Top 5 Ways To Keep Your Central Heating System In Good Condition

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Repairing or replacing your central heating system can be an expensive process. By taking a few preventative measures you can greatly reduce the amount of problems you are likely to experience over the lifespan of your central heating system.

This will not only save you money by making your system less susceptible to breaking down – but actually prolong the efficient working life of the boiler.

Over time your central heating system will accumulate a number of compounds that are detrimental to the efficient operation of your boiler – such as lime scale and iron oxide. The iron oxide compounds are created by the slow corrosion of your central heating pipes and radiators, and the lime scale is created by the precipitation of the calcium compounds out of the hot water itself*

Iron oxide takes on the appearance of black sludge in your central heating system and Calcium Carbonate will resemble the white chalky lime scale in your kettle at home.

Both of these compounds stick to the surfaces of your system causing premature failure to your heat exchanger (inside your boiler) hot water heating coils (inside your cylinder) valves, and any pumps you have installed.

Having these compounds stuck to the inside of your central heating system will also significantly affect the efficiency of your boiler by reducing the heat transfer of the circulating water within it. An inefficient boiler will of course burn more fuel than necessary and with energy prices the way they are this in turn will cost you money! It will also increase your carbon footprint and your personal impact on the environment.

By following the tips below you will be helping prevent:-

Pump failures
Radiator cold spots and failures
Radiator leaks
Boiler noises
Boiler breakdowns

Powerflush your central heating system

A powerflush or power flush is the process by which a machine is connected to your central heating system to dislodge and remove the build up of compounds within it. This is achieved by vibration and the pumping of water at high velocity but low pressure (to prevent damage) through the system until clean.

Chemicals are incorporated in to the process at the start and the end to assist with the removal of debris and also to prevent future corrosion.

A strong magnet is often incorporated in to the machine to remove iron oxide and other metallic compounds present in your system.

Use a corrosion inhibitor

As mentioned, metal within your central heating system will corrode over time.

To prevent this process taking place or more accurately to delay this process, an inhibitor can be added to your system. An inhibitor is a chemical compound which when added to the water in your central heating system creates a thin film on the surface of your pipe work thereby decreasing the rate at which the metals and alloys within it corrode when in contact with water.

The correct quantity and type of inhibitor will substantially reduce the effects of corrosion. In some cases by as much as 90%. Inhibitors are commonly added to a central heating system after a power flush has been performed.

Install a filtration system

As mentioned earlier your gas central heating system may contain a lot of corrosion and lime scale which will ultimately damage your boiler, pumps and valves. A water filtration system will remove particles and compounds that are freely circulating through your central heating system preventing these particles from entering your boiler and pumps and clogging them up!

Numerous filtration systems are available on the market today and many will incorporate a magnetic filter to remove the iron oxide (rust) created by the corrosion of your system e.g. Magnaclean.

Regularly servicing of your boiler

An annual service of your boiler will extend the operational lifespan of your central heating system by indentifying any faults or progressive defects manifesting in the system. It will also reduce the cost of repairs and decrease the chances of an outright

boiler failure – as faulty valves and pumps can be replaced as they wear and before their failure puts unnecessary strain on the rest of the system.

Faulty gas appliances are a serious hazard to health so the most important benefit derived from having your boiler serviced is the knowledge that your boiler is safely functioning and is of no danger to you or your family.

Use the services of a reputable, reliable gas company

Reputable and reliable gas engineers can be hard to come by when you need one most. By anticipating your future needs and developing a strong relationship with a company or engineer specialising in central heating, you can avoid the time consuming and sometimes frustrating act of trying to book an engineer to service or repair a faulty boiler.

Companies like www.serviceteam.co.uk can organise an annual boiler service for a fixed fee and provide you with same day services should you have a problem that requires immediate repair.

They will also keep detailed records of your central heating system on file, and will be able to notify you in advance of repairs or replacements required that may have been identified when they serviced the boiler.

This continuity will save you time and money in the long run as in many cases the diagnostic process will be reduced or eliminated.

(*Calcium Carbonate is present and soluble in cold water however when the water is hot it precipitates in to the chalky white substance you may be familiar with inside your kettle!)

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