- Powerflushing is a process used to clean boilers by removing dirt, sludge, and debris that have accumulated in the system over time.
- The process involves pumping a specialized chemical through the boiler at high pressure to lift off and flush out any contaminants.
- Powerflushing helps improve energy efficiency, reduces the risk of future boiler issues, lowers energy bills, extends the lifespan of the system, and enhances heating system performance.
- It’s recommended to consider powerflushing your boiler, especially when installing a new boiler or if you notice signs of contamination such as cold areas on radiators, radiator leaks, noisy radiators, frequent boiler restarts, slow heating, or cold radiators with hot pipes.
- The duration of a powerflush typically ranges from 8 to 48 hours depending on the size and condition of the boiler and the complexity of the system.
Essentially, a powerflush is a process by which you can clean your boiler, removing any dirt, sludge or debris that has built up in the system over an extended period of time.
Powerflushing is an essential part of any boiler maintenance regime because, if these materials are left unchecked, they could end up causing reduced efficiency, blockages, or even breakdowns.
What is the powerflush process?
A powerflush works by pumping a specialist chemical through the boiler at a high pressure.
The pressure, along with the robust nature of the chemical itself, ensures that any dirt or debris is lifted off the boiler and ultimately flushed out.
This allows water to flow freely through your system and prevent blockages from happening in the future.
How long this process will take will depend on the size and condition of the boiler in question, but as a rule, you can expect a powerflush to take about 8 hours in total.
If the system is uniquely complex, however, it could take up to 48 hours.
Does my boiler need a powerflush?
Just because your boiler doesn’t seem to have broken down, this doesn’t mean that you couldn’t benefit from having a powerflush.
Here is a list of some of the key benefits of powerflushing your boiler that could offset the upfront cost:
- Improves energy efficiency
- Reduces chance of needing work on your boiler in the future
- Could potentially lower your energy bills
- Extends the lifespan of your system
- Your heating system will be more responsive and effective
- Improves hot water temperature and heating speed
- Reduces noise from your boiler and radiators
When is the best time to get one?
You can have your system powerflushed any time you feel that it has become heavily contaminated, but one time that we would certainly recommend you have your system powerflushed is when you get a new boiler installed.
This is because some of the dirt and sludge present in your old system could find its way into your new one and contaminate it, something that you want to avoid at all costs.
What are signs that my boiler needs a powerflush?
If you have a suspicion that your boiler has become contaminated but you’re not quite sure, here are some telltale signs to look out for:
- There are cold areas on your radiators
- Your radiators are leaking or require regular bleeding
- Your radiators make a lot of noise
- Your boiler needs to be restarted regularly
- Your central heating takes a very long time to heat up properly
- Your radiators are cold but your pipes are still getting hot
Think your boiler could do with a powerflush? Here at Around The Bend Plumbing, we pride ourselves on delivering professional and reliable heating and plumbing services at a competitive price for all our customers throughout Brighton, Eastbourne, Tunbridge Wells, Uckfield, Worthing, Bexhill and Hove. Around the Bend Plumbing also offer a comprehensive range of plumbing services including, kitchen plumbing, bathroom plumbing, toilet & sink unblocking, radiator plumbing, plumbing repairs, fixing burst pipes and leaks & central heating services. If you’re having problems with your boiler, get in touch with our team today and we’ll make sure your issue is sorted as quickly as possible.