When contaminants are left untreated and circulating within your central heating system, it leaves your heating system inefficient, causing boiler breakdown issues and in some cases, a new boiler may be required if the sludge settles and causes damage internally. Sludge and debris in your central heating system is the main cause of blockages, preventing heat from circulating which causes ‘cold spots’.
What is a Power Flush?
We use a machine that is connected to your central heating system which pumps water and cleaning chemicals around the system at a higher velocity than a normal central heating pump, allowing it to shift the sludge and contaminants. A cleaner is added into the system that contains a range of chemicals designed to remove the sludge and contaminants. Each radiator should be worked on individually to ensure you are getting the best results.
To do this, we shut off all the radiators on the system except for the one we are working on at the time. Once the machine is only working on one radiator, we none-aggressively agitate the radiator using high strength magnets. Once this is done, we reverse the flow of water going into the radiator every few minutes to help shift the sludge and debris even more. This whole process takes around 15-30 minutes per radiator depending on the size of the radiator & the state of the system.
How do I know I need a Power Flush?
The most common signs you may need a power flush are:
• Cold areas or spots on radiators – mostly at the bottom
• Loud/banging/hissing noise from the boiler or central heating pump
• Pipes are hot but the radiators are cold
• Your Boiler is overheating and your boiler constantly needs to be reset to work again.
• Some radiators are hot and others aren’t
• Lots of black water comes out when you bleed a radiator
If you have any of these issues with your central heating system, you need to get it looked at by a heating professional. While a powerflush may fix your heating problems, unfortunately the damage may already have been done and a new boiler may be required as well.
Benefits of having a Powerflush:
• Radiators will warm up faster
• A more efficient central heating system & cheaper energy bills
• Your radiators will get hotter
• Quieter Boiler and Radiators
• Increased lifespan of your boiler/central heating system
• increased boiler reliability, so less chance of your boiler breaking down
Will a magnetic filter do the same job as a powerflush?
A quick answer, No.
A magnetic filter should be fitted as standard with any boiler and it will definitely need one after a power flush has been completed. The filter will then protect the system from future sludge build up. A magnetic filter should be cleaned annually preferably at the time of a boiler service, we always make sure to do this as part of a boiler service. It is also very important to keep the system dosed up with chemical inhibitors. Again, this should be added during the boiler service when cleaning the magnetic filter.
What is the cost of a powerflush?
The cost of a power flush will vary depending on a number of factors:
• The amount of radiators on the system
• The complexity of the heating system set-up
• Age of the the system – radiators/pipework/boiler
The cost will vary from £500-£1000. An average system of 10 radiators will normally be around £600-£700, plus a magnetic filter if there isn’t one currently fitted on your heating system. This will typically add around £150 on to the power flush job.
