Power Flushing Your Central Heating System
Posted by Tal Potishman on July 29, 2009 under Business | 
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There are a number of reasons why you should consider flushing your central heating system before you decide to install a new boiler. Below are some of the signs to look out for that your central heating may need flushing:
You start to notice that your heating system is slow in starting up
You hear unpleasant noises coming from your boiler
Sludge has begun to form
You begin to notice that your radiators need frequent bleeding
The way that you treat your water will have an affect on the efficiency of your boiler. If you do not keep the quality of your water to a reasonable standard, than it is expected that the longevity of your heating system will be vastly affected, as will your boiler too. A survey investigated the mains water of 90 central heating systems. According to the survey, less than half were treated correctly and some of them hadn’t had any element of chemical flushing at all.
The poor treatment of water has not been helped by reports which suggest that many new boilers that are installed in the UK are often installed within existing heating systems where old radiators and pipework are commonplace. The differences in overall efficiency between flushed systems and non-flushed systems can be demonstrated by some tests that were carried out. Unsurprisingly, the results indicated that the systems that had been flushed showed a 6% improvement in efficiency in the heating system in comparison to an old system.
Most people may not be aware that most central heating systems are exposed to the atmosphere allowing oxygen to enter the water. This causes sludge to build up in the pipework, which can result in a wide range of problems if left untreated.
Therefore it is important to note, that just installing a new boiler is not enough if you do not make sure that your water treatment is up to standard. In order to maximise the full efficiency of your boiler you need to ensure that you focus on your water treatment otherwise your investment will be wasted.
So what benefits will you gain from flushing out the central heating system?
Flushing cleans the whole system, including underfloor pipework
If your boiler is making excessive noise then this will be cured
The treatment should prevent future corrosion
The disadvantages of using the flushing system
In most cases, the flushing process is quite successful. However, each situation is different and in some circumstances it will not be as successful. This will largely depend on the extent of the corrosion in the central heating system. In most cases, the flushing process should fix most of the corrosive problems, however if it is particularly extensive, than this may no be the case.
Furthermore, if your system has been neglected for a great length of time it is very likely that there will be severe corrosion in the pipework, or the boiler. Therefore, even after some flushing it is possible that the radiators will not work properly.
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