To Flush or Not to Flush - New Boiler Required?

Joined
30 Sep 2010
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Country
United Kingdom
Prior to installing my new condensing boiler my plumber assured me that he would power flush the old (30yr) system.
On the day of the installation I again asked if he was going to power flush and he told me that it was a load of boll**ks and that draining the system a couple of times was sufficient. I told him I still wanted it doing as it was part of the job specification and I had read how important it was.
Later that day the new boiler was connected and ran with no flushing having taken place. I called the manufacturers technical people who said it was essential to power flush and only after chemicals had been introduced into my old system some 24hrs before hand to loosen any crud in the rad’s and that it should take approx 5hrs for tha house size I have. They also said that their guarantee would be invalid if this did not happen.
The next day I pulled the plumber about it and insisted that the boiler be flushed separately to clear out any contamination, then the old system be flushed followed by a full system flush when the new rads were fitted. He did not use the chemical, only flushed for about 3 hrs and I don’t believe he flushed the new boiler separately at all.
Do you think I have the right to ask him to take this boiler out and fit a new one?
 
Sponsored Links
Hi

I'd heed the manufacturers advice and get it power flushed properly using the correct chemicals. I'm not sure you need a new boiler but you don't want 30yrs of crud running round it.
 
If your plumber said that he was going to powerflush the system, then I am assuming that he charged extra to do this.

If this is the case, then get him back and do it, simple as.

Power flushing is not the be all and end all of cleaning systems.An as thorough flush can be done by using mains water, and the correct chemicals.

As tincup says, you certainly do not want 30 years of crud running through your system.

Out of interest, what boiler was fitted.

Graham
 
He fitted a Glow worm 35cxi and I assume that since he’s a glow worm installer (and having installed lots of these as he told me ) he would have allowed for power flushing when putting his quote together seeing as how it’s a required action by Glow worm and a requirement in their installation instructions.
Ive refused to pay anything for flushing for this reason and because of his half harted attempt.
My concern now is what might happen in the future as a result of this. When the boiler does break down I know I’m going to blame the lack of flushing and regret not taking action when I had the chance.
 
Sponsored Links
Glowworm installer? Was this boiler part of their TIMEX scheme?

Glowworm don't have an instalation side, they do have approved installers, who are tightly monitored by the company to remain on their books. If he was introduced by GW contact them and they will kick his backside for you - or he may have been talking s***
 
I cannot comment on what GlowWorm words may say but the manufacturer's requirement is for the boiler to be fitted on a clean system and that is all thats technically required.

Power flushing is one method of cleaning a system and only usually required when its particularly bad.

Its quite possible to connect a power flushing pump for three hours without doing whats required and have little effect.

You seem to be heading for a dispute with your installer which may not be the best idea. I would take the view that its his responsibly to clean the system and how he achieves that is up to him BUT he should give you a proper guarantee against dirt causing problems in the system for say 2-3 years.

It almost seems that you are trying to find excuses for not paying the agreed price. Of course that depends on the exact wording of the quotation given.

Tony
 
Thanks for your input all I do appreciate it.

Didn’t realise that “Beerlover” and Im going to call Glow Wrom on Monday.

With regard to power flushing “Agile”Glow Worms own technical people said its essential as is the cleaning with chemical phase.
I’m not looking for confrontation and would be more than happy to pay his bill but I do want it done correctly and in compliance with Glow Worms installation instructions.
He also told me there’s a £50 admin charge when I asked him to take my Warmfront voucher (worth £300 as you will know). Warmfront now tell me this is a charge against the plumber and not the customer! He said it didn’t matter which side of the radiator the TRVs are fitted as there bi directional well a quick search on the net put pay to that fib.
You can see why my trust level is now very low
 
He also told me there’s a £50 admin charge when I asked him to take my Warmfront voucher (worth £300 as you will know). Warmfront now tell me this is a charge against the plumber and not the customer!

The £50 admin charge is taken off the money by Warm front, they can blame it on the engineer if they like but it is tyhem who is telling lies to you the customer calling the grant a £300 grant when in fact all that they pay the engineer is £250. to say that it is the engineers charge is a further lie. It is infact a stealth tax of which there are many. it is typiocal and representative of the lying culture of government bodies.
 
He said it didn’t matter which side of the radiator the TRVs are fitted as there bi directional well a quick search on the net put pay to that fib.

You can see why my trust level is now very low

I am sorry but I dont think you are being reasonable towards your installer.

