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Mains-pressure hot water

Megaflo & unvented cylinders in Wigan

Powerful showers on every floor, no loft tank, no pump. We size, install, service and repair unvented cylinders across Wigan and Bolton, and fix the drips and pressure problems other people walk away from.

InstallationAnnual serviceTundish & valve repairsVented to unvented
Unvented hot water cylinder installed by JJK Gas Services in Wigan with neat pipework, expansion vessel and safety controls

How it works

What’s actually in your airing cupboard

An unvented cylinder is a sealed tank of hot water at mains pressure. The safety parts in red are why the law says it has to be fitted and looked after by a qualified engineer.

  1. 1Cold mains inWater arrives straight from the street. Your incoming pressure and flow decide how good the showers will be.
  2. 2Inlet control groupReduces and steadies the pressure, filters out grit and stops water flowing backwards.
  3. 3Expansion vesselA cushion of air that soaks up the expansion as water heats. When it loses its charge, the tundish starts dripping.
  4. 4The cylinderA sealed store of hot water, hottest at the top where it’s drawn off to your taps.
  5. 5Boiler coilHot water from your system boiler runs through this coil to heat the tank.
  6. 6Immersion heaterAn electric backup for when the boiler is off or broken.
  7. 7Temperature & pressure relief valveThe last line of defence. Opens if the water gets too hot or the pressure too high.
  8. 8Tundish & discharge pipeLets you see when a safety valve is letting water go, and carries it safely to a drain.

Size picker

What size cylinder does your house need?

People in the house
Bathrooms & showers used at once
210L suggested cylinder size

Typical for a family home with a bathroom and an en-suite.

A guide only. We confirm the size on survey with your mains pressure and flow rate, your boiler and how you actually use hot water.

Cylinder fault finder

Dripping tundish? Here’s what it usually means

Book a repair

Tundish drips while the water heats up

Almost always the expansion vessel has lost its air charge, so the expansion relief valve lets water go instead. A recharge or a new vessel sorts it.

Same day

Water running constantly through the tundish

A relief valve is stuck open or the pressure reducing valve has failed. It wastes water and means the safety system is working flat out. Call us.

Turn off heat sources now

Hot water coming through the tundish

The temperature relief valve is doing its job because the water has overheated. Switch off the boiler and immersion heater, don’t touch the pipe, and call us straight away.

Book a repair

Heating works but no hot water

Usually the motorised valve, the cylinder thermostat or the high-limit cut-out. If the immersion still works, you’ve got hot water while we fix it.

Book a repair

Hot taps weaker than they used to be

A blocked inlet strainer or a tired pressure reducing valve. Cleaning the strainer is part of every annual service.

Book a service

Not been serviced for over a year

Most cylinder failures we see trace back to a skipped service, and makers can refuse warranty claims without a service record.

Annual cylinder service

What we check every year

Your boiler service doesn’t cover the cylinder. It’s a separate set of safety checks, and it’s what keeps the manufacturer’s warranty valid.

Book a cylinder service
The law on unvented cylinders: Building Regulations Part G3 says unvented hot water systems must be installed by a competent person, with safe discharge pipework. That’s why we check the tundish and discharge route as well as the cylinder itself.
  • Test the temperature & pressure relief valve
  • Test the expansion relief valve
  • Check and recharge the expansion vessel
  • Clean the inlet strainer
  • Check the pressure reducing valve setting
  • Inspect the tundish and discharge pipework
  • Test the cylinder thermostat and high-limit cut-out
  • Check the immersion heater and its thermostat
  • Check the motorised valve and boiler controls
  • Record everything for your warranty

Is it right for your home?

Unvented cylinder or combi boiler?

An unvented cylinder suits you if…

  • Two or more bathrooms often get used at the same time
  • It’s a big household that gets through a lot of hot water
  • You want strong mains-pressure showers without a pump
  • You have an airing cupboard or space for the cylinder
OR

A combi boiler suits you if…

  • You have one bathroom, or two rarely used together
  • You want the airing cupboard and loft tanks gone
  • You’d rather heat water on demand than store it
  • See fixed combi prices in our 60-second quote tool

We fit both, so we’ve no reason to push you either way. Pairing a cylinder with a new system boiler? We price the whole package as one job.

From our jobs

Cylinders we’ve fitted

Megaflo unvented hot water cylinder installed by JJK Gas Services in Wigan
Megaflo unvented cylinder, installed and serviced by JJK
Unvented cylinder with expansion vessel and safety valves fitted by JJK Gas Services
Neat pipework, expansion vessel and full safety controls

Unvented cylinder questions

What is a Megaflo cylinder?

Megaflo is the best-known brand of unvented hot water cylinder, made by Heatrae Sadia. It stores hot water at mains pressure, so you get strong showers and fast-filling baths on every floor without a cold tank in the loft or a pump. People often say "Megaflo" to mean any unvented cylinder.

Do unvented cylinders need servicing every year?

Yes. Manufacturers require an annual service to keep the warranty valid, and the safety valves and expansion vessel need checking to keep the system safe. The service covers the relief valves, expansion vessel charge, inlet strainer, pressure reducing valve, thermostats, immersion and discharge pipework.

Why is water dripping from the pipe under my cylinder?

That pipe goes to the tundish, and water in it means a safety valve has opened. An occasional drip usually means the expansion vessel has lost its air charge. A constant flow, or hot water coming through, needs an engineer the same day. Turn off the boiler and immersion if the water is hot.

What size unvented cylinder do I need?

It depends on how many people live in the house and how many bathrooms are used at once. Use the size picker on this page for a guide. Most family homes with two bathrooms need around 210 to 250 litres. We confirm it on survey along with your mains water pressure and flow.

How much does an unvented cylinder installation cost?

It depends on the cylinder size, whether pipework needs upgrading and whether it is part of a full system with a new boiler. We survey and give a fixed price. If you are pairing it with a new system boiler, our online quote tool prices the boiler side instantly.

Can you convert my old vented system to unvented?

Yes. We remove the loft tanks and old copper cylinder, fit the unvented cylinder and upgrade pipework where needed. Your incoming mains pressure and flow rate need to be good enough, which we test as part of the survey.

Unvented cylinder or combi boiler: which is better?

A combi suits most homes with one bathroom. An unvented cylinder makes more sense with two or more bathrooms used at the same time, or a big household. We fit both, so we will recommend whichever suits your home.

More reading: Megaflo common issues and why servicing matters.

Cylinder due a service, or dripping?

Gas Safe Reg. 939000 · 132 five-star reviews · Wigan, Bolton & Leigh