Unvented cylinders

Welcome to PCH London Plumbing and Gas installations 

Unvented Cylinders and Megaflo Systems, Installed & Maintained

We provide Cylinder Servicing & Repairs in London

It is essential for homeowners and professionals alike to have in place a reliable boiler and heating system in order to allow all facilities to function smoothly and economically. At some point you may have to make the choice between the installation of a vented or unvented water cylinder and before you go ahead and install such a system you may want to consider what options might be best for the property, please it must be bore in mind that hot water cylinder might not be the right system for your property.

decisive factors whether unvented cylinder suits your property or not

It all depends on whether the pressure and load are sufficient or not.

Unvented cylinders work directly from the mains supply of water, (they could be heated directly and indirectly ) and are essentially a hot water storage cylinder, whereas vented cylinders are connected, via a vent pipe, to the cold water storage tank which is usually located within the loft space of most properties.  Because unvented cylinders are fed directly from the mains supply of water, the water pressure and flow is much stronger, providing hot water at mains pressure to all outlets within the home. This means you don’t have to rely on a pump to maintain the strength of the flow when using hot water outlets or heating systems and great water pressure is a huge benefit, especially for homes with more than one bathroom.

Choosing a high performance unvented cylinder also eliminates the requirement for a cold water storage tank, meaning valuable space isn’t lost to extra pipe work and fittings. This is ideal for interior designers and architects alike as it provides a greater number of options when it comes to installing an unvented cylinder, as they can be easily incorporated into the design of the home in an aesthetically pleasing manner. As the unvented cylinder is supplied via the mains you also have the option of placing it anywhere around the home, which is a great architectural benefit for homeowners.  Unvented cylinders boast safety features and controls to keep them from malfunctioning such as pressure relief valves and temperature controls. They also benefit from fast reheat times, minimal heat loss from the water stored inside and they are available in modern, innovative designs that are more favourable within the home.

Traditional vented hot water cylinders

Traditional vented cylinders are popular within many households as they are simple to install and they are very effective in supplying the home with heating and hot water, smoothly and efficiently. Vented combination units are a popular modern choice and are suitable for homes which do not have a loft space such as bungalows and apartments as the unit comprises of a cold water cistern and a hot water tank in one. This can be a great solution for eliminating pipework to a cold water tank elsewhere in the property. However, non-combination vented cylinders do require a cold water tank, which is usually located within the loft of a property. In both cases the pressure of the water to the cylinder and all outlets relies on gravity, which can create a problem. This is where installing a pump might be considered in order to boost the water pressure throughout the property ensuring powerful showers and fast filling baths. The installation of a pump might be essential, but uses more electricity. In such cases you must consider the pros and cons of the installation to establish what is best for requirements of the household, as pumps are noisy and they eventually will need replacing.

Many vented cylinders are designed to take advantage of off-peak electricity tariffs, potentially saving money on any utility bills. These types of cylinders can be used with most outlets whereas unvented cylinders have the disadvantage of not being compatible with some mixer taps and power showers.

Vented cylinders are also much easier to install whereas choosing an unvented option requires the services of a specialist engineer which can be costly. You must also consider that your unvented cylinder will require regular servicing to ensure it is in good order. In simple terms, vented cylinders are in fact much less complicated, meaning they are much easier to install and maintain but they can be unsightly and take up more valuable space.

On the other hand unvented cylinders can be an expensive option in terms of installation and fitting but once in place, a correctly fitted cylinder will save on heating times, emissions and utility bills. Choosing the right option for your property is essential and can potentially reduce your utility bills and provide you with a long-lasting energy efficient solution.

About our unvented cylinder service

We supply, service, maintain and fit modern Unvented Cylinders, be they swaps from an open vented system, changed back from a combi system to a traditional style install or simply as a new installation using the same heat source our fitters are appropriately licenced and experienced.

Many buildings in London have some kind of storage facility for a Unvented Cylinder known as the airing cupboard which is ideal to site a cylinder enabling easy access for future repairs and maintenance.

