To powerflush or not to powerflush?

Alan_M_2

alanobrien wrote:

That comment is more than a little facetious and uncalled for, i would have thought a friend or relative(s) could help the OP.

That aside i would agree £250 for a powerflush is ok IF its really necesssary which is always questionable.

What did skilled tradesmen do before the advent of these high flow rate pumps ? They removed rads and flushed them manually just as i mentioned.

That is a cost effective alternative and one i am happy to suggest - this is a moneysaving site after all.

I've made certain assumptions by the very fact that the OP has felt it necessary to post the question....The OP is free to correct me if any of these assumptions are incorrect....

Firstly, there are no members of the family able or willing to to do the work on their behalf...otherwise I assume the question wouldn't have been posted.

Secondly Asking if a £250 charge for a powerflush is reasonable and necessary, assuming my first assumption is correct then the only other reasonable option is to employ someone to come and clean the system out, it would take a plumber all day to drain, remove, clean out, replace and refill an entire system. therefore a powerflush seems to make perfect sense to me in the absence of anyone volunteering to do the work and at £250 seems like a reasonable charge for the time, equipment and chemicals involved in doing the work.

The £250 invested in the system will be recouped in reduced boiler repair costs and a more effecient operational system, as you said, this is a money saving forum, and in the long term I see this investment as good value. Sometimes the cheapest fix isn't the most effecient long term.

Skiduck

Alan_M wrote:

I've made certain assumptions by the very fact that the OP has felt it necessary to post the question....The OP is free to correct me if any of these assumptions are incorrect....

Firstly, there are no members of the family able or willing to to do the work on their behalf...otherwise I assume the question wouldn't have been posted.

Secondly Asking if a £250 charge for a powerflush is reasonable and necessary, assuming my first assumption is correct then the only other reasonable option is to employ someone to come and clean the system out, it would take a plumber all day to drain, remove, clean out, replace and refill an entire system. therefore a powerflush seems to make perfect sense to me in the absence of anyone volunteering to do the work and at £250 seems like a reasonable charge for the time, equipment and chemicals involved in doing the work.

The £250 invested in the system will be recouped in reduced boiler repair costs and a more effecient operational system, as you said, this is a money saving forum, and in the long term I see this investment as good value. Sometimes the cheapest fix isn't the most effecient long term.

a powerflush is not a money saiving tip.

If the OP emplyed an engineer to add ferroquest and re-prime the system, it would cost them a lot less with better results.

Kellm9

I think my system could do with a clean. I had the BG guy out to do a service on the sytem. He got a magnet out and it stuck to the copper pipework. This means I have iron build up inside the pipework. He did suggest a powerflush at about £800.

I live in a semi 5 bed cottage and have 13 radiators and a wall mounted Myson Appolo 60B boiler. I have been thinking of changing the boiler as it is quite old and very inefficient, gas bills are bigger than I would like at £90/month with EDF internet rate.

So to the point, following some of the obviously more learned on this forum would it be worth my while adding some of this ferroquest. If so when I have added it do I fully open all my temperature control valves on my rads and just let it circulate ? Also do I have to flush it all out ? If I don't need to flush out as suggested in earlier post where does all the gunge go ? Also any rough idea on cost to replace above boiler with similar capacity, was toying with getting a quote from BG but fear they might be too dear.

andrewmoorcroft

Im just about to get my broken system boiler replaced with a combi. I was thinking of cleaning the heating system using the chemical method and wash it out over the next couple of weeks before my new boiler is fitted. The pump still works so i can run the system cold with the chemicals in. Is this OK or do i need to run hot to for the chemicals to work effectively?

Alan_M_2

It needs to run at normal operating temperature to really be effective.

Alan_M_2

Skiduck wrote:

a powerflush is not a money saiving tip.

If the OP emplyed an engineer to add ferroquest and re-prime the system, it would cost them a lot less with better results.

Just sticking a chemical in and leaving it won't do anything other than stop it getting worse than it already is. Read the manufacturers specs of the chemical you suggest which I posted earlier in this thread.

Suggesting that will do the same as full pressurised flush is misleading and frankly nonsence.

Alan_M_2

Kellm9 wrote:

I think my system could do with a clean. I had the BG guy out to do a service on the sytem. He got a magnet out and it stuck to the copper pipework. This means I have iron build up inside the pipework. He did suggest a powerflush at about £800.

I live in a semi 5 bed cottage and have 13 radiators and a wall mounted Myson Appolo 60B boiler. I have been thinking of changing the boiler as it is quite old and very inefficient, gas bills are bigger than I would like at £90/month with EDF internet rate.

So to the point, following some of the obviously more learned on this forum would it be worth my while adding some of this ferroquest. If so when I have added it do I fully open all my temperature control valves on my rads and just let it circulate ? Also do I have to flush it all out ? If I don't need to flush out as suggested in earlier post where does all the gunge go ? Also any rough idea on cost to replace above boiler with similar capacity, was toying with getting a quote from BG but fear they might be too dear.

Yes you do need to flush the system out for the very reason your asking...Where does all the sludge go?

£800 is very steep for a powerflush and is what BG charge....and highlights the £250 quoted to the OP as being quite reasonable.

Find a local corgi registered plumber or better still a recommendation and get them to come and provide a quote for you.

If you happen to be in Surrey I can recommend a very good corgi plumber who is quite reasonable.

andrewmoorcroft

Alan_M wrote:

Yes you do need to flush the system out for the very reason your asking...Where does all the sludge go?

£800 is very steep for a powerflush and is what BG charge....and highlights the £250 quoted to the OP as being quite reasonable.

Find a local corgi registered plumber or better still a recommendation and get them to come and provide a quote for you.

If you happen to be in Surrey I can recommend a very good corgi plumber who is quite reasonable.

Why do you need a corgi registered person to do it. I didn't think you needed to touch the gas? Surely this would be paying top wack for something a corgi man was over qualified to do?
Does anyone know what pressure it is done at and if it would be anywhere near as effective to connect your system to the mains water supply to flush it in a high pressure area? I live i the bottom of a valley and everyone comments on how high the pressure is.

Alan_M_2

Corgi- as you were considering changing the boiler? That's the only reason, I assumed you want a quote for that also.

Skiduck

Alan_M wrote:

Just sticking a chemical in and leaving it won't do anything other than stop it getting worse than it already is. Read the manufacturers specs of the chemical you suggest which I posted earlier in this thread.

Suggesting that will do the same as full pressurised flush is misleading and frankly nonsence.

appologies Alan, I did say re-prime, i meant - empty and refill. In any case, it doesn't need a powerflush.