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cardigan
What's a 'power flush after a new CH boileris installed?' What's involved, how long does it take and what does it do?
TIA
Welcome to the forum. Although you can post in any forum, the USA forum is here in case of local regs or laws
What's a 'power flush after a new CH boileris installed?' What's involved, how long does it take and what does it do?
TIA
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cardigan
Dear God, how the hell can they charge that much for a couple of hours work flushing a system?
Its not just a couple of hours though. I've been on flushes that have taken all day. Then you've got the cost of the machine itself to pay for, then the cost of chemicals and specialist tools you may need, plus you need to cover your costs should any unforeseen problems arise from doing the actual flush.
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Rickster123
the machine and equipment costs £1200 to £2000 and it takes between 4 to 8 hours to do on average. You have to pay for your van, your PLI, your fuel, your other business running costs etc......
as the saying goes you get what you pay for. 🙂
best to steer clear of large companies and use a local engineer, get some quotes.
as the saying goes you get what you pay for. 🙂
best to steer clear of large companies and use a local engineer, get some quotes.
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cardigan
im not particullarly cheap im about £200 more then most people in my area but im there all day fit a new pump and mag clean, use good chemicals and nutralise the system after if ive had to use a heavy chemical. oh and i remove the f&e tank wash it out and loop the f&e pipes in with a isolator so they all get cleaned too.
there are still many who disagree with power flushing and im sure some will be along in a bit. but i do it and see how much comes out and there is no way on most of the ones i do a normal chemical clean would touch them.
there are still many who disagree with power flushing and im sure some will be along in a bit. but i do it and see how much comes out and there is no way on most of the ones i do a normal chemical clean would touch them.
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tamz
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petercj
You can hire a professional powerflush machine for fifty pounds from HSS Hire (February offer), anyone of average intelligence who can read can do it - you need to be fit enough to climb up into the loft, and not prone to dying of boredom.
First time round with 12 radiators will probably take around 8 to 10 hours.
First time round with 12 radiators will probably take around 8 to 10 hours.
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Rickster123
Im only messing. Power flushing done correctly is a long and extremely boring task but well worth the expense in my opinion. If its rushed and not flushed thoroughly it's a pointless exercise.
what do you think a decent price is?
the average price is what £300-£500at a guess dependant on area and work involved.
for a good days labour from a skilled tradesman with all the costs involved probably making a wage of £150 for the days work.
seems a good price to me, my car garage charges £95 per hour labour, that over 8 hours is £760 for labour then parts ontop.
what quoted prices have you had? maybe somebody on the forum lives near you and can give you a price?
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petercj
Outside of London you will be able to get it done for around 300 pounds.
British Gas charge as much as 800 pounds, and say they guarantee it - which actually means they will then include the water in the system under a Home Care Service contract - which is around 20 pounds per month. End the contract, and the so called guarantee ends too.
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Toxic Ted
If its that lucrative why arent you doing it youself ? If you run your own business like many people here then you will know that you dont trouser everything you charge and have overheads to pay for.
I bought a Kamco power flush machine 2 weeks ago and got it brand new for £1080 and the Kamco guy told me I got a really good deal as they charge £1020 + VAT and then I will be buying more equipment as I go like the magnetic filter and pump head adaptor. As you can see there is a big outlay!
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tamz
For the most brain dead, despised but unfortunately mostly necessary job in the trade.
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kay-jay
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Barry98
its the first thing that gets connected once drained down return flow linked while one cracks on with the install of boiler
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Stuthewarrior
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Barry98
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petercj
The truth is that everything to do with powerflushing is overpriced, starting with the machines used, which basically comprise a pump connected to a plastic tub, with some valves, and a few pipes. 1k+ is a ridiculous price for something so simple.
The 800 pounds charged by BG is also a ridiculous price, but in the free market it seems there is no such thing as overcharging - 300 quid for the powerflush, and 500 quid for the BGBS!
The return on initial investment, even at 300 pounds a throw, is very good on a piece of kit costing between 1k and 1500 pounds.
Powerflushing is a first year apprentice job: requires the ability to use a wrench, a few grams of common sense, and the ability not to fall asleep on the job. Recognising the risks with a weak system is probably the most skilled bit involved.
Anyone looking for a low-cost start can set themselves up in business with a small van, an overpriced powerflush machine (with a one day training course), and enough business acumen to get the show on the road.
The 800 pounds charged by BG is also a ridiculous price, but in the free market it seems there is no such thing as overcharging - 300 quid for the powerflush, and 500 quid for the BGBS!
The return on initial investment, even at 300 pounds a throw, is very good on a piece of kit costing between 1k and 1500 pounds.
Powerflushing is a first year apprentice job: requires the ability to use a wrench, a few grams of common sense, and the ability not to fall asleep on the job. Recognising the risks with a weak system is probably the most skilled bit involved.
Anyone looking for a low-cost start can set themselves up in business with a small van, an overpriced powerflush machine (with a one day training course), and enough business acumen to get the show on the road.
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petercj
Can't see why it should be a problem to anyone pricing up jobs competitively - not so good for BG maybe, but then there's plenty worse about BG on this site.
Anyone shopping around will find that what I have said is more than reasonable - I think there are quite a few people on here out of touch with the going rates for such work, which might help to explain why they are sat on the net instead of working.
I'm very busy thanks. Encouraging people to start up in power flushing! Personally I think it's more skilled than you make out. Different size rad valves, different types of boilers. Some of which can be damaged if not prepared correctly, running boilers dry, getting rid of air locks, etc, etc.
