System Boiler and Unvented Cylinder Upgrade in Bedford

The Brief

A house in Bedford where the existing heating and hot water setup had run its course. The homeowners did not want another temporary fix, and they wanted decent hot water pressure at more than one outlet at a time, so a combi was not the right answer for the property.

We surveyed the house, looked at the radiators, the existing pipework and how the household actually uses hot water, then specified a wall mounted system boiler working with an unvented hot water cylinder. That combination stores hot water and delivers it at mains pressure, which suits a home where the shower and a tap can easily be running at the same time.

What We Did

Our work included:

• Removed the old system: The system was drained down and the old boiler and hot water arrangement taken out, with the gas and water properly isolated first.
• Fitted the new system boiler: A wall mounted system boiler installed and connected to new copper flow and return pipework, with isolation valves on each leg so future servicing does not mean draining the house.
• Installed the unvented cylinder: An unvented hot water cylinder set alongside the boiler with its expansion vessel and safety controls, giving stored hot water at mains pressure.
• Re-ran the primary pipework: Floorboards were lifted so the primaries could be run properly in new copper rather than worked around the old route. The boards were refixed once the pipework was tested.
• Zone valves and controls: Motorised zone valves and wiring fitted so the heating and the hot water run independently of each other rather than everything firing at once.
• Magnetic system filter: A magnetic filter fitted on the return to catch the sludge and debris that circulate in any heating system, which protects the new boiler.
• Commissioned and handed over: The system was filled, pressure tested for leaks, flushed, and the boiler commissioned by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Radiators were balanced, the controls were set up and explained, and the manufacturer warranty was registered.

The Result

The house now has proper stored hot water at mains pressure and heating that can be controlled separately from it. The pipework runs cleanly from the boiler down to the cylinder and valves, the filter is accessible for servicing, and everything is set up for the system rather than left on factory settings.

The homeowners were shown how the controls work before we left, and the manufacturer warranty was registered on their behalf so the cover was in place from day one.

Gallery

Photographs from this upgrade, alongside other boiler installations we have carried out in and around Bedford.