What is a powerflush?

Over an extended period, the water in your pipes, boiler and radiators leave behind unwanted by-products. When sludge, rust and debris get left in your central heating system, it can lead to blockages and then corrosion. This can cause components of your heating system to become inefficient or even break down, potentially resulting in the need for a replacement boiler in the future. Using a powerflush is a popular method of removing this sludge from your heating system.

With annual servicing and maintenance checks, a powerflush should only be necessary every five years. Although, this will depend on the system you have, as some boilers use copper heat exchangers, which corrode quicker than stainless steel.

Your heating system might need a powerflush if you are experiencing problems with your radiators. For example, if your radiators are either slow to heat up, leaking or have cold patches, then your heating system is not working as efficiently as it could do.

Other signs that your heating system could do with a powerflush, include excessive noise from the boiler or the heating system pump, cloudy tap water and if your boiler regularly shuts down and needs restarting.

To begin with, an engineer will connect a pump to your central heating system. This pump will push special chemicals into the pipes, boiler and radiators, with the intention of removing any sludge and rust. The engineer will then collect and dispose of any contaminated water, debris or particles that come out of the system. It might also be necessary for the engineer to use special tools on the exterior of the radiator to dislodge stubborn blockages.

Depending on several factors, including the number of radiators in your home, the age of your system and the severity of the sludge, the process can last anytime from six to ten hours, although some of the more extreme cases may require longer. The engineer may find more problems than originally anticipated such as needing new parts to replace those that have been damaged beyond repair.

After a powerflush, your heating system will react positively. Your radiators should show signs of improvement, by heating up quicker and reaching higher temperatures. This is a good indicator that your system is working more efficiently, resulting in cheaper energy bills. Generally, your heating system should make less noise, especially your boiler and radiators. Finally, a powerflush will make your system more reliable, meaning there is less chance of future breakdowns, leading to an increased lifespan.

In extreme cases, it can be more cost-effective to replace your heating system, instead of carrying out a powerflush. If a blockage has caused a part to break, then a powerflush will not solve the problem as this procedure cannot fix broken parts.

When you start experiencing problems with your heating system, it is important to have a heating engineer assess the situation to see whether a powerflush is a viable option or not.