Power flush

[mobily]

Hello all,

I had a power flush on my system a year ago, 3 years after install, due to massive build up of sludge. What was removed during the power flush was unbelievable.

A year on and I checked the F & E tank in the loft and it was absolutely full of sludge and looks like it hasn't been touched in years. Should the tank have been bailed out at the same time as the flush as it looks like all the muck was drained back through the system and I have exactly the same problem now with cool radiators?

Surely if the system was flushed on install and then power flushed 3 years later there should hardly be any sludge at all???? They did add inhibitor after the powerflush.

 

[Boilerman2]

A well installed system should not build up sludge as quickly as yours!!
it sounds like there may be a design fault with your system such as incorrectly positioned oven vent & feed pipes?? possibly pumping over or sucking down the vent???

It is not normal for a three year old system to need powerflushing once let alone twice!!

 

[mobily]

Thanks for the reply.

I thought it may be down to the failure of the installer to bail out the F & E tank of any sludge and it has just been drained back down into the system causing further corrosion.

Pumping over sounds interesting, I shall have a look and see if any water drips from the vent pipe when the pump is working away. It's not sucking down the vent as the pipe is well above the water level.

I have another problem now where the boiler cuts out after 30 seconds and then tries again 10 minutes later before cutting out again. I think it is related though i.e. blockage in the system.

 

[Phill Peck]

I would contact the person who did your powerflush if it was me I would atleast flush it again for free ( I guarantee my powerflushing for 5 years) as mentioned already there must be a fault with your system (again I would put this right at time of flush).

Power flushing is not as simple as it sounds to do it properly.

A solution may be to seal your system ( most but not all boilers are suitable to do this)

Most likely your problem will be with the position of your cold feed and vent, even then I'm suprised that your system has got this bad in a year

 

[mobily]

I have contacted the company but they seem to be avoiding my calls so I don't think I'll get much joy there! They installed the system and we have had numerous problems since.

If it is poorly designed cold feed and vent how could I know this is the problem? Is dripping from the vent the only symptom?

In respect of the boiler cutting out, if the pump is running with the boiler cut out could thus cause damage/corrosion?

 

[Mark Br]

If it's pumping over it will be more than a drip, more of a stream of water

 

[lightning]

If you have a blocked cold feed, power flushing will not remove the blockage, The bit of pipe would need to be cut out and replaced.

 

[dcawkwell]

Get someone who knows what they are doing there is a fault in the configuration of the system causing your problem.

Flushing it isn't going fix the cause.

 

[mobily]

You are right about a fault somewhere. I think I've done everything I can myself by getting as much muck out of the system as possible, job is to find out what is causing it!

Plumber coming in 2 days to have a look! Came as a recommendation which is a good thing so will hopefully get to the bottom of it. I hope it wont cost too much, have spent a fortune since installation and it still doesn't work!

 

[jarvis2]

You are right about a fault somewhere. I think I've done everything I can myself by getting as much muck out of the system as possible, job is to find out what is causing it!

Plumber coming in 2 days to have a look! Came as a recommendation which is a good thing so will hopefully get to the bottom of it. I hope it wont cost too much, have spent a fortune since installation and it still doesn't work!

Plumber + won't cost to much - are not compatible.

 

[dcawkwell]

You are right about a fault somewhere. I think I've done everything I can myself by getting as much muck out of the system as possible, job is to find out what is causing it!

Plumber coming in 2 days to have a look! Came as a recommendation which is a good thing so will hopefully get to the bottom of it. I hope it wont cost too much, have spent a fortune since installation and it still doesn't work!

Easy cure is just go to a sealed system with expansion vessel and get rid of the header tank. Much better system. I only install system boilers.
Header tank is from the past.

 

[mobily]

How much would it cost approx to go to a sealed system?

Already spent circa £2,300 on installation and follow up repairs and only looking to stay on house for another couple of years.

 

[dcawkwell]

How much would it cost approx to go to a sealed system?

Already spent circa £2,300 on installation and follow up repairs and only looking to stay on house for another couple of years.

Conversion kit of expansion vessel, filling loop etc comes in about £80 from a local plumbers merchant.

Give the system a flush out with the mains water once it is connected
up to the system. Maybe spend a couple of hours or the rest of the day doing that.

Call it £200 to £250 including the £80 kit reasonable.

 

[mobily]

Sounds reasonable, would that be with a qualified plumber doing the work as that would be well beyond me!

 

[dcawkwell]

Sounds reasonable, would that be with a qualified plumber doing the work as that would be well beyond me!

I would quite happily do it for that. Qualified gas engineer.

However I am in Humberside and you are in Devon.

Suggest the plumber you get has a quick look and if
he doesn't suggest anything reasonable to cure the problem
ask him to convert it to a sealed system.