Hot Water Systems – The Basics
April 20, 2009 by yoursydneyplumber
Filed under Hot Water Systems
Hot water systems are plumbing related systems that are fitted to almost all modern houses to help heat and control the water flow. They usually consist of four entities..
- a cold water tank to store the initial water and help with topping up the supply
- a boiler that heats up the water (by gas or electricity)
- a hot water tank that holds all of the hot water for when you use the hot tap for showers or in the sink, and
- radiators which take water from the boiler and heat it up to keep areas of the home warm.
There may be different combinations to this general setup, some with different pressures and some that do not have a cold water tank at all.
Some of the installation for hot water systems can be a DIY job, although it is highly recommended that you hire a professional plumbing company for most installations and repairs, especially where gas is concerned, which can be very dangerous. However to keep the system running efficiently there are some things you can do at home by yourself. One of these common things is “bleeding radiators.”
Over time air passes in to your radiators as water flows through the system. Eventually this will cause a reduction in heat and may cause you to increase the temperature. Either way you end up spending more money to heat the house fully, than you would have done when the hot water system was first installed.
To fix this you have to regularly bleed the radiators to let the air out. This process simply involves using the bleed key (you’ll be given this during installation, or it may be fixed on top of the radiator dial), to turn anti clockwise and release the pressure. If you haven’t done it for a long while, placing down a towel can catch any scummy water that leaks out.
There are many Sydney plumbers and hot water engineers that can help install and repair hot water systems, to help your home run smoothly and efficiently. Although some things can be done yourself, hiring a professional plumber who is experienced your particular brand of hot water system e.g. Rheem, Aquamax, Vulcan etc ensures the job is done correctly.
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