Central Heating Sludge Removal / Power Flush
 

Hi.
Anybody comment on the need or otherwise to "de-sludge" a heating
system. Reading around it seems it's a recommendation every ten years,
but also just read somewhere that a properly installed system should
never need flushing.
Thoughts?

Danz

Central Heating Sludge Removal / Power Flush
 

"Horse With No Name" wrote in message
...
Hi.
Anybody comment on the need or otherwise to "de-sludge" a heating system.
Reading around it seems it's a recommendation every ten years, but also
just read somewhere that a properly installed system should never need
flushing.
Thoughts?

Danz

I can only comment on two houses we have had in the past 35 years. Both had
their systems treated with Fernox MB1 from day 1 and touch wood we did not
have an obvious corrosion problem and as we are still in contact with our
old house purchasers we know it is still going strong with just biannual
injections of 2l into a semi drained rad. Recently when I had to change the
isolating valves on the pump because one of them developed a leak from the
valve stem and upon draining down I was surprised to note that the CH water
was not discoloured (black) I saved the water and fed some back into the
header tank. I also swapped a single rad for a double bank unit and the old
one was again clear of black corrosion. I ran a jet hose through in case
the debris was blocked somewhere but it was clear. Oh, one house was in
hard water area and the current soft water.

British gas engineers seem to inform home owners they need a pressure flush
as soon as they attend a fault (charge £450) no matter what it is but if you
limit corrosion through treatment and the system does not leak then there
should be little oxygen entering the circuit.

As I say I can only comment on my own experience and observation but I would
not have mine done as a matter of course.

Gio

Central Heating Sludge Removal / Power Flush
 

Gio wrote:
"Horse With No Name" wrote in message
...
Hi.
Anybody comment on the need or otherwise to "de-sludge" a heating system.
Reading around it seems it's a recommendation every ten years, but also
just read somewhere that a properly installed system should never need
flushing.
Thoughts?

Danz

I can only comment on two houses we have had in the past 35 years. Both had
their systems treated with Fernox MB1 from day 1 and touch wood we did not
have an obvious corrosion problem and as we are still in contact with our
old house purchasers we know it is still going strong with just biannual
injections of 2l into a semi drained rad. Recently when I had to change the
isolating valves on the pump because one of them developed a leak from the
valve stem and upon draining down I was surprised to note that the CH water
was not discoloured (black) I saved the water and fed some back into the
header tank. I also swapped a single rad for a double bank unit and the old
one was again clear of black corrosion. I ran a jet hose through in case
the debris was blocked somewhere but it was clear. Oh, one house was in
hard water area and the current soft water.

British gas engineers seem to inform home owners they need a pressure flush
as soon as they attend a fault (charge £450) no matter what it is but if you
limit corrosion through treatment and the system does not leak then there
should be little oxygen entering the circuit.

As I say I can only comment on my own experience and observation but I would
not have mine done as a matter of course.

Gio

Very good - thnx!


Danz

Central Heating Sludge Removal / Power Flush
 

In article ,
Horse With No Name wrote:
Anybody comment on the need or otherwise to "de-sludge" a heating
system. Reading around it seems it's a recommendation every ten years,
but also just read somewhere that a properly installed system should
never need flushing.
Thoughts?

It depends on vested interests. Those selling flushing services say it's
essential. Many boiler makers won't honour a warranty on a replacement to
an old system if it hasn't been done, I'm told.

My experience says a system otherwise in good condition which has always
had inhibitor kept up to strength will have near zero corrosion, so
flushing would not be required. But I'd say the removal of just one rad
would soon tell the condition.

Of course perhaps most systems will have no history by the time it comes
for boiler replacement so flushing could then just be prudent.

--
*Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Central Heating Sludge Removal / Power Flush
 

On 3 May, 21:40, Horse With No Name wrote:
Hi.
Anybody comment on the need or otherwise to "de-sludge" a heating
system. Reading around it seems it's a recommendation every ten years,
but also just read somewhere that a properly installed system should
never need flushing.
Thoughts?

Danz

I have just had a filter installed, called a magnaclean this picks up
iron oxide particles which is the sludge that develops in radiators,
you can clean the filter and I was suprised how much of this sludge
the filter picked up. The heating engineer had nothing but praise for
the filter even though he admitted it would cut down on his work if
all systems had them.

Central Heating Sludge Removal / Power Flush
 

In article . com,
staffo wrote:
I have just had a filter installed, called a magnaclean this picks up
iron oxide particles which is the sludge that develops in radiators,
you can clean the filter and I was suprised how much of this sludge
the filter picked up. The heating engineer had nothing but praise for
the filter even though he admitted it would cut down on his work if
all systems had them.

