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What is an expected life of an unvented hotwater heater?

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Seeking advice from the plumbing professionals.
What would you class as an expected life of an un-vented hotwater boiler/heater?
My hot water boiler in my apartment that i rent out, had burst this morning, flooding out my own and my neighbours alongside as well as the floor below. So far, six apartments affected. My plumber informs me that the tank has split internally. The caretaker for our development told me today that mine is the third that has split/leaked water in the last month where all have had new tanks installed. That to me is a tank not fit for purpose at 15 years of age. What has happened to quality of products in today's world.? I would have expected the tank to last well in excess of 40 years. 
The tank is manufactured by OSO Hotwater. Cant find any reviews on them online whether they make a cheap product or not but trying to contact everyone/anyone at the worst possible time of the year to get a repair/replacement carried out quickly. 
The immersion tank in my own home is 25 years old which has never failed, just an element i changed last year.

Comments

  • You would certainly hope it would last a lot longer than this, and even then not to fail in such as catastrophic manner. 

    Whether you might have a claim against the manufacturer is a different issue. If it's really as the caretaker says, it might be possible to bring some pressure to bear on the manufacturer - ie to demonstrate on the balance of probabilities or summat that there was a manufacturing fault. Good luck with that...  

    I'd suggest just let your, and the block's, insurances sort it all out, and perhaps insist on a different manufacturer for its replacement.
  • GDB2222
    GDB2222 Posts: 26,185 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Usually, insurance will pay for damage done, but not the replacement. 


    No reliance should be placed on the above! Absolutely none, do you hear?
  • GDB2222
    GDB2222 Posts: 26,185 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    As it is an invented cylinder, do you have the record of the annual services?
    No reliance should be placed on the above! Absolutely none, do you hear?
  • Rodders53
    Rodders53 Posts: 2,655 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 29 December 2021 at 2:03PM
    https://osohotwater.co.uk/warranty/

    The stainless inner tank is 25 years if purchased by a consumer.  Your commercial (rental) use may invalidate that?

    Last bungalow we were in there was a spate (2 or 3) of tank failures at about 7/8 years with the neighbours (14 homes).   Different brand of tank on the development (i.e. not Oso). Ours was fine (except the pressure vessel diaphragm went) over the almost 10 years we were there.

    Our Oso cylinder is coming up the same age to yours.  It regularly needs the air bubble in it replenishing (no separate pressure vessel).  The Pressure reducing valve 'monobloc' started leaking the other month and needed replacement.
  • GDB2222 said:
    As it is an invented cylinder, do you have the record of the annual services?
    I never knew about annual services until now. Being an electric unit, didnt think it would need one. This is what i have learnt since the failure. Lesson learnta nd annual service from now on.
  • Its been known for an unvented cylinder manufacturer that mentions its recommended to have an annual hot water system service  :* 

    Even having the unit annually serviced by a qualified G3 technician, they can still self destruct. Nothing wrong with any  unvented cylinders but they need a service tech rather than a box ticker.
    Maybe for the new cylinder, get the manufacturer or their service agent to maintain the unit  o:)

     o:) 
    Choose Stabila ! 
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