Immersion heater

clockworks_2

I have moved into a flat that was built about 6 years ago. It has an immersion heater but i was surprised to find that there was no timer. This surprised me as the building really focuses on being energy efficient, every apartment has an air source heat pump as standard!

I spoke to an engineer who services the building and he said that he was told that it was more efficent to leave the hot water on 24/7. He mentioned it would cost a lot to heat up and then for it to cool down and then heat up again in the evening,.

I was surprised by this as i had always thought that would be very expensive to leave running 24/7. It a big tank and but has a little round tank leading to it. I am not currently there as i am having it decorated. So can't supply model numbers but i think its an ariston. Does any one have any experience of this? Or would it be better just to have a timer fitted.

EliteHeat

It's a high pressure, unvented, direct cylinder with a remote expansion vessel.

It should have two heaters fitted. The bottom one might be on the economy 7/10 supply.

These are hugely efficient cylinders with very small heat loss. Remember that the heater has a thermostat fitted, which will cut the power when the desired temperature has been reached.

fto

Are you sure its not connected directly economy seven.

clockworks_2

Thanks for your replies, elite you're spot on , it has 2 heaters in the tank. It had an electric prepayment meter which i am changing to a standard meter with a flat rate. As the place has air source heat pump it doesn't have an storage heaters so i thought economy 7 wasn't necessary.

I am glad to hear that they are very efficent, in which case i will just leave it switched on 24/7.

clockworks_2

Also is it a requirement to have it serviced yearly? If so what is the costs i can expect? Is it dangerous just to switch it on and use. It's a repossesion and hasn't been used in the last 3 months.

hethmar

clockworks, where is your flat? Not near the Thames is it? My son is in a similar flat, same heat exchange Ariston boiler His was also a repo. He recently had to have a leak fixed on it and the plumber added a timer at that time for the heating.

clockworks_2

Hi,

Mine is in North London , made by Comer homes. There are similar builds all over London, White Building with Green Glass. Is his made by them too?

I noticed a mine had previously leaked too as the bottom of the tank where the pipe is looked a little corroded.

hethmar

Yes, Comer homes built his

His flat is only 2 years old- when he got in he found the heat exchange thing wasnt working. Luckily, they had the work team back in the flats to upgrade all of the systems as apparently they werent up to the job so he actually got his done for zilcho. Would have been a very expensive job otherwise. They also said to him about it being serviced every 6 months or something?

He had a leak at the bottom of the immersion thing and it was actually running not just dripping. He used the mybuilder website to find a plumber/electrician to look at it and he had it fixed plus the timer fitted to turn on the heating and then the guy also noticed the taps were fitted the wrong sides (H was cold, C was hot!) and he swopped those round for nothing. I think he paid about £130 in all which seemed reasonable as that included the new parts.

I was worried about the heating/air conditioning system when he told me as I thought it would cost a fortune to run but apparently it is very inexpensive. He loved the air conditioner in the hot weather this year.

clockworks_2

Thanks Hethmar , Thankfully the heating system has been ok so far. I think i will just have both the heating and the hot water system serviced, mine was built 6 years ago and i am convinced the previous tenant didn't have them serviced.

Am surprised by how many of these are repossessed. In my block there were quite a few! Like you i was worried by the heating/cooling system thinking it would cost a bomb to run! Thankfully it is very cheap!

hethmar

I think a lot were bought by the buy to let brigade thinking they would make a great deal of money on them. When the market stalled and tenants were harder to get they had to sell up. Son was pleased as he had looked at these flats a year before but there was no way he could afford one at that time. The agent contacted him about this one. The bonus was after he bought it he found he had an underground parking space aswell (the agent hadnt known that). It is certainly a large flat compared with most modern ones and he has a wrap round balcony.

clockworks_2

I was over the moon as i got for 2 thirds of what it sold for in 2003.

The wrap around balcony is fantastic , its huge! So will be great for entertaining. The flats are done to a very high standard. granite work tops , Neff Appliances and the air source heat pumps.

The agent told me it was first come first serve on parking, but my solicitor showed me i had my own space. The previous management company were terrible they left it first come first serve as it was easier for them. Luckily a new management company have taken over 2 months ago , Fairweather and Ellis and they are fantastic , they are giving permits so people only park in their dedicated spaces. They are also painting all the floors. Overall i am very pleased!