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First, let’s get an understanding of the venting used for each type of fireplace. The word “venting” refers to the means the fireplace uses to vent its exhaust safely from the room. In the case of Vent Free, exhaust is vented directly into the room. In a Vent Free system, the consumption of gas is limited to a maximum of 40,000 BTU per hour to help prevent the room from being “starved” of oxygen. In a Direct Vent system, a double vent pipe is used (pipe within a pipe). The outer pipe draws fresh air from outside to feed the combustion process while the inner pipe vents out the exhaust from the combustion. A Fully Vented system, including a B-Vent system, uses either a masonry chimney or a B-Vent (double wall metallic pipe). Now that we touched on the three primary methods of venting, we can take a closer look at the pros and cons of each.

1. Vent Free – As mentioned, a Vent Free system vents its exhaust directly into the room. In other words, it does not use a chimney at all. As you can imagine, this can cause a carbon monoxide concern as this system continuously uses oxygen from the room it’s being used in. For this reason, Vent Free systems are equipped with an oxygen detection safety pilot which detects when the oxygen level falls below 18%. If this occurs, the gas will automatically be shut off. The pros for this type of fireplace? You can install them almost anywhere in your home. They are very efficient, meaning you get almost 100% of the heat benefit from the fuel you are burning (the heat is not escaping outdoors). The downsides of this type of burning system? You need to buy specific types of burners/log sets specially made for Vent Free systems. You cannot burn wood in them nor regular vented log sets nor other specialty vented products. If you have respiratory-related health conditions, you may want to think twice before installing this type of system.
2. Direct Vent – A Direct Vent system pulls fresh air in and sends its exhaust out through a combined flu system. The flu pipe vents either out of the top or out of the back of the fireplace, for versatility. The flu pipe generally exits through a side wall in your room. The positives for this type of fireplace? No chimney is required, so less expensive to install than a Fully Vented fireplace. They are highly efficient and may be used as a gas wall furnace. If you like a fireplace with a sealed fire box (because of children, cats, etc.) this style may work well for you. The cons? You can’t burn wood in it. They require specific types of burners and logs so you cannot use specialty vented products in them. You are not supposed to burn them without the glass cover attached, as this disrupts the air flow in the balanced vent system.
3. Fully Vented – A Fully Vented system is what most of us think of when we think of a traditional fireplace. Most of us think of a fireplace having a full chimney (like the kind Santa Claus comes down). Usually we think of a brick and mortar chimney, but a Fully Vented fireplace can also incorporate a B-Vent flu (a double wall metallic pipe that rises up from the fireplace and out through the roof). Air for combustion comes from the room. The upsides of this type of fireplace? You can burn wood it in. You can purchase a model that helps to make it more heat efficient by having a fire box “float” inside a second box so that air can circulate around the fire box and back into the room. You can burn many kinds of vented fire logs and specialty vented fireplace products in this style of fireplace. Now the cons. For a new fireplace installation, you may spend more money having a chimney built than you would with the other styles. This style is less heat efficient than the other two styles.

Hopefully, you have a much clearer understanding of the three types of fireplaces that were discussed. After reading the various points on each, you may have very valid reasons for choosing one over the other to suite your needs. I’m glad this article helped you make this decision. Personally, I choose Fully Vented because I like the versatility of being able to use this type of fireplace for a number of different products. New products are coming out all the time and I don’t want to be restricted from using them. With Fully Vented, you can switch to different types of products as often as you choose.

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If you are planning to do a lot of backyard grilling, most people recommend a natural gas grill over propane.  In general, grills that use natural gas are safer and prepare better tasting food. Also, they offer a high level of convenience. You can use the same kind of gas that is already used in your house.  Backyard chefs, who just want to casually cook some food for friends or a party, usually do not like dealing with the hassle of refueling a propane tank.  With a natural gas grill, you also don’t have to worry about running out of fuel since it is coming directly from your house.

Propane grills do provide more cooking power. However, on the other hand, the price of natural gas is generally lower than that of propane. In some areas, it will cost you about 1/3 the price of propane! This means that even if it takes a bit longer to cook your food, you will save money in the long run with a natural gas grill. Another plus for gas grills is that they are more eco-friendly than propane grills. The smoke that is released is cleaner. If you have people at your backyard get-together who are sensitive to smoke, they will be thankful that you are using a gas grill instead of one that is fueled by propane.

