DS40 to clean old pipes or just buy new?

[Yorkshirebloke]

Evening all,
I've been reading through quite a few old threads on this, but the results were about 50/50.

So in the very near future I'll be removing the old unvented system and boiler and going over to a system boiler and unvented tank. New rads everywhere also.
So, do I run some DS40 through the system for a few weeks to hopefully clean all the pipes..... or should I bite the bullet and fit new pipes throughout the house? It's a fair sized place so quite an extensive and expensive job I feel otherwise I would have just done it already.

Alex

 

[DP]

Little build up sediment in the pipes will hardly effect all new fitments
DS40 great chemical for cleaning system but like every other cleanser, will need thorough cleansing post treatment

 

[fixitflav]

Evening all,
I've been reading through quite a few old threads on this, but the results were about 50/50.

So in the very near future I'll be removing the old unvented system and boiler and going over to a system boiler and unvented tank. New rads everywhere also.
So, do I run some DS40 through the system for a few weeks to hopefully clean all the pipes..... or should I bite the bullet and fit new pipes throughout the house? It's a fair sized place so quite an extensive and expensive job I feel otherwise I would have just done it already.

Alex

Most of the crud will be in the old rads, so if you're replacing them I wouldn't worry about the pipes. No doubt after fitting the new boiler the system will be flushed before first firing, and that will take care of anything in the pipes. Don't forget to add inhibitor!

 

[JohnD]

Acid cleaners are quite aggressive. Is there a reason why you think you need one?

You can do a simple DIY clean with Sentinel X400, which loosens black sludge and you can drain it out. You can circulate it for up to 4 weeks before it loses its power and the sediment starts to settle again. That is likely to remove most of the old dirt.

If you have limescale in the boiler, it doesn't matter if the boiler is going to be removed and replaced.

Budget for a system filter to protect your nice new boiler.

 

[Yorkshirebloke]

Firstly, many thanks for the replies
So firstly..... There were a few reasons I thought about DS40, but I'm open to any suggestions. The boiler it seems was last serviced in 2009 according to the sticker on the side of it. It is an Ideal Alan 2 which I think has been in since Noah was knocking about on his Ark. So I figured the system was likely going to be pretty well smudged up. Indeed a few of the rads were running cold in the middle.
Because it's a gravity fed system it's got the F&E tanks in the top making it easy to dose, and knowing I was going to get rid of the cylinder, the rads and the boiler I wasn't too worried about using a heavy acidic cleaner. Was I on the right lines or should I perhaps dial it down a notch and got for something less corosive?
JohnD, I'd pretty much decided on the magnaclean 2 unless anyone has a better option? The fernox looks pretty good maybe?
Fixitflav, fernox inhibitor is going in I've decided.

 

[JohnD]

if you fit a Magnaclean, it will carry on capturing black particles loosened by the X400 long after you have cleaned and drained the system, and will prevent them accumulating into new blockages.

It is not as good as a powerflush but X400 is a cheap and easy DIY job. About £15 for a bottle. It is not acidic and will not eat holes in your system, nor in your skin or clothes. When you have finished, use X100 or other inhibitor in the final fill, it costs about the same.

 

[Yorkshirebloke]

Yeah I'll continue to monitor the magnaclean when it's all installed, I'll be able to see if it needs another course of cleaner and a drain down that way too.
So how long would you leave the x400 doing it's business?
In terms of the pipework....... being of an uncertain age, am I asking for trouble leaving them in and going to pressurised?

 

[JohnD]

you can leave X400 circulating for up to 4 weeks. After that, it begins to lose its power and the sediment settles again.

 

[Yorkshirebloke]

So what do we think about the pipework? Should I replace it as a matter of course, or just wait and see if it springs a leak?