Unvented water cylinders

[lonelyplanet]

We are having bathrooms done at the moment and the plumber has suggested we have an unvented water cylinder in the loft, so we get better pressure for showers. We finding it hard to get answers from him, and wondered if anyone can help.

Does anyone have one of these, and are they expensive to run? Is there a problem when the mains water pressure drops? Should we go for a direct or indirect one?

Thanks

unvented system (i.e megaflow type) is a specialist area so I think you are best talking to an approved/trained plumber.

We've just had one installed and so far so good, ability to have constant hot water and good pressure however it relies on having the right size pipe coming into the house. We had to upgrade ours.i.e have driveway dug up and pipe coming into the house had to be replaced. An experienced plumber would test the water pressure. Megaflow is the well known and more expensive brand but there are cheaper lookalikes. An unvented system has to be signed off by someone trained/authorised and this is listed on the gas safe register which anyone can check. This is important as it's subject to building regs.

We've got an unvented tank, and it is brilliant - we have amazing shower pressure.

Thanks for your responses. Do your systems run from your boilers, or are they powered by an immersion heater, and if so is this expensive? We are having terrible communication problems with our builder, who never gets back to us with answers.

We have had a megaflo for about 6 years - pretty standard now for new gch installations in houses I think. I think it's brilliant - the water heats up really quickly and stays hot for hours, so really efficient. Can run more than one shower at once, which is great in the mornings. Runs from the boiler, but also has a back up electrical immersion you can use if the boiler fails. Doesn't have to be in the loft unless there is nowhere else for it to go- ours is in the airing cupboard in a first floor bathroom, and loads of people in our road have theirs in the utility downstairs.