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FAQs

These are some of the most frequently asked questions, if you are still looking for answer to your query get in touch or visit our technical section or our video tutorials.

General

Are there any special precautions to take to make my Proflush last a long while?

As with any tool, respect and care will result in a long and trouble free lifespan, always secure your machine in the vehicle whilst in transit and do not drop onto the castors.

Can a microbore system be flushed with the Proflush machine?

Yes it can, but the flow rates will be greatly reduced and so the flush may not achieve the same results as with a normal system. You should connect to the system via the circulation pump connections and not via a radiator. We recommend double dosing the chemical being used to break up as much of the magnetite as possible giving the Proflush a better chance of moving the solids around and out of the system.

Can double entry radiator valves on the system cause me any problems during Powerflushing?

There will be a lower flow rate through the radiators and to compensate for this we advise double dosing the amount of Prochem chemical being used.

Can you flush a system that incorporates a Primatic Cylinder?

This can be done by disconnecting the cylinder or looping the pipe, so as not to blow the bubble in the tank. Although there have been a large number of successful flushes with this type of system, we do not recommend it, a scenario of accidental contamination with black or rusty bath water caused by leaking pipes is not to be envied.

Do you have to add inhibitor to the system only via the header tank?

No, you can add inhibitor to the tank of the Proflush unit after the system has been cleaned and tested.

It is advised that if using this method you circulate the liquid around the system for 20 minutes in order to get full penetration.

Also put in an extra quantity of inhibitor to allow for the extra water which will be used to top up the header tank after being reconnected to the system.

Do you need to drain down the system before starting to use the Proflush machine?

If connecting to the system in place of the circulation pump, you can achieve the small amount of draining down required on a vented system by opening the ball valves on the Proflush flow and return to allow up to 35 Litres of system water to enter the Proflush Tank.

This should be sufficient to allow the F & E pipes to be disconnected and preferably temporarily joined together or bunged.

Does the Proflush machine require any maintenance?

Apart from washing out with clean water after every use (this is usually achieved within the flushing process) there is no maintenance required.

During cold weather make sure that all water is dispelled from the flow and return pipes, otherwise if left overnight in a garage in freezing conditions this could cause the ball valves to split, requiring replacement.

Does the Proflush pump have to be monitored at all times during the process?

Yes, although the pump will run all day without harm, it is not wise to leave any electrically powered equipment switched on without supervision in a domestic environment.

Also the water level in the tank should be maintained at all times to avoid ingress of air or indeed overflowing.

If a radiator is blocked and will not allow flow, what can I do?

Microbore systems are prone to this problem, usually caused by a plug of sludge or scale in the small bore pipe work leading to a radiator.

The use of an air compressor or dosing unit connected via the bleed hole can if suitable pressure is achieved, this will cause the slug of solid material to be dispelled along the piping to a wider orifice thus the Proflush can force it out to drain.

After switching off the Proflush and isolating the unit, close both valves on the problem radiator and pump up the air pressure to as high as safely can be achieved. Quickly open one radiator valve and the resultant airflow will usually shift the blockage.

Finally allow the full flow of the Proflush to run through the radiator with both valves open.

If I choose to blank off the F & E pipes, can I use a rubber bung kit?

This is not recommended because the pressure on the feed pipe may blow out the bung and cause the F & E tank to overflow.

Is it practicable to use the Proflush machine on a single pipe system?

On a single pipe system, if build up of deposits is severe you may need to dose the system with double quantities of Prochem Scale Remover / Prochem Sludge Remover.

By using the diverter valve more often, thus causing more turbulence in the pipework gives the Proflush unit a chance to move the debris in a reduced flow rate situation.

To make the system a closed circuit, can I use plastic caps like the Speedfit type of fittings?

These are OK, they will hold up to 4 Bar pressure which is more than adequate, always check seals and o ring for wear if used regularly.

What about firing the system boiler whilst carry out the flushing operation?

There are two clear parts to the Powerflushing operation, the first being the cleaning process, which when using a Norstrom Proflush involves running the boiler at no more than 80oC for around 1 ? hours when the chemicals will be doing there cleaning.

After this time the boiler is shut down and the second half of the operation is carried out.

Flushing Out the system radiators on an individual basis before finally the entire system is purged with clean water until tests show that the system water is as clean as the mains water supply.

What could cause no flow on the return back into the Proflush machine when the diverter is open?

It could be that the system in question is a gravity feed type hot water system and a non return valve lurks somewhere in the heating system.

If you can get to this valve either loop it out or dismantle it and remove the plunger so as not to prevent the flow of water in one direction.

If this can not be achieved you may have to swap over the flow and return pipes from the Proflush unit in order to allow the diverter valve to be put in the correct position for dumping, otherwise you will not be able to dump the contents to drain.

What do I need to do about Thermostatic Radiator valves when present in the system?

This is not usually a problem if all valves are set fully open, however when the valve sticks down or acts as a non return valve, then it is wise to remove the heads and or push the pins down a few times to make sure the valve is fully open.

What is the largest system I can use the Proflush machine on?

A 12 radiator system is the norm, but if you isolate the extra radiators in order to keep the flow rate at it?s highest point, then larger system can be accommodated.

On a 30 radiator system for example we recommend that you close off 20 radiators, do the first ten then close these off and open the next ten and so on.

What is the normal length of time taken to do a full Powerflush on an average 3 bedroom semi?

This will depend on whether or not any problems like seized joints etc are encountered, but in the normal situation you would expect to complete a flush on a ten radiator system in 4 to 5 hours.

Will the Proflush machine pressurise the system?

No, the centrifugal pump of the Proflush unit will only push what water it can through the system, any excess will be recirculated in the tank. Maximum pressure is less than 2 bar.

Will the Proflush unit cause air to enter the system during flushing?

Under normal circumstances if the level of water in the Proflush tank is kept above the midway point, air will not enter via the pump.

However you should always vent the system after Powerflushing is completed and the system returned to normal.

Gravity Fed Systems

If the system has a gravity hot water circuit, won?t that reduce the flow rate of water through the radiators when carrying out the individual radiator flush?

If you use the circulator pump adaptor leads to connect across the circulator pump connections, or connect onto radiator tails, you shouldn?t lose much of the flow, if any, through the large diameter pipe work of the gravity hot water circuit.

However, this will not clean the gravity hot water pipe work. Some engineers will relocate the Proflush pump and connect it across the cold feed and expansion piping to force water through the gravity hot water circuit.

If there is one radiator on the gravity hot water circuit or a towel rail, as is sometimes the case, you may be able to connect your Proflush across the radiator tails.

In and ideal world, you would disconnect the gravity hot water pipe work at the boiler, and then Powerflush the hot water circuit separately ? but this is far from easy in a back boiler fired gravity hot water system.

With a gravity hot water circuit, will the flow rate through radiators be reduced?

In short the answer is YES. To prevent the problem it is advised that you cap off the cold feed and expansion pipes and insert a gate valve into the lower pipe entry point into hot water cylinder coil.

Flushing Machines

Proflush ensure all our power flushing machines provide you with supreme reliability and performance

Flushing Chemicals

Our range of chemicals are unique to Norstrom Proflush ? effective, better value, high performance chemicals.

Flushing Accessories

Proflush provide you with high quality no nonsense accessories to help make your job easier.

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