Unvented Cylinder Maintenance: Do You Really Need It Every Year?

If you’re like most people, there’s a good chance that you let maintenance slide when it comes to certain things. You might go a few miles over your oil change intervals in your vehicle, for instance. You might not even know that certain appliances in your home require regular maintenance. For instance, did you know that your unvented water cylinder requires maintenance every year? It does and we’ll explain everything you need to know in this post.

Let’s tackle the big question first. Why do you need annual maintenance on a water heater, anyway? It’s just a basic home appliance, right? Why does it require more care than, say, your toaster?

Well, first, your unvented cylinder is a great deal more complex than your toaster. It is also under immense pressure and filled with water – a leak could mean serious challenges and even damage to your belongings and the structure of your home.

There’s also the fact that your homeowner’s insurance probably requires your unvented cylinder to be serviced annually. If you fail to do so and a leak develops, there’s a very good chance that the insurer will deny your claim.

Finally, most unvented cylinders come with a rather lengthy warranty from the manufacturer. For instance, Gledhill offers 25 years of coverage on many of their models. However, if you fail to maintain your water cylinder properly, that warranty will be voided, and any failure will be your responsibility.

Now that we can clearly see why annual maintenance is needed, we should explore what’s done during a service. During the maintenance service, a technician will:

Ensure that the installation conforms with the rules of the industry (Part G3 of the Building Regulations)

• Inspect the temperature controls to ensure they are operating correctly
• Inspect and test all pressure controls and relief valves to ensure proper operation
• Inspect all safety systems on the cylinder
• Inspect the cylinder itself for signs of distress or impending problems

Now we come to another important question – who can maintain your unvented cylinder?

With vented cylinders, almost anyone can handle the maintenance. Even homeowners with basic tools and knowledge can do the job. That’s not the case with unvented cylinders. Because these systems are pressurised, they can be very dangerous to work on. Only G3-qualified technicians are allowed to install, maintain, and service unvented cylinders.

What does this mean for you? Obviously, unless you’re a G3-qualified technician yourself, you’ll need to let the professionals handle your service. However, it’s important to realize that not all plumbing companies carry G3 qualifications (and many of them will not inform you of this unless you ask directly).

At EasyFlow, all of our technicians are G3 qualified and capable of handling any issue you might have, from basic annual maintenance to in-depth repairs and replacement/installation of unvented cylinders. Contact us today to learn more about our annual maintenance plans and how we can protect your unvented cylinder.