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What’s a chemical flush?

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A chemical flush in central heating refers to a cleaning process that uses a chemical solution to remove debris, rust, and other buildup from the pipes and radiators in a heating system. This helps improve the efficiency and performance of the heating system and prolongs its lifespan. The chemical solution is circulated through the system, breaking down the buildup and allowing it to be drained away. This procedure is typically carried out by a professional heating engineer.

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Power Flush vs Chemical Flush: The Ultimate Comparison

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A chemical flush and a power flush are two methods used to clean central heating systems, but they are different in terms of the process and equipment used.

A chemical flush involves the use of chemical cleaning solutions to break down and remove debris, rust, and buildup from the heating system. The cleaning solution is circulated through the system, and then drained along with the debris. This process is usually performed by a professional heating engineer.

On the other hand, a power flush uses high-velocity water to physically flush out the debris, rust, and buildup from the system. This process uses specialized equipment such as a power flushing machine and is also performed by a professional heating engineer.

Both methods are effective in cleaning central heating systems, but a power flush may be more efficient in removing heavier buildup, while a chemical flush may be better at breaking down and removing more stubborn deposits. The choice of method may depend on the individual heating system’s needs and condition.

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How to add pressure to your Vaillant Ecofit combi boiler

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Are you experiencing low water pressure on your Vaillant EcoFit combi boiler?

Pressure loss can be caused by a number of reasons. Something to bear in mind is that the pressure gauge on your boiler is a reflection of the pressure in your heating system – this includes your boiler, radiators and all pipe work that connects these vital components. This means if your pressure gauge is low it could be a leak somewhere between your boiler and radiators.

On many occasions no leak is visible and it’s completely normal to re pressurise your heating on an annual basis. However, if you find you’re pressuring the heating on a regular basis and no leaks are visible anywhere in the property then it would be a good idea to get your boiler serviced and please ensure the heating engineer checks the expansion vessel.

A deflated expansion vessel can cause the pressure in your heating system to increase and release water outside via the pressure relief valve once it hits 3 bars. Then when your heating cools the boiler will then read low pressure. Once the expansion vessel is recharged and sometimes replaced the water will have room to expand and the boiler will stop releasing the water when the heating is operating.

The video below shows you how to refill a Vaillant Ecofit Pure combi boiler.

Hope you find it useful!

Everything you need to know about hydrogen boilers

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The UK has long been committed to reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and Flush Plumbing and Heating Ltd have always agreed with that ambitious target. To reach it, however, greenhouse gases will have to be dramatically slashed. In cases where they cannot be lowered any further, remaining omissions will have to be offset.

Making this more of a challenge is the fact that the population will continue to grow between now and then, and on average more than 150,000 new homes are built every year. This means more and more carbon emissions are set to come from the natural gas we burn when we heat our homes. With 37% of the UK’s carbon emissions already coming from the heating industry, this is simply not sustainable.

One huge step that can be taken towards meeting the target is to integrate hydrogen into the national grid’s gas network. Research shows that introducing just 20% hydrogen (which is more efficient, and doesn’t emit carbon when burned) alongside 80% natural gas across the country could save around six million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year. That’s the equivalent of taking 2.5m cars off the road in one fell swoop.

In order to accelerate a move towards using hydrogen in our heating systems, the government formed a Hydrogen Taskforce. It brought together 10 industry leaders from the fields of future energy and heating systems and tasked them with creating a pathway for a cleaner, greener future built on hydrogen energy. In terms of home heating, this means phasing out our reliance on the existing natural gas grid in favour of a hydrogen grid. Flush Plumbing and Heating Ltd also recommends keeping your boiler regularly serviced to ensure it runs in the most cost and energy efficient way possible.

The Taskforce produced a report called ‘The Role of Hydrogen in delivering Net Zero’, which can be read online. The report sets out necessary steps the energy industry and government must take over the next five years in order to quickly scale up hydrogen production, distribution and storage.

Right now, the national grid runs off 100% natural gas, but could also supply the country with a blend of 20% hydrogen and 80% natural gas without much upheaval. That’s because ever since it was legislated in 1996, all new gas boilers have been legally required to be able to sustain as much as 23% hydrogen in the energy supply. So the good news is, whenever the phase one 80/20 blend is rolled out, chances are your boiler will be ready.

At Keele University in Staffordshire, this 80/20 blend is already being used to heat 100 homes and 30 faculty buildings. Should it prove successful, the aim is to roll it out to the whole country by 2025. Of course, the ultimate goal is to have our natural grid run entirely off hydrogen gas. But before a fully hydrogen network is viable, the challenge is to devise carbon-neutral ways of producing hydrogen on a large scale. It will likely be a further decade until the industry adequately solves the problem as well as working out how to store and deliver hydrogen safely and efficiently.

