central heating - sludge

[AHarvey]

Hi all

Since we've moved in 9 years ago Worcester boiler has been playing up. It can goes months where it's fine, then it'll need resetting constantly to get hot water.

We've had services done etc and had a switch replaced but we've had a few comments about black sludge being in the system and it needs flushing out. I'm sure one engineer fitted a filter to stop it tripping the boiler but it's started doing it again.

So, before the weather turns, it's a job that needs doing and i've been told I can do it myself.

It's a closed system, 2 floors and 7 radiators in total.

Never done it before so educate me, what do I need and how do I do it? Any links to online resources.

 

[AHarvey]

Well it seems that the system has a Spirotech filter attached, taken 20 pints of water out and there's just a few little black bits in it, videos say is should be dark dirty water but this is just a little misty.

Looked at Powerflushing systems and quotes seem to be £400+, thinking it may be cheaper to have my mate buy and fit double radiators instead of the single panel ones we've got.

 

[AHarvey]

Is it just hot water it overheats on?

If so its probably the plate heat exchanger scaled.

Does the water struggle to get piping hot

Heating as well as the water, and the water does get piping hot.

It's just turn water on, have to reset it, works fine. Heating comes on, have to reset it, works fine.

Randomly goes off now and then too. It's been this way for since we moved in, British Gas have replaced bits etc over the years but it's never solved the issues. It can go months and it's fine, then it happens over and over again, then stops again.