Discuss Powerflush Required following new Boiler Install and Chemical Flush in the Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board area at PlumbersForums.net

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6
Good evening,

Please can I ask for some brief advice.

Last month I had installed a new boiler (Ideal 18kw) by a national firm. It's a townhouse with 4 floors, 10 heaters, a hot water cylinder and also a tank in the attic. The heaters look in good condition and have been retained from the previous system, its about 20 years old, each heater has a thermostatic valve (Siemens). The installation included a chemical flush. Most of the heaters were not coming up to temperature before the new boiler install and heating had to be left on for hours. Following the work, the system is working very well, with 9 heaters coming up to temperature quickly. However, there is one non-working heater, in the downstairs living room. Unlike the other heaters it wasn't working at all prior to the boiler installation and despite the chemical flush it is still not working at all. I did inform of this non-working heater when getting a quote and reference was made to the chemical flush.

The same firm that installed the boiler first asked me to bleed the faulty heater, but this did not work. They then sent on an engineer for the purpose of diagosis only (he appeared to be working on a contract basis). He identified that some sludge must be in this heater. The next step would be to book an engineer for the job, who would take the heater off the wall, move it to the garden and flush it out with a hose. However, when I called to book an engineer today, the story was different. The aftercare telephone operater spoke to a technician and manager and I was informed that I had been given the wrong solution, that a powerflush is in fact required, and this will be at the cost of £675.00. As the fault was pre-existing to the boiler installation, the cost will fall to me.

I am therefore left with two solutions. The first suggested by the engineer who thinks a heater can be taken out into the garden and flushed out - at no cost to me. The sales/aftercare line who think that a full system powerflush is requried. They justify this as they say that there will be sludge in the whole system (perhaps but every other heater is 100% performing and this leads me to believe that he chemical flush which was all that was deemed necessary in the first place has been successful throughout the system).

Assuming I've provided enough information, please can I ask if it seems that a full powerflush at £675.00 is the 'go to' solution for the problem I've described, or can a single heater be flushed out or even replaced at presumably less cost.

With thanks
 
BG I’m assuming? If they’ve given you a flush already then I believe it is guaranteed for life. Not your problem get them back at their cost
 
It’s very hard to judge what the problem is without investigating. We don’t know your system or how it’s laid out and installed. It maybe undersized pipework or a faulty valve or a service valve installed elsewhere. Even after a chemical / power flush, it may not work.
 
Thank you for the replies.

Riley -It was Homeserve. I'll check the contract etc.

Bogrodder - Understood. And, what has made me is uneasy (apart form the additional cost) is technicians calling the shots from their control room, contradicting a man who visited the site.
 
Thank you for the replies.

Riley -It was Homeserve. I'll check the contract etc.

Bogrodder - Understood. And, what has made me is uneasy (apart form the additional cost) is technicians calling the shots from their control room, contradicting a man who visited the site.

Sorry, you’re just seen as a cash cow. Get a decent independent heating engineer in
 
Bog is totally correct, get a good
local gsr outfit in as endorsed by your neighbours . Then you can trust the people, nobody
messes up on their own doorstep in our business.
centralheatking
 
It’s very hard to judge what the problem is without investigating. We don’t know your system or how it’s laid out and installed. It maybe undersized pipework or a faulty valve or a service valve installed elsewhere. Even after a chemical / power flush, it may not work.
Bog is totally correct, get a good
local gsr outfit in as endorsed by your neighbours . Then you can trust the people, nobody
messes up on their own doorstep in our business.
centralheatking

Sorry. Disagree. The OP pointed out the dodgy rad. We are not REQUIRED to PF OR CF, but we ARE required to fit a boiler to a clean system. He was open about the issues, they quoted to fit a boiler. In the absence of a specific rider or clause about the dodgy rad, they would probably liable for it. BUT they are saying a PF will fix it - therefore they did not fit to a clean system. They are, therefore, without doubt liable to sort at their expense.
OP: don't let them get away with it - firms rely on consumers lack of knowledge and inertia to line their pockets.

TBH, they may well be wrong about the PF sorting the problem, But it gives them £675 to have the time to pretend to PF while actually sorting the real issue, which is probably a blockage or, more likely, a defective valve.

From now, record and time EVERYTHING that you communicate, and get names of every contact. It will pay dividends if it gets legal. Good luck
 
Eh? I was pointing out, that it’s not necessarily an issue to do with sludge/ dirt/ debris and to get an independent to investigate first. Be a bit of a bummer to find out it was a partially seized trv
 

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