What Are the Benefits of a Powerflush?
Positive reasons to get a Powerflush
- Radiators will heat up quicker
- Radiators will get hotter
- Quieter radiators/boiler
- More energy efficient system = cheaper energy bills
- Higher hot water temperatures
- More reliable, i.e. less chance of breakdown
- Increase the life of your heating system.
Your pipes are our business
Signs you need a Power Flush
If you carry out regular servicing and maintenance, a preventative Power flush should only be necessary every 5-6 years to clear debris and prevent significant blockages from taking hold. However, this will vary depending on the system you have.
There are signs to look out for that suggest that all is not well in your central heating system.
- Cold areas on radiators e.g. at the bottom
- Excessive noise from the boiler or the heating system pump
- Discoloured water when you bleed the radiators
- The heating is slow to warm up
- Cloudy tap water (limescale in system)
- Some radiators struggle to heat up as well as others
- Radiators are cold, but pipes are hot
- The boiler regularly shuts down and needs to be restarted
- No water escapes when you bleed a radiator
- Noisy radiators and or / boiler
- Small leaks in radiators.
If any of these problems sound familiar to you, it’s time to contact Doyle Heating & Plumbing, where one of our professional engineers will be able to assist you. While a Power flush may be all that is required to get your heating back on track, unfortunately, it is not always that simple. A system may be so damaged that it is cheaper to replace rather than repair it. If that’s the case you will, one of our team members will consult you and advise you on the best steps to take next.
How Does a Powerflush Work?
How Does a Powerflush Work?
Our engineer will connect a pump to your central heating system. If it’s a Combi, it will be connected at the pump head, but if it’s a System boiler, it will be connected at the circulation pump. This pump will push special chemicals through the pipes, boiler and radiators.
This includes a chemical that will remove sludge and rust, a descaler to remove limescale and a corrosion inhibitor to help prevent future rust from forming. The engineer will collect and dispose of any contaminated water, debris, or particles they remove from the system.
The engineer may also use special tools on the radiator’s exterior to dislodge stubborn blockages. They should be able to measure your radiators’ temperature before they start work and then show you the improvement after the Powerflush.
The whole process can last anything from 6 – 10 hours, depending on the number of radiators in your home, the age of the system and the severity of the sludge in the system. The engineer may find more problems than initially anticipated, such as needing new parts to replace those damaged beyond repair. Most Powerflush jobs can be completed in one day, but some more severe cases may require longer.
Our qualified engineer will be able to perform repairs and replacements and carry out a Powerflush.
Can You Perform a Powerflush Without a Professional?
While Powerflushing kits for hire and instructional videos are available on the internet, it’s a risky and complicated job. A professional will make a Powerflush look easy, clean and safe, but the reality is it’s a job that has the potential to get very messy. Specialist chemicals and equipment should only be handled by those trained.
It’s also possible that carrying out the work on your heating system by yourself may invalidate any manufacturer’s warranty you have. A professional engineer will provide you with a certificate to prove that the Powerflush has been carried out. This is crucial if you must provide evidence to a manufacturer or insurance provider that you have had all work done by a professional.
Finally, completing the work incorrectly could cause more damage than you had to begin with.
NOTE: Installing a magnetic filter will not deliver the same benefits as a Powerflush procedure, but it can protect a system (that is still working well) from future sludge blockages.