Boiler noisy and radiators not as hot. sludge or limescale?

[kevinharold]

Hope someone can adise me best please:-

My boiler makes noises when on and some of the radiators don't heat up very much. (although it was hot today, I have noticed this over the past few months). I read that it can be sludge causing the problem, and somewhere else that it could be limescale? How do i know which it is? Is there different treatment for each? I have seen Sentinel X400 Sludge Remover in B & Q, but will this do ?? Please help Thanks for your time all.

 

[JohnD]

I wonder how old your heating system is, what make and model of boiler you have, if it is sealed or open vented, if you live in a hard water area, how often you have to vent your radiators, what colour the water is, how much mud is in your F&E tank, what inhibitor was added (if any) and when?

 

[kevinharold]

system is open vented
header tank looks ok not rally very black water
i know x100 was added a few years back (maybe 5 years or more)

 

[JohnD]

you don't know the other answers then?

 

[kevinharold]

vent rads now and again, nothing out of the ordinary really (why would that matter)?
the boiler is an ld potterton (why does that make a difference)?
yes the water is hard here

 

[mickyg]

get some X800, much better. Run heating for 6hours then drain & clean out the header tank. stick some X100 in and refill. If it makes a difference it was mucky and you've fixed it and you can feel satisfied, if its still problematic then come back and bother us again.

 

[kevinharold]

what's X800? i will try it, but if the problems scale and not sludge will it work?
X800 says for power flushing machines!...

 

[mickyg]

what's X800? i will try it, but if the problems scale and not sludge will it work?

scale is unlikley to affect your rads, but can build up in the boiler if fresh water is introduced into the system regularly. The problem is more commonly sludge, which the chemical will deal with. X800 is the same in principal as 400 but much more effective.
X400 needs to be left in for at least 4 weeks to actually work, X800 shouldn't be left for more than 12hours, and will be effective in 4, if that gives you some idea .

 

[mickyg]

X800 says for power flushing machines!...

it will still work, some powerflush machines are barely more powerful than a domestic pump anyway.

 

[kevinharold]

ok thanks for your advice. so leave it in for 6 hours, then drain, and re-fill with x100

what about the x200, it says it is for limescale and boiler noise?? any good? or x800 best ??? thanks again for helping.

 

[mickyg]

ok thanks for your advice. so leave it in for 6 hours, then drain, and re-fill with x100

what about the x200, it says it is for limescale and boiler noise?? any good? or x800 best ??? thanks again for helping.

you can add 200 if you want, never found it does alot to be honest, same goes for boiler silencers...negligible improvement, but no harm except 15 odd quid. Nip up car boot on sunday, i picked up 6 bottles of sentinel chemicals at about 4 quid each.

 

[kevinharold]

Thanks mickyg i am really thankful for your advice. You say X800 works really well-i will keep my eye on it If i leave it in toolong what what happen?!!!.....

Also, 1 last q: the rads not warming as much is sludge you say, not limescale. I dunno why i thought it might be limescale then, maybe just read wrong. As you said scale would be in the boiler's heat excanger mainly? ...

 

[JohnD]

you could take one radiator off, empty it into a bucket, take it into the garden and hose it through to see what comes out.

50p says there will be a lot of black sludge

In which case, if you can do basic plumbing and can afford an extra £100, you might fit a Magnaclean on a 22mm vertical pipe on the return to the boiler. I guarantee you will be amazed and delighted to see how much black sediment it traps from the water once it has been loosened by the chemical, and it will continue working permanently. It will also prevent any new accumulations building up as it will take the material out of the water before it can settle.

 

[mickyg]

Thanks mickyg i am really thankful for your advice. You say X800 works really well-i will keep my eye on it If i leave it in toolong what what happen?!!!.....

Also, 1 last q: the rads not warming as much is sludge you say, not limescale. I dunno why i thought it might be limescale then, maybe just read wrong. As you said scale would be in the boiler's heat excanger mainly? ...

scale will normally form at the heat source, where its nice and hot. water in my local area is scale forming at 80c, not a temp you'll likely get your rads too, but normal for your boiler.
if you leave it in too long let me know what happens lol it will more likely eat the insides of your radiators, but probably only after weeks and weeks. Think about how most cleaners work(even washing up liquid) essentially a corrosive product.

 

[kevinharold]

True, my hot water is set at 60 degrees.

The htg i believe is higher though, 80 inside the pipes?

saying that i havent added fresh water again and again

will this x800 sort the boiler noise out too as well as help the rad heat up better?

I will get some 2mz and add it and let you know!