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This Simple Gadget Could Protect Your Central Heating System


An £80 gadget that cleans sludge from central heating systems should be fitted to all UK households to protect them from catastrophic breakdown bills, says a leading boiler installation firm.

This Simple Gadget Could Protect Your Central Heating System


"Its our view that every boiler should have this filter yet its not something governed by industry guidelines. Customers are getting a raw deal."
Steve Watson



THIS simple £80 gadget could save you thousands of pounds on your central heating bill, according to a leading Merseyside firm. 
 
And they're calling for it to be fitted to ALL households in the UK to help protect the wallets of consumers. 
 
The device is an inexpensive magnetic filter designed to capture the black ‘sludge’ that builds up inside your heating system. 
 
Without it, a boiler’s heater exchanger is prone to breakdown while radiators will also fail to heat-up properly, proving an inefficient drain on your bank balance. 
 
And Steve Watson, Servicing & Maintenance Manager with Knowsley boiler installation firm STL Heating & Energy, is urging families to be aware of the dangers. 
 
Mr Watson, who has 38 years’ experience in the industry, explained: “Black sludge is the enemy of any central heating system. 
 
“It consists of iron oxide filings - essentially metal rust from equipment like radiators, central heating pump housings and cast iron heat exchanges found inside the boiler.

“And what many homeowners don’t realise is that when the sludge builds up to sufficient levels it can set like concrete, causing catastrophic damage. 
 
“Radiators become clogged, failing to warm up despite how hard your boiler is working, and boilers can also overheat and shut down. 
 
“Depending on your replacement, you could be looking at a £3,000-plus bill for a new boiler - and much more for a whole system replacement.

“But the frustrating part is that it can be remedied with a simple magnetic filter that bolts on to the central heating system and collects the iron oxide filings. 
 
“It’s our view that every boiler - whether old or newly fitted - should have this filter fitted. You then simply clean the filter every year as part of an annual service. 
 
“Yet it’s not something governed by industry guidelines and countless installers simply aren’t bothering to fit one. 
 
“It’s our view that this needs to change…. Customers are getting a raw deal.”
 
The installation of a new boiler is covered by the Government’s Water Regulations Advisory Scheme (WRAS) while any fitter must also be on the Gas Safe Register. 
 
These require that a water fitting ‘should not cause waste, misuse, undue consumption or contamination of the water supply and must be of an appropriate quality and standard’.
 
But magnetic filters are not stipulated under WRAS - despite some boiler manufacturers agreeing to extend the boiler warranty if one is installed.
 
Mr Watson, whose firm specialises in installing new boilers and central heating systems, says customers are also being mislead when it comes to system ‘flushes’, too. 
 
He revealed: “Magnetic filters do a great job of stopping the loose particles from entering the boiler’s heat exchange. 
 
“But often the filings need to be agitated and loosened from the radiators - something called a flush. 
 
“The issue here, however, is that some new ‘powerflushes’ can cause more damage than good. 
 
“They operate using high pressure - around 3 Bar or 43.5 PSI. That’s more than most car tyres. 
 
“And if you’ve got a central heating system that’s 10, 20 years old, the pipes simply can’t take this pressure. 
 
“Pipes can either leak or pop out of fittings, and homeowners can be left with really bad leaks that might not be apparent for weeks or months because the pipes are often hidden from view. You can end up with really, really high repair bills because the old systems simply can’t take the pressure.”
 
British Gas charge upwards of £700 for a Powerflush. 
 
STL Heating & Energy meanwhile charge under £400 for an alternative, less invasive ‘magnacleanse flush’, where the black sludge is agitated from radiators and pipes using high-powered magnets, before the system is gently flushed and a filter applied.
 
http://www.stlheating.co.uk

 

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