Power flushing your central heating is the ideal spring clean for your central heating, geared to get it working like new. Special chemicals and water are pumped through the radiators to wash away all the gunk that has built up over time. It works by gently removing debris such as limescale deposits, corroded metal and sludge from within the heating system and flushing it from your radiators. However, whilst the name might indicate the use of high pressure, this is not the case and the components of your heating system should remain free from any damage. Powerflushing instead uses a large volume of water mixed with chemicals to gently clean the radiators.
A power flush can prevent damage to your boiler Cv storing by sludge finding its way round the heating system. It also keeps your heating working efficiently. It’s important also to look for obvious signs that your system needs treatment. For example, if your boiler is making knocking sounds when working hard, or if your radiators have cold areas or you require to bleed your radiators frequently, power flushing may be required.
The service is carried out by a qualified plumber using a mixture of fresh water and cleaning solutions. The first step involves loosening the sludge by flushing with fast flowing water mixed with cleaning agents. Reversing the flow creates turbulence which helps the process further. Clean water is then used to flush the sludge from the system. Once the flushing has been completed, your system is left with only clean water free of debris. The process is clean, straightforward and inexpensive.
Preventative maintenance jobs such as power-flushing can reduce your heating costs and prolong the life of your boiler. Areas of hard water are particularly prone to limescale build up in the heat exchanger resulting in poor boiler efficiency. Furthermore, if you install a new boiler within an old heating system, you must clean your pipes and radiators first. This protects the new boiler from damage from sludge and debris and almost always a condition of the boilers warranty.
Unfortunately, power flushing won’t solve every central heating problem. It may be too late for some corroded or neglected heating systems. Large stubborn deposits may be left after a clean which can break loose and cause damage. Although you can prolong the life of you heating system through regular maintenance, they have a limited lifespan and replacement is the only option.