Keep your central heating system working efficiently

All central heating systems will need a powerflush at some point in their lifespan as it’s easy for sludge, rust and debris to build up in the pipes and radiators. If left untreated, these will slow down the efficiency of your system and stop heat flowing evenly throughout your home, leaving some rooms colder than others.

In these cases, powerflushing may be the only solution (and it’s generally recommended where you may be installing a new boiler into an old central heating system). Depending on its age, if your system has never had a powerflush, the chances are that you will probably need one especially if you find yourself having to bleed your radiators on a regular basis.

How do I know when I need a powerflush?

• Rooms take a long time to warm up

• Some rooms are warmer than others

• Radiators need frequent bleeding (should only need doing a couple of times a year)

• Cold spots on radiators, even after bleeding

• Boiler keeps cutting out/making excessive noise

• Discoloured water after bleeding

• Cloudy tap water

How do I prevent sludge?

You may be able to avoid the need for a powerflush by getting a magnetic filter installed into your central heating systems. A magnetic filter (or magnifilter) is a device which collects the iron oxide and sludge that are circulating in your system. The iron oxide is attracted to the manet which then removes it from the system, stopping it from causing damage to your central heating.

If you’re installing a new boiler in your home, the engineer may recommend fitting a magnifilter and it’s sometimes possible to add one to an existing system (it’s sometimes a struggle due to their bulky size).

What do I need to know about powerflushes?

Most powerflushes take around 6 hours to complete although if your system is bigger, it can take longer. It generally takes half a day to powerflush a small system and a full day for a large one.

These can be relatively expensive but depend on your system’s size and location; they range from £300 up to around £800. If you’d like to do it yourself, you’ll need a powerflushing machine and an appropriate cleaning chemical.

Although they are expensive, it’s better to arrange an expert to do this rather than take on the job yourself unless you have experience, as it’s a very technical process which requires specialist machinery.

What are the benefits to me?

Some of the advantages of a powerflush are:

• A warmer home with heat evenly distributed

• Savings on your energy bills

• Reduced fuel bills

• Reliable hot, running water

• A reliable central heating system

• Increased system life span

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