Central Heating System cleaning

[Ranbir]

I have taken each radiator out of the house into the garden and flushed through with Fairy liquid and a standard pressure washer. The black sludge came out. After about 5 minutes the water went clear and sometimes more black sludge came out.

1) Is there anything stronger then Fairy liquid I could use to ensure all of the black sludge(Iron oxide) comes out?

After I have reinstalled all the radiators in the house I am going to flush out the whole central heating system with Fairy liquid to clean the pipes.
2) Where would I input the standard pressure washer?
3) Where would I attach a piece of hosepipe with a Stainless Steel Hose Clamp Tighteners for the output - black sludge?
4) Will this damage the Valiant boiler I have?

Finally I will pour sentinel x100 corrosion inhibitor into an upstairs radiator through a open bleed screw.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Why don't you try X800 for 12hrs with heating turned on, then drain. Or X400 for 4 weeks then drain, to clean the system.

Then X100 once you have finished cleaning/flushing the system.

Andy

 

[goofy gorilla]

good reply by above thats what ive done..my boiler is due to be changed in a few days, ive just put in some x800...gonna run it for afew days then drain it out...and flush the system with clean water, before the boiler is changed...then add fernox inhibitor ..

 

[ianmcd]

I would recommend adding sentinell x100 rather than Fernox if you have clensed your system with sentinell x800 or x400 its not always a good idea to mix chemical manufacturers much safer to keep them all the same

 

[Agile]

If you are such a cheapskate that you dont want to buy the proper chemicals then rather than use Fairy Liquid you could use Tesco washing up liquid as its half the price!

Tony

 

[oldbuffer]

1. Fairy liquid contains salt, which is why it is not recommended for washing cars. Salt rots steel. Most radiators are steel.

2. I'd be very surprised if your boiler is designed to take the sort of pressure even an average pressure washer can generate. You run a high risk of doing some serious damage to the boiler and to other system components.

3. I'd take the advice given in previous replies. Or get someone with the equipment and knowledge required to do a proper power flush of your system.

4. If your system has a serious sludge problem you need to identify the cause and correct it, or it will just happen again in weeks or months.

 

[gavinda]

good reply by above thats what ive done..my boiler is due to be changed in a few days, ive just put in some x800...gonna run it for afew days then drain it out...and flush the system with clean water, before the boiler is changed...then add fernox inhibitor ..

Boiler change being done cash in hand?

 

[Ranbir]

I am going to clean it with the X800 over 12 hours after I have reinstalled all the radiators rather than Fairy. Because that will clean the pipes too.

But prior to that I would like to ensure each radiator is clear of any black sludge in the garden. I respect your knowlegde of Fairy's chemical reaction with metal so I shall not use that liquid detergent.
1) Is there any other deposit/sludge cleaner that could be used in the garden to flush each radiator?

The reason for the hot/cold patches on the radiators requiring flushing is simply age as the radiators and pipes are about 25 years old. The Valiant boiler is only 3 years old.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Tap the rear of the radiators when you are washing them in the garden with a piece of wood on the rear and tap with a rubber hammer.

Andy

 

[Whitespirit66]

And save your pennies for a system filter.

http://www.fernox.com/equipment/filters/total+filter+tf1