Commercial Hot Water Cylinder

A commercial hot water cylinder stores hot water so that it is available freely when you need it and that you don’t have to wait for it to heat up. In a commercial setting like a hotel or a factory, you may have a huge demand for this hot water which means you require a large and effective hot water cylinder.

If you need a commercial hot water cylinder installed, contact Robinsons Facilities Services today. We can advise you on the best heating system for your commercial premises and our accredited engineers can install to the highest standards anywhere in Yorkshire or across Northern England.

Types of Hot Water Cylinders – Direct or Indirect?

There are two types of hot water cylinders, direct and indirect.

Direct means that the water is heated by an immersion heater which is placed inside the cylinder. You may need multiple heaters or heating elements inside to reach the temperature required for commercial settings.

Indirect means that the water is heated by a boiler or other source, and that hot water is fed into the cylinder by a pipe. Consider it storage for your hot water. This can come from your main boiler or from a solar thermal system, for instance.

Open Vented or Unvented

A lot of people are opting for commercial unvented hot water cylinders as they offer significant benefits for commercial and home settings.

Open vented systems may also be called a “cold-water storage fed” cylinder. They have a heated tank which is usually installed in a high area. This means it needs cold water to collect in the cylinder, and uses gravity to do so.

These types of cylinders have been in place for a long time and are often made of copper.

Unvented models do not need a cold water storage tank like their open vented counterparts. This is because they use the mains water pressure.

The flow rates and the pressure inside are kept high and this means that the cylinders can be installed in a lot of different locations. They have other benefits too, such as carrying very long warranties due to being made of stainless steel. They are also even more effective at keeping water hot.

It is easy to see why so many businesses are shifting to unvented cylinders, but there are plenty of open vented systems still in use.

Benefits of a Quality Hot Water Cylinder

If you have commercial premises, then you will understand how important it is to have an adequate and reliable water supply. This is especially true if you have a lot of employees or customers using the facilities.

A quality hot water cylinder will give you:

• A constant flow of hot water on demand
• Minimal or no heat loss
• The ability to store large amounts of hot water
• Excellent energy efficiency and lower bills as a result
• Longer warranties due to being made of high-quality materials

Commercial Hot Water Cylinder Size

Working out the size you need takes some consideration and you may need to consult with a professional to get an accurate estimate. To work out the size you need:

First of all, determine the peak hot water demand. This is the maximum amount of hot water that will be required at any one time. You can estimate this based on the number of users, the type of fixtures and appliances, and the flow rates of each.

Calculate the required storage capacity. Once you have determined the peak hot water demand, you will need to calculate the required storage capacity of the cylinder to meet that demand. To do this, you will need to factor in the recovery time of the system (i.e., how quickly it can heat up new water) and the maximum allowable temperature drop in the stored water.

Consider the heating system. The size of the heating system (e.g., gas, electric, solar) will also affect the sizing of the cylinder. You will need to consider the heating capacity of the system, the type of fuel or energy source used, and any other factors that may affect the efficiency of the system.

Factor in any special requirements. Depending on the specific needs of your business or building, you may need to factor in additional requirements such as insulation, space constraints, or compliance with local codes and regulations.

Consult a professional. Sizing a commercial hot water cylinder can be a complex process, and it is often best to consult with a professional plumber or engineer who has experience with commercial systems. They can help you ensure that your calculations are accurate and that your system will meet your needs.

Commercial Hot Water Cylinder Maintenance

As with anything, a commercial hot water cylinder will require some maintenance over its lifetime. The most important thing you can do is to get it serviced regularly by a qualified engineer.

In order to stay in line with health and safety regulations, we recommend checks at least once a year. This will help to ensure that it is running as efficiently as possible and help to spot any potential issues early on.

We can design a bespoke service and maintenance schedule to suit your business and we work with all models of commercial hot water cylinders.

Working across Yorkshire, we cover North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, East Yorkshire and South Yorkshire and offer a fast, efficient response time to all breakdowns and repairs. Contact us today for all planned, reactive maintenance or emergency call out. Call 01423 226578 or get in touch to see how Robinsons Facilities Services can help.