The ultimate power flush guide: why your radiators need a power flush
What is a power flush?
Power flushing a heating system is an effective way of cleaning your central heating to remove any built-up sludge, dirt and limescale. Over time the water in your central heating can leave dirt and debris, which can eventually turn into sludge. Having this sludge clogging up your heating system can lead to breakdowns and your central heating system will not work as efficiently as it used to. Removing any built-up dirt and sludge can help increase the efficiency and extend the life of your heating system.
How is a power flush carried out?
Initially a qualified engineer will need to inspect your central heating system to decide whether power flushing is needed. At Swale Heating, our engineers are all fully qualified - you can find our full list of accreditations here. The next steps involved to carry out the power flush include:
- Your heating system would be isolated and a powerful pump then connected to the system.
- A specially formulated cleansing chemical is then added to the system and circulated around the system at a high velocity using the pump.
- This chemical cleanser works to break down and loosen any sludge, limescale or rust within your pipes and radiators.
- After any dirt has been dislodged, the engineer can remove the contaminated water safely and force clean water through the system to ensure that there aren’t chemicals left.
This process will take different lengths of time depending on the size of the house and how dirty the heating system is. For an average 3-bedroom house, it could take between 5-6 hours in a vented system.*
How to tell when it’s time for a power flush
These are a few of the signs that suggest debris and sludge could be building up in your heating system:
- Cold spots on radiators and uneven heating.
- Radiators that need bleeding regularly.
- Dark, discoloured water coming from the radiators when they are bled, or no water at all.
- Excessive noise coming from your boiler.
- Radiators that take a while to heat up, or some that are struggling to heat to the same temperature as others.
- Leaking pipes or radiators.
- If your boiler needs restarting often.
The benefits of a power flushing central heating
A power flush can clean and refresh your heating system, increasing the efficiency of your central heating without you having to spend extra money on new parts. It also helps to increase the lifespan of your heating so that you are less likely to have breakdowns.
Who can carry out a power flush?
Due to the hazardous chemicals being used during a power flush, a trained professional will always need to carry the work out on your central heating system. A qualified engineer will also be required to identify if any areas of your system are damaged and need replacing. Attempting to carry out a power flush on your own could leave you with damage to your central heating system, any warranties may become invalidated and there is a risk of injuring yourself due to the strong chemicals!
Investing in the health of your central heating system
While power flushing is a great way for maintaining the efficiency of your central heating system, we still suggest staying on top of yearly system maintenance with a service to reduce the need for more costly repairs down the line. A fully qualified Swale Heating engineer will be able to suggest to you whether a power flush is needed to remove any blockages during your annual boiler service. Read more about the boiler servicing and breakdown plans we have available here.
If you are interested in having a power flush on your system, please contact us here.
However, if too much damage has already been done to your heating system, a power flush may make any weak areas in the plumbing worse. It may be more cost-effective to replace parts of your system with newer parts, to reduce the amount of regular maintenance needing to be done or if you’re looking to invest in a newer ‘A’ rated boiler for your central heating system, you can get a free estimated price for the installation by answering just a few simple questions here or by calling our specialist Sales Team on 0800 731 33 44.
Information Source: