re-power flushing
- Thread starter joesoap1
- Start date
- Joined
- 26 Sep 2008
- Messages
- 3,005
- Reaction score
- 518
- Country
Boiler manufacturers insist that the central heating system should be cleaned before the new boiler is installed. It would would be wise to do this as generic sludge / Manganite / scale could be in your system and have an adverse effect on your new boilers performance. This may not necessarilly mean a power flush, but I would say that most installation engineers would recommend it.
The system has to be meticuliously clean now days.There are reasons for this,with modern condensing boiler the waterways in the heat exchanger are only 5mm in certain places
If there is any magnetite and sludge these heat exchangers will clog up effecting efficiency and eventually breaking down.Once the sludge and magnetite is inside these boilers and has had time to burn in nicely because of the very high temperatures inside the stainless steel you will not be able to get it out
The heat exchanger is normally made by ginnoni for the manufacturer and is very expensive part so all manufacturers will be very wary if changing it out if the system isn't perfectly clean
If there is any magnetite and sludge these heat exchangers will clog up effecting efficiency and eventually breaking down.Once the sludge and magnetite is inside these boilers and has had time to burn in nicely because of the very high temperatures inside the stainless steel you will not be able to get it out
The heat exchanger is normally made by ginnoni for the manufacturer and is very expensive part so all manufacturers will be very wary if changing it out if the system isn't perfectly clean
Over 90% of problems with new installations are caused by dirt in the system.
This is always caused by the installer not properly cleaning the system, Sometimes he blames the customer for not agreeing to pay for the additional cost of power flushing.
I have hardly ever heard of any installer being taken to court or compensating the owner for his failure to clean the system. Few of the customers I see ever know the full name and address of the installer. Most are paid with cash with no proper receipt.
To me that situation is grossly unfair. We act properly and charge an installation fee to cover cleaning the system and we 100% guarantee our work. Unfortunately thats always going to be more expensive than those who dont clean the system and so they get the work!
However, about 50% of our repair work is as a result of dirt in systems.
Tony
This is always caused by the installer not properly cleaning the system, Sometimes he blames the customer for not agreeing to pay for the additional cost of power flushing.
I have hardly ever heard of any installer being taken to court or compensating the owner for his failure to clean the system. Few of the customers I see ever know the full name and address of the installer. Most are paid with cash with no proper receipt.
To me that situation is grossly unfair. We act properly and charge an installation fee to cover cleaning the system and we 100% guarantee our work. Unfortunately thats always going to be more expensive than those who dont clean the system and so they get the work!
However, about 50% of our repair work is as a result of dirt in systems.
Tony
Hi Tony, How do you know a system is 100% clean, without taking off all rads? If using powerful chemicals and power dislodges sludge, it,s like your veins, a clot can work its way around the system after the flush?You obviously are a genuine guy, but the normal Punter does not know what,s going on, and with all due respect, in my experience, paper guarantees are not worth the paper they are written on.What qualifications does one need to flush a system out?are they regulated, as corgi?What,s a reasonable price for a flush, a days work, one man?not London, Leeds?
Once the system has been flushed it is advisable to have a filter fitted to heating system. The flush will never remove 100% of the muck and the filter will prevent any left in the system from getting to the boiler. The filter can be cleaned periodically and is a handy place to pour inhibitor to maintain a healthy system
Hi, Haven,t yet been told what qualifications are required to become a "Flusher". Surely there must be regulation of some sort, if not then it,s a cowboys heaven:Anyone Know?
Its a cowboys heaven. There is no regulation.
Just like any plumber the skill level is according to the individuals own competence.
Thats why its up to the customers to choose someone who they expect to be good at the job.
But someone who gives a guarantee on what they do is a good start. Avoid the first name and mobile phone number guys. You will not be able to track them down if you are not happy with what they do.
Tony
Just like any plumber the skill level is according to the individuals own competence.
Thats why its up to the customers to choose someone who they expect to be good at the job.
But someone who gives a guarantee on what they do is a good start. Avoid the first name and mobile phone number guys. You will not be able to track them down if you are not happy with what they do.
Tony
Hi Tony, You seem to be the only honest guy on the blog.I didn,t think for 1 minute it was regulated, how boiler manufacturers can insist on a "non regulated " flush has to be carried out or the warrantee is invalidated is C""p.It wouldn,t stand in a court of law, I have been an engineer all my 50 years working, and the cowboys that the Big 4 send out to "try" and fix my pilot light is laughable, if it weren,t so serious.The guarantee has to be insurance backed to be of any validity; here today, gone tommorrow, springs to mind.I have no doubt that inthe right hands the powerflush is good, but I for one wont be paying £700 or anywhere near it for a job that can be done by myself, it only encourages the cowboys and gives the likes of yourself a bad name.I notice most of the so called experts on this blog ,bulled it up, but didn,t say there were no regs for it.Thanks Tony, I hope you do well;unlike the other "numpties" as someone refered to.If the cap fits:
D
dextrous
Out of interest, are these the "numpties" who you have just thanked and simultaneously insulted
Having read thought the replies of those "on this blog", none of them were dishonest, none of the replies "bulled it up". None of them told you, nor implied that it was regulated (and even your new hero, Tony, didn't clarify that it wasn't until you actually asked). Think your reply is both insulting and factually incorrect, which is a bit surprising from a time served engineer to be honest. 
