How long to replace a Vented Cylinder with an Unvented one

[Worcester]

We are always looking to improve our efficiency (and hence money in our pocket 🙂 )

Just wondered how long most people would estimate for a replacement of an vented cylinder with shower pump to an unvented balanced supply system?

x man hours / days?

Assuming straightforward, i.e mains supply nearby (well it must be to the header tank at least 🙂 ) no upgrades to DHW heating controls (use existing timers) primarys in OK location for new cylinder, and straightforward access to cylinder location, i.e. average, typical cylinder replacement. Plastic cold water cylinder (aka tank) also to be emptied and removed in pieces from loft (hatch is always too small 🙂 )

Thx

 

[lame plumber]

long morning to 2 days, all depends on what ****ty problems you get on the way, so I always allow a couple of days 🙂

 

[Killy Bing]

Hmm, decent apprentice cuts the time down. If they know their pipes and what to do in the loft they can sort that and fetch you whatever you want.

 

[Ermintrude]

4 to 8 hours on a good day. But when new sl800 won't fit through 450wide bifold doors it takes longer.

 

[lame plumber]

4 to 8 hours on a good day. But when new sl800 won't fit through 450wide bifold doors it takes longer.

or when the apprentice appears in the airing cupboard fm above as happened to a mate 🙂

 

[Reg Man]

How long is a piece of rope, every job is different. As lame says, two days on average, for a simple one. Running D1, D2, tying up all the pipework, disconnecting the storage facilities and disposing.

 

[Nostrum]

Depends on D2 run really and how much work is needed for balanced cold take off.

 

[Worcester]

Thanks guys, ours are never simple and we're finding that most take a couple of days, thought we must be missing a trick though. - There again, the D2 took a whole day today (taking up bathroom floor covering, then the floor boards, drilling from the outside, then across and under the bathroom wall putting the floor boards and flooring back and had to be in 28mm due to the elbows to get out of the airing cupboard ........) next week the D2 is straight out the loft to a high level discharge 🙂

 

[TBServices]

What do you guys normally do re: cw supply, and balanced cold?

It's usually 15 in the cylinder cupboard, in fact it may be 15 all way back into street.

 

[Reg Man]

Quote>next week the D2 is straight out the loft to a high level discharge 🙂 <Quote. Are you allowed to do that? I do not think so.

 

[Worcester]

Quote>next week the D2 is straight out the loft to a high level discharge 🙂 <Quote. Are you allowed to do that? I do not think so.

I believe you are 🙂 So long as you return it to the wall ... Though it may depend upon your local building control officer

Downward discharges at high level ... are permitted provided that the discharge pipe is directed onto the wall to allow cooling and dispersion to take place onto the wall surface

 

[Mike Jackson]

Not allowed according to G3.

 

[kay-jay]

High level must be discharged into a stack or hopper

 

[cr0ft]

We always price unvented installs on 2 days of labour for our business. If you price for less and you hit a problem then you are screwed really, or asking the customer for no more money.

Hope this helps.

 

[Nostrum]

Used to be allowed to return to wall but that was scrapped quite a few years ago now. It was always considered a 'last resort' solution anyway from my understanding.

 

[Ermintrude]

Last resort is the cavity );

 

[Worcester]

Remember that the Approved Documents, are only one way of complying with the Building Regs - the nature of our work means that we end up regularly talking with and challenging Building Control officers - We had to teach them most of the 2010 changes re Competent Persons 🙂

The ONLY requirement of G3 is that "any discharges from safety devices is safely converyed to where it is visible but will not cause danger to persons in or about the building"

The Approved Document G gives some examples of how this can be done, if you follow those it is unlikely that you will be challenged by the BC officer, however, as it clearly states in the opening paragraphs ADG "include examples of what, in ordinary circumstances, may be reasonable provision for compliance with the relevant requirement(s) ..." it goes on to say that "following guidance does not guarantee compliance" and further says "that there may be other ways of achieving compliance" AND that "There is therefore no obligation to adopt any particular solution contained in this Approved Document if you would prefer to meet the particular requirement in some other way."

So in summary , there are no MUSTS to any particular way of managing any discharge, high or low... as I said, depends upon the particular installation's circumstances and your relationship with your BC officers 🙂

 

[spanner]

Haven't fitted an unvented system yet. But my big sister has 300ltr megaflo..the thing is. After cutting out all the old gravity pipework and adding to the existing old pipes ..you won't find any leaks under mains after a PRV..

 

[spanner]

And hi everyone.. happy new year and I'm so happy to be in with the new lads..

 

[Reg Man]

High level discharge in safe location against a wall is ok for sealed system boilers as the water content is lower and only likely to discharge the content of the boiler. Stored Unvented is an other matter, discharge to low level or drain and must be visible. B C officers who pass anything else obviously do not know what they are looking at.