How Does a Hot Water Cylinder Work?

Does a hot water cylinder provide hot water to your taps? Few homeowners know how hot water cylinders work but you can often diagnose problems before they become significant.

How Does a Hot Water Cylinder Work?

Hot water cylinders store hot water, keeping it warm until you need it.

How does a hot water cylinder work?

Hot water cylinders are tanks for storing hot water so it can be used later. There are types of cylinder available in the UK:

• Pressurised unvented
• Vented

What is an unvented cylinder?

Pressurised unvented hot water cylinders are supplied with water from the mains, so they have water with a higher level of pressure than gravity-based systems. That means it can distribute water easier. Unvented cylinders were first introduced in the 1980s and are popular as they don’t need a separate cold water tank so they are more compact.

What is a vented hot water cylinder?

Vented water cylinders have their water supplied from an external cold water tank known as a ‘header tank’, which is usually in the loft. This is because it uses gravity to build pressure, rather than the mains water supply. It’s so called because it has a vent pipe open to the atmosphere. Any expansion is accommodated within its pipework.

What’s the difference between a direct and indirect hot water cylinder?

As well choosing an unvented or vented hot water cylinder, you are also able to choose whether the hot water in your home is heated directly or indirectly.

Direct cylinder

The water in direct hot water cylinders is heated by an immersion heater inside it. This means that the cylinder is not connected to a mains boiler.

Indirect cylinder

Indirect hot water cylinders need an external device such as a boiler to heat the water, which moves to them through a heat exchanger.

L&W Heating and Plumbing

If you need to call on a Gas Safe registered plumber call L&W Heating and Plumbing experts Warrington on:-

Boiler Installation Wigan Specialist 01942 417220
Boiler Installation Runcorn Specialist 01925 394260
Boiler Installation St Helens Specialist 01744 776140
Boiler Installation Warrington Specialist 01925 394260
Boiler Installation Newton Le Willows Specialist 01925 394260
Boiler Installation Widnes Specialist 01925 394260