He tells you the truth about the £300 grant being only paid at £250 but you somehow seem to imagine thats something that he should be paying. Warmfront may call it a £300 grant but in reality its only worth what they pay at £250.

I dont know why you call TRVs being bidirectional a fib.

Any search on the internet will demonstrate that all currently sold TRVs are bidirectional as he has told you.

I dont know what G-W are telling callers but power flushing is only one way of cleaning a system. How its done makes all the difference between cleaning a system or being a waste of time.

I have never heard of any manufacturer asking that a system must be POWER flushed.

As you have misinterpreted both the grant and bidirectional TRVs it seems quite possible that what G-W told you was that it must be FLUSHED but you somehow heard that as POWER flushed. Thast a common mistake with people not familiar with these terms.

Tony
 
My reading of this situation is that the installer gave a verbal promise to his customer for some sort of flushing or cleaning before the new boiler went in. Their relationship seems to have gone a bit wrong, and they should ideally sort it out.

Meanwhile, if the new boiler ends up full of muck within a couple of years, it won't be the manufacturer's fault. The system needs a very good clean before installation. All modern boilers are less tolerant of muck than an old cast iron boiler was.
 
He said it didn’t matter which side of the radiator the TRVs are fitted as there bi directional well a quick search on the net put pay to that fib.
To give the installer his due, in this case he is correct: a bidirectional TRV can be fitted either side of a radiator.
 
With regard to Warmfront I’m simply stating exactly what they told me. They said, and I see no reason for their impartial staff to lie, that the plumber signs up to accepting this admin fee when he seeks membership of the scheme (he probably recovers this money through the extra work he gets) however in the interests of fairness I’ll call them again tomorrow and confirm.

I don’t believe I’ve misinterpreted either the grant or the TRV’s. With regard to the latter, yes they are bi directional I know, this feature apparently prevents noise in the system, but the point I was making was that he said that being bi directional meant that they were not influenced by the heat rising from the connecting pipe work. If mounted on the feed side of the rad they must be mounted horizontally so as not to be influenced by the rising heat and hence provide inaccurate control. They can be mounted vertically on the return side as the connecting pipe work which is much cooler.
Power flushing is what GW told me and just draining the system a couple of times is totally inadequate. I’m not a plumber, but I am a qualified engineer and know when the wools being pulled. There could well be other suitable flushing methods but best stick with what the manufacturer stipulates I say.
 
With regard to Warmfront I’m simply stating exactly what they told me. They said, and I see no reason for their impartial staff to lie, that the plumber signs up to accepting this admin fee when he seeks membership of the scheme (he probably recovers this money through the extra work he gets) however in the interests of fairness I’ll call them again tomorrow and confirm.

I don’t believe I’ve misinterpreted either the grant or the TRV’s. With regard to the latter, yes they are bi directional I know, this feature apparently prevents noise in the system, but the point I was making was that he said that being bi directional meant that they were not influenced by the heat rising from the connecting pipe work. If mounted on the feed side of the rad they must be mounted horizontally so as not to be influenced by the rising heat and hence provide inaccurate control. They can be mounted vertically on the return side as the connecting pipe work which is much cooler.
Power flushing is what GW told me and just draining the system a couple of times is totally inadequate. I’m not a plumber, but I am a qualified engineer and know when the wools being pulled. There could well be other suitable flushing methods but best stick with what the manufacturer stipulates I say.

what a load of b ollocks :rolleyes:
 
With regard to Warmfront I’m simply stating exactly what they told me. They said, and I see no reason for their impartial staff to lie, that the plumber signs up to accepting this admin fee when he seeks membership of the scheme (he probably recovers this money through the extra work he gets) however in the interests of fairness I’ll call them again tomorrow and confirm.

I don’t believe I’ve misinterpreted either the grant or the TRV’s. With regard to the latter, yes they are bi directional I know, this feature apparently prevents noise in the system, but the point I was making was that he said that being bi directional meant that they were not influenced by the heat rising from the connecting pipe work. If mounted on the feed side of the rad they must be mounted horizontally so as not to be influenced by the rising heat and hence provide inaccurate control. They can be mounted vertically on the return side as the connecting pipe work which is much cooler.
Power flushing is what GW told me and just draining the system a couple of times is totally inadequate. I’m not a plumber, but I am a qualified engineer and know when the wools being pulled. There could well be other suitable flushing methods but best stick with what the manufacturer stipulates I say.

what a load of b ollocks :rolleyes:

You seem to know something I dont, please enlighten me Im willing to learn
 

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

 
Sponsored Links
Back
Top