressure booster tank should be placed at least 0.6 m from the wall. The pump itself must be at least 0.5 m from the wall. All systems must be functional and watertight. The capacity of the sewage system must not be lower than the pump’s output so that it can drain the water in the event of a pressure booster failure.
Traditional pressure booster set in a concrete tank
Compact and modern pressure boosters are very quiet, so they can be installed inside the house. Traditional pressure booster sets, however, are considerably larger and operate much more loudly. For this reason, it is better to install them outside the house. A frequently used solution is to place the pressure booster in an underground concrete tank. This option makes it possible to conceal the pressure booster set while also providing effective sound insulation. The tank is made of reinforced concrete, insulated with damp-proofing film, and covered with a layer of polystyrene. The access opening is secured with a reinforced-concrete slab and a watertight cover. Electricity must be supplied to the pressure booster room built in this way to power the heater beneath the tank and the lighting. However, this solution is not protected against flooding and carries the risk of ventilation problems.
