Power flushing for central heating systems
Neil Green Services Ltd carries out power flushing on central heating systems in homes around Ripon. It is a thorough clean of the water side of the system, covering the radiators, the pipework and the boiler.
What a power flush does
The water in a heating system slowly reacts with the steel inside the radiators. The result is a black sludge of iron oxide. It settles in the bottom of radiators, narrows pipes and can block the small waterways inside a modern boiler.
A power flushing machine is connected to the system in place of the pump or a radiator. It pushes water and a cleaning chemical round at a high flow rate and low pressure, and the flow is reversed to loosen the deposits. Each radiator is then flushed in turn until the water runs clear. The dirty water goes to a drain. At the end the system is refilled with clean water and a corrosion inhibitor.
When a power flush helps
- Radiators that are hot at the top and cold at the bottom
- Black or brown water when you bleed a radiator
- A system that takes a long time to warm up
- A boiler that makes a rumbling noise like a kettle
- Pumps or valves that keep failing because of dirt
Before a new boiler
Boiler manufacturers expect the system to be cleaned and treated before a new boiler is connected to it. Sludge carried into a new heat exchanger can damage it, and the manufacturer may refuse a warranty claim if the system was dirty. If you are planning a boiler installation on an older system, we will check the water and tell you what level of cleaning it needs.
When it is not the answer
Not every heating problem is caused by sludge. One cold radiator can be down to trapped air, a stuck valve or a system that needs balancing. We check for those first. Our central heating and radiators page covers the common causes.
Some old systems are too fragile for a full power flush. A gentler chemical clean can be the better choice, and we will say so if that applies to yours.
Keeping the system clean afterwards
Two things stop the sludge coming back. The first is inhibitor, which slows the corrosion and should be kept at the right strength. The second is a magnetic filter fitted on the pipe returning to the boiler, which catches iron particles before they reach it. The filter is emptied when the boiler is serviced.