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The Cold Water Tank In The Loft Is Older Than The Boiler And Nobody's Ever Been Up To Check It
Plenty of Horsham's older houses still run a gravity-fed system: a cold water tank in the loft feeding a hot water cylinder, quietly working away for decades without anyone giving it a second thought.
That's not a problem in itself. Older vented systems can run perfectly well for years. What tends to go unnoticed is the tank's actual condition, a worn ballcock letting it overfill, a lid that's let debris in, or an immersion heater that's supposed to be the backup if the boiler ever fails but hasn't been tested in years.
The other conversation this usually leads to is whether it's worth switching to an unvented, mains-pressure system instead. Sometimes it is. Often the existing setup just needs proper maintenance, and that's the honest answer given rather than a sales pitch for a bigger job.
What Happens When You Call
Inspect the tank and cylinder properly
Ballcock, float valve, lid and insulation checked, not just assumed fine because nothing's visibly wrong from below.
Check the immersion heater as a backup
Often forgotten entirely until the boiler fails and it turns out the backup doesn't work either.
Straight advice on repair versus upgrade
Whether the current system's worth maintaining or genuinely due an upgrade to unvented, based on the house, not a default recommendation either way.
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Water Tanks & Hot Water Systems: The Questions People Ask
Does my old tank actually need replacing?+
Not necessarily. Plenty run fine for decades with basic maintenance. It's worth an inspection to find out which category yours is in rather than assuming either way.
What's the immersion heater actually for if I've already got a boiler?+
It's the backup that heats water directly in the cylinder if the boiler's ever out of action, which only helps if it's actually been tested and works when needed.
Is it worth switching to an unvented system?+
Depends on the house and what you want from it. Bigger demand across multiple bathrooms tends to make the case; a smaller household with a system that works fine often doesn't need the change.
How do you get to an awkward loft tank?+
Most lofts are accessible with the right approach. It gets discussed before booking if access looks genuinely difficult.