Purimachos Flushex - general CH flush/clean out questions

[Niall76]

Flushex sounds like the type of product I need although I can't seem to find anywhere that sells it?

My heating system uses 8mm microbore pipe, there are 2 new rads 1 of which doesn't heat up. There are another 2 rads which are steadily getting worse and they heat up a little at the top but are cold at the bottom.

All have been bled but it makes no difference. It has been recomended that I flush out the system. It's about 12 - 14 years old and seeing the state the place was when we moved in 2 years ago I doubt there will have ever been any maintenance on it.

It's an old Baxi boiler and hot water storage tank affair. I was planning on buying a product to drop into the header tank.

This is the plan.

Tie up the ballcock at the header tank and then drain the system at the drain point outside the front door.
Empty the sludge remover product into the header tank.
Refill the heating system and bleed all rads.
Run for a few weeks to get the chemical around good and proper.
Drain system and refill.
Possibly drain and refill again depending on how mucky it is.
Get an inhibiter of some sort and add it in.
Cross all fingers and hope it works?

Anything I should consider?

Thanks for your help

 

[ChrisR]

Anything I should consider?

Yes, lots, do several searches!

Microbore can be tricky. Airlocks especially.

Purimachos flushex might be OK for washing dog poo off your car tyre, but I wouldn't use it for anything else. Their technical knowledge/support is nonexistent.
There's a bunch of reputable companies - Fernox, Sentinel, Kamco, and others.
I'd try perhaps Sentinel X-800 (Ferroquest) for a day or two, turning off the clearest rads so it coirculates the poorest, for part of the time. But remember - no circulation means no cleaning.

Various techniques have been discussed here for blocked pipes/rads.

DOn't drain more than you need to to add the liquid or you risk air lock problems.

 

[Gasguru]

For all that effort use Sentinel/Fernox or Aqueous Logic chemicals.

Purimachos is so cheap I'd be dubious of it having much effect. When it comes to inhibitors cost makes a big difference to their chemical makeup.

Don't forget to thoroughly clean out the header tank first. Bung the outlet to keep the muck out the system. Wash it out with dilute bleach to kill off the bacteria growth.

 

[namsag]

Chris does ferroquet not say leave in for 3 hours only..... The chemical treatments will work but it wont get it all out especially if you have twin entry valves best thing is take rads out and flush with a hose outside and find the manifolds and cut them out and clean them

 

[ChrisR]

I asked Sentinel about it, they said a day or two is OK. It isn't acidic.

I'd agree, taking the "dud" rad off for a blast would be a good idea, then see if water comes out of the feed pipes!

 

[namsag]

Always a wee bit wary about leaving stuff in to long. In the old days we used to use DS9 whih would eat through most things after a couple of days , Used to have to fill and flush 9 times minimum to get it all out and pass the litmus test`s..

 

[Niall76]

Thanks for the info.

I had no idea it wasn't very good. I can get hold of the Fernox stuff quite easily. I'll give that a go.

We did notice that on the replaced rad the inflow pipe gave little more than a pathetic dribble, more like a few drops - pointing to blocked pipework. Laminate flooring etc mean we don't want to be ripping up the floors so we were hoping the de-sludger would work? Time will tell I suppose?

So, next weekend I shall bleed, remove and flush out the old rads.

We had to replace a valve on one of the rads earlier in the year due to a leak and drained and refilled the system - seemed okay. Fairly straightforward.

However, I don't want to tempt fate. The system is bad enough as it is - thanks for the advice Chris