Back boiler - adding unvented cylinder

DrewRA · 21 Oct 2020

Hello,

Just after a bit of advice.

We moved into a house with a back boiler about 5 years ago, I know they don't make them anymore but according to the engineers when we get the annual service it's quite new and is pretty much the latest model before they stopped being manufactured. It works perfectly and has a fairly modern looking inoffensive fire front and we have no intention of replacing it as we're due to move in 2-3 years ...BUT our shower pressure is awful and it's got to the point I really need to do something about it.

We've had various plumbers round for advice which always tends to be to upgrade to a combi boiler, however one plumber suggested he could replace the vented cylinder to a brand new unvented one which he does quite a lot and would solve the issue of the shower pressure and would be half the price of a new boiler and less general upheaval/mess too.

I want to say yes to this option but just wanted to check first if anyone has had this done or can give any advice re pros and cons?

P.S We have discounted shower pumps and electric showers for various reasons.

sxturbo · 21 Oct 2020

DrewRA said:
Hello,

Just after a bit of advice.

We moved into a house with a back boiler about 5 years ago, I know they don't make them anymore but according to the engineers when we get the annual service it's quite new and is pretty much the latest model before they stopped being manufactured. It works perfectly and has a fairly modern looking inoffensive fire front and we have no intention of replacing it as we're due to move in 2-3 years ...BUT our shower pressure is awful and it's got to the point I really need to do something about it.

We've had various plumbers round for advice which always tends to be to upgrade to a combi boiler, however one plumber suggested he could replace the vented cylinder to a brand new unvented one which he does quite a lot and would solve the issue of the shower pressure and would be half the price of a new boiler and less general upheaval/mess too.

I want to say yes to this option but just wanted to check first if anyone has had this done or can give any advice re pros and cons?

P.S We have discounted shower pumps and electric showers for various reasons.

what is your water pressure? an unvented cylinder with low incoming mains pressure will be just as bad.

fitting a high pressure pump would be significantly cheaper and easier, they arent even that noisy these days.

DrewRA · 21 Oct 2020

The current cylinder is in a cupboard in the main bedroom - doesn't a shower pump have to be attached to that? If it's noisy it will be very annoying - other half showers 2 hours before I have to get up! Maybe I should look into it though. I just heard they were really noisy but if not that bad it could be an option.

ianmcd · 21 Oct 2020

All depends on your incoming water flow rate, an unvented cylinder cant improve that, a shower pump can a combi cant, pump doesnt have to be attached to your existing cylinder, you get showers where the pump is internal to the shower unit

DrewRA · 21 Oct 2020

Shower has just been fitted and tiled so pump attached to the cylinder is preferred really, if it's going to be anywhere.

sxturbo · 21 Oct 2020

It depends on where your pipes run,

If they go up into the loft then you can put the pump up there.

I've also seen pumps fitted under the bath.

Also with pumps you want the better quality units

The salamander CT force pumps look to be the quietest on the market at 42 db

https://www.salamanderpumps.co.uk/range/ct-force/3

durhamplumber · 22 Oct 2020

DrewRA said:
P.S We have discounted shower pumps

That is my idea ferkled then.

DrewRA · 22 Oct 2020

Well actually I don't think our mains pressure is much to write home about so it looks like we may end up going for the shower pump option after all

I spoke to someone at Salamander yesterday and they suggested we'd need a RP75TU pump for our system and that would be 50.2dBA.. To be honest the house is small and you can always hear when someone is in the shower anyway so the extra noise I'm sure we'll get used to. It probably won't be as bad as I'm imagining in my head.

algas · 22 Oct 2020

If your mains flow rate is adequate go for the un vented, never liked shower pumps!

DrewRA · 23 Oct 2020

Yep had another plumber round who was really great and went through all the different options with me. Out of all the plumbers I've had over lately he was the best and probably the only one I've really felt confident in (and he was also the youngest..) I really felt like he understood the problem and really wanted to fix the issue for me. He said there is no point in replacing a perfectly good boiler if we're planning to move soon and said an unvented cylinder would be the best option, and he would put it in the loft so we'll gain a cupboard too. So pretty sure that is what we'll do.

sxturbo · 23 Oct 2020

DrewRA said:
Yep had another plumber round who was really great and went through all the different options with me. Out of all the plumbers I've had over lately he was the best and probably the only one I've really felt confident in (and he was also the youngest..) I really felt like he understood the problem and really wanted to fix the issue for me. He said there is no point in replacing a perfectly good boiler if we're planning to move soon and said an unvented cylinder would be the best option, and he would put it in the loft so we'll gain a cupboard too. So pretty sure that is what we'll do.

did he check the mains pressure?

DrewRA · 23 Oct 2020

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Back boiler - adding unvented cylinder

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