Iron oxide is rust which comes from corroding rads, etc. A better idea is
to prevent that corrosion in the first place. Water circulating in a
heating system shouldn't contain any oxygen - and without oxygen, rust
can't occur. And unless fresh water is constantly being introduced to the
system, there won't be any oxygen in the water. So a combination of a non
leaking system with inhibitor should make the use of such a filter
unnecessary.

--
*Yes, I am an agent of Satan, but my duties are largely ceremonial

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Central Heating Sludge Removal / Power Flush
 

"Gio" wrote in message ...

"Horse With No Name" wrote in message
...
Hi.
Anybody comment on the need or otherwise to "de-sludge" a heating system.
Reading around it seems it's a recommendation every ten years, but also
just read somewhere that a properly installed system should never need
flushing.
Thoughts?

Danz

I can only comment on two houses we have had in the past 35 years. Both
had their systems treated with Fernox MB1 from day 1 and touch wood we did
not have an obvious corrosion problem and as we are still in contact with
our old house purchasers we know it is still going strong with just
biannual injections of 2l into a semi drained rad. Recently when I had to
change the isolating valves on the pump because one of them developed a
leak from the valve stem and upon draining down I was surprised to note
that the CH water was not discoloured (black) I saved the water and fed
some back into the header tank. I also swapped a single rad for a double
bank unit and the old one was again clear of black corrosion. I ran a jet
hose through in case the debris was blocked somewhere but it was clear.
Oh, one house was in hard water area and the current soft water.

British gas engineers seem to inform home owners they need a pressure
flush as soon as they attend a fault (charge £450) no matter what it is
but if you limit corrosion through treatment and the system does not leak
then there should be little oxygen entering the circuit.

As I say I can only comment on my own experience and observation but I
would not have mine done as a matter of course.

I would agree, I drained down the system in my last house after 7 years with
Fernox and the water ran clear. There was a bit of black coloured water in
the bottom of the radiator I was working on, but nothing like the sludgy,
slimy jelly like substance in the system when I moved into the house.

When I moved in I found the radiators were hot at the top and sides but not
in middle. Drained down refilled etc, made a slight difference but ended up
taking each rad off and flushing with a house pipe outside. Masses of
sludge/jelly (I have been informed the jelly is copper hydroxide) was washed
out. Put all back, refilled (and Fernox) and all rads 100% superly hot.
Since been informed Fernox do some additive you can add and leave for a week
that will disolve the sludge so no need to takes rads off.

Central Heating Sludge Removal / Power Flush
 

On 4 May, 14:31, "Ian_m" wrote:

Since been informed Fernox do some additive you can add and leave for a week
that will disolve the sludge so no need to takes rads off.

I think DS40 is the most agressive stuff which Fernox makes, it will
dissolve most things (including radiators if you're not careful).

Central Heating Sludge Removal / Power Flush
 

Martin Pentreath wrote:
On 4 May, 14:31, "Ian_m" wrote:

Since been informed Fernox do some additive you can add and leave for a week
that will disolve the sludge so no need to takes rads off.

I think DS40 is the most agressive stuff which Fernox makes, it will
dissolve most things (including radiators if you're not careful).


So you inject the additive, leave for a week then just drain off?
Then presumably you refill with an inhibitor?

Danz

Central Heating Sludge Removal / Power Flush
 

On 2007-05-06 10:15:23 +0100, Horse With No Name said:

Martin Pentreath wrote:
On 4 May, 14:31, "Ian_m" wrote:

Since been informed Fernox do some additive you can add and leave for a week
that will disolve the sludge so no need to takes rads off.

I think DS40 is the most agressive stuff which Fernox makes, it will
dissolve most things (including radiators if you're not careful).


So you inject the additive, leave for a week then just drain off?
Then presumably you refill with an inhibitor?

Danz

You thoroughly rinse and flush with plain water in between.

Also, do check the actual sludge removal chemical in terms of how long
it is recommended to leave it in the system. Some are OK for a week,
others for hours only.


Don't expect these chemicals to perform miracles. If there is a lot
of sludge, then mechanical removal is the only effective way.

Central Heating Sludge Removal / Power Flush
 

On 6 May, 10:15, Horse With No Name wrote:
Martin Pentreath wrote:
On 4 May, 14:31, "Ian_m" wrote:

Since been informed Fernox do some additive you can add and leave for a week
that will disolve the sludge so no need to takes rads off.

I think DS40 is the most agressive stuff which Fernox makes, it will
dissolve most things (including radiators if you're not careful).

So you inject the additive, leave for a week then just drain off?
Then presumably you refill with an inhibitor?

Danz

Here's the Fernox info on DS40 ...
http://www.fernox.com/?cccpage=DS40&sub=1