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Any property with a system or regular boiler requires a hot water cylinder to store the hot water that a boiler produces. They are vital to providing your property with a flow of hot water.
The first step in diagnosing issues with water cylinders is finding out what exact cylinder it is your property has! These will either be vented or unvented.
Unvented hot water cylinders were first introduced around 10 years ago to the UK market for domestic properties. They take the water supply directly from the mains and therefore deliver hot water at the same pressure. Unvented cylinders do not require a cold storage tank, but they do require expansion vessels to be fitted to allow space for the expansion of water in the system as it heats up. They also contain other mechanical parts such as pressure relief valves and thermostats. Like anything with any safety features and mechanical parts – they require a service – this should be carried out annually.
On the other hand, a vented cylinder is connected to a water tank by a vent pipe. Vented cylinders are a more traditional approach and require a water tank (usually within a loft space) which supplies the water to the cylinder, usually by a gravity system. The cold water tank is used in a similar way as the expansion vessels in an unvented cylinder – it enables trapped air to escape as well as acting as an expansion tank to accommodate the expansion of the hot water during the heating process. In this way, it will also help should an overheat occur! The negatives when comparing a vented cylinder to an unvented is that the pressure will be much lower, and it will use up more space. They are, however, much more cost-effective and issues and maintenance demand is also lower.
The most common problems you might face:
No hot water
If you have a gas boiler, it might be due to the boiler not igniting. If the boiler light is out and you cannot get it to reignite, an engineer should be contacted. Aura Heating can help! You can get in touch with us instantly using our “live chat” service (bottom right of the screen) or by telephone on 02392 252171 or, please send us your queries via our contact page and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
If the system is not gas but runs on electricity, your fault may lie with the power supply. The most common error you may encounter is a super simple do it yourself fix – check the RCD has not tripped potentially down to another circuit in the house, just flick it back on again.
You may encounter the exact opposite issue, too much hot water from your cylinder?!
It may sound like teaching Granny to suck eggs but the primary check you should be doing is that the temperature has been turned down. If it has, and you still have an issue, the underlying fault may lie with the temperature-pressure relief valve not shutting off when it reaches the set temperature and continuously heating. This fault can be particularly risky and tricky – again, an engineer should be contacted. Aura Heating can help! Aura Heating is proud to be the South of England’s leading, local boiler expert. You can get in touch with us instantly using our “live chat” service (bottom right of the screen) or by telephone on 02392 252171 or, please send us your queries via our contact page and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Somewhere in the middle? Not enough hot water to your water cylinder?
In the winter months, a lot of people will find their cylinders are struggling. This is typically because the cylinder is not actually adequately sized to meet the demand. Or, it may just be the temperature settings, again worth a simple check. It could also be worthwhile to make sure the cylinder is not leaking! This greatly increases the cost of the use of the cylinder and the efficiency. Aura Heating serve villages, towns and cities across the south coast and into the home counties and have been keeping our customers happy (and warm) since 2005. Let our reviews speak for themselves, we can check your water cylinder out for you.
If you are struggling with discoloured or smelly water this could be down to a few different issues depending on whether it is affecting the hot water or the cold water. If it is the hot water that is discoloured or has a foul odour, this may be down to the anode rod or the water containing high volumes of sulphates. This means your cylinder may require a flush or drain or the anode changed and replaced. Aura Heating can proudly call themselves a Which? Trusted trader, having recently passed a rigorous assessment that recognises reputable and trustworthy traders! This means you can have every confidence in our service with this endorsement so why not give us a call and see if we can assist?! You can get in touch with us instantly using our “live chat” service (bottom right of the screen) or by telephone on 02392 252171 or, please send us your queries via our contact page and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Is your cylinder making strange noises?
Odd sounds, gurgling and creaking is perfectly normal due to the water expanding as it heats and shrinking as it cools – rather like a house “settles”. However, if these noises become more frequent than usual or louder than normal, this may be due to increased sediment or limescale build-up or even, blockages. Regular flushing and servicing will help eliminate these issues. Aura Heating can get your water cylinder system flowing again!
If the absolute worst has happened, and you are getting no water at all – this is most likely to do with a blocked filter which definitely requires an engineer for effective and safe resolution.
If your boiler is experiencing any of the issues above and nothing seems to be fixing this – You can get in touch with Aura Heating to assist with any fixing, repairs or replacements to your water cylinders!
