Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Hot water not staying warm for long, foam insulated cylinder

  • 28-11-2016 3:53pm
    #1
    Turner
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 3,935 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Hi, we have a problem with our hot water not staying hot very long.

    The tank is about 7 years old.

    From looking at the attached picture could anybody offer advice?

    Our hot water is only staying warm for about 4 or 5 hours.

    If left overnight it would be cold by the morning. Well not freezing cold but barely tepid.

    The tank is foam insulated im wondering would adding a lagging jacket increase the amount of time the water would stay warm.

    Im going to insulate all the pipes on show in the picture too.

    The tank is in a fairly warm apartment, the temperature inside rarely drops below 19 degrees. Lowest i have ever seen even in cold weather is 17 degrees.


Comments

  • #2
    Wearb
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 6,378 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wearb


    Do you have a boiler stove?
    Circulating pump running for too long can be a cause for what you describe.
    A leak can also cause it. That can be tested for by tying up your ballcock (or otherwise stopping its flo. Dont use anywater for a couple of hours and see if the level in the tank has dropped.

    btw I haven't opened your large attachment, because I don't have very fast broadband out here in the sticks.

    Please follow site and charter rules. "Resistance is futile"



  • #3
    jca
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,585 ✭✭✭jca


    I had a similar problem a few years ago, turned out it was a leak under the sink in the kitchen. The water was going under the concrete floor so it couldn't be seen. A simple slacken and then tighten of the nut sorted it.


  • #4
    Turner
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 3,935 Mod ✭✭✭✭Turner


    jca wrote: »
    I had a similar problem a few years ago, turned out it was a leak under the sink in the kitchen. The water was going under the concrete floor so it couldn't be seen. A simple slacken and then tighten of the nut sorted it.

    Dont think there is any leaks, if there was the water pump would cycle every so often as the pressure dropped.


  • #5
    Turner
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 3,935 Mod ✭✭✭✭Turner


    Wearb wrote: »
    Do you have a boiler stove?
    Circulating pump running for too long can be a cause for what you describe.
    A leak can also cause it. That can be tested for by tying up your ballcock (or otherwise stopping its flo. Dont use anywater for a couple of hours and see if the level in the tank has dropped.

    btw I haven't opened your large attachment, because I don't have very fast broadband out here in the sticks.

    Have a gas boiler, it works fine would get the water good and hot in 15 mins. It just goes cold over 5 or 6 hours


  • #6
    Turner
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 3,935 Mod ✭✭✭✭Turner


    Would it be unusual to fit a lagging jacket to a factory foam insulated tank?


  • Advertisement
  • #7
    antoinolachtnai
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,815 ✭✭✭antoinolachtnai


    I would insulate the outlet pipe as far as the pump as a first step. This could help a bit. Filling all those gaps might help too. Just some pipe insulation which you can get in the DIY store or plumbers providers would do the job.

    I do not think putting a lagging jacket over that tank would make much difference.

    I have a feeling, and that is all it is, is that the heating system could be carrying heat out of the tank to the radiator. This will happen if the water is circulated by the circulating pump in the heating system whilst the boiler is not hot. You could test this, I suppose, by turning off the circulation valve that brings the central heating water through the cylinder coil and seeing if the tank stays warmer that way. Someone else may be able to give the best advice on how to do this in your setup.

    Maybe heat is being lost from the lower (hot) tank to the upper (cold) tank? The whole assembly should be designed to prevent this happening, but it is a possibility.


Advertisement