Unable to find a drain cock...How do I flush my system?

[vinop]

Hi

I want to know how I can drain/ flush the system. I looked for a drain cock but I cannot seem to find one unless it is under the floor boards which would mean taking out the laminated flooring etc.

Is the another way to drain the system?

Oh I have noticed above the boiler there are 2 pipes. On one of the pipes there appears to be a 'drain plug' ( I think..). There is like a spout pointing downwards at about 45 degrees where I guess you put a hose over. (sorry I am not describing this well). Couls this be wht I need to drain the system?

The reason I want to find out how to drain is due to a noisy system. Appears to be coming from the boiler....whooshing or a boiling kettle. When the system is on the boiler kicks every 30 seconds or so and this noise come appears and lasts for about 25 seconds. It then stops for 30 seconds and start all over again...it is driving me crazy!

The engineer from BG did routine inspection the other day and said everything is ok and i might have air and/or sludge which might need clearing. Suggested I inject a product called Salamander in a rad (concentrate system cleaner). Said it would be cheaper (£25) or BG would charge £400 to do it ...maybe incluse flushing..i think.

Anyway I looked at Fernox product on my travels. Seems like I need to inject their RESTORER...run it for a week and flush the system (hence I need to know how to do this). Then inject their PROTECTOR. If the system is still noisy then inject their SILENCER.

Anybody got a view on this aor is there any easier/better offering?

The system is as follows:

The boiler is Ideal Elan..there is a header tank in the loft and a cylinder in the airing copboard with 10 radiaters on the system if this helps.

Any help/suggestions will be appreciated.

Vino

 

[ChrisR]

The thing on the pipe you're describing is most likely a crude sort of pressure relief valve. Would have a cap on the end, whereas a drain cock has a hole in the end. One way to drain is to turn off a rad , undo the end union and drain the rad into basin then put hose conector onto rad union, pipe side. Once drained then you can of course put a T in for a drain point.

If you put a desludging agent into a system , run it a week or whatever then drain it, you're quite likely to get all your downsatirs rads not working, as the sludge will settle when you slowly let the water out.

Powerflushing is different. Ideally (according to the BS in fact) you would first put full flow drain points onto the system - not drain cocks which are too restrictive. YOu would add your chemical and run the system, join feed and vent then circulate using a special machine and careful sequence so each rad or path gets flushed invividually. That's what BG charge £400 upwards to do. It isn't really a diy job.

Boiler silencer or boiler desacaler is different. That's a weak acid you put in and forget about, hoping it works. Sometimes it does, usually not at all.