New hot water cylinder? Help please!

rokx

Just wanting to run this past someone, as we don't have masses of experience in hot water systems!

Our hot water had stopped working a few times since we moved in last September. This last time, we have been getting some hot water but it has been spluttering through and then stopping. We called out a plumber who came out today, said the tank in the loft was full and working fine. Also tried flushing it through using the washing machine pipes.

Then said it looks like the hot water cylinder is clogged up with limescale and the water is not able to get through properly. He has managed to blast through so it is working for now, but says it will most likely clog up again and could corrode the copper. The cylinder is pretty ancient, so might be time for it to be replaced anyway, but thought I'd double check.

He wants to replace the hot water cylinder at a cost of £450 including parts/labour. He's said to give him a ring and let him know what we want to do, so doesn't seem to be pressuring us or anything.

So, does this diagnosis and cost sound about right:huh:

warmhands.coldheart

I once removed an old Copper Cylinder and out of curiosity cut the top off and honestly I was gobsmacked at the amount of limescale buildup in it.....

As for price, get a few quotes for re-placing the cylinder... Sometime reason for higher cost is if the cylinder is that old, quite a bit of pipework alteration can be needed to plumb a new one in as connections are in different places. Also system has to be drained (Draining System = time....time = money!!)

greyteam1959

Price is probably about right...
You might get a substantial saving on your hot water heating billls if he installs a modern foam lagged copper cylinder.
Oh & make sure you keep the old cylinder. I got £60 for mine at the local metal recycling plant !!
HTH

jayyar66

Could also be an airlock, although it's not that common to get a continually recurring airlock, so as it's an old cylinder my guess would also be debris build up. I'm assuming of course that you live in a hard water area?
Yeah, price doesn't sound unreasonable, but without seeing your installation & what's involved, its impossible to be accurate. As mervyn says, scrap metal prices are pretty high at the mo, so if you've got a local metal merchant give 'em a bell & see if it's going to be worth your while getting rid yourself.

C_Mababejive

Just check out the cost of cylinders on plumbers merchants websites and you will see that this price is fair. Are you in a hard water area?

gas4you

Could be a partial blockage in the vent pipe. Did he check for this?

£450 is a very good price for this, but at this price I would assume the plumber has allowed for keeping the old cylinder for himself.

All new cylinders must be Part L compliant now.

If you have a fully pumped system, ask the plumber about fitting a fast recovery cylinder.

These are slightly smaller, but give the same amount of hot water due to the faster reheat times.

They cannot be used on old gravity primary systems though.

rokx

Thanks all, as you can tell I know very little about plumbing so it's good to have some insight

We have a gravity system. I'm not sure if he checked for a partial blockage in the vent pipe, but will get other half to check when he phones to discuss it!

Yes, we are in a hard water area

Will make sure we check out scrap value, as at £60 or thereabouts that would definitely be worth doing!

ian103

we used to live in a hard water area and we had to change the heating elements every couple of years (economy seven) and on one occassion i drained the tank and wet vac'd some of the limescale out of the tank, there was loads of it and the house was less than 15 years of it.

gas4you

Average size copper cylinder is only worth about £40/45 at present.

You can't have it both ways, get a cheap quote AND keep the cylinder.