Power flush

[SimonD]

1 hour ago, Onoff said:

My dad, a British Gas pensioner always swore by their service back in the day. 

 

He had an oil boiler fitted to an old system that originally had a coal boiler. In the last few years it developed multiple issues, required loads of new parts etc. They tried making it a sealed system etc. At one point they even removed the mag filter that they had originally fitted. Utter farce.

 

Yes, their reputation certainly isn't what it used to be. You should see some of the boilers I get to see that are or have been on a service plan with them and some other large companies. They probably should have separated the new oil boiler with a plate heat exchanger to protect it at original install.

 

But generally the industry is pretty piss poor, in terms of knowledge, ability, care and pride in work. Most seem to be part of a race to the bottom with a disinterest in ongoing CPD. I get regular emails asking me if I'd like to be a subcontractor and they tell me their rates - they're offering to pay me like £400 for a combi swap, and up to £800 for more complex work with system boilers etc. I'd actually schedule 2-3 days for combi jobs (even if you can swap over in as little as a couple of hours) and up to 5 for system boilers to get it done properly, like a full system flush, wiring in new modulating controls and then commissioing the system properly to run a the lowest possible flow temperatures and balance with decent delta T and heat distribution, often requiring a 2nd visit. It would be impossible to do this on the rates being offered where you'd have to join the boiler slinger ranks to stand a chance of survival - that would just be depressing to me.

 

But to get back on topic, for a property with 19 rads I'd be looking at a price of at least £800, probably a bit more, especially when balancing the system post flush as this could realistically take a couple of days in total. Just flushing it out could be done in a few hours, but that isn't in my mind a proper job as the system needs to be tested and working when you leave.

Edited 11 hours ago by SimonD

[Nickfromwales]

5 hours ago, Andehh said:

MIL had a boiler pack up on her, 10 year old boiler. Blocked heat exchanger, likely caused by British gas not doing a power flush when they replaced it

 

She paid £3000 for a new boiler and full power flush, from a local chap, last week... Must be an easy 25+ rads in her house.

 

Prob £500-800 I'd guess for the flush? 

 

Made a massive difference to the heating of the property. 

British Gas are just legalised thieves.

 

Their signature move is mugging old people for huge sums of money to fit the cheapest Gloworm Boiler as quickly and shoddily as (in)humanly possible.

 

Utter shower of shit.

[Nickfromwales]

3 hours ago, SimonD said:

 

Yes, their reputation certainly isn't what it used to be. You should see some of the boilers I get to see that are or have been on a service plan with them and some other large companies. They probably should have separated the new oil boiler with a plate heat exchanger to protect it at original install.

 

But generally the industry is pretty piss poor, in terms of knowledge, ability, care and pride in work. Most seem to be part of a race to the bottom with a disinterest in ongoing CPD. I get regular emails asking me if I'd like to be a subcontractor and they tell me their rates - they're offering to pay me like £400 for a combi swap, and up to £800 for more complex work with system boilers etc. I'd actually schedule 2-3 days for combi jobs (even if you can swap over in as little as a couple of hours) and up to 5 for system boilers to get it done properly, like a full system flush, wiring in new modulating controls and then commissioing the system properly to run a the lowest possible flow temperatures and balance with decent delta T and heat distribution, often requiring a 2nd visit. It would be impossible to do this on the rates being offered where you'd have to join the boiler slinger ranks to stand a chance of survival - that would just be depressing to me.

 

But to get back on topic, for a property with 19 rads I'd be looking at a price of at least £800, probably a bit more, especially when balancing the system post flush as this could realistically take a couple of days in total. Just flushing it out could be done in a few hours, but that isn't in my mind a proper job as the system needs to be tested and working when you leave.

A man of distinction. 
 

I went to price a flush in a large 3 storey town house and just told her straight, all the GF rads are skip fodder, and that doing her the disservice of flushing them would be of zero value, probably the opposite when I make all her valves leak.

 

She said it was nice to get some truth as the last guy said £400 for the day; one assumes he would have hooked up and then gone on Farse-book to pass the time. 
 

I said we could do a good job, where we take each of the FF rads off, bring them outside, and flush them one at a time at full wallop, turning them up on end and upside down etc, which removes a load of crap.

 

We ended up installing new rads downstairs, and whilst they were removed and capped off we flushed the top floor rads in situ.
 

We then gave the whole house the new TRV’s and lock shield they were screaming out for.

 

Client said the GF had never been so warm, with all her nice new oversized double convectors (Stelrad to the rescue with some nice looking rads with slight curves to sides and top covers), so happy days all round.

 

There is an interesting gadget available….

 

which you use to rattle the shit out of the rads during the flushing process, particularly where the valves connect. 
 

I’ve decided to dodge this method as tbh most of the much older rads would probably piss themselves on the spot if you actually decided to go with this “initiative”.

 

”Springers final thoughts”……

You can’t really cheat your way around 30+ years of mild steel sat in water. Nothing lasts forever.

 

The massive uplift in efficiency you’d get from new convectors is well worth the investment in new rads for the GF vs putting good money after bad. 
 

@Dee If it’s a matter of needs must, then just put some sludge remover in there and let the chemicals do whatever they can, aka putting a band-aid on it. Flush it all out in accordance, and then see if it’s good enough.

 

Cheap simple DIY option.

 

If you do go for a flush, take all the GF rads off and get them done one at a time.