1st PowerFlush

[John2512_00]

Hey all.

Planning on doing my first powerflush thisweekend. have a few questions your you guys.

the boiler is a baxi solo, upstairs with the pump and valves, is it ok to hook the powerflush machine up to the connections of a rad downstairs to save any possible spillage upstairs + keep it near a drain and tap?

the systems not too old, id say about 8 years or so, i was told that sometimes when powerflushing rads burst and joints leak, now the radiators look sturdy enough from outside (obviously thats no real indicitaion of their strength) but how often do you get problems like that when flushing?

Is it worth opening 2 rads at a time to reduce the pressure on them to make them less likely to busrt/leak?

any advice for a first timer would be really appriciated
thanks
john

 

[Agile]

Where did you get your training on powerflushing?

 

[ChrisR]

See instructions on the Kamco site.

 

[feebeebos]

Hi John,

To go on a rad is imediately restricting the flow from the flusher, I always go on the pump on a OV system. Have plenty of dustsheets down and go upstairs or alternatively purchase some hose extensions, once you start doing more of them boilers are often found in the loft, so long hoses are a must.
I also put my flusher in a 25 gallon round cold water tank, acts as a bund for the odd occasion that you get an overflow!

If it's an OV system, make sure you seal the OV pipe and cold feed, quite often you'll have to fit a stop valve into the CF.

I always flush and dump in that order, no wonder her indoors moans at me Pointless adding chemical to a filthy system, dump the rubbish 1st and then put the chemical in and carry out the flush.

Ditto what 'ChrisR' said, the Kamco site is an excellent source of info ref power-flushing, they also sell some great kit to make life easier.

What kit do you have?

Regards

Dave

 

[John2512_00]

Ive not had any trainning on powerflushing.

Ive also not seen the machine yet, my mates renting it from a machine store tommorrow for me as I dont have the funds or demand to buy one yet. Its just a favor for him as his rads are barely heating and its pretty filthy water.

I am a heating engineer by the way, Im not just trying total madness DIY lol, but Im employed for breakdown and repair mostly, dont do any installation or upgrading under normal circumstances.


Thanks very much for the advice guys, its appriciated, will have a look at that site right now.

My other concern was, I cant remember off hand, but im certain the solo 2 has the cast iron heat exchanger in 2 sections with the gasket sealing them, is there much likely hood that this could rupture/leak during the flush?

Thanks again guys
John

 

[hi-spec plumbing heating]

best way is to wait and see you never know what might leak.
but i always get them to read my terms then sign before i start, warning them that any rads,valves,pipework etc that has corrosion may well cause problems during powerflushing.
so if any rads etc do go during powerflushing thats down to them as they have signed the terms.
without any signed terms you can be leaving yourself open.

 

[zimmers]

I have been doing p/flushs since 2000 and the only time ive ever had any pipework or rads leak is on the very first one in a very old cottage with a system that had pipes buried in concrete in a kitchen. I have done hundreds since and i really believe it's not worth the money,i have done loads of jobs were the circs are blocked and after the customers telling me its a p/flush they need i do it but i end up cutting into the pipes and finding its a solid build up that needs repiping or getting a long screwdriver and hammer and knocking it free. So is it me or do others think it's just a money maker .(not that im complaining) £300-£350 for sitting there reading a paper (most of the time)

 

[hi-spec plumbing heating]

nice in the summer

 

[Gasguru]

Powerflushing is hard work, very involved and so far I've always found it shifts blockages (with the right chemicals and heat from the boiler).

Half the job is replacing the cheap and nasty rad valves, worn out pump, leaky pump ball valves, knackered zone valves, incorrect controls wiring, cleaning out the FE cistern, siezed bypass, reseting the float valve level, clearing the blocked feed pipe, cutting out leaking aav's/blocked/leaking finger vents, etc etc

It's a money maker for many since they do not have the knowledge or honesty to do the job correctly. There are also plenty of so called "blocked" systems with installers claiming they need powerflushing that are perfectly ok...they just need balancing.

I would always advocate proper powerflushing for replacement boilers in conjunction with a Magnaclean and radhammer.

 

[zimmers]

I get all my p/flushs through b/gas, customer rings and tells me they want a p/flush. I ask why and they tell me b/gas said so,because he got a magnet and it stuck to the pipes,so its full of sludge and its got to be done.even though i say if your system isnt working due to poor circulation a p/f might not do any good. I do them as i was showed by kamco when i went in 2000 and bought a machine from there place,so i dont try and cheat but im not very impressed by the whole thing.

 

[gas_man_gaz]

bg also reconfigure the system on a powerflush - which norm includes chopping the bit out (usually the "H") which is blocked solid and fitting a air sep or converting it to a combined open vent and cold feed.. well the lads i no do

 

[John2512_00]

if i di find theres a few rads dowstairs that wont heat, how do you guys find where the blockage is?

as i say its just a favour for a friend, but I want to do it as good as possible, and use it as a learning expirience.

 

[Gasguru]

I get all my p/flushs through b/gas,

Ah.... the good old BG powerflush blagging.

Had one the other day...customer just bought a house and took out Homecare (or whatever they call it this week) to cover the whole system. Customer explained the policy is for a year max (since the house is being part demolished/rebuilt).

BG did the initial inspection/checks and took it on.

Now the weather has turned the customer turns on heating a month later and the rads downstairs won't heat up and there's lots of gurgling. Second visit by BG and he's unable to diagnose fault. A few days go by and another BG eng. and his manager visit. Spend a few hours and can only get a few rads downstairs to heat up. The verdict....feed/vent incorrectly plumbed and the system needs powerflushing....total cost £750.00

Customer mighty pi**ed off by their failure to find "faults" on initail visit and the likely repair cost.....so highly suspicious they call me.

I bale out F&E cistern (bit of gunge), bleed a couple of rads (not much air), screw down bypass (not actually required) and balance the rads (Peglar Belmonts so quite sensitive on settings). Despite feed/vent not quite correct the system doesn't suck in air, there is little evidence of sludge and all the rads now heat up evenly to full temp.

Worst is that there is very strong evidence they have bypassed the flowswitch on the Promax. (It was also on their policy with the previous owner).

 

[bengasman]

Read everything you can on powerflushing and then read it again. Unless the system in itself is pretty much okay with just a bit of loose sludge, you will find there is a lot more to powerflushing than just sticking the machine on.
Would not be the first time client tells me the system has already been flushed and I get still completely black goo when I dump after doing it correctly.
The f&e pipes also tend to be forgotten as is the tank

 

[Nige F]

Powerflushing is hard work, very involved

like old school plumbing ....a bit too heavy for the modern Corgi