My elderly mother in law had a heating issue last week, followed by a visit from British Gas (under main and repair contract) to fix it earlier this week.
The chap advised that her system requires a flush to ensure optimum performance, and has quoted the guts of £700 to do this. Bangalow with 8 x radiators and gas fired heating.
I have no experience of such flushing, but this seemed to be a rather expensive flush. Or is it particularly complicated?
We have done a bit of research and she got a new boiler installed about 8 years ago, and in her cupboard there is a magnetic filter off the side of some of the pipework.
Thanks in advance.
I am not a plumber, but that seems damn expensive - and it is from BG so more than likely a *lot* more than anyone else charges.
Has the filter got lots of crap in it?
Get a second opinion from a trusted local plumber.
Plumbers usually "recommend" a power flush when they don't really know whats wrong with the heating. We often get leaks after systems are flushed as well.
I am also not a plumber,but my sister had her system flushed(not by British gas) and it cost about the same.
It was quite labour intensive , they disconnected each radiator ,took them off the wall and flushed all the crap out , as well as flushing through the pipes themselves.took two blokes most of the day.
If that is what you have been quoted for then it doesn't sound too bad.
Whether this will actually fix the issue is unknown, I guess if the problem is a blockage then it may well be what is needed.
Also, what was the issue that needed fixing last week?
Clean the filter, then add Sentinel x400 to the system either through the filter or by a partial drain down (shut off all rads bar one and put the x400 in that when it’s empty). Refill and bleed system.
Run heating for a few days, clean filter again.
Drain down fully and then add X100 and refill/bleed
I would instinctively question anything suggested by British Gas. It might well be an OK price for the flush itself, but does the system actually need it? Are the rads not heating up properly at the bottom?
Robbing barstewards.
It's not often you need a flush, and it's not hard to empty a system and refil with Sentinel products (I use the boiler quietener and the anti-corrosion additives).
They will be talking about a power flush.
If there is no problems, leave it.
The chap advised that her system requires a flush to ensure optimum performance
Probably doesn't.
Similar to "need a new boiler because yours is old and inefficient"... no it (probably) isn't. If faulty, maybe, but probably can be fixed cheaper than a new one. Costs of improving efficiency can take years to even break even.
p.s. got a 20+ year old system of rads and combi boiler. Still working fine mechanically and heats the house. Has a couple of issues on the electronic side but fixable (I'd do it myself except one needs a sensor replacing on the central heating pipe which means a drain and stuff, which I'm not sure about not being a plumbing type. British Gas wanted to flog me a £3k+ boiler to "fix" it. "It'll save you £100 a year maybe", so 30 years to pay for itself!).
The issue was poor heat in some radiators plus cooler than normal hot water.
He emptied the filter, showed MIL the crap, then said the system would need flushed otherwise likely it would not solve the issue.
The problem still exists - some radiators cool at the top and water heater boost having to be switched on.
Thanks in advance.
Do what colp says.
The 'problem' radiators - are they the ones furthest from the pump? Can the pump be turned up a notch?
You might find that turning off all the rads except one using the lockshield valve may drive a bit of the crap out as well. You will have to rebalance them afterwards unless you write down how many turns you have the valves open.
We used to have a problem with some radiators not getting hot at the top. Local plumber fitted self bleeding nozzles. They worked well, but we are in a hard water area so they eventually became clogged with limescale. Easy to replace - I did it myself!
It's a bit like my MIL and SIL's thinking a Smart Meter might be a good Idea for my MIL.
Why, it won't save her energy as she is immobile anyway, and doesn't use much elec/gas as it is, and couldn't go round turning stuff off. Just not needed.
Radiators cooler at the top just need a bleed, air sitting at top.
Hot water not very hot on a Combi could be a gummed up heat exchanger, you can take this out yourself and clean with brick acid. Do that after my instructions above.
Cold at the top normally means trapped air, so bleed them.
Crap in the filter shows its doing its job.
Not saying there couldnt be other issues but sounds like BG are trying to bullshit your mother in law.
Flushing, particularly power flushing is massively mid-sold and often not the cure for the problem. And in most cases it will not be done very well.
Get a second opinion.
It all depends on where the rads are cold. And how did he determine this? With his hand or with a thermometer measuring across flow and return?