Power Flushing
Vantage Plumbing & Heating offer Power flushing services in Stevenage, Letchworth, Hitchin, Hertford, Ware and Knebworth & other nearby areas. So if you’re looking for someone to install a new smart heating device such as Hive or Nest, or you’re interested in levelling up the performance of your central heating system with power flushing. Get in touch!
Request a free quote
What's a power flush?
A power flush is a process carried out by central heating engineers designed to remove that horrible sludgy build-up in the boiler, pipes and radiators that make up your central heating system. A power flushing unit sends water through your central heating system at high velocity to dislodge any build-up of sludge, rust and other debris that in time, will become detrimental to the smooth and efficient operation of your system.
Much like an oil change on a car, or the regular descaling of your kettle, a maintenance power flush helps to improve the efficiency and lifespan of the boiler and central heating system and prevent inconvenient and very costly breakdowns. As with so many plumbing issues, regular maintenance is the best way to keep your system in tip top condition.
What happens during a power flush and how long does it take?
A powerful machine called a ‘pumping station’ is used by our heating engineers to remove dirty water and the sludgy build-up while introducing clean water. Our engineer may add a chemical to the system to further break down the sludge before the equipment is connected and the flushing process begins in earnest. The power flushing process has several stages and your engineer could possibly take between several hours to the entire day to complete the power flush.
If you consider how much gook and limescale builds up in a simple kettle or steam iron, imagine how much can build up in a central heating system over time. You know when to descale your kettle, as you’ll see the scale and end up with a mouthful of it at the end of your cuppa. Similarly, when your shirts and trousers become stained with unsightly white chalky marks after ironing, you know your iron requires a good flush out and descale.
The central heating system is a closed system and you won’t see the muck that’s accumulating inside your pipes, radiators and boiler until it’s too late, so regular flushing is to be advised. The only time you could see the amount of nasty sludge that’s inside your central heating system is when you bleed the radiators.
We recently visited a property where the owner had a few cold spots in their radiator, so decided to bleed the system. Unfortunately, after the initial hissing of trapped air being expelled from the bleed valve had stopped, a jet of thick, black water shot out, covering their cream-coloured vertical blinds. Sadly, the sludge filled water was not able to be removed from the blind fabric, costing the homeowner dearly.
The power flushing process in three stages
Stage one – following the equipment set-up, our engineer should spend around 90 minutes flushing the whole system, and this will be in both directions, and then they will tackle the sort of sections that often prove challenging until they run clear. Our engineer will work on heavily contaminated radiators separately. We sometimes use a tough pad that’s attached to a hammer action drill, often referred to as an agitator, to help release internal build ups of sludge and other debris.
Stage two – after clearing out the system, the engineer will add a chemical neutraliser and wash it through the entire heating system. Then we check the PH balance to ensure the system is not too acidic, as too much of an acid content can lead to internal corrosion, particularly inside the radiators.
Stage three – our engineer will add a dose of rust and sludge inhibitor fluid to the system. This prevents corrosion and goes some way in preventing sludge from building up inside the central heating system again. Depending on the size and initial condition of the central heating system, as stated above, the complete process has the potential to take all day, but the alternative could take and cost you a whole lot more. So, for regular power flushing maintenance of your central heating system, give Vantage Heating and Plumbing a call today.
Our services
We're Capable Of Projects Big Or Small
We’re very proud of our capability to adapt to any challenge that you present to us and any task that you’d like us to tackle. So, no matter what plumbing problems you’re facing – Make Vantage Plumbing and Heating your first port of call!
General plumbing
We’re professional, affordable and adaptable plumbers based in Bedfordshire. Whether you have a problem with a leaky tap or you need a full bathroom installation – Vantage Plumbing and Heating will treat you with the same level of courtesy & professionalism. Get in touch for a quote today!
24/7 Emergency Call Outs
At Vantage Plumbing and Heating, we understand that often breakdowns, leaks and emergencies can happen at unexpected times. This is why we offer a 24-hour emergency response service. So you can rest assured that we’ll be available when you need us most. Give us a call right away!
Boiler Servicing & Installations
Our qualified gas boiler installers have the expertise to design a system to your requirements to heat your entire home, both efficiently and safely. We’re gas qualified and City & Guilds qualified, along with tonnes of experience. So you can have the peace of mind that we’ll get the job done correctly for you and your home!
Completed projects
Have a look at our projects
We work on lots of varying projects in different towns and cities around Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire. We work on everything from completely new bathroom installations, to power flushing central heating systems and repairing leaky pipes and responding to emergency callouts.
Our Reviews
See what our customers have to say about us
Got a plumbing problem?
Vantage Plumbing And Heating
Trusted Plumbers In Bedfordshire
At Vantage Plumbing & Heating we come highly recommended for our reliability, expertise, knowledge across all plumbing, heating and drainage issues, as well as our affordability within the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire area. Whether you are looking for a new boiler installation or you’re in need of an emergency call out for a leak – give us a call, we’re happy to help!
