hi all. can anyone tell me is there a way of cleaning a back boiler using a hose pipe to blast out the sludge etc (crap).

the boiler is making a noise like a kettle. i have been told that if i empty the system and put a hose pipe on the drain plug and connect it to a tap i can back pressure the system. if i do this where would the water come out?

also, could this be because the pump is not working efficiently. the system is 22 yrs old. it has had fernox in it.

this is an open system central heating.

thankyou for your help Jacko

If you do that you'll eventually blow water back into the feed and expansion tank and out of the overflow. This is assuming your system has an f&e tank, it could be a primatic cylinder. But to be fair you'll be wasting your time anyway.

Go to the plumbers merchants and buy some sludge buster. Go in the loft and check to see if theres any water in the tank if there is, drain the system, then refill adding the sludge buster, run it for a week or two and then drain and refill a couple of times.

This might work, or not. If you can find the time to come to Leeds, you can borrow my power flushing machine, which is about your best bet for cleaning out a sludge filled system.
The kettling could be caused by a simple airlock, or the feed from the F&E tank being blocked, are all the rads full? especially upstairs.

Al.






Originally posted by jacko
hi all. can anyone tell me is there a way of cleaning a back boiler using a hose pipe to blast out the sludge etc (crap).

the boiler is making a noise like a kettle. i have been told that if i empty the system and put a hose pipe on the drain plug and connect it to a tap i can back pressure the system. if i do this where would the water come out?

also, could this be because the pump is not working efficiently. the system is 22 yrs old. it has had fernox in it.

this is an open system central heating.

thankyou for your help Jacko

Eh up al
didnt know you were a plumber

If you do come up jako and al is out you can come round my house and borrow my powerflushing machine.

regards mick

Thank,s Al do you think it could be the pump ? all the rads are hot

I will try the sludge buster and let you know If i need your flushing machine Thank,s Graham

If all the rads are hot, and get hot reasonably quickly then its not the pump, most likely the heat exchanger is scaled up, or full of big lumps of crud. Sometimes it's impossible to cure, but a good chemical flush is your best bet.
Good luck with it
Al






Originally posted by jacko
Thank,s Al do you think it could be the pump ? all the rads are hot

I will try the sludge buster and let you know If i need your flushing machine Thank,s Graham