A build-up of deposits in your heating system can do serious harm, from leaking pipes to radiators that corrode through, along with other problems that are costly to repair. A power flush is one of the most effective ways to stop that damage in its tracks, and flushing your system every five or six years helps prevent it coming back, so your heating lasts longer.
But what are these deposits, and how do they build up in the first place?
How do rust and sludge form?
As water flows around your heating system, it slowly corrodes the inside of your pipes and radiators. Water contains oxygen, which is released as the water is heated and pumped around the system. That oxygen reacts with the steel components inside, creating iron oxide, better known as rust. Inside a heating system, most of it becomes the thick black sludge you sometimes see when a radiator is bled.
Heating systems are also made from a mix of other metals, and the water can react with those too, adding to the build-up of sludge.
Where does limescale come from?
Water, and hard water in particular, contains high levels of calcium and magnesium. These natural minerals may be fine in your diet, but they’re not good for your heating system. When the water is heated, they come out of it and are left behind in your pipes, radiators and boiler as limescale. Hard water is common across London and Essex, so homes there are especially prone to it.
What the deposits do to your heating system.
Over time, rust, sludge, limescale and other debris build up together. They narrow your pipes, stop radiators heating properly and make your boiler work harder, causing wear and damage that can be expensive to repair, or mean replacing parts altogether.
The good news is that you can clear them out and slow them down:
- A power flush removes the sludge and scale already in your system.
- Corrosion inhibitor left in the system after the flush slows future build-up.
- A MagnaClean magnetic filter keeps catching sludge as it circulates.
Not sure whether your system is affected? Here’s how to tell if your system needs a power flush, including the tell-tale signs to look out for.
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