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petercj
Have you read the rest of the thread, the majority of the posts are in a similar vein - "lackie does it' ... "money for old rope" ... etc. Strange that you think I'm giving secrets away!
I do think it's a good investment for anyone starting out, such as people with level 2 NVQ and the like, who often post on the board - what's wrong with that?
Doubt that I've triggered a wave of start-up new businesses in the UK that are going to drain work away from the plumbing trade.
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Toxic Ted
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Toxic Ted
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petercj
When Ratner was asked in a live interview about how he was able to sell jewelry so cheaply, he said: "because it's rubbish!"
I don't see anyone on this thread denigrating the value of powerflushing, i.e. questioning that it's not the best way to clean out sludge from a CH system. The issue is what is a reasonable charge. Other than BG staff, I don't think many plumbers would argue that 800 quid is a reasonable charge.
It's not the same thing as: "Doing a Ratner" - which is used now to describe rubbishing your own product.
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petercj
you can also do the trouser snake tests as i offten hear engineers say around by me. never tired it myself.
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petercj
Feeling around in other people's trouser pockets has never appealed to me! :-@
some of the older blokes i worked with as an apprentice would say a radiator is working correctly if you put your trouser snake on the top and it hurts, if you can hold it there then its not warm enough. I wonder if the method was ever tried? ouch!
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petercj
In order to determine whether the problem was trapped air or sludge, they would have to start at the top and work their way down - reckon they would need to be short and very well endowed, or have extremely flexible knees.
The Michael Jackson crotch thrust comes to mind, and those little shrieks he used to let out!
The auditions for Green Deal assessors would make good Saturday night TV I reckon!
back again to slag off plumbers i see. nice to see you again.
please join a maths forum and moan about your life there.
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TBServices
If you want to do it yourself, no ones stopping you, I personally wouldn't want to be pumping high temperature acid around my house without knowing what I was doing and the potential problems that could encountered, but each to there own.
So what do you do for a living fella. There's more to power flushing than meets the eye, a skill even a trade if you like.
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jase158
Opening March 2013,
Powerflush training centre, Full training, powerflush machine free on "succesful" completion, no previous experience needed, Earn £100,000 a year, charge customers £800 a day.
Only £5,000, one day course held at st albans, hertfordshire
Powerflush training centre, Full training, powerflush machine free on "succesful" completion, no previous experience needed, Earn £100,000 a year, charge customers £800 a day.
Only £5,000, one day course held at st albans, hertfordshire
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jase158
A previous post where he thinks that we all go by the name of dick turpin and don't deserve to earn a living. Ex mathematician or something.
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jase158
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jase158
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stoker122
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jase158
no thats where kamco are!!! they do free training with the machine!! so buy the machine, send them on free course and make £3600 profit for making a few calls, anyone want to come on my course?
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jase158
OOOh I'm so sorry but that was the wrong answer, you just lost the top prize, as a commiseration prize you win a business card with my details on it!!
is that the same card of yours i found in the phone box?? 😛rrr:
all i want is £100 for my boob enlargement.
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Toxic Ted
Book me in jase, work has been a bit thin lately but i think i might just be able to survive the recession on £800 a day.......ill have to make some adjustments to my likestyle though, but 5 grand is a bargain..........
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Toxic Ted
One tit on here is quite enough.....dont make it a bigger problem
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petercj
Seems to me that the crucial issue on this thread was that the OP thought a powerflush would only take a couple of hours.
Powerflushing may not be rocket science, but it does need to be done methodically and thoroughly, which takes time, and as we all know, time is money. A 3/4 bed house is likely to take the best part of a day, and then there are the over-priced chemicals to pay for (not under the control of the average plumber) being the cleaner and the inhibitor.
The cheapest way is DIY, but then of course that means taking responsibility for anything that goes wrong.
As with most things, getting a few estimates to determine the going rate is a good idea.
Is there anything left to be said about the dark art of powerflushing?
Powerflushing may not be rocket science, but it does need to be done methodically and thoroughly, which takes time, and as we all know, time is money. A 3/4 bed house is likely to take the best part of a day, and then there are the over-priced chemicals to pay for (not under the control of the average plumber) being the cleaner and the inhibitor.
The cheapest way is DIY, but then of course that means taking responsibility for anything that goes wrong.
As with most things, getting a few estimates to determine the going rate is a good idea.
Is there anything left to be said about the dark art of powerflushing?
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stoker122
I see Kamco have just brought out a combined combimag/combiheat container.
I only asked them if they could make these two years ago!
The answer then was to buy two combimags and use one of the containers for the heater (expensive).
It will help on dead boiler flushes and enable boilers to be changed and the chemicals heated at the same time 🙂
I wonder if they will just sell me the container?
I only asked them if they could make these two years ago!
The answer then was to buy two combimags and use one of the containers for the heater (expensive).
It will help on dead boiler flushes and enable boilers to be changed and the chemicals heated at the same time 🙂
I wonder if they will just sell me the container?
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TBServices
Power flushing is the process of removing rust sludge and other debris from your heating systems. A quintessential part of every home, your radiators do a very important job of keeping of your home warm. Malfunction in your radiator can be catastrophic for everyone. With temperatures reaching below -9.7 degrees in some places, it is not the best position to be in.
A power flush can effectively tackle most of the problems above. After Powerflushing radiators will heat up quicker and get hotter. They will be Quieter and more energy efficient. Overall you get a more reliable system less likely to breakdown with an increased lifespan.
Power flushing is a convenient solution, but this isn’t DIY. Although there are power flush kits and tutorials available online, it’s a complicated task and things can go wrong very quickly.
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