Plumbing help & Sludge in Radiators/Tanks

Helenrod

HI All,

I'm hoping someone can help, I have recently bought my first property and am now just putting the heating on and after my heating has been on an hour or so there is a loud banging, clunking and hissing noises in pipe work and radiators.

I have had 2-rad's replaced since moving in, in the kitchen and hallway - these are not experiencing noise.

I have an extremely old boiler and water heater system - which to be honest at the minute cannot afford to replace but have been advised that it would be a good idea to flush the system and rad's with a chemical such as Sentinel X400 to help remove sludge build-up etc - does this sound right?

Firstly, is this easy enough to do yourself? or do you need a professional and if so how much would I be looking at for a professional to come and do it?

Any help and advice would be great :-)

Helenrod

Anyone? :-(

Myser

If the system does indeed require flushing through and you cannot afford to have a power flush, add either Sentinel X800 or Fernox F5 into the system.

Allow either chemical to circulate in the system for a week or two and then drain from the main drain-off point. You do need to have the heating running.

This may also help if you are experiencing cold spots on your radiators.

booty40uk

Do not leave X800 in a system for "a week or two"

Myser

booty40uk wrote: »

Do not leave X800 in a system for "a week or two"

Apparently Sentinel have tested that it doesn't damage the boiler if left in for longer periods (up to two weeks).

They confirmed to me that it was fine to leave it in systems with modern boilers too.

It must be flushed out from the system thoroughly though.

keystone

Sorry to contradict but it would be unwise to introduce X800 into the system and leave it for a "week or two". Its virulent stuff and is supposed to be used with a powerflush machine. The milder X400 or equivalent can be left in for a maximum of three weeks but after that that needs to come out too.

OP to be honest I think it would be wise for you to invest a little time and money in getting a professional in anyway to give your system the once over. He can then listen to the noises it makes and give you advice based on that - it might just be air in the system. It might just be expansion and contraction of pipework as it heats up/cools down but don't forget we can't hear it on the forum. Whilst he is there he can service the boiler for you as well. If your parents have a heating engineer they trust to do theirs see if you can get him to come and look at yours as well if its not too far away.

Cheers

Myser

X400 may not be sufficient enough to release sludge in older systems (25 years +).

Although X800 and F5 are for power flushing, I was advised that they can be used without a power flushing machine and just left to circulate around with the heating on.

This is useful where there is a danger of joints leaking if an old system is power flushed.

plumb1_2

Myser wrote: »

Apparently Sentinel have tested that it doesn't damage the boiler if left in for longer periods (up to two weeks).

They confirmed to me that it was fine to leave it in systems with modern boilers too.

It must be flushed out from the system thoroughly though.

If a manual flush is done it will not remove all the x800 or any other kind of cleaner, unless each individual rad is taken off and flushed with clean water. The chemical will loosen the sludge, but wont move all of it, just by relaying on the heating pump to move it. And if you have any suspect rads or pipework it will eat into it., as it will sink back to the bottom of the rads.

i have had pipes spring leaks when the chemical has cleaned them inside.

Thats why a powerflush machine with forward/reverse flow, and the ability to introduce fresh water for cleaning is far better.


Firstly, the Op should vent the rads, and check to see if the heating tank is filling up. Check is see if the water in the tank is not warm? it could be pumping over? Sounds to me you have a air problem??

Martini1000

Heat the system until hot then turn off and quickly drain the system to see what colour it is, especially near the end. I assume you have a simple heat only boiler, possibly with a Cast Iron heat exchanger which is where most gunge will sit. If you do this a couple of times this should get the loose stuff out, is it still complaining on heat up if so then as advised before get some F5 or F3 in. Leave it in for a couple of weeks and then do another hot drain. If still not happy, take each rad off and flush through with a hosepipe. If things are improved now and the water is clearer then after one more fill and flush add some F1 as you refill to try and protect the system.

Hope this helps.

plumb1_2

don't use F3, its only for new installs and will not remove sludge, use x400 for manual flush.

But first check your system is not full of air.

keystone

Myser wrote: »

X400 may not be sufficient enough to release sludge in older systems (25 years +).

Although X800 and F5 are for power flushing, I was advised that they can be used without a power flushing machine and just left to circulate around with the heating on.

This is useful where there is a danger of joints leaking if an old system is power flushed.

The advice you were given is a tad misplaced. IMO.

Anyway. OP knows very little about her system. We know next to nothing either. The only practical advice she can get from here is someone knowledgeable needs to look at it on site and listen to it for her. I suggested the RGI her parents use for their system

Don't know about anyone else but my remote sensing device is in for a service this week.

Cheers