Expansion vessels, also known as expansion tanks, can be found in most domestic pressurised heating systems. If you have a combi boiler, you will have an expansion vessel. This vessel contains air and water from the central heating system, and its purpose is to maintain the right level of pressure in the system.

What are the symptoms of a faulty expansion vessel?

Big swings in central heating system pressure indicate expansion vessel faults. You probably have a failed or failing expansion vessel. An undersized vessel can cause big pressure swings too but those swings would have been present since installation.

What happens if my expansion vessel fails?

Expansion vessels work at pressure. If this pressure is lost, the expansion vessel cannot do its job and the boiler will fail to start or will automatically shut down.

Do I need expansion vessel for central heating?

As we all know, when water is heated it expands and wants to take up more volume. As the system is basically a closed loop, consisting of the boiler, pipework and radiators, it is necessary to provide some space for the water to expand into. This is why the expansion vessel is required.

Should there be water in an expansion vessel?

There should be water in the water side of the expansion vessel. It is actually preferable that all air is removed from the water side.

Why would an expansion vessel fail?

What causes an expansion vessel to fail? An expansion vessel can fail due to rust and subsequent water leakage, although this is unlikely in most modern sealed water heating systems. It is more common for the diaphragm to become thinner and perforate over time, causing the whole system to fail.

How long should an expansion vessel last?

between five and 10 years

But expansion tanks can wear out. The average life of your tank can be anywhere between five and 10 years. You can extend the life of your expansion tank by making sure that your home’s water pressure matches the air pressure in your expansion tank. But in some cases, you’ll need to replace it.

How do I know if my expansion tank has failed?

Check your relief valve on the water heater. It’s located on the side of the water heater with a tube that goes to the floor. If the relief valve is dripping, this could indicate your expansion tank has failed.

How do I know if my expansion tank is working?

Finally, testing your Thermal Expansion Tank is important and should be tested once a year when you flush your water heater. If your Thermal Expansion Tank is hanging from a pipe, you would push the Schrader Valve (air valve), located on the bottom of the tank, if the air is released then the tank is working properly.

How do I test a boiler expansion vessel?

If water comes out of it it means the expansion vessel is not good so then we need to fit another one. But if the expansion vessel is okay we can just recharge it again using some Confessor.

How often should expansion tank be replaced?

Between five and 10 years

Between five and 10 years is the average lifespan of your tank. If your home’s water pressure matches the air pressure in your expansion tank, you can extend the life of your tank. You’ll need to replace it in some cases.

Can a faulty expansion vessel cause pressure loss?

Your combi boiler can be losing pressure for a number of reasons. Pressure loss may be caused from a leak in the pressure relief valve, an issue in the expansion vessel, air in your system, or a leak in the heating pipework itself.

Why do you need an expansion vessel?

The purpose of an expansion vessel is to help prevent overpressure situations with an unvented cylinder. As water is heated, it expands. The air within the expansion vessel compresses and absorbs additional pressure to help ensure that your water heater operates in a stable way.

Do you need an expansion tank with a combi boiler?

On the central heating side, combi boilers pump the water round the heating system in a completely sealed system. The boiler incorporates an expansion tank internally, so there is no need for an external feed and expansion tank in the loft, which obviously saves a great deal of space.

Can you heat water and radiators at the same time?

The control valves within combi boilers work in different directions to one another. Therefore, the system will either transport hot water to your radiators or to your hot water tap – however, this will not be done at the same time and the hot water circuit usually takes priority.

What are the disadvantages of a combi boiler?

Let’s start by examining the disadvantages of the combi-boiler:

• Disadvantage 1: Struggles to meet high demand for water. …
• Disadvantage 2: Overly complex set-up. …
• Disadvantage 3: Slower water rate. …
• Disadvantage 4: If a combi-boiler breaks down, you lose hot water and central heating. …
• Advantage 1: Compact size.

Can a combi boiler fill a bath?

Nearly all combination boilers can cope with heating systems in larger houses. You can fill a bath almost twice as quick with a 42kw Worcester than a 24i Junior model. A 100 litre bath would take about 5 and a half minutes to fill with the larger boiler, but just over ten minutes for the smaller model.

How many radiators can you run off a combi boiler?

As a guide, combi boilers between 24 and 27kW can power up to 10 radiators, while a 24kW heat only or system model can heat up to 15 radiators.

Can you run 2 showers off a combi boiler?

For properties where a higher demand of hot water is needed the higher the kw of the boiler, the better the flow rate of hot water will be. *However combi boilers do not cope well with 2 showers running at the same time in the same property, due to the use of hot water across both showers.

Does water pressure affect a combi boiler?

Combi boilers take their water directly from the mains, which means that water pressure sent to taps and showers depends on the water pressure from the mains. Combi boilers are incompatible with boiler pumps, which means that power showers cannot be installed with a combi boiler system.

Is 3 bar too high in boiler?

High boiler pressure isn’t dangerous, even if it’s showing as three bar on the pressure gauge. In most cases, the boiler will turn itself off if the pressure goes about a certain level and a working PRV should successfully control the pressure, preventing it from getting too high.

Can a shower pump be used with a combi boiler?

In short, no you can’t. Power showers operate with an in-built pump that makes them incompatible with combi boilers, and they need to be connected to a hot water cylinder – which is a feature that combi boiler systems don’t have.

Do combi boilers give good shower pressure?

Combi Boilers are designed to switch off if the pressure falls so if you are in a house and someone turns on a tap you might just end up with your hot shower becoming a cold shower. To maximise the benefit of the pressure boost we normally recommend a double boost with the SP21S which will cost £155.

What type of shower is best with a combi boiler?

Thermostatic mixer showers

However, mixer showers, digital showers and electric showers are all ideal for use with a combi boiler system. Thermostatic mixer showers are traditionally considered the best type of shower to pair with combi boilers.

Can a combi boiler run 3 showers?

Whilst large combis are available that provide lots of hot water, they can be very inefficient on the heating system side. Some combi boiler manufacturers have found the right balance of providing lots of hot water without compromising efficiency, but the maximum they can do is still only two bathrooms.