Unvented Cylinders require regular servicing and maintenance to prevent faults and breakdowns occurring, this becomes ever more important when a new Cylinder is fitted onto an old Central Heating System and not commissioned correctly.

Most Unvented Cylinder manufacturers now require yearly servicing of products in order to maintain the warranty. There is no logical reason of fitting an expensive, modern unvented cylinder with a five year warranty and then losing the warranty due to not servicing the cylinder.

We carry as many parts as is practical to enable speedy resolutions to problems which in turn will keep the customer with heat and hot water.

Every member of the Central Heating Installation, Servicing & Repair Team is qualified and time served with Gas Safe and City & Guilds accreditation with awareness of Heat Capacity, Radiator Sizing, Boiler Interlock and Distinct Heating Zones in accordance with legal guidelines.

We are competent to service a Central Heating System, remedy a fault such as a leaking radiator or TRV, repair a radiator which is not getting hot, diagnose faults such as reverse circulation, provide a landlord gas safety certificate, stop banging pipes (Water Hammer) or provide a full system Power Flush.

We are ideally placed in Islington, London, N1 to provide service to the whole of London. We have an enviable client list in Islington and the surrounding boroughs and, as our reputation has organically spread, we undertake Plumbing work not just in London but also in the surrounding counties of Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent and Surrey.

Should you require a Gas Safe Boiler Engineer or Fitter in Islington, Holloway, Archway, Hammersmith, Shepherds Bush, Crouch End, Hackney, Central London or the Home Counties we are available for Boiler Fitting, Servicing and Breakdown Repair. We take pride in our work with all plumbing tasks carried out efficiently and responsibly. Clients are treated with respect and jobs are left clean and tidy.

From our base in Islington, N1 our Plumbers, Gas Fitters and Boiler Engineers cover all of the London Boroughs including:

  • Islington
  • Camden
  • Hackney
  • Barnet
  • Westminster
  • Southwark
  • Lambeth
  • Wandsworth
  • Kensington & Chelsea
  • Hammersmith & Fulham

 Emergency London 24 hour Unvented Cylinder Servicing & Breakdowns including leaking systems & Repairs to the Tundish

We are here 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for emergency Boiler Breakdown & Repairs. We can attend to your property and stop a leaking Radiator, get a whole central heating system fired up and working, diagnose and fault find, replace TRV’s, remedy reverse circulation, perform a power flush or stop a recurring problem for the long term.

Our fees are transparent and we will solve the problem with the central heating system before making a clear plan to remedy the situation long term. Typical problems include:

  • Unvented Cylinder Leaking
  • Tundish repairs
  • Radiator leaking
  • Radiators cold
  • Cold spots
  • Overheating
  • TRV not working
  • Reverse circulation
  • Pipes banging
  • Water Hammer
  • No hot water
  • Kettling & boiler noise
  • No central heating

Full Central Heating & Unvented Cylinders Systems Repaired, Serviced & Maintained in London

Fitting a Full Central Heating System normally requires the fitters to take up floors and ceilings and normally includes works to the existing boiler which in turn requires not only appropriate Gas Safe licences but also the knowledge and skill to complete the installation correctly.

Leaks from bad installation techniques can literally bring down floors and ceilings as well as causing damage to neighbouring properties.

PCH plumbing and gas safe engineers make the majority of call outs due to bad design and installation of Unvented Cylinders, Central Heating Systems and Radiators.

Radiators also need correct application and to be sized to the house using a suitable sizing method such as the Mears method, naturally all Plumbers and Heating Engineers working at London Plumbing & Gas are versed in such modern techniques.

We also offer a guarantee & warranty on our works.

Radiators can be swapped for towel rails or simply modern styles with PCH boiler, plumbing & Gas, one pipe systems or Microbore Heating can be changed for modern Flow and Return type systems, radiators can be removed or added in a quick and efficient manner and gravity type systems can be modernised to fully pumped systems.

All work is undertaken to the Legal Requirements of Document G.

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