Complete Heating recently carried out a thermal store replacement in a new build flat in Redditch where the hot water system needed a practical and compliant solution. The property required a mains hot water setup, but the replacement also needed to be gravity fed due to site restrictions.
In this case, there was no suitable provision for pressure relief pipework on the external walls, and the flat’s location made it effectively impossible to route discharge pipework outside in a straightforward and acceptable way. A gravity-fed thermal store offered the right solution for the property, the layout and the installation constraints.
The project
We replaced the existing unit with a new thermal store to provide reliable mains hot water within the flat while working around the physical limitations of the building.
The installation was carried out in a compact cupboard space, which meant careful planning was needed to make the most of the available room and keep the system accessible for future servicing and maintenance.
The challenge
The main issue on this project was not simply replacing a hot water unit. The bigger challenge was finding a system that suited the flat and the restrictions of the building.
The property had two key limitations:
- no pipework provision for pressure relief discharge on the external walls
- no practical route to take discharge pipework outside due to the flat’s location
Because of this, a standard unvented approach was not the right fit. The solution needed to provide dependable hot water performance while also suiting the installation environment.
Our solution
We installed a replacement thermal store designed to work as a gravity-fed setup while still supplying mains pressure hot water through the system arrangement.
This allowed us to provide the homeowner with a practical hot water solution without relying on an external pressure relief discharge route that the property simply could not accommodate.
As with any hot water system replacement, the work involved:
- removing the existing unit
- positioning the new thermal store within a confined cupboard space
- connecting and insulating the associated pipework
- ensuring the installation was neat, secure and serviceable
- checking correct operation once fitted
Why a thermal store was the right choice here
Every property is different, and in flats or newer developments there can sometimes be restrictions that make one type of hot water system more suitable than another.
In this Redditch flat, a thermal store was the sensible option because it worked with the property’s physical limitations. It allowed the hot water system to be replaced properly without forcing an impractical pipework arrangement.
The result was a system that suited the flat, fitted the available space and provided the homeowner with a reliable source of hot water.
The result
The completed installation gave the property a replacement hot water system that was:
- suitable for the building layout
- practical for the cupboard location
- neatly fitted within a tight space
- designed around the site constraints
- ready to provide dependable day-to-day hot water performance
Local hot water system specialists in Redditch
At Complete Heating, we carry out heating and hot water system work across Redditch and the surrounding area. We understand that not every property allows for a standard installation, especially in flats, cupboards and newer developments where pipe routes and discharge options can be limited.
That is why we take a practical approach and recommend systems that are suitable for the property, the available space and the way the installation needs to work.
For gas-related heating work, Complete Heating is Gas Safe registered – No. 215453.
