Re-plumb pipework only should it be power flushed

[Kat]

Hi in a 4 year old house that had rubbish plumbing. Going to be re-plumbed, pipework only, (not boiler or rads) mix of copper and plastic some external as we had oak floors laid and vinyls. Plumber quoted we accepted but now a bit confused. Should he have quoted for a powerflush? Does new pipework need to be powerflushed? And will system need to be topped up afterwards with inhibitor?
Thanks

 

[kay-jay]

Depends on what type of system you have? If rads are very old a flush may be required but on a four year old property is unlikely. Chemical protection is a good idea as is a magnetic filter.

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[AWheating]

new pipework will not need a powerflush as its new and a cold flush followed by a chemical flush will do. The rads and boiler will need to be checked for sludge/corrosion and addressed if needed but normally unless bad a chemical cleaner added to the existing system a week or 2 prior to the work should be enough.

After the work is complete and it has been flushed then an inhibitor will need to be added.

 

[gavinwilson]

Edited because I don't read things first

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[Centralheatking]

Spot on advice we couldnt put it any better

new pipework will not need a powerflush as its new and a cold flush followed by a chemical flush will do. The rads and boiler will need to be checked for sludge/corrosion and addressed if needed but normally unless bad a chemical cleaner added to the existing system a week or 2 prior to the work should be enough.

After the work is complete and it has been flushed then an inhibitor will need to be added.

 

[Kat]

Thanks all that IS a relief. I didn't want to end up back at where this all began, with a clogged up boiler and the insurer refusing a repair until the systems was powerflushed. It has taken me 18 months to get this far, it would be nice not to have to think about plumbing again for a while.

Thanks again for your responses and your time

kat

 

[Kat]

Hi again - e-mailed plumber and asked if he would flush and chemical flush pipework (we are having a mix of plastic and copper as a lot will be external) and he replied:

If the system has sludge in it when we've drained it down or it shows any signs of of build up in the system we will power flush it.

Does that actually answer my Q? It doesn't sound like it does to me but what would I know. Thanks

 

[mountainman]

Thanks all that IS a relief. I didn't want to end up back at where this all began, with a clogged up boiler and the insurer refusing a repair until the systems was powerflushed.

kat

If your insurer is insisting that the system be powerflushed then that is what you will need to have done.

 

[Kat]

Hi I am confusing issues here sorry. This all started 18 months ago with new boiler not being commisioned! We were without hot water heating for months, finally systems was powerflushed in December, boiler back up working but rubbish plumbing (chinese pipe) leaks since new,thus re-plumb. Then I started to worry that if new pipework isn't flushed will that clog boiler and I will be back at square one, thus the Q here.

 

[mountainman]

Ah! Clarity.

As has been said before, all you need to do is ask your plumber to cold flush, chemically flush and refill with clean water and add inhibitor and you should be fine.:yesnod:

 

[petercj]

So the house is 4 years old...

The boiler was replaced 18 months ago ... so presumably that means that the original boiler was only 30 months old?

The boiler was clogged up and the system needed power flushing - presumably 18 months ago?

The new boiler wasn't commissioned, and no hot water for 18 months ... possibly because the pipework had leaks?

So if the system has only been in use 30 months in total, how come it needed power flushing?

 

[Kat]

So the house is 4 years old...

The boiler was replaced 18 months ago ... so presumably that means that the original boiler was only 30 months old?

The boiler was clogged up and the system needed power flushing - presumably 18 months ago?

The new boiler wasn't commissioned, and no hot water for 18 months ... possibly because the pipework had leaks?

So if the system has only been in use 30 months in total, how come it needed power flushing?

OK system fitted plumber wasn't paid by developer came and cut pipework from radiators and baths etc.. He had used rubbish pipe from china in any case then developer got cowboys in to patch up plumbing.

2008 house sold, not to us to an old man who then died, we bought off his family. They did not tell us about floods etc old man had had !

We moved in boiler broke down system never commissioned spent 9 months arguing with NHBC and developer! Then in December last year developer powerflushed system but would not replace rubbish chinese pipe. So original boiler but now powerflushed system but still rubbish pipe. Spent 7 months arguing with NHBC until they agreed to pay towards a re-plumb but with no liability :O)

Can anyone tell me what fllushing and chemical flushing pipe looks like? Sounds to me that my plumber is not thinking of doing this what do you think? What is involved in flushing pipe? I think I will write to him again.

Thanks

 

[petercj]

Power flushing is done with a machine:-

FERNOX POWERFLUSHING MACHINE 240V- Buy FERNOX POWERFLUSHING MACH...

Chemical flushing just involves adding a litre or so of chemical to the system water, letting it run, and then draining.

Presumably the first boiler became blocked due to debris/residue created by the pipework?

But if it was only 30 months old, why wasn't the heat exchanger replaced (the bit that gets blocked) rather than the whole boiler? Did you pay for the new boiler?

Power-flushing is a bit of a 'cash-cow', so you need to be sure it's necessary.

 

[petercj]

Just read through your various posts again.

Has the system been running since the previous power flush was done?

If it has, and you have rapidly deteriorating pipework, the plumber might be concerned that there is debris in the radiators which might find it's way into the boiler's heat exchanger.

Do you have a filter on the return pipe near the boiler, like this one:-

Fernox TF1 - Fernox TF1 Total Filter

Well worth the investment if there isn't one fitted.

If there is a chance that there might be debris in the radiators, another option would be to take them off and flush them through with a garden hose, which is something you could do yourselves, maybe.

 

[Kat]

Hi - OK I am happy we have been powerflushed satisfactorily and the boiler is OK now, what I am simply trying to establish is if new pipework is being fitted, to include some copper, IF the pipework will introduce swarf etc into the system ?(We are not having new radiators only the pipework changed).
The kind people on this forum have said new pipe does not need powerflushing but the pipe needs cold water and chemical flushing. I therefore asked what is involved in cold water and chemical flushing because when my plumber responded to me asking if this is what he is going to do (posted reply earlier) it sounded like he wasn't going to do this.
So what is involved in cold water and chemical flushing of pipes and is this done as a matter of course during a replumb of pipework only thanks?

 

[petercj]

Details of cleaning new system here:-

Cleaning a Central Heating System

If the system has been running for some time since the powerflush was done, it might be that further debris has settled in radiators, which is a different issue from cleaning new pipe work.

Your plumber may have allowed for flushing through after fitting without making special mention of it.

If he's aware of the full history, and feels that a basic chemical flush is all that is needed, so be it.

If you have reason to doubt his opinion, probably best to get a second estimate/opinion from someone local who can assess the whole situation - there's a section on this site where you can find someone local.

A filter that traps magnetite (sludge) and debris is worth considering if you don't have one.

 

[gavinwilson]

Me personally I would replace radiators , system stood doing nothing for a while bet they are rusting inside

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