Have you already bled your radiator, but it still does not work properly yet? Now is the time when you might need to get your radiators power flushed. Reading this article, you will find some helpful information about central heating power flush and will be able to make the best decision to fix your radiator’s problem.
What is a radiator power flush?
Power flushing is a service of cleaning process for the heating system. Using a heating system without cleaning may lead to accumulation of sludge, rust, or grime over time. In fact, these substances can cause blockage or corrosion that reduces the efficiency of your radiators. So, you might find your radiators not heating up and cold at the bottom yet hot at the top . Cleaning your heating system through power flushing, which is done by using high volume of water and strong chemicals, can flush out all the sludge, slime, or any other debris from the pipes or boilers. By power flushing you ensure that water can move through the entire heating system, enabling it to work properly to get heated.
How do I know if the radiator needs to powerflush?
To ensure the maintenance of your heating system to a high standard of quality and to help prevent the development of blockage, you might consider getting your radiators power flushed every 5 or 6 years. This may vary according to your system and boiler type.
A professional plumber is the only person who can evaluate your heating system to see if it needs a power flush. However, there are some signs that could help you determine whether power flushing is necessary or not. These include:
- Cold spots on the radiators, particularly at the bottom
- Constant needs of the radiators to bleeding
- Noisy radiators and boiler
- Leaking radiators
- Frequent breakdowns
- Cold radiators but hot pipes
- Central heating takes a long time to heat up
Is power flushing beneficial?
Dirt and debris in radiators can settle to block pipes and prevent hot water from circulating. This leads to cold spots or even the whole radiator not working properly. If you want to heat your home and stop bleeding the radiators every now and then, you need power flushing. In fact, having a powerflush is not only an effective way to clean away the existing debris, but also helpful in bringing your heating system back to full health and efficiency.
There are plenty of benefits for getting a power flush including:
- Enhanced energy- efficiency
- Improved system reliability
- Reduced likelihood of boiler breakdown
- Better quality of heating and hot water
- Potentially lower energy bill
- Radiators can warm up quicker
- Reduced noise from boiler and radiators.
How to effectively power flush a radiator?
Water and chemicals are pumped through the radiators at a high pressure by using a specialized machine. This loosens and flushes out harmful corrosion deposits that has been built up over years of use.
To begin the process of power flushing, a powerful pump, which is attached to the power flushing machine, is connected to the heating system, at radiators, or wherever makes most sense on your heating system. Then some sludge remover or chemicals gets added to the system to loosen up sludge. There is no need to remove the radiators. They will get flushed in turn. A flow reverse device is used during flushing to disturb the maximum amount of sludge. A magnetic filter gets used with the power flush machine, so sludge can be removed faster and more effectively. The dirt filled water then is replaced with clean water. Inhibitor gets added to system to prevent sludge in future. And finally, system gets re-balanced radiator by radiator.
The length of time needed to power flush radiators typically depends on the size of your heating system and condition. A standard power flush can be completed in a few hours for a standard house. However, on particularly complicated systems, it could even take up to 2 days.
Although there are “do it yourself” kits and some may be able to power flush on their own and there is no rule that restricts who can carry out a power flush, it is always recommended to ensure that a professional such as a professional Gas Safe engineer carries out any work on your heating system. Do not forget a mistake could make your system perform worse than what it was before and there are risks in using the specialized chemicals.
How much does central heating power flush cost?
The cost of a power flush can vary depending on the size of your home and the heating system. In some situations, it may sound high, but, in the long run, it is worthwhile and could help to prevent serious problems such as expensive breakdowns in the future. The power flushing service at Proplumber is carried out by our team of highly qualified professionals at a reasonable price and with meticulous care and attention to details.
