Powerflushing

How Often Should you Get a Powerflush?

There are a few other factors which can affect the frequency in which you should powerflush your central heating system; the material of your radiators, the age and type of your boiler and the hardness of your water. In general, it’s recommended to powerflush your system every 5 years, this will ensure that your system in in the best condition and will function reliably. However, it may be possible to stretch this to 8-10 years and still have a functioning system, this depends on the quality of materials. If you have an older boiler for example, then you will need to flush your system more frequently.

How Long Does a Powerflush Take?

This depends on the length of time since your last powerflush, the level of dirt and sludge that’s in your system, and the size of the property. It can take a few hours for a relatively clean and small system, however larger, dirtier systems can take many hours or even days to complete. It is always recommended to get your system flushed regularly to protect your system from problems, but it also means plumbers can flush your system quickly and easily.

How to Tell if you Need a Powerflush?

The most common tell-tale sign that you need a powerflush is cold spots on your radiators (usually in the centre of the radiator) when your heating is in use. It’s recommended to periodically feel your radiators to make sure they’re heating up evenly, especially if you notice a room isn’t getting as warm as it used to. If the bottom of your radiator is colder than the top, this is most likely due to a build-up of sludge in the bottom of your radiator, which will need flushing out. However, if you have a cold patch at the top of your radiator, this is more likely to be a build-up of air which will need releasing by bleeding your radiators, a powerflush won’t help with this.

Another symptom to look out for is the colour of the water when you bleed your radiators, if the water has a brown or grey tint then this is an indication that your system probably needs a powerflush soon. If the colour of the water is darker then that most likely signifies that a powerflush is needed more urgently, especially if there’s small bits of dirt in the water too.

The next common sign to look out for is strange noises such as rumbling or knocking coming from your boiler, which indicates there’s either an issue with your boiler, or the system as a whole. This issue could be resolved with a boiler service, however if it still occurs after this, then it’s likely sludge is clogging the pipes and putting added pressure on the boiler, which should be resolved with a powerflush.

What Time of Year is Best to get a Powerflush?

Although there’s no set time of year that you should get a powerflush, we would always recommend you get your system flushed before winter; around the end of summer and start of Autumn is ideal, just before the cold weather sets in. As a powerflush takes some time to complete, it will cause some disruption in your home and you won’t be able to turn your heating on for at least a few hours, that’s why we recommend getting them flushed when the weather is warmer. It’s also good to get them flushed before winter, as you know you’ll have a reliable heating system throughout the colder months.

How can Metro Plumb Help?

Our teams of local, expert plumbers are available 24/7 to advise on and fix any plumbing problem you may have. If you think you need a powerflush, or you suspect there’s something wrong with your central heating system, then get in touch today and we’ll be happy to help you.