Annually servicing a hot water cylinder is important to maintain a safe working system and to keep the product warranty valid, but the truth is that, despite this, hot water cylinders are often overlooked. George Linder, product manager at Heatrae Sadia, shares a few of the key factors to consider when taking care of a cylinder.
Assessing the cylinder
After installing a cylinder for the first time, leave your customer with the product manual and advise that an annual service will be required and write this date down. This will help customers remember to book a service with you and will make your life easier when it comes to doing the job. If the customer cannot provide the manual, then you can easily locate it online, via the manufacturers’ website.
With the manual in hand, it is then time to have a conversation with the homeowner to see if they have noticed anything out of the ordinary with the cylinder. This is the quickest way to get to the bottom of any apparent issues, such as if it has been leaking. Even if no issues are present, it is always recommended to first do a visual inspection before then carrying out further checks.
Checking the expansion vessel During a service the expansion vessel needs to be checked. The Megaflo Eco has an internal floating baffle expansion system so should be partially drained according to the instructions provided by the manufacturer before being refilled.
Cylinders with an external expansion vessel, like the Megaflo Eco Plus, will require the mains supply to be closed followed by opening a hot tap to depressurise the cylinder. After this has been carried out the pressure should then be checked and recharged in line with manufacturer guidelines. The mains water supply can then be reopened.
External Controls
Any external heating programmers and thermostats should be checked to see if they are operating effectively. This could also help to save your customer on their energy bills if they haven’t been setting the controls in the most efficient way.
Avoid a shock
Plumbing and heating engineers must feel comfortable isolating the electrics and dealing with electrical components on cylinders and boiler alike. When servicing a cylinder, the electrical housing needs to be assessed and replaced if faulty or damaged. The wiring also needs to be inspected to make sure it isn’t a risk to the appliance or the homeowner.
Once the service is complete it is useful to sit down with the user to discuss the work carried out and advise that a service be carried out every 12 months.
For more information on our range of cylinders and hot water solutions, visit: https://www.heatraesadia.com/products/cylinders-and-hot-water.
