Power Flush advice needed

[ARLester]

Dear all
I’m a home owner looking for advice.
I recently had a power flush which was unsuccessful at clearing a blocked pipe. I do appreciate these things are not guaranteed.

My question is does time taken reflect on outcome?
The reason I need to understand this is the company employed to undertake the flush declared it having not worked after just 2 hours of flushing (excluding setting up) despite being booked all day. I’m therefore now wondering if they would have cracked on for longer, surely the chances of success would have increased whereas bailing out after just 2 hours seems like I’ve been shortchanged.
Not looking for a witch hunt just trying to understand if time spent flushing is relative to the success in clearing blockages
Thanks in advance.

 

[ARLester]

Going slightly OT, but think we've covered the OP's question.

Has anyone tried using a pressure testing pump on a run like this? Hep2O will take 12 Bar at 20° and I wonder whether it might ne possible to isolate the section and pressurise and whether that might start to shift the blockage? If a fitting failed, you'd only lose a small quantity of water, and if it's ground floor, you don't even risk staining the ceiling below.

Thanks Ric. All ideas are great ideas. Unfortunately the only reason I haven’t just cut my losses and repiped is all pipework is under oak floors that just can’t come up without having to be renewed. So looking for any options that might avoid this. Having said that, it’s a great idea. Thankyou

 

[Ric2013]

Thanks Ric. All ideas are great ideas. Unfortunately the only reason I haven’t just cut my losses and repiped is all pipework is under oak floors that just can’t come up without having to be renewed. So looking for any options that might avoid this. Having said that, it’s a great idea. Thankyou

My point was that, if this idea might work, it might prevent you having to lift the oak floor in the first place. Darn sight cheaper than a powerflush too. But I've never tried it.

 

[Timmy D]

My point was that, if this idea might work, it might prevent you having to lift the oak floor in the first place. Darn sight cheaper than a powerflush too. But I've never tried it.

I was hesitate to post what I’m about to, as I’ve never done it and it could cause all sorts of havoc.

If the problem areas can be isolated. You cut in/connect at one end of the blockage and open up the other end. Then how about connecting an air compressor and blasting it. Or even a jet wash?

All fittings should be able to stand the rated water regs pressure of 10 bar and to comply + 50%. This doesn’t mean old fittings will accept that, but you’d be able to get more pressure in there than a power flush pump can achieve.

I’m sure as hell not liable for anything going wrong should you take this crazy route 😂

 

[Ben-gee]

I have disconnected a 2.5m length of acorn before and tried ‘rodding’ it with a length of threaded bar and a hammer, then took it to a local mechanics to use their airline - none of this worked, it was solid.
In this case it was easy to replace the pipe.
You may find it easiest to re-pipe via a different route and just leave the old pipe under the oak floor (disconnected)

 

[Timmy D]

G

I have disconnected a 2.5m length of acorn before and tried ‘rodding’ it with a length of threaded bar and a hammer, then took it to a local mechanics to use their airline - none of this worked, it was solid.
In this case it was easy to replace the pipe.
You may find it easiest to re-pipe via a different route and just leave the old pipe under the oak floor (disconnected)

Good to know, thanks.

 

[Knappers]

I've cleared a blockage with air before, it made a hell of a mess when it let go! (Won't be doing it again)
This is my 'cunning plan' for next time!

 

[Chuck]

I've cleared a blockage with air before, it made a hell of a mess when it let go! (Won't be doing it again)

Using compressed air to clear blockages is potentially dangerous. Much safer to use water to apply the force.

 

[jh2254]

Once a pipe is really blocked a power flush is probably not going to fix it. If it's a reasonably short and reasonably straight section with easy access to one end it may be possible to 'snake' it. In many cases the blocked section has to be cut out and replaced. If access is really difficult it may be better to bypass the blockage with a new section of pipe in parallel.

Compared with about a day's labour, chemicals, use of the equipment, etc. for a pressure flush, if you know where the block is, it may turn out cheaper to replace the blocked pipe anyway.

Yes agree and in my case it would have been much less labour intensive to have just replaced the pipe, but as my time was free I bought some small gauge wire and rodded the pipes. Took hours and hours but it worked. I then fitted a magnaclean to the flow and this stopped new debris going into the small bore pipe.

 

[jh2254]

Thanks Ric. All ideas are great ideas. Unfortunately the only reason I haven’t just cut my losses and repiped is all pipework is under oak floors that just can’t come up without having to be renewed. So looking for any options that might avoid this. Having said that, it’s a great idea. Thankyou

As my time was free I bought some small gauge wire and rodded the pipes. Took hours and hours (felt like weeks and weeks) but it worked eventually. I then fitted a magnaclean to the flow and this stopped new debris going into the small bore pipe.
What was your eventual solution?
Thanks.

 

[Devisham]

A BSRIA flush should take a number of days if followed correctly to guidance - pre flush - chemical clean/biocide wash - back flush/strainer cleans - dynamic flush - chemical rebalance - chem/bacti sampling etc. They should have been going through the system pipework legs in stages if isolations are present to ascertain where potential issues were to advise if remedials are needed.

If you used a water treatment specialist for the works it's a pretty poor show as they shouldnt have walked away after 2 hours.

 

[Lou]

(Just bumping a few older threads, they will drop off what is new soon)

Check Out Plumbing News!

 

[jh2254]

Ok thanks Lou. I had an email to check a reply to this thread ! Prompted me to say my central heating pipe work is still working well and the magnacleans are working well. No more blocked microbore pipes !