Joesoap you want to get you head out of your ass,we are not here to answer your questions if so do not choose
This is free forum and if some one wants advice most of the times a professional will provide it absolutely free with nothing apart from a thank you
so show some respect for service ythe likes of yourself are recieveing for absolutely nowt and keep your numpty comments to yourself
Powerflushing will definetly not remove 100% of the dirt each time and every time,this is the reason to fit a magnaclean or spriovent onto a system someone who is spending £2k normally has no qualms if they are explained the advantage of this kit to add it to the system
Tony does repairs on budget boilers eg Biasi for the manufacturers so he will see alot of installs which are done either by unqualified people or the owners themselves , and some by the budget isntaller types, the kind of install one gets use to on these boilers is not the kind you will get on average where people are spending large sums of money as on a vailliant or worcster
Biasi dont care who has fitted the boiler ,they will attend the repair.Alot of times they do like to blame the installer,even though these agents have been told not to and get the repair done and out as quick as possible,they are suppose to speak to the installer not slag them off to the customer
This is free forum and if some one wants advice most of the times a professional will provide it absolutely free with nothing apart from a thank you
so show some respect for service ythe likes of yourself are recieveing for absolutely nowt and keep your numpty comments to yourself
Powerflushing will definetly not remove 100% of the dirt each time and every time,this is the reason to fit a magnaclean or spriovent onto a system someone who is spending £2k normally has no qualms if they are explained the advantage of this kit to add it to the system
Tony does repairs on budget boilers eg Biasi for the manufacturers so he will see alot of installs which are done either by unqualified people or the owners themselves , and some by the budget isntaller types, the kind of install one gets use to on these boilers is not the kind you will get on average where people are spending large sums of money as on a vailliant or worcster
Biasi dont care who has fitted the boiler ,they will attend the repair.Alot of times they do like to blame the installer,even though these agents have been told not to and get the repair done and out as quick as possible,they are suppose to speak to the installer not slag them off to the customer
I thanked them all for their reply , however , as a ex engineer, the first thing I would have done would be to say its not regulated. I asked enough times;how can any self respecting engineer promote a system that is self regulated and can do as much harm as good, if not used correctly.The numptee was used by one of the so called experts against another,regarding flushing. I have noticed regularly that this blog is used often by so called experts against their own kind.I merely referred to it.They love to refer to the regs when it suits them, I appologise to those that I have offended, but this is DIYnot.Give all the facts or none at all is my motto.Did any one of them refer to it not being regulated?NO. If it,s not regulated it should be banned:Out of interest, are these the "numpties" who you have just thanked and simultaneously insulted
D
dextrous
The point is, you're opening post was asking whether it could be done on a DIY basis. Noone said it couldn't, but all recommended that the system should be cleaned for a variety of reasons (operative as well as warranty purposes - indeed any new installation will require the fitter to complete a Benchmark certificate stating that is has been cleaned fully, and as it's their name that goes on the ticket, most would prefer to do it themselves for obvious reasons)
The way I read your opening post, and I suspect this is true of the others who replied, was whether hiring the machinery, getting the chemicals, plus the time spent performing the task etc was within the ability of a DIYer, and whether it was cost effective to do so. They have responded to that. There was no implication in the wording of your post that seemed to be asking whether it was "legal" or not for a DIYer to do it.
While we're talking about the law and regs, you may wish to be aware of there being no legal reason why you shouldn't install your boiler yourself, since you wouldn't be doing it for profit, providing you can demonstrate your "competence" to do so. However, in fairness, doing this would almost certainly invalidate any warranty and quite probably invalidate any insurance - but this would be an issue between you and them.
I have indeed installed both of my last two boilers, and had them commissioned by a corgi registered fitter.I didn,t imply, or mean to imply that I hire the system and DIY it. I was only looking at cleaning the system by manually flushing as opposed to powerflushing.As another blogger was quoted £700 from BG, other thread, for powerflush, to charge this amount, as much as Tony charges for installing a boiler, near enough, then they should be registered as competent.However, it never occurred to any of the guys to state this, which I thought they should have.Maybe I expected too much, and appologise for my termonology.It was not meant generally, but if as you say you have rea the other threads regarding this topic, you will know who my remark was aimed at.I thank everyone for their constructive advice
DIYnot Local
Staff member
If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.
Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.
Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local
