Powerflushing is Key for Boiler Installations

There are a number of reasons why you should consider powerflushing your central heating system before you decide to install a new boiler. Below are some of the signs to look out for that your central heating may need flushing:

• You notice that your heating system is slower than before in starting up
• Your boiler starts to make unpleasant noises
• There is formation of sludge
• Your radiators need bleeding quite regularly

The treatment of your water will largely affect how efficiently your boiler runs.  The treatment of your water is so important that it can even affect your heating system and boiler's longevity. Most people are not actually aware of this and an investigation carried out of 90 mains central heating systems showed that less than half were treated correctly and some of them hadn't had any element of chemical flushing at all.

The poor treatment of water has not been helped by reports which suggest that many new boilers that are installed in the UK are often installed within existing heating systems where old radiators and pipework are commonplace. The differences in overall efficiency between flushed systems and non-flushed systems can be demonstrated by some tests that were carried out.  Unsurprisingly, the results indicated that the systems that had been flushed showed a 6% improvement in efficiency in the heating system in comparison to an old system.

Most people may not be aware that most central heating systems are exposed to the atmosphere allowing oxygen to enter the water. This causes sludge to build up in the pipework, which can result in a wide range of problems if left untreated.

Keeping your water up to standard is essential if you want to make the most out of your new boiler. Most people make the mistake of thinking that buying a new boiler is enough to solve any problems they may have. Your investment will be wasted if you do not ensure that you look after the treatment of your water. 

So what benefits will you gain from flushing out the central heating system?

• Flushing cleans the whole system, including underfloor pipework
• Boiler noises will be cured
• The treatment should  prevent future corrosion
• The negative aspects of using the flushing system

The success of the power flush will depend on various factors. In most cases it will depend on the level of corrosion that has taken place in the central heating system. The flushing process should cure most of the circulation problems, however if the corrosion is particularly extensive than the process of flushing will not be able to solve this.

If your system has been neglected for a substantial amount of time, there may be severe corrosion in the pipework, or the boiler and it is quite likely that even after the power flushing some radiators will not work properly.

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This page has been written with contributions from experienced plumbers from Buckinghamshire and experienced heating engineers from Kilburn. Several of the company's plumbing and heating engineers from London have worked on similar issues as well as some of our heating engineers from Holland Park and our Hammersmith plumbers.

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