Another major pro for natural gas grills is that there are quite a few very impressive models of grills that you can buy. A Weber, for example, is a popular brand with people who care about owning the best appliances. Weber makes a grill with six stainless steel burners called a Weber Summit Grill.  The company calls this Weber Summit Grill line, “The Pinnacle of Grilling.”  This particular grill has a wide variety of features that will make your cooking not only easy, but also delicious.  Special touches on the Weber Summit Grill include features like a snap-jet individual burner ignition system, 6 tool holders, a Weber cookbook, and stainless steel flavorizer bars.

After using a Weber natural gas grill, especially products like the Weber Summit grill, many people find it hard to go back to the regular stove or the microwave.  An owner of a Weber product usually feels like grilling year-round!

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Fire Pits are a wonderful addition to any outside enjoyable area. If you take pleasure in hours of darkness out in the presence of an open fire, in that case a fire pit might be something you would like to own. They are secure options to untidy and risky open flame fires on the ground. These things have avoided several home fires. They keep the fire restricted within an elegant yet useful fire proof partial enclosure. They can be made of stone, concrete, or metal. These are all commendable materials to build fire pits out of. The one you make a choice will almost certainly be owing to the style statement you desire to make in your backyard.

Fire pits are no longer a hole in the ground encircled by a few stones. Fire pits have developed into integrated stainless steel hearths, into gas fire pits and exclusive fire pit discussion tables bringing everybody together. Stainless steel zero clearance fireboxes are chosen for the simple installation aspects. Integrated hearths can be made in brick, stone or ceramic tile that defines your outside decoration. Open-air hearths either wood burning or gas fired is a centre for your sitting plans.

There are as well fire pits that are made directly into patio tables. These types are made mostly out of stone and metal. You can burn wood in fire pits. Several people love to burn sweet smelling wood to have a breathtaking aroma to take pleasure in even as loving the atmosphere that a patio fire produces. There are as well easier to use fire pits that have ceramic faux logs in them that in fact burn propane gas and at times natural gas right through the faux ceramic logs. The flames that come out of these faux ceramic logs dance right on the artificial wood identical to a genuine wood-fire would. Guests that you have over to enjoy your thing might not even be capable of telling that your fire pit has faux logs burning with gas on them. The kind of thing you want, gas burning or natural wood burning, is all up to you.

Gas fire pits are offered in kits letting you to add your own finishing touches or buy fully made models. The ease of using gas makes for an excellent discussion pit. Gas fire pits will not blow smoke in your guest’s eyes and let you to entertain without having to manage a fire. Gas fire pit tables are as well to be had at bar height and a few offer open-air cooking grills. An excellent way to make an unforgettable late afternoon is cooking the meal right at the dinner table. Every person gets involved with cooking meal rather than the cook standing at the grill cooking even as guests are sitting at a table waiting for diner.

There is no clutter involved. All the clutter is restricted within the pit where it stays. There are so many different colors and styles of pits. You definitely can come across the ideal one to go with your outside furniture. There’s no need to take the party indoors on those cold days and nights. You can entertain and maintain your guests, warm right there around your new fire pit. There’s nothing more romantic than snuggling on a cold night with a loved one by your fire pit. Tell stories with the family, and roast marshmallows with the children, right there in your patio fire pit. Fire pits are long-lasting and meant to last for years. Imagine the reminiscences you will make right there with your fire pit.

Open-air living has changed backyards across Canada, creating an open-air living room for rest and entertainment centers around the fire pit. A patio fire pit is a meeting place that brings everyone together for an unforgettable late afternoon. Open-air living rooms let you to term your lifestyle and improve the good looks of your house.

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To start, thanks for taking an interest in my article! I love to share my knowledge and expertise with all of the people that are reading. I am a plumber but my real passion is writing so I have combined my current career with what I love to do and have given you a source of reference to look upon for guidance.

There are many different brands of Tankless Water Heaters in Antioch Ca. I have chosen to write about just a few of them because I feel these are the best of the best and would encourage anyone to choose these water heaters because of their dependability, efficiency, and features they offer.

Let us begin with the Navien Tankless Water Heater in Antioch Ca. There are many reasons we feel this is your best choice. It is a relatively newer model in comparison to other brands on the market today. In saying that you should know the people that manufacture this unit also began with another Tankless Water Heater brand so even though this is a fairly new unit it is being made by people with years of experience. Not to mention Navien America is located in Los Angeles so there are support staff here in our state. There is a local sales & service rep within 30 miles of Antioch Ca that gives us access to any parts that may be needed quickly without waiting for them to be shipped.

