The job: Old gravity-fed regular boiler + immersion cylinder system converted to a modern unvented Megaflo Eco + Baxi 800 System 2 — for a 5-bed detached property in Padiham with two bathrooms and an en-suite.
Postcode: BB12 (Padiham) · Property: 1990s 5-bed detached · Bathrooms: 2 + en-suite + WC · Customer: Family of five with teenagers · Install time: 2 days
The brief
James called us frustrated. His 22-year-old Potterton Profile regular boiler in the garage was still limping along, but the family had bigger problems: hot-water pressure upstairs was awful (the cold-water tank in the loft only gave gravity pressure), the immersion-heated cylinder in the airing cupboard was running out by 7am when everyone showered, and the loft tank had started leaking around the ballcock.
We did a free survey with our G3-qualified senior engineer. The verdict: ditch the gravity system completely, fit a mains-pressure unvented cylinder and a properly-sized system boiler.
Why an unvented system (not a combi) for this home
A common mistake is putting a 40kW combi in a big family home and hoping it copes. With 4 hot-water outlets running simultaneously (en-suite + family bathroom + kitchen + utility) you'd only ever get one decent shower at a time, and during winter combi heat-flow drops 20–30%.
An unvented cylinder buffers the demand — 250 litres of mains-pressure hot water stored ready to use. Two showers at the same time? No problem. Plus the heating load can be sized properly because the boiler doesn't have to be over-spec'd to chase hot-water demand.
What we fitted
- Cylinder: Megaflo Eco 250-litre direct unvented stainless-steel cylinder in the airing cupboard (replaces old vented copper cylinder)
- Boiler: Baxi 800 System 2 30kW in the garage — chosen for the 10-year warranty, built-in stand-off frame and the included Adey MagnaClean Micro2 filter
- Hot water cylinder thermostat: Drayton dual-channel programmer for full heating + DHW timing
- Loft work: Loft cold-water tank and old expansion tank removed, all gravity-fed pipework decommissioned, recovered ~3sqm of usable loft space
- Mains upgrade: 22mm cold mains feed run from stop-cock to cylinder location — essential for proper Megaflo flow rates
- Building Notice: Submitted to Lancashire Building Control plus G3 unvented certificate filed on day of install
Local touches that mattered
Padiham's detached 1990s housing stock typically has loft cold-water tanks fitted directly above bedrooms — meaning condensation drips and the risk of tank failures dripping onto valuable furniture. Removing the loft tank entirely is one of those upgrades that delivers ongoing peace of mind, not just better water pressure.
We also ran the safety discharge pipe down through the cavity wall to terminate into a tundish over the kitchen drain — neat, compliant and out of the way (other installers in the area often surface-run it down the gable, which always looks ugly).
The numbers
- Baxi 800 System 2 30kW: £2,350 (10-year warranty)
- Megaflo Eco 250L unvented cylinder: £1,250 supplied & fitted with full kit
- 22mm mains run + loft strip-out + new programmer: £900
- Magnetic filter + system flush + commissioning: included
- Total: £4,500 inc. VAT — fixed-price quote, no extras
- Install time: 2 working days, garden access only, no internal mess
James's feedback (verbatim, with permission)
“Game-changer. Two showers at the same time, kitchen tap full pelt, no problem. The lads were spotless, properly tidied up, and the new airing-cupboard install looks like furniture. Wish we'd done this 5 years ago.” — James, Padiham
Could we do the same for your home?
If you've got a 4+ bedroom house with multiple bathrooms, an old gravity-fed system and rubbish upstairs pressure, this is the upgrade. Every Gas Tech engineer is G3-qualified for unvented installs and we cover all of Lancashire — Burnley, Padiham, Nelson, Colne, Brierfield, Read, Simonstone. Get a fixed quote or call 01282 914 044.