What is a Power Flush and why might I need one?
Your home heating system is a simple system whereby water is heated by a boiler and then circulated around your home, usually via a pump of some sort or through pipework to a series of radiators. Once the radiators are full of hot water they then radiate that heat into your rooms.
However, although the heating systems might not be rocket science in their operation, they are not without their problems.
Over time the heating system, like most energy systems, will degrade. Water will potentially cause rust especially as air enters the mix. That rust will clog up the heating system and the sludge will prevent the radiators giving maximum heat output and cause cold spots on the radiators.
Rust can also cause small pinholes in pipes and radiators causing leaks as well as letting air enter the system. If air is in a radiator then is will not be able to fully fill with hot water, you will notice this when the tops of the radiators are cold while the bottom is hot.
Power flushing the system will remove the dirt and sludge and increase the flow of hot water in your system saving you money and potentially extending the life of your heating system but perhaps the most significant benefit is that your house and water will be heated quicker.
So How Does a Power Flush Work?
Bay Construction use a high pressure heating system cleaner that temporarily becomes a part of your heating system. This is sometimes done by connecting to your heating system in place of your existing pump but usually it is in place of one of your radiators.
Water is then pumped around your heating system at high pressure which will loosen any built up grime and sludge. Once the system comes up to heat we then put an additive into the system which helps loosen any stubborn build ups.
All of our power flushing machines are fitted with two electromagnets. All of the water that circulates through the system passes through the magnetic chamber. The magnets pickup all of the metallic sludge and rust so we are not simply moving that around your system potentially damaging more delicate parts such as pumps and valves.
Once the additive is circulated then all radiators are closed off and the high pressure pump focuses all of its pressure on one radiator at a time. We move onto the next radiator once the heat is evenly distributed over the entire radiator. When the heat is optimum we close that radiator and move to the next ensuring that all radiators being flushed get the maximum flushing pressure.
When all radiators are clean we then start dumping the dirty water from your heating system and replace it with clean water. This is again done on a rad-by-rad basis to ensure that the maximum pressure is used to clean each radiator.
When all radiators are flushed and the water is replaced we then open all radiators and bring the system to maximum heat bleeding the radiators where needed.
Once the system is cleaned we add an inhibitor to the system which will help prevent the build up of sludge and rust in the future.
How do I know if I need a Power Flush?
Power Flushing your heating system usually help get your heating back to maximum output.
- Dirty black radiator water
- Heating system slow to heat up
- Strange noises from boiler, pump or radiators
- Some radiators are cold or partially cold
Power Flushing does not help in all situations. If your boiler is blown or pump has totally failed then it might be too late for power flushing but by power flushing every couple of years you can potentially increase the life of your heating system.