The major benefits of a Navien Tankless in Antioch are:

98% Efficiency which is greater than any other unit available
Built in Circulation pump allowing for not only endless hot water but instant hot water
Automatic Leak Detection if for some reason it leaks it senses it and shuts it down to prevent any damage to your home.
Eco-Friendly it offers the lowest NOx and CO2 emissions of all the tankless water heaters on the market.
Ease of Installation- PVC Venting allows for easy installation for your professional plumber in Antioch Ca.

All of these key benefits allow the Navien to be versatile and affordable as a choice for a tankless water heater in Antioch Ca.

Noritz Tankless Water Heaters in Antioch Ca is our second choice. They have been the front runner for tankless water heaters for quite a while. Some of the reasons we feel this is a good choice for your Tankless Water Heater Installation in Antioch Ca are:

Dual Flame Burner- with 2 burners it allows the second burner to burn the gas that the first didn’t burn increasing the level of efficiency to 93%.
Heat Exchanger is a commercial grade using 25% thicker copper piping allowing the heat exchanger to withstand high temperatures and many years of use.
Concentric Venting- allows for more flexibility when installing your tankless water heater because the venting is cool to the touch you can install it in places you wouldn’t be able to install a hot vent pipe.

As you can see they each have different features, and different capabilities. Not everyone has the same desires for their Tankless Water Heater in Antioch. We recommend contacting a local plumber in Antioch to look at your home and help you to choose the best Tankless Water Heater for your family and lifestyle.

Gas ventless heaters are stealing the limelight nowadays. It is impossible to live without heaters. When the temperature nosedives below zero, nothing, but a good heating system to prevent your bones from freezing and your teeth from chattering, is the only solution. The central heating system has been long used in US homes, but ventless heaters are new on the block. However, their benefits have made them very popular in a short time.

Comparing Ventless Heaters With Vented Ones

Gas ventless heaters do not expel air outside the house. They work by utilizing the oxygen present in the room and generate heat that is pushed back directly into the room. Therefore, there is no place for outside air in this unit. Such mechanism increases the efficiency of the heater. This is where these gas heaters have an edge over the traditional ones. The latter use air from outside, and because of the vents present, they lose a lot of heat.

Natural gas ventless heaters are more efficient than pellet or wood burning heaters. For the health conscious souls, pellet or wood burning heating systems are bad choices, as they emit smoke. The vents made for ejecting smoke outside also pull out a major portion of the heat generated, thus decreasing the efficiency of heaters. Besides, smoke is loaded with carbon monoxide is, as it is, dangerous for the lungs?

4 Top Benefits of Gas Ventless Heaters

* They are eco-friendly heaters that use natural gas, which produces no soot or any form of harmful by-products.
* Their fuel efficiency is 99.9 percent. They cut down the power bill also. You can switch them off when not in use. Besides, unlike central heating system, they do not heat your whole house, saving a lot of energy.
* You can refill natural gas easily at your nearest dealer. Moreover, you may not need a frequent refill, with these heaters.
* They are portable. You can mount them on a wall or place them on the table. You can also shift them to another room with ease.

Such heaters come in different models, like wall mounted, stand alone, blue flame, and radiant version. These are great devices during power shortages because they do not let the heat escape from the room.
 
If your power bills send shivers down your spine, then it is time to install gas heaters without vents. Although there is a controversy attached with these heaters, their advantages overshadow the doubts. A large number of households have already begun using this type of natural and eco-friendly heating system.

We ought to be responsible citizens and care for the planet. You cannot feel proud to own smoke-producing heaters that leave a long trail of carbon footprints. You are intoxicating not only the environment, but also your own body. Therefore, the solution to a warm, cozy home, without carbon traces, lies in gas ventless heaters.

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The debate whether charcoal or gas grills are better goes on since the ‘60s. By this time it can’t be argued that gas grills are much more practical that the old charcoal grills. However, the strength of charcoal grills is that meat grilled on it has a unique flavor. If you are looking for a good quality charcoal grill, then Weber is your choice. If you don’t want to leave it unprotected, the first thing you should buy is a Weber charcoal grill cover.