At that point, all boilers will need to be hydrogen-ready. More modern boilers will likely need only a relatively low-cost modification, but older boilers might have to be replaced with newer models. These new models will be able to run on a 100% hydrogen supply, but will also accommodate 100% natural gas, or any blend of the two, in the run up to the full switch over. Manufacturers such as Baxi and Worcester Bosch already produce such boilers and are calling on the government to regulate that any new boilers installed in 2025 and beyond are hydrogen-ready.

Those hydrogen-ready boilers are not yet on the market. If you come to need a new boiler, then, the best bet is to go for a modern gas boiler which will be ready to run off an 80/20 blend whenever it is rolled out. As the average lifespan of a boiler is 10-15 years, that will likely see you through until a time when a full hydrogen network is up and running and hydrogen-ready boilers are widely available.

Flush Plumbing and Heating Ltd have long been committed to helping reduce carbon emissions. We are constantly monitoring developments in the industry and will be ready and waiting to offer these services to our customers the moment they become available.

How to find a reliable Plumber?

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Having difficulties finding a trusted reputable company to install your boiler? 

We understand it can be difficult finding a company you can trust to carry out gas work in your home so we thought we would write a quick guide to help you make the right decision. 

It’s recommended you get multiple quotes so you can ensure you’re getting a fair deal. Here are some important tips to help you select the right company. 

Are they Gas Safe registered?

ALWAYS check the boiler company you select is Gas safe registered. Any engineer working on natural gas in your home should have been through a training program to understand the correct and safe working procedures when working with gas. When the engineer has qualified they can then register for Gas Safe membership, it’s essential in the industry so don’t be afraid to ask for their details. You can then cross reference it on the gas safe register here to make sure they’re legitimate. You would be surprised how many people are operating illegally in the UK. Our registration number is 546560. 

https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/find-an-engineer/#checkabusiness

Good Reviews!!!

It’s important to check reviews online. If a trader or business doesn’t have an online presence you should be very careful. It’s incredibly easy to gain good reviews online so you should be able to do a quick Google search. There’s lots of paid and free platforms where tradesmen can have their work rated so you should do as much research here as possible. The most reliable are WhichTrustedTraders, Trust Pilot, Trustatrader and CheckATrade. You should also be able to get a good impression from multiple Google or Facebook reviews.  We would highly recommend not using a company with no online presence. 

Online presence

Have they got a good website? Although this is not essential it’s a good indicator to how established the business is whom you’re employing.  A good trade person or company will have invested in their own website and it will give you a good insight into how the company operates.

Compare apples with apples

Be sure you know what you’re paying for. Boilers vary so much in price so be sure to do a comparison online. Check the model of that particular boiler, is it the same as what another company has quoted for? Key things to look for on a combi boiler are Output (KW). The larger the output the better the hot water delivery. We generally don’t install Combi boilers less than 29KW as the hot water delivery rate can be disappointing in winter months. So compare your quote equally as a smaller boiler will cost a lot less. Make sure the company or individual has itemised the products they propose to install, this is standard in the industry. 

Make sure you know exactly how your boiler will be controlled. Will you have smart controls or a basic programmable room thermostat? Again ensure you have a link to the product so you don’t get ripped off, these vary so much in price.  Your controls should be upgraded to comply with new Boiler Plus regulations. Read more here:

https://www.vaillant.co.uk/homeowners/advice-and-knowledge/boiler-plus/what-is-boiler-plus/

Power or chemical flush?

Your system MUST be cleaned. This is essential to ensure the boiler manufacturer warranty remains in place. You should either be recommended a power flush or a chemical flush. They both do the same job but a power flush should be carried out if you’re having problems with your radiators. If they’re not heating up correctly, if they have cold spots then a power flush is recommended. This involves connecting a high-pressured pump to the heating system, flushing chemicals through the system to remove the dirt. It’s done before the new boiler is installed. A chemical flush also runs chemicals through the system but is done so with the new boiler in place. A chemical flush is acceptable when all radiators are working correctly. 

Paperwork!

Make sure you’re aware how the paperwork will be completed. It’s a legal requirement for the engineer to register the boiler installation. This can be called an installation certificate or a building regs notice. Be sure you know this will be done and how you will receive the paperwork. We complete our paperwork digitally and it’s emailed to the client directly before we request final payment. We also register the guarantee on the customer’s behalf, which is also emailed over before final payment is requested. 

Complaints??

You can check if the company has a correct complaint procedure in place. Sometimes if a fault occurs you want a piece of mind that it will be dealt with professionally. You would be amazed at how many traders don’t accept responsibility when there’s a fault. We respond to faults, which may have been caused by workmanship immediately. Although it’s unlikely to happen when it does we put it to the front of the queue. 

