Combi Boiler Powerflush.

george85_2

I had a combi boiler fitted about 3 years ago. It's been nothing but trouble, requiring de-scaling and flushing on a frequent basis. I live in a hard water area and don't have a softner. So, when the water started to turn cold again I called the usual guy.

He did a "mini" power flush - through the boiler not through the DHW side of the heat plate exchanger. That has resulted in an improvement in the hot water.

I assumed that the lower DHW temp was due to lime scaling of the plate exchanger. My heating guy said that it was due to sludge in the system.

He's now told me that I need a MagnaClean filter fitted (200 quid), and a full power flush, boiler descaling (I assume DHW side of plate exchanger), all for 500 for a total of 700 quid.

I have looked at other similar threads, such as British Gas and Powerflushing, 21-2-06.

I would appreciate any comments or suggestions.

robv_3

If the system was powerflushed when the boiler was install its extremely unlikely there is any sludge in the system. If inhibitor was added (as it should be)the system will be sludge free for years and years.

For the DHW heat exchanger to be scaled after 3 years you must be in a very hard water area. Most likely the temperature sensor has a little scale on it and needs removing and putting in some lemon juice.

Canucklehead

Hi
I agree with robv all this work is three years to late.
A scale reducing device fitted to the incoming cold to the combi will help the plate to plate last a lot longer.This too should have been fitted at the time of the instal. If it wasn't offered to you at the time then it should.
You should have the magnaclean , new plate to plate and a scale reducing device fitted
You might get away without the flush but as I can't tell from here how dirty the system is then maybe not.
You were either given or chose a cheap installation by the sound of it .


Corgi Guy.


PS You might want to get another price or two for the work.

Katykat

I'm a bit dubious about all this "powerflush". We had a combi boiler installed 20yrs ago. I know it is more than likely not energy efficient these days, but my combined elec & gas bills from Powergen are £48pm for a 3 bed detached. Our water is piping hot, the radiators make the rooms like toast and we've never had anything done to the boiiler. In the early days we had a service every year, but about 5yrs ago we decided that the boiler had probably come to the end of its life and we would have a new one if it broke down. Well it hasn't yet so we keep plodding on with it. Daresay it will conk out tomorrow as a punishment for opening my mouth.

SwanJon

Katykat - just remember that the service is not just to keep the boiler running - it's to keep the boiler running safely.
If you are not getting it serviced, make sure you have an effective CO detector nearby.

Katykat

Thanks SwanJon. yes we do have a CO detector right next to it. In all honesty, we are replacing the boiler in the new year, just getting quotes in now. There is nothing wrong with the existing boiler, just that we are having the kitchen done and it seems a good time to change it. We probably will have a powerflush when it is changed, but I doubt we will have it regularly.

ariba10

I would recommend a CO2 alarm over a detector.

Taipans_Emporium

robv wrote: »

If the system was powerflushed when the boiler was install its extremely unlikely there is any sludge in the system. If inhibitor was added (as it should be)the system will be sludge free for years and years.

For the DHW heat exchanger to be scaled after 3 years you must be in a very hard water area. Most likely the temperature sensor has a little scale on it and needs removing and putting in some lemon juice.

My Alpha Ocean 240 Eco shut s down just as the DHW starts running through hot. It kicks back in again shortly after and repeats this over and over. the diaphragms seem to be pushing the pins out and hitting the switches ok, do you think it would be worth my cleaning the DHW sensor in lemon juice?

itsmypartyand

Taipans_Emporium wrote: »

My Alpha Ocean 240 Eco shut s down just as the DHW starts running through hot. It kicks back in again shortly after and repeats this over and over. the diaphragms seem to be pushing the pins out and hitting the switches ok, do you think it would be worth my cleaning the DHW sensor in lemon juice?

Very unlikely your sensor is scaled up! The sequence means the heat can not traverse from the primary water from the main heat exchanger and traverse across your plate heat exchanger therefore it cant dump the heat into the domestic water and effectively it cant modulate quickly enough either because of sludge deposits stopping the heat transfer so the boiler has to shut down and then restart again leaving the time it shuts off and then starts again and gets to tempesature before it shuts down again meaning you get a flush of hot then cold water before the process starts again. Simple replacing the exchanger wont work because within a few months the magnetite sludge from the system will have blocked it again! Thats why powerflushing was invented to resolve the problems of bad installation magnatite sludge. Hope this helps you all!

inmypocketnottheirs

Katykat wrote: »

Thanks SwanJon. yes we do have a CO detector right next to it. In all honesty, we are replacing the boiler in the new year, just getting quotes in now. There is nothing wrong with the existing boiler, just that we are having the kitchen done and it seems a good time to change it. We probably will have a powerflush when it is changed, but I doubt we will have it regularly.

Whereabouts in teh country are you?

YorkJane

Make sure that the company you use is a member of the power flush association. Just about anyone can claim to be an expert these days.