The boiler is flushed when the unit ceases to function normally. At the same time, most users turn to specialists who will clean the boilers for money and make all the necessary settings. But few people think that they can cope with this task on their own. But in vain.
Time to clean the boiler
Cleaning is done in three cases:
- For prevention. Such washing of boilers is carried out by the owner of the house once or twice a year. At the same time, a minimum of money and effort is expended.
- When the heat exchanger is contaminated with scale or soot, its effective operation is reduced. In this case, you can fix the malfunction yourself or call the wizard.
- A breakdown of the heat generator has occurred. He just stops. In this case, a specialist can not do. He sets up the system and flushes it.
Boiler flushing options
There are only three ways to flush a gas boiler for repair purposes:
- mechanical;
- hydraulic;
- complex.
The second and third methods are most effective. If preventive or regular cleaning of the boiler can be done with your own hands, then it is better to entrust the repair to professionals.
The mechanical method is the use of physical force and tools in order to clear scale in boilers. These can be scrapers or brushes, as well as modern swing heads with different types of drives. Tools must be selected correctly and they must be used with care. If the boiler walls are damaged, this will lead to increased corrosion, and then to a quick failure of the entire system. The least hazard to the instrument is hydraulically flushing. Water under pressure removes scale from all parts of the boiler.
In the complex version, the boilers are flushed with water pressure using tools. Most often this happens if in some part of the device there is too much pollution.
What is a heat exchanger
The gas boiler has in its design an element that is located above the firebox and is a connected tube. The coolant circulates in them. Its location is not accidental; burning gas in the boiler should heat the coolant, which is located in the heat exchanger.
The coolant is water. It, heating up, passes further through the system. But untreated water contains many impurities that can settle in the tubes when heated. Most often these are salts and calcareous particles. With large contamination, water hardly passes through pipes, which leads to malfunctions.
Time to clean the heat exchanger
A lot of contradictions are encountered when rinsing a heat exchanger of a gas boiler is needed. There are signs that suggest that it is time to clean. The most important of them are:
- constantly turned on gas burner in the boiler;
- the circulation pump began to work with noise, which indicates its overload;
- heating radiators heat up much longer in time;
- gas consumption has increased, although the mode of operation of the boiler has not changed;
- the pressure of the water has weakened (this symptom is paid attention to when a double-circuit boiler needs to be flushed).
Procedure for flushing the heat exchanger with a booster
Booster is a special apparatus for chemical cleaning. It allows the reagent solution to circulate in the heat exchanger autonomously.
- The first step is to disconnect both pipes from the heating system.
- One of them is connected to the booster hose, through which the reagent will be supplied.
- The second pipe also connects to the booster hose, but with a different one. The spent solution will go into it. It turns out that the system will be closed, and circulation will occur, and without additional participation.
- The spent solution will remain in the booster, it must be drained. Rinse the heat exchanger with water.
It is better to clean with a booster several times, since the reagent gradually reduces its properties, and a new solution will increase the cleaning efficiency.
Methods for flushing the boiler and heat exchanger
Flushing the heat exchanger of a gas boiler is carried out to maintain the throughput of the apparatus and its thermal qualities.
Devices can differ in the type of heat exchanger and the quality of the water used, depending on this, they should be washed in different ways. There are three reliable and proven methods:
- chemical;
- mechanical;
- combined.
Chemical method for washing the heat exchanger
Boilers are cleaned using reagents, mainly acids, and a special installation is required.
Using a similar installation, the acid is dissolved to the desired consistency and heated. Temperature significantly affects the quality of flushing. After preparing the solution, it is supplied to the heat exchanger, and then it is removed.
Cleaning the heat exchangers occurs due to the stay and circulation of acid in it. Rinse with plenty of water.
There is a possibility that the scale consists of various chemical components, therefore cleaning must be carried out using additional washing of the boilers with other chemicals.
Acid flushing has advantages:
- no need to remove and disassemble the device, which significantly saves time;
- after such cleaning, the most common contaminants — hardness salts and magnesium hydroxide — will not remain in the heat exchanger.
There are also disadvantages:
- apply it with a slight degree of pollution;
- those contaminants that are formed due to corrosion cannot be removed by this method;
- safety measures are mandatory, as the reagents are very toxic and dangerous;
- the solution after washing must be neutralized and disposed of.
Flushing reagents
Manufacturers of various types of chemistry provide a choice of several options for the means by which flushing gas boilers is performed.
Several parameters should be taken into account when choosing one or another means:
- pollution level;
- material of which the boiler and heat exchanger are made, their reaction to the acquired chemical agent.
The following substances are suitable for cleaning a home boiler:
- citric acid - its effectiveness in descaling is very high;
- sulfamic and adipic acids - effective in preventive cleaning and regular washing, with light pollution;
- hydrochloric acid - this tool is used to eliminate very strong pollution;
- various gels - they need to be dissolved in water (the effectiveness is in no way inferior to previous means).
Chemical washing of boilers and heat exchangers is carried out only in compliance with special safety measures.
Mechanical flushing method for the heat exchanger
The main difference from the chemical method is the disassembly of the entire heat exchanger.
After that, each of the parts is washed separately with a stream of water under high pressure. This method is used in very rare cases when the pollution is not amenable to other types of treatment.
Benefits:
- effective against severe contamination, even corrosion products can only be washed with this method;
- the use of chemistry is excluded - this is an absolutely safe method;
- lack of need for additional utilization of the washing solution.
Disadvantages:
- The main disadvantage of mechanical washing is the analysis of the whole unit. This is very difficult to do, and some devices do not even have instructions for disassembling. In any case, it will require a lot of effort and a lot of time.
- In order for the water pressure to be strong enough, you need to use an additional apparatus.
- The cost of mechanical washing significantly exceeds the chemical due to the large labor costs.
The second version of the mechanical method:
- The first step is to disconnect the boiler from power.
- Disassemble it and carefully pull out the heat exchanger.
- Dip the element in a container with an acid solution of small concentration for a period of 3 to 7 hours, depending on the degree of contamination.
- Rinse the heat exchanger under running water and reinstall it.
When washing with water, experts advise you to tap the appliance a little to improve cleaning. The most effective method with soaking parts when cleaning a double-circuit boiler.
Method for combined washing of a heat exchanger
Serious and neglected pollution cannot be cleaned by only one of the methods, therefore, they use a combined one.
There can be several types of chemical contaminants in the heat exchanger, as well as corrosion products. When flushing by any of the methods, special balls can be added to the solution, which will create additional pressure and be able to beat off scale from the walls of the device.
Conclusion
Flushing boilers and cleaning them from soot is possible without outside help. And here is another matter with flushing the heat exchanger. This will require confidence in success - if it is not there, then for the first time you can call the master. At the same time, carefully monitor his actions, so that when re-cleaning, you can be sure that you can cope on your own.