Good idea to flush CH every few years?

[MM]

My house is now 7 years old. Should I get the central heating system flushed come next service? It all works okay, but I'm thinking maintenance here.

MM

[thirty-six]

Only if you are selling the service and wish to have an honest quote. Either the system corrodes due to acidity in the water or the boiler furrs up due to excess mineral content. If neither of these things have happened, leave it alone.

[ARWadsworth]

Google for "central heating inhibitor test kits". Buy and add more inhibitor if needed.

Or just change the water in the system and add the required amount of new inhibitor for your system without buying a test kit.

You have a 7 year old system and that should not require any flushing if inhibitor was added 7 years ago when the system was installed.

[Brian Gaff]

Yeah, letting air in now could do more harm than good. I have heard so many stories of leaks and blockages airlocks and all sorts from well meaning flushing. Its the old if its not bust, don't fix it thing. Brian

[Terry Fields]

Well...

We moved into this house 18 months ago when it was 7.5 years old. After a couple of months I got round to looking at the F&E tank for the Gledhill heat store.

It had a mass of biological growth on top of the water, and as I removed it, it became obvious that the water underneath was inky-black.

I emptied this half a bucket at a time (to avoid spillage when coming down the ladder), cleaned the inside of the tank and the ball valve with anti-bac spray until everything gleamed, and dried it all off. I then let in enough water so that the F&E pipe was immersed about 2" and then added inhibitor.

A year later and there's no bio growth and no black deposits; water drained from a radiator was all but clear. I added more inhibitor as I like to do this on an annual basis.

The original commissioning report said that the system had been initially treated with Fernox MB-1. I was told that British Gas had serviced the system since then.

I'd say that based on this the OP should examine his F&E tank and see what sort of condition the water is in. Personally, I wouldn't change the water in the system if there's no need; just clean the tank then add inhibitor and let it work its way into the system.

Terry Fields

[Doctor Drivel]

Inhibitor only lasts 4 years. If none was added from new it is best to flush it through and have mains pressure water through each rad, one at a time, by having all others closed off. Sludge will have accumulated.

[Doctor Drivel]

How much inhibitor did you put in the Gledhill? What model? You should have drained the whole store and retreated with inhibitor, not just the store - about 3 or 4 cans.

[thirty-six]

Except when it lasts longer.

Best for who?

Unless it hasn't.

[Doctor Drivel]

Except when it lasts longer.

[thirty-six]

[Doctor Drivel]

If the radiators are heating evenly, there is no sludge to be concerned about. You're fear-mongering.

[thirty-six]

[Doctor Drivel]

[thirty-six]

[Doctor Drivel]

[JohnW]

[Doctor Drivel]

[Mike Barnes]

JohnW :

[Doctor Drivel]

Fantastic. This one is joining in with the panto.

[grimly4]

It's behind you.