A summer job: CH draining?

[Another John]

Mike P's post elsewhere reminded me:

Might it be a good idea to drain down our CH system at the moment, and refill with clean water?

Our boiler is 3 years old, which is when the system was last drained down. The rest of the system is probably 30 years old (drained at odd times when events such as boiler replacement have taken place.)

Being a plumbing-o-phobe I like to leave these things *well alone*, but I wondered if it would be an improvement for next winter (which seems to be just around the corner BTW).

John

[Dave Plowman (News)]

If it's just plain water, then no. Because new introduces air which leads to corrosion. If it has inhibitor, change it according to the maker's recommendation.

If no inhibitor, I'd drain, flush through with the appropriate flushing substance and then add inhibitor.

If that isn't too Irish. ;-)

[Bob Minchin]

First step would be to clean the strainers and see how much crap they have collected. If they are pretty clean then it is questionable how much benefit you will get from draining. Make sure the inhibitor is within spec though.

Bob

[Another John]

...

"Strainers"? My CH system has strainers?

Thanks for the response, and thanks also to Dave P for his very useful response earlier.

J.

[dom]

If it hasn't and you want to add one, I highly recommend the Fernox total filter.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

But would there be anything to filter if you use inhibitor and keep it up to date?

[ARWadsworth]

Probably bugger all on a sealed system.

Todays job was to change a radiator at my parents holiday appartment and to add a towel radiator to the bathroom.

My parents bought the place 9 years ago. When I drained down the system 9 years ago the contents of the 4 year old system looked like lemonade. Today when I drained the system down again the contents looked like lemonade.

I refilled and added inhibitor and I expect there will still be be nothing to filter in another 9 years.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Nor on an open one if the tank is covered and it's not pumping over - or that's what I found.

Yup. Doesn't sell filters, though. ;-)

[fred]

In article , Dave Plowman (News) writes

I'm inclined to agree but I did install an 8quid Y-strainer in my system at outset and it did spot a problem of inhibitor not doing its job and resulting in circulating crap. That was a useful backup but I doubt the cost benefit of a more complex product.

[JohnW]

Water in my CH has always drained very clear, and has inhibitor, but when I had a boiler change I had a Magnaclean fitted. I check this around every six months and there is always black gunge on the filter.

[Bob Minchin]

If the boiler is only 3 years old and properly installed, I'd expect strainers to be fitted especially as you seem to have used old rads/pipework with a new boiler.

Bob