Now spring seems to finally be here (fingers crossed) most of us are thinking about turning off our central heating for the summer. However it’s also a good time to think about how your heating system has performed over the winter. Has it kept you as warm as you would like throughout the long chilly months? If not, perhaps you have experienced some of the following problems:

  • system takes a while to get up to temperature
  • boiler is noisy
  • radiators do not heat throughout and/or are rusty
  • pump failure
  • boiler lockout

If you have experienced any of the above then it is likely that your heating system could benefit from being powerflushed by a qualified plumber. Powerflushing is the process by which heating systems are forcibly cleansed using water at high velocity, but low pressure, so that no physical damage is caused to the system. It involves a plumber connecting specialist equipment to your system and filling it with chemicals to remove the build-up of iron oxide, scale and debris in your system. This will leave your system clean and filled with fresh water, should solve any circulation and noise issues and get your system running effectively again.

If you’re thinking of installing a new boiler then a powerflush is recommended beforehand. Before a new boiler is fitted, it is important that the inside of your radiator system is clean. A new boiler’s lifespan can be significantly reduced if it is fitted to a dirty system.

Not every system needs to be powerflushed. Some systems that are sealed and have been treated with an inhibitor (chemical designed to prevent the build-up of iron oxide within your heating system) may be fairly clean and will only require your plumber to perform a chemical flush (if permitted by the manufacturer’s instructions).

So, if you’ve not been kept warm this winter it may be a good idea to think about a powerflush before next winter comes around. We know you don’t want to think about another winter just yet but perhaps put it in your diary to give us a call in the autumn. A clean system will extend the lifetime of your boiler, will be more energy efficient and will no doubt save you money in the long run.