Basically there are two kinds of Weber charcoal grill covers: the simpler design is the Premium Cover for 18 1/2″ and 22 1/2″ Charcoal Grills. Heavy-duty vinyl reinforced with Kevlar fibers are used for these covers, making them extremely strong and durable. These are also easy to wash because they are completely waterproof. They are also light and can be easily used: the grill just has to be covered with those.

For the larger grills there is the Premium Cover for 22 1/2″ One-Touch® Platinum. These are also made of heavy-duty vinyl, so they don’t crack exposed to ultra-low temperatures. This Weber charcoal grill cover is good for all One-Touch Platinum Charcoal Grills Weber produces. People who use them say that this cover fits tight, but it looks really durable.

You can also use for other grills the Weber charcoal grill covers. The only thing you should watch is the size: a cover that is too small doesn’t fit properly, or can be torn. On the other hand, a cover that is too large can be easily blown away by the wind, and it will also look awkward on your grill.

You will be fully satisfied no matter what grill you have and which Weber charcoal grill cover you choose. These covers are just as good as Weber grills are. And if you buy one, it is not likely you will have to buy another one before you have to change the grill itself.

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So you just decided to move to a new place, you bring your furniture with you redecorate your new home, you get to pick out the wall paper you want, you get new carpets, new lights and anything else, but you should know that there is still one thing that you can change that will make any household more elegant and that’s with a gas fireplace.

You will notice that the main focus of your living room will always be the gas fireplace, wherever you place it. You could choose to place it in the middle as to bring out the most of its warmth, or maybe divide up a living and dining area with a see-through model. Or even one that can be on your wall, which a vent free gas or even a direct vent will do for you.

But you will need to decide on which type of fireplace you will need first. For instance does your new home have a chimney? Then it will most likely also have a fireplace, correct? Now this might not be the most fuel efficient fireplace, it might also be drafty and unable to perform well. But don’t worry! You could always get a fireplace gas insert. This basically retrofits into the old inefficient one and makes it more efficient!

Now if you notice that there isn’t a chimney, you don’t have to feel down, because if there isn’t a chimney then that means there are more possibilities for you to choose from. For instance you could get a direct vent gas fireplace, this type has no need for a chimney, but rather vents out through the wall or roof, it is also quite easy to install and goes almost anywhere. You also won’t have to worry about venting when you get a vent-free fireplace. In fact some of these types of fireplace are so modern you can literally hang them on your wall like pictures. You could even get a highly decorative one with those Swarovski crystals embedded on it.

Nowadays fireplaces come along with a wide variety of colors, which makes it easier for you to match it to your wall or whatever else you feel like easily. Porcelain enamel fireplaces come with the colors brown, white, green and of course black. You could also go for those opulent 24K gold plated fireplaces or a brushed stainless steel one if you desire. Of course the latter ones would cost more, but it is money well spent.

However you must think this through before deciding to invent on it, as it will be the focus in your house and will most likely remain there for as long as you stay in the house. Some things you should think about is that if you go for those trendy modern types, will you be worrying about it going out of style? If you change your mind easily and décor a lot, you will most probably be safer with a vent-free model as it is easier to change it if you ever feel bored with it.

If you want to heat a shop or other large area, then a shop heater might be just the solution that you are looking for. A shop heater will give you the amount of heat that you want exactly where you want it to be, they are easy to move and put out a lot of heat in the immediate area surrounding them. If you’re looking for a more permanent solution, many shop heaters can be mounted semi-permanently on walls or other solid surfaces as well.

Not all shop heaters are created equal, unfortunately. Some will have larger space requirements, some use different fuel sources or heating types, and many of them vary in the amount of heat that they can produce. Since you obviously want to choose a shop heater that will meet your specific needs, here are some considerations to keep in mind that will help you pick the heater that will serve you best.

Amount of Heat Produced

One of the first things that you should look at is the amount of heat that is produced, generally represented in BTU’s. The higher the BTU number is, the more heat the heater will produce while it’s operating. If you need the heater to heat a larger space, you’re going to want more BTU’s than if it was going to be heating a smaller room. You might also check and see if the heater features a thermostat of any kind which regulates when it heats and when it doesn’t based upon the temperature that you set. Check and see if the heater box has any recommendations as to the amount of room that it can heat, and use this to develop an estimation of whether it would meet your heating needs.