Where we cannot resolve any complaints using our own complaints procedure, as a Which? Trusted trader we use Dispute Resolution Ombudsman for dispute resolution. In the unlikely event of a complaint arising and you wish to refer the complaint to them please contact 0117 981 2929 or via their website www.disputeresolutionombudsman.org

Insurance

You’re in your right to ask about the company’s insurance policy. Is it up to date, it’s a legal requirement to have public liability insurance as a tradesperson so you can always request to see it if you’re unsure about the company. You can see ours here. 

We Are Which? Accredited!

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After experiencing a military accreditation process from the consumer specialist Which?, it gives us great pleasure to announce that Flush Plumbing and Heating Ltd is now a certified Which? Trusted Trader. It was a tough few weeks of proving Flush is a genuine company who strives to exceed expectations and prove that customer satisfaction is of the utmost importance, but we’re delighted to have got there in the end.

The process involved an intense meeting with a trading standards officer and a mountain of paperwork, all of which proves that when dealing with clients we do so in a very professional manner, from first meeting to the final sign off.

You can check our Which? Trusted Trader profile here:

https://trustedtraders.which.co.uk/businesses/flush-plumbing-heating-limited/

Dripping taps

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Fed up of hearing that consistent dripping sound coming from one of the many outlets across the house?! Do you have a constantly dripping tap?

Unfortunately, plumbing fixtures and fittings often need regular maintenance as they are continually subject to high pressures and wet conditions and are therefore prone to failing. Also here in London, we are vulnerable to limescale, which contributes to the leaking taps. Limescale is a chalky white deposit, often found on the inner surface of old pipes and taps and is problematic and unsightly.

Although a dripping tap is easily fixed, it’s identifying the part required to fix it, which can be a little tricky. Traditional bath, basin and kitchen taps use tap washers to isolate the faucet. Be sure to isolate the water supply should you wish to tackle this mammoth task yourself. You can pick up tap washers in any hardware shop (B&Q, Screwfix, Wickes). They come in a selection of sizes, so be sure to buy a pack of varying sizes ensuring you have the correct one for the job.

Modern mixer taps differ between manufacturers and identifying the make and model can often take longer than the job itself. If you’re having problems identifying the tap I recommend using Shower Doc. Simply upload a picture and description and they will help identify the tap and supply the correct part to fix it.  Failing that, call us on 020 3837 4960 and we’ll happily resolve any leaking pipes, dripping taps or any plumbing and heating problem you have here in London.

Low water pressure

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Surprisingly, low water pressure is a problem that faces many people here in London and can be a huge nuisance if you’re dealing with on a permanent basis.

Fear not, though, Flush is here to the rescue! Saving lives and making dreams come true! There are many solutions to low water pressure and we can work out what system will work best for your current installation.

Incoming booster pumps are a new development which boost the water pressure coming into the house, they can help provide you with a consistent and rewarding water flow and can be installed to help improve the performance of a Combi boiler.

Negative head pumps can be used in flats, which have a traditional hot water system; we fit a lot of these in London and they provide an easy solution to low water pressure in particularly in the shower.

Positive head pumps provide a similar solution and can be installed on one or multiple appliances and are usually installed in houses across London.

Booster pumps are very common in North, East, West and South London but it is very important you install the correct system to improve your low water pressure. We can provide you with a free water pressure survey and recommend pump will improve the pressure and flow most efficiently. We recommend using Salamander or Stuart Turner shower pumps, they are both very well made and easy to install, you can find more information on

We recommend using Salamander or Stuart Turner shower pumps, they are both very well made and easy to install, you can find more information on their pumps from the websites.

Salamander booster Pumps

Stuart Turner booster Pumps

When Flush was born

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Flush Company History

As soon as I completed my five-year apprenticeship, I had a burning desire to set up my own business, so Flush Plumbing first hit the road in 2008. I was very keen to use the acronym F.P.H. (Flush Plumbing & Heating) as it had been used since 1964 by my father Paul, and uncle Stephen, for their company Flockton Plant Hire.

So, all I had to do was find an attractive, prominent brand name beginning with the letter F…. after lots of head scratching and brainstorming we came up with the word ‘Flush’ (Thanks, our Chris!), which I still find amusing to this day. On top of that, I‘ve since been nicknamed Flush-man, which I like to believe is a superhero plumber who saves lives and makes dreams come true.

Over nine years Flush Plumbing and Heating has relocated from the glorious green fields of Yorkshire to service the buzzing capital city of London. Currently located in Archway, North London, we find ourselves providing servicing, maintenance, repair, and installation work all over the city.

In that time we’ve been through various face-lifts and re-branding exercises, but I still have the very first and very basic business card from our very first day. Nowadays we’ve just updated to a new and super cool, artistic and modern look which includes the famous London skyline we now know as home.