Immersion Heater in Loft not heating water enough

[TaniaM]

Hi, Hoping for some help here as not sure what to do!!

I have tenants that are in our flat. The heating is supplied by Electric Economy 7 wall heaters and the hot water is heated by an Immersion heater in the loft. My partner has replaced the thermostat and a plumber visited and turned up the temperature, but think is was a wasted visit as my tenants are saying it still takes 1hr to heat up the water for their two showers in the morning and even then it's hot but not hot enough. So I paid a plumber and he was there for 5mins and so not sure if I have been ripped off as he didn't fix it. It used to heat up in 10mins, so it's taking longer and is not hot enough. What could be the problem? and who is the best person to call to fix it? I was thinking British Gas as fixed fee? Another thing to mention is that they only switch on the immersion as and when they need it as scared of high bills.

Thx Landlord in need of help!!

 

[Charnwood]

There's no way a 3kw immrsion heater would heat a 'standard' domestic cylinder enough for a shower in 10 minutes from cold. Multiply that by 10 and your getting there.

 

[HERTS P&D]

New immersion is needed, try a Titanium immersion, this one is for side entry:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/titanium-immersion-heater-element-14/74662

This one for top entry:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/27in-incoloy-immersion-heater/57798

You could also have a timer fitted to come on an 1-2 hours before use.

Andy

 

[Armo74]

You could also try a different plumber

 

[JohnD]

Two clues here

takes 1hr to heat up the water for their two showers in the morning and even then it's hot but not hot enough.

and

they only switch on the immersion as and when they need it

If your previous tenants used to leave the cylinder fairly hot from the previous night, it might not have taken long to get up to temperature. But an immersion heater is slow and expensive to heat a cylinder. An hour is not long enough. It ought to be left on a timer to fully heat up during the cheap night rate, and it ought to be thickly insulated to keep it hot.

Tell us what size the cylinder is; does it have an immersion heater going into the side as well as one at the top? Does it heat up overnight at cheap rate? Is it upright? How well insulated is it?

I have a feeling that the overnight E7 element is either faulty or switched off. It should be full of hot water by morning if working. The daytime top-up should only be needed once they have used 80 litres or so of hot water.

 

[TaniaM]

Thanks for your replies.

What should we be looking for to check the immersion. A boiler engineer or a Plumber. We did think about the fixed fee with British Gas? We just need someone recommended for the Berkshire area who would check this for us thoroughly, not like the guy we had who just looked at it for 5mins and then turned up the temp and charged me for call out. Thanks

 

[JohnD]

Answer my questions, mate.

 

[TaniaM]

I can't right now as do not know. I'll try and get an answer from Glynn, my landlord partner. But I don't believe he can remember. After he read the thread that I forwarded to him he replied with this;
That makes sense. If it has 2 elements (top and side, daytime and economy), then it would make sense that one has failed (the Economy 7 one).

That *could* mean that previously its already warmed the water overnight, so when they turn on for 10 minutes in the morning its enough to warm some more water before and once they use the shower.

We need a decent plumber, ideally one who will actually listen to the problem as described.

We could ask the tenants to take a photo of it to save going round there. Please bear with us.

 

[TaniaM]

I can't right now as do not know. I'll try and get an answer from Glynn, my landlord partner. But I don't believe he can remember. After he read the thread that I forwarded to him he replied with this;
That makes sense. If it has 2 elements (top and side, daytime and economy), then it would make sense that one has failed (the Economy 7 one).

That *could* mean that previously its already warmed the water overnight, so when they turn on for 10 minutes in the morning its enough to warm some more water before and once they use the shower.

We need a decent plumber, ideally one who will actually listen to the problem as described.

We could ask the tenants to take a photo of it to save going round there. Please bear with us.

 

[HERTS P&D]

You will need 2 of these:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/titanium-...w&cm_mmc=AffiliateWindow-_-DeepLink-_-Na-_-Na

and a plumber to fit them.

Andy

 

[JohnD]

we have to consider the possibility that the tenant might have switched off the lower element, intending to save money; or that it is so badly insulated it cools down quickly.

 

[CBF]

we have to consider the possibility that the tenant might have switched off the lower element

prob best you check the simple things first