Size of the Heater

Obviously size is going to be a consideration when it comes to choosing a shop heater. If you’re going to use a heater you need to have enough room for it, so you need to choose the heater that you buy according to the amount of space you have available. Likewise you should consider options that will allow you to make better use of your space, such as the ability to mount the heater using wall brackets, screws, or other methods. This can allow you to place the heater exactly where you want it, as opposed to simply having to set it on the floor (unless you want one which can be placed anywhere on the floor.) You should also consider whether the heater you want needs to be portable or if it will be stationary during most of the time that you use it.

Fuel or Power Source

Different shop heaters will operate using different fuel or power sources. Some will require that you plug them into an electrical outlet for them to work, while others will need propane, natural gas, or some other fuel source. You should consider both the cost of the different fuel and power sources as well as how each would fit into your intended usage to help you decide which shop heater you want to buy. If you’re going to need the heater in a location without electricity nearby or if you want the heater to be easily portable, you might want to buy a heater that uses propane or some other fuel to produce its heat. If you don’t want to have to continually buy fuel or if you simply want to have the heaters relatively stationary, then an electrical heater might be a better option. Make sure that you consider both options so that you can decide which would truly be most beneficial to you.

Blowers or Radiators

Finally, it’s important to decide whether you want a blower of some sort on your shop heater or if you just want it to radiate heat in the area around it. Blowers can range in type from simple fans to jet-like air movers, while radiators come in a variety of shapes and sizes in order to provide you with the most heat without creating wind. If you’re trying to heat a large area or if your heater is going to be at least a short distance from where you’re going to be working, then having a shop heater with an equipped blower could be beneficial. If you need to keep airflow to a minimum because of paperwork or you just don’t want to have the noise of a blower, then a radiator-style heater might be more along the lines of what you need.

Different Types of Water Heating:

This article is about choosing the correct hot water cylinder for your home, but before we go into the details of this, it’s usually a good idea to understand the different ways of getting hot water out of a tap.

On-Demand Water Heating from a Combi Boiler:

You can get on-demand hot water from your central heating boiler if you’re using a Combination or Combi Boiler (as they are more commonly known).

These boilers only heat water when a tap or shower is switched on and there is a demand for hot water.

Stored Hot Water in a Cylinder:

The other alternative is to use a Hot Water Cylinder to store and heat water. These can heat the water using a system or open vent boiler, a renewable source of energy such as an Air or Ground Source Heat Pump, or by using an electric element.

This article aims to help you decide which type of cylinder to buy if you believe this type of hot water source is your best option.

Which Should I Choose?

Combination boilers are fantastic machines, but you should keep in mind that they’ve been designed to operate under certain circumstances. If you fall into these then a combi boiler will be absolutely perfect for you. Trouble starts when people install a new combi boiler without first making sure that they can cope with the many limitations.

Combi boilers can provide both instant hot water and central heating, but not at the same time. They are set to prioritise hot water over central heating, so when hot water is being run there is no output to the central heating system. You can see the problem here if someone wanted to run a hot bath in the middle of winter!

If several different taps are switched on at the same time, the water pressure at each tap will be greatly reduced. If someone is downstairs doing the washing up at the same time you’re trying to run a bath, you could be in for a very long wait.

If you live in an area with particularly severe winters, a combi boiler may not be your best choice either. Both the efficiency and the water temperature from a combi suffer in winter as the water flowing through the pipes cools more rapidly, and more energy than usual is required to push water around the home.

Because the distance from heat source to tap can vary dramatically with a combi, depending on your mains water pressure you may have to wait for up to a full minute for the hot water flow to reach the furthest taps.

Combi boilers are most suited to homes with low hot water demand such as one-person apartments, holiday homes (where the heating is only used when the home is occupied) and bungalows.

Houses with multiple bathrooms, large families or even small families with teenagers, where the bathroom is a hive of activity in the mornings and at especially at weekends, would almost certainly be better off with a hot water cylinder supplying their needs.

Different Types of Hot Water Cylinder:

Once you’ve decided that a stored hot water solution is your best option for providing hot water, you need to understand the different types of water cylinder on the market.

Traditional Hot Water Cylinders:

In a traditional cylinder the water is fed to the cylinder from a cold-water storage tank, known as a header tank, situated above the cylinder. The force of gravity is harnessed to generate the pressure that pushes water down from the tank into the cylinder; the higher above the cylinder the header tank is, the greater the water pressure.

The greatest advantage of such a cylinder is that due to the distance between header tank and cylinder, you will receive an improved head and thus a better flow of water at the taps than with a combination cylinder.

