Dirty water from hot water header tank

[denners]

Hi

I ran a bath this evening and was fairly disgusted with the colour of the water. It had a sort of brown/black tinge, which I'm fairly used to seeing after I get in but not before! I investigated the header tank (feeds hot and cold water to upstairs) and there was brown/black sludge floating in it, covering the sides and loads settled on the bottom. I emptied the tank a couple of times but the lowest outflow pipes are an inch or so off the bottom so the sludge at the bottom is still there. Not entirely sure why we haven't seen this problem before (lived here 3 years), but I've never looked closely at the tank. The central heating tank is also full of the stuff, and actually much worse than the hot water tank. The radiators have always had murky water in them.

My questions are:
1) Is it likely to be iron oxide and is it harmful?
2) What is the best way of cleaning the hot water header tank?
3) I will also drain and re-fill the central heating system while I'm at it (the hot water element in the water heater is pretty bad for 'kettle' type noises) - what is the best chemical additive to use to help clean it out? (we're in a soft water area if that helps).

Any advice appreciated!

Cheers,

Matt

 

[muggles]

Is your central heating F&E tank higher than your cold water tank in the loft? Or are the tops at the same height? If so, turn off the mains supply/tie up the ball valve to the cold water tank only, drain it out to about an inch over the top of the tappings at the bottom, then mark the water line. Go back to it in an hour or so and see if the water line has risen. If it has then your hot water cylinder has a split coil and requires replacement.

It could also be that the expansion pipe from your heating system rises over the cold water tank rather than the F&E so check this also.

It could be iron oxide, central heating chemical, a dead pigeon, or something else. I'd clean it out using a wet'n'dry vacuum cleaner followed by some cloths to wipe up any residue.

 

[tamz]

Hi



My questions are:
1) Is it likely to be iron oxide and is it harmful?No it is silt/sand which is present in every water supply (Water is filtered through sand). It settles over the years in the tank and also the hwc.

2) What is the best way of cleaning the hot water header tank?If it is a galvanised tank do NOT try to clean it, the tank will fall to bits. Replace it with a plastic one. If plastic then pull the standing waste (big white plastic pipe sticking up from the bottom of tank) This will completely drain the tank. Wash it out and refill. If you don't have a standing waste drain through the taps as much as possible then bail it out and soak up the rest with a big sponge then clean.

3) I will also drain and re-fill the central heating system while I'm at it (the hot water element in the water heater is pretty bad for 'kettle' type noises) - what is the best chemical additive to use to help clean it out? (we're in a soft water area if that helps).
X800, read the instructions on the container

You have stirred up the sediment lying in the CWS by draining it and refilling. It will settle down in a day or so if you leave it

 

[denners]

Hi



My questions are:
1) Is it likely to be iron oxide and is it harmful?No it is silt/sand which is present in every water supply (Water is filtered through sand). It settles over the years in the tank and also the hwc.

2) What is the best way of cleaning the hot water header tank?If it is a galvanised tank do NOT try to clean it, the tank will fall to bits. Replace it with a plastic one. If plastic then pull the standing waste (big white plastic pipe sticking up from the bottom of tank) This will completely drain the tank. Wash it out and refill. If you don't have a standing waste drain through the taps as much as possible then bail it out and soak up the rest with a big sponge then clean.

3) I will also drain and re-fill the central heating system while I'm at it (the hot water element in the water heater is pretty bad for 'kettle' type noises) - what is the best chemical additive to use to help clean it out? (we're in a soft water area if that helps).
X800, read the instructions on the container

You have stirred up the sediment lying in the CWS by draining it and refilling. It will settle down in a day or so if you leave it

Hi guys

Thanks for the help - I have a plastic tank without standing waste (and it is higher than the central heating header so not too worried about spillover) so I will give it a go with a Vax and a big sponge at the weekend. Need to replace the valve in the ball cock anyway. While I'm at it I'll grab some of that X800 and give the central heating a go as well. Good to know that we're not in imminent danger of poisoning though!

Thanks again,

Matt