Power flushing. BLOCKED!!!

[mutley racers]

Hi there, today i had a job doing a power flush on an indirect system. When i tried to drain down the F&E into the power flush, nothing came. I thought it was an air lock some where. Then vented the system as well as i could, and still, nothing came.

So obviously, i think there is a blockage in the feed. So i take my long spindly wire and force it down the cold feed to clear the blockage. I hit it but it wont budge. So eventually i have to put my metal coil down, measure and then cut the pipe where the blockage was, it was blocked solidly for upto a metre. Actually to where it went into the air seperator.

My question is, should i have charged extra for fixing this problem? Or is it part of the flushing?

Have any of you guys had this before also?

Regards

Wacky

 

[archiedale]

Good find, me i would explain and charge another hour.

 

[Blackcatgas]

was it an myson airjec air sep? as for the "extra charge" I wouldnt, personaly charge any extra, but its up to you at the end of the day.

 

[Puddle]

I would put it down to an extra charge,how much depends on price of power flush,sometimes you can allow a bit extra on original price to allow for bits and pieces,sometimes price is tight and thus more would be charged for extra work
imho

 

[newbie1]

hard to add on extra when charging 300 smackeroonies

 

[mutley racers]

Thanks for all your replies guys. Am not actually sure what make the air seperator was.

Did not charge extra, just £250. She was about 80yrs old. Poor wee lass

 

[kirkgas]

as you found a blockage, did it actually need a powerflush, or should you have cancelled the £250 charge, and invoiced for fixing the blockage only (if that was the actual and only fault)

 

[moony]

depends how long i was there.... would of charged for the copper i used at least haha - every time i see the price of copper lately it makes me tight as a......

120 quid for a bundle of 22mm today - shocking

 

[Mbear]

as you found a blockage, did it actually need a powerflush, or should you have cancelled the £250 charge, and invoiced for fixing the blockage only (if that was the actual and only fault)

Maybe better to try a magnet on the cold feed next time before flush, cutting out the chokage maybe all that's reqd most times. Put it down to experience I suppose when it comes to qouting these kinda things. I have stated before on this forum that flushes won't unblock properly choked pipes, cutting it out is the only way for this type of thing. Lucky you found it, you couldve had do it another day as a callback/fault, which may leave u a bit red faced as the cust would no doubt ask 'why wasn't this chokage cleared during powerflush?' & 'what's even the point in doing the flush if it doesn't clean the pipes properly', coudve left u in a bit of a corner bud

 

[mutley racers]

well i did not ask to do a power flush, she asked me. said that british gas told her she would need to have one before they would come and service the boiler. So i just did as was requested of me.

Tell me more about the magnet though? Can you tell if a system needs flushing by using a magnet? if so, what size magnet?

Cheers mate

 

[Mbear]

well i did not ask to do a power flush, she asked me. said that british gas told her she would need to have one before they would come and service the boiler. So i just did as was requested of me.

Tell me more about the magnet though? Can you tell if a system needs flushing by using a magnet? if so, what size magnet?

Cheers mate

simple fridge magnet, if it sticks to a copper pipe then it's choked(magnatite is magnetic). The magnet won't stick to non choked copper pipes. This doesn't work for rads as they are steel

 

[mutley racers]

thanks mbear. Will invest in a nice magnet soon

 

[Mbear]

thanks mbear. Will invest in a nice magnet soon

I pinched one of a customers fridge yrs ago, still got it and it still works a treat

 

[rock123]

I used a small magnet from an old chargable torch, you know the ones you shake to charge. if the cold feed is blocked in the usual place the magnet will stick to the hardened sludge inside, and of course we already know that copper isn`t magnetic so proves the blocked pipework. hope this helps, rock

 

[Dotty]

I use one of them extendable tool pickie up magnetic thingies cos I'm a lazy bugger and don't like kneeling down and then standing up too much.

 

[rock123]

Croppie had me doubled up with laughter, can just imagine him in the doorway of the airing cupboard... out with the extendible magnet thingy, " yes love its your blocked pipework alright" as he taps away lol.

 

[mikeygas]

Sludge contains magnetite which as the name suggests is magnetic. Copper pipe is not magnetic. Place strong magnet onto copper pipe, if it sticks then you have a build up of sludge, simples.