Hot Water Cylinders & Tanks in Stowmarket & Suffolk
Cylinder leaking, water not staying hot, or planning a bathroom that needs better flow? Vented and unvented cylinders, immersion heaters and cold water tanks — explained plainly and fitted properly.
Vented or unvented — what's the difference?
A vented cylinder is the traditional copper cylinder most older homes have, fed by a cold water tank in the loft. It works on gravity — simple, reliable, and the cheapest thing to replace like-for-like — but the pressure at your taps and shower depends on how high that loft tank sits, which is why upstairs showers on these systems are often underwhelming.
An unvented cylinder is a pressurised stainless steel cylinder fed straight off the mains. There's no loft tank, and you get strong, even flow to every tap and shower in the house. The trade-off is that it must be installed and serviced by someone qualified to work on unvented systems, and its safety valves need checking routinely — it's not a DIY item.
I also replace immersion heaters — the electric elements and thermostats inside the cylinder. When "the water's gone cold", a failed immersion or thermostat is often the cheap fix rather than a new cylinder, and on a vented cylinder it's a straightforward job.
And up in the loft, I replace cold water storage tanks where an old galvanised or unlidded tank is overdue for updating — modern plastic tanks come properly lidded and insulated, which keeps the stored water clean and protects it from frost.
When replacement makes sense
- ✓ Cylinder leaking or weeping at the seams or fittings
- ✓ Water goes cold quickly — failed thermostat, immersion or a scaled-up coil
- ✓ Airing cupboard smells damp
- ✓ Upgrading showers and the current setup can't deliver the flow
- ✓ Converting from tank-fed to mains-pressure hot water
Pricing guide
Typical supply-and-fit range, depending on cylinder size. Vented swaps and immersions are usually less — every job gets a clear fixed quote before work starts.
Vented vs unvented at a glance
VentedWorth a call early: a dribbling overflow pipe, water that's scalding one minute and cold the next, or rumbling noises from the cylinder are all signs worth acting on — before they become a burst cylinder or a flood.
Thinking about a combi instead?
Sometimes the right answer to a failing cylinder is switching to a combi boiler and losing the cylinder altogether — no stored hot water, no airing cupboard taken up. I fit both, so you'll get an honest comparison of the options for your home, not a sales pitch. Get a free quote if you'd like the numbers.
Hot water cylinders — FAQ
Like-for-like is the simplest and cheapest option, and for many homes it's the right one. But if you're chasing better shower performance or want the loft tank gone, an unvented cylinder — or a combi conversion — may serve you better. It depends on your mains pressure and how much hot water the household uses, so I'll measure and advise rather than guess.
The common causes are a failed cylinder thermostat, a broken immersion element, a heating coil scaled up inside the cylinder, or simply a cylinder that's too small for the household. It's usually diagnosable in a single visit — and often the fix is a small part rather than a new cylinder.
An unvented cylinder runs at mains pressure, so it has dedicated safety controls — an expansion vessel, a pressure relief valve and a temperature relief valve. These must be installed by someone qualified for unvented work and checked periodically, typically alongside the annual boiler service.
A like-for-like vented swap is usually done within the day. Unvented conversions, or moving a cylinder to a new position, take longer because of the pipework and discharge requirements involved — I'll give you a clear picture of the timescale at the quote stage.
"We have used Nick for the install of a new boiler and the subsequent annual maintenance and have always found him to be courteous, professional, on time and tidy. I recommend using Nick for both gas related work but also general plumbing."