Can You Replace a Combination Valve on Your Own?

Caring for your unvented cylinder is an important part of being a proactive homeowner. However, while there are maintenance-related things you can do, there are many you should leave for qualified professionals. What about replacing the combination valve? The short answer is no, you should not attempt to replace your unvented cylinder’s combination valve on your own. Always opt to let a G3-qualified technician handle this.

With that out of the way, let’s dive a little deeper into the question and learn more about the combination valve, its role within your unvented cylinder, and just why you would avoid replacing it on your own.

What Is a Combination Valve?

True to its name, the combination valve on your unvented cylinder handles multiple responsibilities. It combines the functions of multiple valves into a single fitting, including:

• Pressure reduction valve
• Check valve
• Line strainer
• Expansion relief valve

In short, the valve helps prevent water from flowing back into the mains (check valve), catches debris before it enters your cylinder (line strainer), allows excess pressure to bleed out of the system (pressure reduction valve), and protects against water expansion under heat (expansion relief valve).

Signs Your Combination Valve Needs to Be Replaced

Of course, you’ll need to know if the combination valve truly needs to be replaced. Many other problems can cause problems, so let’s consider a few of the primary signs that your combination valve is failing. These include:

Low pressure hot water: If you open the hot tap and notice that the flow of water is noticeably less than if you open the cold tap, there’s a good chance the problem is your combination valve.
No hot water: While other problems can cause this, if the pressure-reducing valve within the combination valve fails in the closed position, you will experience no hot water.
Water in the tundish: If you notice water flowing through the tundish, it’s a good indication that the combination valve is failing or has failed.

If you notice any of these issues, there’s a very good chance that your combination valve is failing. So, why is it such a bad idea to replace it yourself?

Why You Should Never Attempt to Replace Your Combination Valve Yourself

Much like working on gas lines, it is dangerous for uncredentialed, untrained individuals to work on unvented cylinders. They are designed to store immense amounts of pressure, which is how you can have mains pressure hot water at every tap in the home. They’re perfectly safe when well maintained and under normal operating conditions, but there are reasons that only G3-qualified engineers are allowed to install, maintain, or repair them.

Turn to the Experts

At EasyFlow, all our technicians are G3 qualified, which means that we’re more than capable of replacing your combination valve for you. We also offer professional annual maintenance to catch this sort of problem before it leaves you without hot water. Get in touch to schedule a consultation.