Answering your Central Heating Power Flush FAQs

The good news is that often, the cause is likely to be nothing more than a build-up of residue and deposits in your pipework which can be cleared out by a simple central heating power flush.

However, if you ignore those rumbling, banging and clanking sounds or rooms that aren’t as warm as they should be, you could be storing up problems which will be more expensive and time-consuming to fix.

BHE’s plumbing and heating engineers have carried out central heating power flushing for many years, helping homeowners in Wigan, Leigh, Lancaster and Morecambe to heat their homes efficiently whilst protecting their central heating systems.

Our team’s answered common central heating power flush FAQs, guiding you through what a central heating power flush is, why you need one and how it works.

What is a central heating power flush?

A central heating power flush, sometimes known as hydronic or mechanical flushing, is a ‘deep clean’ process designed to clear out built-up sludge, rust and debris from inside your central heating system. Over time, this residue builds up inside your pipes, radiators and boiler. And while the most obvious result is that your heating and hot water system won’t work as efficiently, blockages can become large enough to cause a breakdown in your system.

A central heating power flush gets your central heating system working properly and efficiently again, through a mix of high-flow water circulation, specialised cleaning chemicals and magnetic filtration that breaks down and removes obstructions and debris.

What work does a central heating power flush involve?

A central heating power flush connects a power flushing machine to your heating system, which forces water through the pipes at high speed, dislodging accumulated sludge, rust, and other particles clinging to internal surfaces.

Powerful chemical agents are added into your central heating system’s pipework to dissolve stubborn deposits. These often include magnetic filters which can suck up metal debris, such as rust fragments, and flush them away, preventing them from re-entering your system.

Finally, once your central heating system has been thoroughly cleaned, we add a chemical inhibitor to nip future corrosion in the bud and leave your pipes in great internal condition, making it more difficult for dirt and rust to cling to them.

What signs will tell me that my central heating system needs a power flush?

There are some common symptoms which suggest that it could be time to book a central heating power flush:

• Your radiators have cold spots – this means water is likely to be obstructed from flowing right through it. A central heating power flush work its way into your radiators to clear the cause of the blockage, allowing hot water to reach every corner.
• Your boiler is cutting out, or is making banging noises – in the trade, this is called ‘kettling’ and is caused by the debris from corrosion inside your pipework blocking and damaging the heat exchanger. Blockages make it more difficult for the water to circulate, and eventually can lead to your boiler overheating and cutting out.
• You notice your hot water flow becomes intermittent, and it fluctuates between hot and cold – a slower water flow is the result of limescale build-up, while a variation in the water temperature is likely to be down to an accumulation of debris inside the heat exchanger of your boiler.
• One of your radiators stays completely cold, even when the others are working properly – provided you have checked that you have it turned on, this is probably the result of a localised blockage in the pipes leading to that radiator. If you catch it in time, a central heating power flush can clear the obstruction, before the only other alternative becomes having the pipework isolated and cut out, and the radiator removed and replaced.

BHE expert engineer, Dan, inspecting central heating pipework during a boiler installation in Lancaster

What benefits will I see from a central heating power flush?

There are several types of central heating power flush:

• Standard power flush using a chemical solution flushed through the system at high pressure
• Chemical flush emptied using gravity before being flushed with clean water
• MagnaCleanse power flush, using chemical flush solution with the addition of a MagnaCleanse filter that traps residue and debris

The MagnaCleanse central heating power flush is a sophisticated technique which uses a state-of-the-art chemical compound and a magnetic filter. Your BHE central heating power flush engineer places the magnetic filter in your heating system’s 'swill chamber', attracting debris as the cleanser remains heated and concentrated within the system.

Your expert heating and plumbing engineer then fits an agitator separately on each radiator, which will vibrate it for about 20 seconds to loosen the debris inside. The debris will then be attracted by the magnet, and flow down to the swill chamber, from where it can be safely disposed of.

This process is designed to clean from the inside powerfully, yet gently enough for it not to adversely affect any of the pipework or interior components.

Can a central heating power flush save me money?

Investing just a few hours of your time to have your central heating power flushed in this way will result in it working more efficiently. Your radiators will heat up to your ideal temperature more quickly, while you’ll also get a more consistent and reliable supply of hot water, exactly when you need it.

Best of all, a central heating power flush could save you money in the long run because your boiler will use less energy, and you might even be able to turn your radiators down a notch or two as you’ll notice that they work much more efficiently.

Check out our MagnaCleanse central heating power flush FAQs for more about this effective power flush system

How a MagnaCleanse flush keeps your central heating working efficiently

How long does a central heating power flush take?

Our locally-based central heating power flush teams can usually complete a MagnaCleanse power flush within two hours at your property in Wigan, Leigh, Lancaster or Morecambe.

This may be longer if we have problems getting access to your boiler, or reaching any blockage, but we can only advise on this on the day. We’ll always take the time to clear up and leave your home as we found it at the end of every job.

Can a central heating power flush cause leaks?

This is a common, but misplaced, concern. While the water flows through your system at high speed, the pressure applied to do this is low.

It could be that clearing debris from your system during the process exposes an existing leak. But you have an engineer on hand who can fix it straight away!

How can I book a central heating power flush with BHE?

BHE’s Gas Safe Registered heating and plumbing experts complete central heating power flushing in the Leigh, Wigan, Lancaster and Morecambe areas, helping central heating systems to work reliably and more efficiently and giving your household all the heating and hot water it needs, all year round.

Part of the Which? Trusted Trader RJ Martindale Group, and with over 50 years of central heating and plumbing expertise, BHE is your local, recommended and highly-rated plumber for central heating power flushing in Wigan, Leigh, Lancaster and Morecambe.

Book your central heating power flush with BHE!