How to differentiate a gas boiler from a water cylinder with immersions
Examining their appearance is an easy way of differentiating a gas boiler from a water cylinder with immersions. Besides, getting to know their purpose and functionality might help tenants or homeowners when requesting maintenance assistance. Here are some key differences to look for:
Water heating system – Appearance and Location
Gas Boiler – generally larger units, often wall mounted. They are connected to gas lines and usually have pipes for water inlet, outlet, and gas supply. They might also have a digital display or control panel.
Water Cylinder with Immersions – also known as a hot water tank, it is typically a cylindrical tank. It’s often larger than a boiler and located in storage areas (hot-press).
Water heating system – Purpose
Gas Boiler – primarily used to heat water for both domestic heating and hot water taps/showers. It burns gas to heat water that circulates through radiators or underfloor heating systems for space heating, and it also provides hot water for taps.
Water Cylinder with Immersions – designed to store and heat a large volume of water for domestic use. It works using electric immersion heaters, and it’s mainly used for hot water storage.
Water heating system – Functionality
Gas Boiler – can provide both central heating and hot water on demand. With a thermostat and timer, it allows users to set desired temperatures and schedules. Some of them have a reset button that could work as the first attempt to fix a possible problem.
Water Cylinder with Immersions – primarily store and heat hot water. By using switchers or timers, it is possible to manually control the immersion heaters (timed and boost options).
Water heating system – Maintenance
Gas Boiler – maintenance includes regular checks, cleaning, and safety inspections related to gas combustion. A gas boiler service should happen annually. If your boiler has a digital panel, check if any error appears in the small screen before requesting maintenance assistance.
Water Cylinder with Immersions – maintenance focuses on checking and replacing immersion heaters if necessary. If a problem with getting hot water arises, testing the timer and the boost options, and reporting the outcome will help the specialist to understand if the problem is related to the top or bottom immersion. Even though it is possible to have hot water using one or another, both immersions should be functional to avoid bigger problems.
By considering these factors of differentiating a gas boiler from a water cylinder with immersions, you should be able to request any maintenance assistance by using a proper description and terminologies related to the exact water heating system you have at your property.
Remember, the fact that you don’t have hot water does not necessarily mean that a plumber is the one and only specialist required to sort your problem, an electrician can also be part of the fixing process. Feel free to reach out to info@earnest.ie for any maintenance assistance or inquiries. We’re here to make your living experience as comfortable as possible.