Clarke BIP pump

A water booster pump increases the pressure of an existing water supply to give stronger flow at taps, showers and appliances. It can be a small inline pump fitted to the incoming mains, or a larger pump and tank set that draws from a break tank to feed the whole house. Boosters do not create water – they raise the pressure of the water already coming in.

An inline booster connects straight onto the incoming mains and is limited to 12 litres per minute under UK water regulations – examples include the Salamander HomeBoost and WaterBoost WB-Compact. A tank-and-pump booster, such as the Grundfos Home Booster or DAB Esybox with Esytank, draws from a break tank and can deliver much higher flow rates for larger homes with multiple bathrooms.

A variable speed booster uses an inverter to adjust pump speed in real time to match demand. It maintains constant pressure as outlets open and close, runs more quietly than a fixed-speed pump and typically saves up to 50 per cent of the energy a fixed-speed equivalent would use. The DAB Esybox, DAB Esybox Mini 3 and Grundfos Scala2 are common variable speed examples.

A water booster pump raises water pressure to help supply taps, showers and other outlets when the existing system cannot meet demand.

Not every booster can. Direct connection depends on the product design and applicable water regulations; some systems require a break tank.

Assess simultaneous flow demand, required outlet pressure, available inlet conditions and the pressure losses in the pipework.