B/G - Powerflush & Cold Spots - DIY Fix?

[stinkypup]

Hi all

Ok we're at your mercy (and that of B/G).

Upon a recent call out we were told that the cold spots that we'd noticed on basically all the ground floor rads was being caused by sludge and that we need to the system to be power flushed asap at a cost of £600

We can't afford this it's madness! and the system is 3 years old on a a rated boiler?! all nice new and modern.

I'm assuming this diagnosis is correct, what I was wondering is can you DIY it!??! Or is B/G quote above average and cheaper or other options?

Is it as simple as draining the system, flushing the pipes, cleaning out each rad and then re fill adding new inhibitors ect?

Thanks for reading and in advance to any comments?!

Daz

 

[ianmcd]

Unfortunately this is BGs answer to everything and their engineers are pushed to quote for this even when it isnt needed try balancing your rads first there is plenty of info in the FAQs on here how to do it, if it does need a power flush which is doubtfull get an independent to do it and not BG.

An easy way to tell if it is a balancing issue rather than sludge is turn all the rads off and just heat up one at a time and if when only one is on if it heats up fine it is a balancing issue

 

[kidgreen61]

If you are a confident DIYer, it may be worth you buying a can of X800, (follow instuctions carefully), then removing each rad and flush them out in the garden with a hosepipe.

Be sure to add X100 before you re-fill system.

 

[stinkypup]

Cheers Ian, they did phaf, mess around with the rads trying to balance it. It wasn't far off anyway buy has not made any difference to the problems.

I agree I was left with the impression I was being "pushed" to do this and they were as well - be that commission or just a sales thing.

But thanks for the info!

 

[stinkypup]

Cheers Kid, yeah I am happy to have a dam good go and I'm better than most who DIY, just never had to deal with this kinda problem so left feeling a little lost and with no real idea of where to turn apart from here!

I've always felt you do get a good feel for whats good and not from this forum! so thanks for the post.

 

[Agile]

Whilst BG charge £600 a typical in dependent only charges about £350 !

The rest goes to support the BG infrastructure and their shareholders!

Tony

 

[Nige F]

Cheers Kid, yeah I am happy to have a dam good go and I'm better than most who DIY, just never had to deal with this kinda problem so left feeling a little lost and with no real idea of where to turn apart from here!

I've always felt you do get a good feel for whats good and not from this forum! so thanks for the post.

Turn to an old Sussex Plumber (east sussex ) When the weather warms up I take it you mean Everything in the system is 3 years old - or is it a modern system in a 3 year old house . Also has it got horrible micro bore ( 8-10mm ) pipes to the rads

 

[stinkypup]

Hi Nige

Nope old house - new boiler and pipes! The whole thiing top to bottom was replaced, new gas feed, 22mm to the rads and the 15mm out of the floor - 22m cold feed with 5inch of 15mm into the boiler and 22mm on the hot, new rads - in copper too - none of this plastic stuff!

and BG installed it so we were told! old boy lived in the house and had it installed as a part of some deal for OAP's

and from what we've seen thats exactly the case - just about had most boards up now!

 

[Nige F]

turn off all the upstairs rads - see if it then can go round the downstairs OK . Can`t be sludge after 3 years . is it a combi boiler

 

[mickyg]

So BG install a boiler and 3yrs later they are recommending a powerflush ? you couldn't make it up. So they are openly admitting fitting a new boiler onto a dirty system?
If your are competent to remove a rad, just take one rad outside and flush it out upside down with a hosepipe and bash it with a rubber mallet, if loads of black cr*p comes out then it needs flushing to some extent whether that be DIY or paid for professional but BG should do it for free as they should have done it when they installed the boiler.

 

[gas_man_gaz]

as far as i am aware bg don't fit many boilers for free, ya sure it wasn't warmfront?
just out of curiosity what boiler is fitted?

 

[Phill Peck]

If BG installed it 3 years ago and it's been on contract since I think I'd be telling them to flush it for free

 

[petit_pablo]

If BG installed it 3 years ago and it's been on contract since I think I'd be telling them to flush it for free

Lifetime guaranty on flush is only valid with original customer

It may or may not need flushing, we can only guess from behind a computer screen. If it was fitted free under a grant scheme then its quite possibly a warmfront job rather than a BG on.

What boiler is it?