# Flushing out Heating System



## St. Bernard (17 Dec 2008)

Anyone know how much it will cost to have a heating system flushed. Its a Gas fired Glowworm boiler (5 rads). It went down this morning and i need it done before crimbo. Boiler was only serviced last February.

Ho Ho Ho.

S.B.


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## DGOBS (17 Dec 2008)

Why do you beleive you need flushing, please describe the issues you have been having first


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## St. Bernard (17 Dec 2008)

System cut out last February. Got a local cowboy in to fix the problem. He left and the system was working, however next morning heating did not come on with timer. Rang local guy again and he tells me i must have a leak as he had topped the system up. No sign of leak so i rang Bord Gais. Their guy came out and serviced the boiler. Replaced safety valve. Hay presto pipe outside stopped dripping and heating worked since.

He did mention that we may need to get system flushed but money was tight so we left it.

Now again this morning heating never came on and the red light is flashing on the boiler.


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## DavyJones (17 Dec 2008)

Flushing, although very beneficial to a system, will probably not slove the problem on your boiler. What type of Gloworm is it?


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## St. Bernard (19 Dec 2008)

Glowworm 18SI i think. Got the pressure up to 2.6 but its dripping from the pipe outside.


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## CharlieR (19 Dec 2008)

To flush the system turn your rads off and the water supply to the expansion tank, go to the low point and you will find a valve that you can put a hose on to. Drain off some water more than what is in your expansion tank.

Buy some radiator cleaning soloution from B&Q, use the sentinal stuff. Put it in to the expansion tank and try and pour it through the hole so it goes straight into the pipes. Leave this for about 4 to 6 weeks and it will take all the rubbish off your pipes and rads. I put 2 cans in mine and left it for 3 to 4 months and it cleaned it out well.

Don't forget to turn your supply back on and then open your rads, turn your pump up to max so the soloution goes well around the system.

You may be better waiting with this in until may or June when it gets warmer.

Then do the same again, turn the rads off, both ends and empty the water from your system and open the rads when you have the hose connected and it is draining through the hose. Mine was a pain as they put 3 valves in and I had to have all three hose points connected.

When the water is draining turn the water back on and then let the system flush itself through. 

You may want to take the rads off when flushing so you can put a hose on them to thoroughly wash out. When you put them back on put some PTFE tape on and wrap it in the oposite direction to thread.

When you go to fill the system back up, turn all the rads back on and pour 2 tubs of Sentinal protect back into the system before adding water and this will help protect it from happing again quickly.

A good plumber should charge 200 to 300 to do this, the gas board will charge about 2000+ for something that is very simple. 

Good luck


Charlie


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## DavyJones (21 Dec 2008)

St. Bernard said:


> Glowworm 18SI i think. Got the pressure up to 2.6 but its dripping from the pipe outside.




pressure far too high. should only be 1 to 1.5 bar max, when cold. it will expand more when hot. sounds like the pressure relief valve has opened to relieve pressure. you may need to have this replaced.


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## DavyJones (21 Dec 2008)

CharlieR, 

there is a much easier way of doing that. hook a power flush machine on system and let it clean the system bit by bit. no need to remove rads to flush.removing rads and flushing system the old school way is not to be recommended to amateurs.


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## tabatha (21 Dec 2008)

DavyJones said:


> CharlieR,
> 
> there is a much easier way of doing that. hook a power flush machine on system and let it clean the system bit by bit. no need to remove rads to flush.removing rads and flushing system the old school way is not to be recommended to amateurs.


 
were do you get one of these?


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## St. Bernard (22 Dec 2008)

DavyJones said:


> pressure far too high. should only be 1 to 1.5 bar max, when cold. it will expand more when hot. sounds like the pressure relief valve has opened to relieve pressure. you may need to have this replaced.


 
Thats is the boiler right. Bord Gais guy said he replaced this last Feb. Charged me €100 for the part so he better of replaced it.

Pressure has dropped back to 1.3bar is this a bad sign.

Charlie thats a lot of work but i might have someone that can help. Cheers.


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## DavyJones (23 Dec 2008)

tabatha said:


> were do you get one of these?




Expensive bit of kit, best operated by experianced user.

Don't know if you can hire them or not.


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## DavyJones (23 Dec 2008)

St. Bernard said:


> Thats is the boiler right. Bord Gais guy said he replaced this last Feb. Charged me €100 for the part so he better of replaced it.
> 
> Pressure has dropped back to 1.3bar is this a bad sign.
> 
> Charlie thats a lot of work but i might have someone that can help. Cheers.




Yes,

 you will need to replace PRV and only fill the boiler to 1 - 1.5 bar.

Taking off all rads is no easy job. very very messy. Have plenty of dust sheets as dirty black water will end up everywhere.


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