What to Know If Your Unvented Water Cylinder Is Losing Pressure and Flow

The entire point of an unvented hot water cylinder is to provide mains pressure water at every tap in the home. If yours is not doing that, it indicates that there is something wrong. However, the problem might not lie with the water heater. Below, we’ll discuss some of the most common causes of an unvented water cylinder losing pressure and flow.

Perhaps the single most common reason for an unvented hot water cylinder to lose pressure and flow is if there’s an issue with the supply from the mains. If the supply side is running low on pressure, or something has happened to affect the flow, such as maintenance that requires turning the water flow off, your home will also be affected.

The best option here is to check with your water company. This will tell you if maintenance is being performed, but it will also give you the opportunity to report the situation to the water company if the problem does lie with the mains. Note that if the problem is with the mains, both hot and cold water will be affected.

Another possibility is that an external valve has failed. This is most common in apartments where the valve is external to your home but internal to the apartment block’s supply line. When this occurs, it can slow or stop the flow of water to apartments within the block. You will need to report the situation to your manager/maintenance provider. As with mains-related problems, this issue will affect both hot and cold water. If the problem is only with your hot water, you’ll need to look closer at hand for the issue (it’s most likely within your water heater).

The problem might not be system wide. If you’re experiencing low water pressure and flow at one tap, but not at another, the issue is most likely with the tap. Sediment in the lines can build up within the tap, causing a partial or full blockage. In this instance, the tap will need to be cleaned and the scale build-up removed. In some cases, you’ll need to replace the entire tap.

Finally, there is a chance that the pressure/flow problem is related to a failed pressure reduction valve on your water heater. This is part of the combination valve and should be inspected, tested, and serviced every year. If it is not serviced annually, it is prone to failure. If the pressure reduction valve is at fault, it will need to be replaced (usually the full combination valve will be replaced).

Dealing with lost pressure and flow from your unvented water cylinder? Get in touch with EasyFlow to schedule your inspection and repair. We can also provide annual inspection and maintenance services to ensure that your combination valve (and the entire unvented cylinder system) remains in good working condition for years to come.