Powerflush before boiler installation

[cazzish]

Hi all,

We're about to get ourselves a new boiler fitted (Worcester Greenstar 38CDi) and are aware that the system needs to be cleaned before the installation especially as our current boiler makes a lot of banging noises when heating hot water so its likely to be pretty dirty. The rads are generally heating up OK with only one having a cold bottom which we're going to replace before boiler installation anyway.

My question really is, I asked a local heating firm (BlueFlame in Bristol) to do a powerflush (as they advertise on their website). However they came round yesterday and ran the system for maybe 4 hours with powerflush chemicals and bigger magnetic filter than our magnaclean but no pump, just using the boiler to pump it round. I sent them an email last night asking for clarification and there response was "We use a magnetic filter system to flush through which uses the same chemicals. You get exactly the same results and it is kinder on the heating system." So now I don't know if I'm just being ripped off. Is this likely to be good enough for a new boiler warrantee. The only evidence I'll have from them is a receipt saying the system was flushed! They're charging £420 for 10 radiators (but not yet paid)

Any advice would be welcome!

Thanks

Caroline

 

[Aquazone]

There has obviously been a breakdown in communication between the two parties, but there are 2 issues you have:

A Magnacleanse CAN clean a system to satisfy the manufacturer warranty, however if it's a really dirty system then it won't be enough, but only the engineer on site can be the judge really.

But you didn't get what you asked for (and paid for by my rates) and that is the real issue.

You are trying to compare apples and oranges, they are for different jobs.

When your digging a hole, sometimes you need a shovel, other times you need a mini digger....

 

[newcastle phill]

A spade is for digging ill have you know [emoji12]

 

[hammers4spanner]

That's a good start atleast, im not a massive fan of just magnacleansing though. You would have got just as good results running x800 cleaner in system for a week then draining down whilst still hot. Neither are a substitute for Powerflushing though if that's what you were quoted for, there may have been a reason they did not powerflush though, i.e microbore.

Totally disagree you would get nowhere near the same level of success with using x800 vs a magnacleanse.

 

[lame plumber]

best is a week of cleanser followed by magna cleanse with power flush, but thats just my opinion

 

[Nostrum]

If you follow the the Magnacleanse instructions, you drain the radiators and refill to half way. this increases the flow across the bottom rather than allowing water to go along the top of the radiator, effectively bypassing the dirt.

It makes a massive difference doing it like this, but I still wouldn't say its as effective as powerflushing on a really mucky system.

 

[gassafe]

My last firm used to put powerflush on every quote, the boss would never let us take the powerflush equipment tho as he said it wasted too much time!!! He got away with that a lot until the odd clued up customer would question it!!

 

[LPC]

I own a Magnacleanse and a powerflushing machine and I can tell you there is no comparison. A Magnacleanse alone is nowhere near as good as a proper powerflush.

 

[gassafe]

I own a Magnacleanse and a powerflushing machine and I can tell you there is no comparison. A Magnacleanse alone is nowhere near as good as a proper powerflush.

The only real way of telling would be to do a full magnacleanse of the system... And then to powerflush the system afterwards with magnets & see how much extra if any was caught! You could also do the Tds readings after each if we're getting technical !

 

[REDSAW]

so, there are 3 types of cleanse....
a chemical flush.
a powered high volume flush
or a powerfull magnetic,chemical electrical pump ciculated flush!!

the wording is the problem.

a high pressure,
chemical
or low pressure cleanse would be more clearer..just saying and questioning what the law would read

 

[rpm]

Powderflush?

 

[hammers4spanner]

Do any of you actually get to power flush many systems these days with all the competition around

 

[newcastle phill]

Powderflush
Yep stick a box of magrocol in with every flush
Clears even the most stubborn blockages [emoji15]

 

[cazzish]

We have opened up our magnafilter this evening, so the CH has been running for maybe a few hours at most we with that flush happening yesterday, and it was pretty filthy and so was the water. We cleaned it again and set the heating running for a few hours and had another look. The level was reduced but not by much. I would have thought if the system was cleaned properly for boiler installation this wouldn't be the case or am I bring naïve? Also the system is all 15mm pipes, not microbore.

 

[AWheating]

Even a powerflush won't clean every last bit out of a bad system and it's not uncommon to have some dregs left once flushed. Clean out your filter a few more times and it may clear.

What you paid for and what you got is different as a powerflush means the use of a machine to power the flush. A magnetic only flush can be good but does not get near a powerflush with a machine with a magnetic attached. A magnetic only flush won't remove non magnetic debris, it lacks the water flow rate to loosen debris and the ability to reverse the flow is also important.

Speak to the company about your concerns, they have not done as advertised, but also you should have made more effort to find out what you was getting. Compromise and part ways.

 

[cazzish]

We're in the process of renegotiating with the company so we'll see where that gets us!
In terms of communication, I'm not sure what else I could have done, I have a rather long email chain with them organising this and in every message the words power flush are mentioned somewhere, and as
they describe themselves as power flush specialists on their website, I would think they should know what I expected when I asked for a powerflush. There we're numerous opportunities for them to comment that a magnacleanse would be more suitable, but there was nothing of the sort to lead me to believe they would do anything other than what was quoted for.

I appreciate the comments with regards to the magnaclean We'll continue emptying it before our boiler is fitted next weekend, I just don't want to invalidate our warranty because it wasn't installed to the correct standards.