What You Need to Know about Unvented Cylinder Efficiency

Energy efficiency begins with the purchase of your unvented cylinder. Today, all cylinders are required to display their energy efficiency as a label. They are rated from the best (A) to the worst (G). However, don’t confine yourself to the letter rating. You should also compare other information found on the label, including kWh/year, as this gives you a good indication of how much energy the unit will consume over the course of a full year.

While manufacturers are held to a higher standard today in terms of energy efficiency, there are plenty of things that you can do on your own to help improve the efficiency of your unvented cylinder. In this section, we’ll discuss some of those.

Choose the Right Size – It’s tempting to buy a large unvented cylinder to ensure that you always have an ample supply of hot water. However, the problem here is that larger cylinders have larger heat losses over time and will require more energy to warm the water back up to temp. The better option is to go with a moderately sized water cylinder.

Insulate Water Pipes – After hot water leaves your unvented cylinder, it travels through the water pipes in your home to the taps. As the water flows, it loses heat. You can reduce this by insulating your pipes. With better insulation and improved temperature retention, you may be able to turn down the thermostat on your cylinder and reduce its energy consumption.

Use a Modern Thermostat – Make sure that your unvented cylinder has a modern thermostat and that it is in working condition. Just using a thermostat alone can save you around £37 on your energy bills. All you need to do is set the temperature for your cylinder and then check that the thermostat is working periodically. It will do the rest by automatically turning on and off as necessary. We do recommend that you keep your temperature no lower than 60 degrees C to ensure the water is safe from bacteria.

Set a Lower Temperature – You might be tempted to set a higher temperature for your unvented cylinder thinking that it will make it heat water faster. The truth is that all this does is increase your energy consumption, as well as your water usage, because you’ll have to mix more cold water to make it usable at the taps. Instead, set the temperature lower. This minimises heat loss and helps to reduce overall energy consumption.

Interested in ensuring that your unvented cylinder is as efficient as possible? Contact us at EasyFlow. One of our expert technicians can inspect your cylinder and advise about possible changes to decrease energy use and improve operation.

We are based in Manchester and serve Greater Manchester, Liverpool, Chester and surrounding areas.