After a new combi?

[Agile]

I agree that sounds rather too cheap but there are some people who will do a good job at a lower price.

I still advise caution about the water treatment. Its important that you ensure that he is responsible for any problems caused by the lack of power flushing. Its not always essential to power flush but you dont want that skimped and have the pump fail a few weeks later.

Just last week I saw a boiler only two months old with water like black treacle and the pump failed as a result of the water. Thats costing £260 to replace the pump, clean water, connect the PRV vent and condensate pipe and fit a proper filling loop.

Tony

 

[kev25v6]

Is there anything else i can do before hand with regards to cleaning the system out if its not powerflushed? The new boiler wont be fitted straight away, im having to have the existing boiler repaired for the moment as we need hot water, would draining the system now and refilling a few times be of any use, even just to the current boiler? At my old house i removed all the rads and hosed them out and there was loads of black stuff come out of them. The boiler i have now must be the second boiler the house has has at least because there is the old tank still in the loft for a normal boiler but there is a combi fitted now, the house was only built in 1990.

 

[gas4you]

A lot of installers these days are flushing the system thoroughly with the old boiler in place first, with a chemical such as Sentinel X800 or Fernox equivalent. You could do this yourself first and get the system as clean as possible, then when the new boiler is fitted you can flush again with a milder chemical such as X400.

Be aware that in Broag's instructions they clearly state NOT to let any of the flushing chemical enter the boiler.

If it is not flushed and cleansed properly you can forget about the 5 year heat xchanger warranty, that would be part of the small print as would an annual service recorded in the benchmark log book

 

[kev25v6]

I read on the site that it had to have an annual inspection and that parts required are not included in this inspection, not bad saying it has a 2 year parts and labour warranty. If one of the parts are found to be faulty during this inspection they really should be replaced under the warrenty.

How do i get this cleaning stuff into the system now? Ive seen it in places like B+Q and used it in my old house but that was tank fed and i could just pour it into that and let it circulate but having a combi means i have no tank.

 

[Gasguru]

Service items such as combustion chamber gaskets will not be included since they are a wear and tear item - no different than brake pads or oil with a car. Warranty only covers breakdowns - but read the small print CAREFULLY - repairs due to poor installation practice may not be covered.

Don't forget warranties often specify a full annual service - that's around £40 to £100 per year depending on the boiler.

Only use products such as Sentinel, Fernox or Aqueous Logic -the rest have a dubious efficacy.

 

[ChrisR]

Just one way to skin this particular cat
http://www.fernox.com/?cccpage=sc_restorer&sub=1

 

[JohnD]

I had good results with my mum's old system, using Sentinel X400 and a Magnaclean.

You can run it for a week or more before starting the boiler change, the X400 loosens the black, and the Magnaclean traps it.

What you are trying to achieve is a system with no loose black circulating that can get into the boiler and pump, and this method seems to achieve it.

Keep the magnaclean installed permanently so that it traps any black that is loosened during work. Take out and clean the magnet weekly until it stops getting dirty. Use a good inhibitor to prevent future corrosion after you have drained and flushed the X400.

Powerflushing is good but doesn't get everything out.

I am just a bungling amateur.

 

[kev25v6]

The fitter reccomended a magnaclean be fitted, would be around £100 on top of the bill. If the system is clean and protected from the start would a magnaclean be worth it? Also where does the sludge/black stuff come from in a sealed system?

 

[JohnD]

yes, it is worth it. You'll be surprised.

 

[JohnD]

Out of interest:

when first installed, I got a couple of cupfuls of sediment out in the first weekend.

After two weeks, I got several spoonfuls out

Another two weeks, I got a teaspoonful

Another two weeks, I just had dirty rings on the magnet, and wiped them off with kitchen roll.

The water is clear and is no longer making gas as it did before I cleaned and inhibited it.

Out of interest, the system was installed in 1970 and is on its second boiler.

I am quite pleased