If the upstairs shower in your double-storey home dribbles while the kitchen tap blasts, you are not imagining it — physics is working against you. Here is why, and the straightforward fix.
Why height kills pressure
Water pressure drops with height — every metre you go up costs you pressure. On a double-storey home, the upstairs taps and showers are simply higher than the incoming supply can comfortably push, especially where municipal pressure is modest or a pressure reducing valve is set low. The result: weak upstairs flow.
The fix: a pressure (booster) pump
A correctly sized booster pump raises and stabilises flow to the starved upper floor, giving you a proper shower again. It is the standard solution and is sized to your home's number of outlets and demand — see pressure pump installation and booster pumps.
Only hot water weak?
If only the hot side is weak, the cause is usually geyser-side — a partly closed valve, a blocked geyser inlet, or sediment — not overall pressure. A plumber distinguishes the two quickly.
Sudden drop?
A long-standing weakness is usually height/pressure; a sudden drop can mean a leak or a blocked old galvanised pipe. We diagnose whether you need a pump, a pipe replacement or leak detection. Book an assessment.