Combination Hot Water Cylinders:

If you don’t have access to a loft or other roof space to install a header tank, you might want to look at a combination cylinder. Specially designed for homes with limited roof space, what would have been the header tank has been incorporated into the upper body of the cylinder. As it now comprises of both the header tank and a water storage unit, this is known as a combination cylinder.

The main advantage of a combination cylinder is convenience. It requires far less space than a traditional header tank and cylinder installation; however as the header tank is far closer to the cylinder, the water pressure will not be as high as with a traditional setup.

Different Types of Hot Water Systems:

Now that you’ve decided on the type of cylinder you need, it’s time to take a look at how that cylinder will fit in with your existing central heating system. There are two types of hot water systems, namely open vented and unvented.

Open Vented Hot Water System:

Traditional hot water storage systems consist of a header tank positioned above the cylinder, usually in the loft, which contains a large volume of cold water. These systems are powered by gravity, relying on the weight of the water in the storage tank and the distance between the tank and the cylinder to push water down the pipe which leads to the hot water cylinder.

A vent pipe leading from the cylinder to the outside of the house allows excess pressure to escape and in the event of overheating, a secondary pipe runs from the top of the cylinder back up to an open vent just above the water level in the header tank.

Here are the advantages of an open vented hot water cylinder system:

Can be installed by a regular plumber or keen DIY’er
Simple and relatively inexpensive to maintain
Gives the option of a traditional airing cupboard
Gives the option of installing a power shower
Less expensive than unvented cylinders

And here are the disadvantages of an open vented hot water cylinder system:

Available hot water is limited by the size of cylinder and the recovery time
Large amount of space required for tanks, cylinders and pipe-work
Possibility of low or unbalanced water pressure at taps and showers

Unvented Hot Water System:

In an unvented hot water system water is stored at mains pressure where it can be distributed throughout your home. To maintain this pressure, the entire system must be completely sealed and self-contained; meaning a method other than a vent pipe must be used to relieve excess pressure.

Cold water is fed through a pressurised tank inside which it is heated by the cylinder’s heat source, either directly or indirectly. Hot water stored inside this tank is then forced out into the cylinder by the incoming cold water at mains pressure, where it can be drawn off whenever a tap is switched on.

To allow water inside the cylinder to expand as it heats up, a closed container known as an expansion vessel is used. A flexible rubber diaphragm separates the pressurised air inside the vessel from the expanding water outside. This pressurised air acts as a cushion against the impact of the rapidly expanding water, allowing pressure waves to dissipate harmlessly while keeping water out of the vessel.

Just like an open vented cylinder, an unvented water cylinder also has a number of advantages and disadvantages.The advantages are:

High water pressure ideal for showers
Balanced water pressure at both hot and cold taps
Balanced shower pressure
No need for a cold water storage cistern in the loft
Quicker and easier to install than an open vented cylinder
Installation and maintenance will be carried out by a qualified professional to local safety regulations

And the disadvantages are:

Controls need more space than those of a traditional open vented system
Unvented cylinders are usually more expensive than open vent cylinders

Different Styles of Hot Water Cylinder:

Hot water cylinders come in a variety of styles, each best suited to homes with differing energy needs and hot water systems.

Direct Hot Water Cylinder:

In a direct cylinder, the water is heated via a heat source located within the cylinder, such as an electrical immersion heater. Cold water is fed into the bottom of the cylinder and the heat coming from the heat source rises up to the top of the cylinder where it heats the water which is then drawn off and used for drinking and bathing.

As this heat source is heating the water ‘directly’ without relying on an external source such as a boiler, this type of cylinder is known as a direct cylinder.

Indirect Hot Water Cylinder:

With an indirect cylinder, a pipe carrying hot water from your boiler feeds through the cylinder, heating up the water around it as it goes. The section of pipe that goes through the cylinder is shaped like a coil, so that as much of the pipe remains in contact with the water as possible to maximise heat transfer.

Since the main heat source for the water in the cylinder is not located within the cylinder but comes from an external source, this type of cylinder is known as indirect.

Twin Coil Hot Water Cylinder:

If you have an old back burner or a wood-burning stove as well as your central heating boiler, a twin coil cylinder will allow you to connect that heat source to the cylinder as well.

This doubles up on the amount of coil inside that can transfer heat to the water in the cylinder and thus increases the speed the water is heated at.

