Questions and Answers (Q&A)

  1. What is a Power-flush ??
  2. What symptoms indicate that Power Flushing would be beneficial?
  3. What happens during a power flush?
  4. What are the benefits of a heating system power flush?
  5. I am having a new boiler installed, do I need a power-flush?
  6. Can a microbore system be power flushed?
  7. Are there any problems with doing a power flush?
  8. What type of heating system do I have?
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What is a Power-flush ??

Power flushing is the most efficient and effective method of cleansing a central heating system. The principle is to create a powerful fresh water flow under controlled conditions to remove debris from the system. By connecting the power flushing unit to the heating circuit in place of the system pump, boiler or radiator the circuit can be thoroughly cleansed of limescale and corrosion debris.

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What symptoms indicate that Power Flushing would be beneficial?

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What happens during a power flush?

The power flushing pump is simply connected into the heating system, either across the standard circulator pump couplings, across the tails of one radiator, or wherever most practicable.

Power flushing is a highly effective cleansing operation which works by pumping water at a much higher velocity than usual through the heating system, to loosen and mobilise harmful corrosion deposits, and to suspend them in the rapidly moving water. The process is made more effective by specialist cleansing chemicals, and an instantaneous flow reversal device, which creates turbulence in the radiators to optimise ‘pick up’ of the debris.

Once loosened, the unwanted debris is purged from the system with clean water. At the end of the flushing process, the system contains fresh clean water, and reinstatement of the system to normal operation takes only a few minutes.

During the process, radiators are individually flushed, without removing or disconnecting them from the system, by directing the full output of the pump through each radiator separately.

power flushing is not a high pressure operation, and it is suitable for most domestic wet central heating systems. It is carried out with minimal disturbance and disruption to the normal operation of the system, often without disconnecting the boiler or any radiators.

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What are the benefits of a heating system power flush?

  • Cures flow and circulation problems.
  • Restores system efficiency.
  • Restores heat output to radiators.
  • Cleans the whole system, including underfloor pipework.
  • Removes aggressive water; treatment prevents further corrosion.
  • Cures or prevents boiler noise.
  • Power flushing and descaling in only one visit.
  • Complete process carried out in less than a day.
  • More effective than traditional flushing methods.
  • Minimises boiler warranty problems.

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    I am having a new boiler installed, do I need a power-flush?

    The high efficiency and compactness of modern boilers, developed to minimise fuel costs and pollution, makes them more susceptible to problems caused by debris in the system water. Boiler manufacturers insist that heating systems must be thoroughly flushed before installing a new boiler.

    It is important when installing new boilers into old systems that all sludge is first removed from the system or this could accumulate in the new boiler and lead to premature failure. Additionally, in hard water areas existing systems will have accumulated limescale together with corrosion deposits in the heat exchanger, which could easily have reduced the boiler efficiency by over 5%.

    All new systems should be pre-commission cleansed in accordance with BS:7593 and Benchmark. This ensures flux residues, excess jointing compounds, mineral oil and other contaminants that can be found in the system following installation, and that can effect the performance of the system or cause component failure, are removed.

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    Can a microbore system be power flushed?

    Yes it can, but the flow rates will be greatly reduced and so the flush may not achieve the same results as with a normal system.

    microbore system is a heating system that uses pipework smaller that 15mm. In the UK this is normal 8mm or 10mm.

    To check if your system is measure the pipes that connect to your radiators.

    microbore system are more pruned to circulation problems and blockages

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    Are there any problems with doing a power flush?

    The success of a power flush will depend on the level of heating system corrosion which has occurred beforehand. The process will cure most circulation problems, but cannot undo the corrosion and gradual decay that has led to the need to power flush the system.

    Whilst it is rare for a heating system to experience leaks after the power flushing process, it is not possible to inspect a system internally beforehand, and the need to use a flushing and dispersing chemical for effective cleansing means that occasionally we may find a leak

    The advanced stage of corrosion required for such a situation means that the leak would occur imminently even without a power flush. We believe that it is better that it occurs whilst we are present to remedy the problem, rather than for it to arise over a weekend or whilst the house is unoccupied.

    Systems which have been neglected over a period of time, or have not been treated with an effective corrosion inhibitor, may have severely compacted corrosion debris, in the pipe work, radiators, or boiler, and it is possible that even after the power flush, some radiators may still not be fully effective, or boilers on the margin of failure may cease working due to sludge and debris later breaking loose and collecting in the heat exchanger.

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    What type of heating system do I have?

    There are many different types of central heat system. and going thought then all would be long and confusing, but before are the three many types.

    The Conventional Heating System

    Requires two water tanks located high up one a Cold Water Storage Tank the other an Expansion / Feed tank, also requires a Hot Water Cylinder. The storage cylinder holds a large quantity of hot water that is available immediately (or as soon as the feed allows). However when this store has been used up it has to be reheated, this could take anything up to 1 hour. This type of system is considered the least efficient as there are heat losses from the pipe work to and from the boiler to the cylinder and the cylinder itself.

    System Boiler Heating Systems

    System boilers come in two types, a vented low pressure and an un-vented high pressure system. Both require a Hot Water cylinder. Vented system boilers require a storage tank but most of the other components are held in the unit itself which means that installation is quicker and cheaper. Also, the hot primary water is pumped through the system to the radiators and hot water cylinder resulting in a faster response and more economical running costs.

    Un-vented system boilers incorporate the equipment necessary to form a sealed system including a pressure relief valve and a pressure gauge, removing the need for a feed and expansion tank.

    Combi Boiler Heating Systems

    Combi's are now the most used form of central heating boilers. Most Combi's run on mains pressure water, thus do not require tanks to be placed in the loft. They also eliminate the need for a hot water cylinder as they instantly heat the water when it is needed. Another benefit with the combi is that, due to it running from the mains water supply, you can create an effective power shower without the need for a pump.

    Combi boilers require the least amount of plumbing thus offer a cost saving when installing.

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