What's a powerflush?
A powerflush is a cleansing process designed to remove deposits of sludge and rust build-up from your central heating system (boiler, pipes and radiators). The powerflush machine sends water through your central heating system at high velocity to dislodge and agitate any build-up of sludge(iron oxide) and other debris.
Powerflush, in many cases be an essential procedure. Boilers can fail when the debris isn’t dealt with quickly, and a new boiler will need to be installed.
Powerflush will improve the efficiency and lifespan of the boiler and central heating system and prevents future breakdowns. As with many plumbing issues, regular maintenance (including powerflush) is one of the best ways to keep your system in shape.
What happens during a powerflush?
An engineer will connect a pump to your central heating system. If it’s a Combination/Combi it will be connected at the pump header but if it’s a System/Conventional it will be connected at the circulation pump or to an external pump (if available). The engineer will assess the situation of your heating system and approach it with the most feasible methods to ensure it causes minimal disruptions. The powerflush pump will push special chemicals through the pipes, boiler (including heat exchanger), and radiators.
The chemicals used will remove sludge and rust, a descaler to remove limescale build-up within the heat exchanger, and corrosion inhibitor to help prevent future rust from forming. The engineer will collect and dispose of any contaminated water, debris or particles that have been removed from the system. Our engineers use a magnetic magnacleanse filtration kit to ensure that all sludge is trapped and not pushed back into the system. This results in a thorough flush of your heating system.
The engineer will also use special tools on the exterior of the radiator surface to dislodge stubborn blockages. The whole process can last from 4-8 hours depending on the number of radiators, the age of the system, and the severity of the sludge in the system.
Can You Perform a Powerflush Without a Professional?
While there are powerflush kits for hire and instructional videos available on the internet, it’s a risky and complicated job. A professional will make a Powerflush look easy, clean and safe but the reality is it’s a job that has the potential to get very messy. Specialist chemicals and equipment should only be handled by those trained to do so.
It’s also possible that carrying out the work on your heating system by yourself may invalidate any manufacturer’s warranty you have. Our engineer will provide you with a certificate to prove that the Powerflush has been carried out. This is crucial if you need to evidence to a manufacturer or insurance provider that you have had all work carried out by a professional.
Finally, if the work is completed incorrectly it could cause more damage than you had to begin with.
NOTE: Installing a magnetic filter will NOT deliver the same benefits as a Powerflush procedure.References: British Gas Powerflush ( View ).