Solar Hot Water Cylinder:

Solar systems incorporate both solar collecting panels and a sealed control kit with safety valves.

The panels absorb the sun’s energy in the form of light, and channel that energy through the system to the single coil in the cylinder, providing an energy source to heat the water inside.

Different Sizes of Hot Water Cylinder:

The next thing you’ll need to think about is what size and volume of hot water cylinder would best meet the needs of you and your family.

In modern homes hot water usage has been calculated to range between 35 and 45 litres per person per day; therefore you might think that a 200 litre cylinder will store more than enough hot water to supply the average 4 person family for a full day.

However this doesn’t take into consideration that some members of the household may take longer in the bathroom than others, may prefer power showers over standard, may leave the tap running while brushing their teeth or that a family may use a dishwasher instead of doing the washing up.

Teenagers in particular are notorious for using more than their fair share of water, and the simple act of taking a bath can more than double your daily water usage.

This makes it important that rather than choosing a cylinder which turns out to be too small for your needs that you choose a larger cylinder than you might at first think would be necessary. It’s always better to have a cylinder larger than you need, than to have one that’s too small and only find out after it’s been fully installed!

The following table gives the sizes and capacities of standard hot water cylinders that can be installed in the UK:

Standard Cylinders

British
Standard
Type Ref

External Diameter
(excluding foam
insulation)

External Height
over Dome

Min Storage Capacity

Direct
Indirect

mm
mm
Litres
Litres

0
300
1600
98
96

1
350
900
74
72

2
400
900
98
96

3
400
1050
116
114

4
450
675
86
84

5
450
750
98
95

6
450
825
109
106

7
450
900
120
117

8
450
1050
144
140

9
450
1200
166
162

9e
450
1500
210
206

10
500
1200
200
190

11
500
1500
255
245

12
600
1200
290
280

13
600
1500
370
360

14
600
1800
450
440

You’ve probably spotted that indirect cylinders have a slightly smaller storage capacity than direct; this difference is a result of the space inside the cylinder that has to be taken up with the heating coil instead of water.

Different Grades of Hot Water Cylinder:

When looking into Hot Water Cylinders you might come across the term ‘grade’ and wonder what it means.

A cylinder’s grade gives the maximum distance above the cylinder the header tank can be, and thus the maximum water pressure the cylinder can withstand.

There are three different grades of cylinder:

Grade 1 can withstand up to a 25 meter head of water
Grade 2 can withstand up to a 15 meter head of water
Grade 3 can withstand a up to 10 meter head of water

The average household hot water cylinder is made to Grade 3 specifications, meaning your header tank can be safely positioned anywhere up to 10 meters above the cylinder.

Insulation of Hot Water Cylinders:

Much more than just an afterthought, proper insulation or lagging is absolutely essential on a hot water cylinder. It’s completely ridiculous to heat a large volume of water only to let it go cold again. Would you boil a kettle and then let it go cold before pouring a cup of tea?

Many older properties may have an unlagged cylinder, but their owners might as well be burning money for every second the cylinder is on. It’s a blessing in disguise when one of these finally fails, as the replacement cylinder will invariably arrive lagged and go on to show how much more efficient it is.

Modern cylinders usually come with foam lagging pre-attached to the outside of the cylinder. Make sure that the new cylinder carries the British kite-mark, to ensure your compliance with Part L of the Building Regulations regarding the conservation of energy.

Older cylinders are likely to be fitted with an insulation jacket which could be as thin as 40mm. These provide little or no benefit and depending on how old the cylinder is, could have worn through in places, or even been wrongly fitted from the start.

If your cylinder does not have lagging, a new 80mm thick insulation jacket should cost no more than £15 and can save up to £30 a year on your heating bills. This should be your highest priority in the event you find yourself with an un-lagged cylinder.

Delivery Times:

The delivery time for a standard hot water cylinder is between 7 to 14 working days.

The delivery time of a bespoke cylinder depends entirely on the specifications the cylinder must be manufactured to, and will be calculated on a case-by-case basis.

Our Recommendation:

Our hot water cylinder manufacturer of choice is RM Cylinders of Yorkshire, an independent company built on a proud tradition of serving the commercial and domestic hot water storage markets.

RM Cylinders specialise in bespoke hot water cylinders, manufactured to precise specifications provided by their customers.

We are proud to work with RM Cylinders as they continue their tradition of providing quality, flexibility and market-leading customer service.

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