Powerflushing

Radiators not heating up?! Cold spots on the radiators? Banging noise from boiler? Then a powerflush could be the answer to all of your problems!

What is a powerflush?

A powerflush is a procedure carried out with a ‘powerflushing machine’ to clean sludge (dirt) from a central heating system. (Picture to right)

What causes sludge?

To keep it simple – sludge is formed due to a chemical reaction that takes place when the water in the heating system mixes with air and the different metals within the heating system. Over time sludge can take a harder form and settle in radiators and pipe work to create poor circulation and blockages. Sludge is heavier than the water inside the radiators so this is why radiators would sometimes be colder at the bottom and middle as sludge has settled there.

What can we do to protect and prevent against sludge?

Prevention is always better than cure! On new boiler installations we always highly recommend the installation of a ‘magnetic filter’. As sludge is formed from particles of metal from the heating system in particular radiators, when it passes through a magnet these particles are attracted to the magnet and caught. The magnetic filter gets installed on the return pipe leading to the boiler so the magnet inside catches the sludge before it enters the boiler. As part of the boiler service we clean the magnetic filter. New boiler installations should also be treated with an ‘inhibitor’ which is a chemical that prevents corrosion build up.

How do I know if I need a powerflush?

Check for the usual signs:

Cold spots in the centres of the radiators.
Banging noises coming from the boiler.
Black water appears when you bleed the radiator.
Slow system heat up time.
Poor circulation and certain radiators not heating up.