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Powerflushing water treatment from Fernox
The effects of climate change and global warming have forced the Government to assess how to minimise the amount of carbon dioxide emissions currently being produced, setting a target of a 0.8 million tonne reduction by 2010.
Although energy saving measures are increasingly becoming a part of our daily lives, such as using energy efficient light bulbs, switching off power supplies when not in use and recycling – quite often the main carbon dioxide contributor isn't taken into account. An alarming 28% of the UK's CO2 emissions are produced by household heating and hot water systems. This figure could be dramatically reduced with chemical water treatment and regular maintenance.
The majority of people are unaware of the fuel and energy saving benefits and contractors could be missing a valuable opportunity to educate the consumer about the advantages of water treatment, as outlined in Part L of the Building Regulations.
Protection of a central heating system should start from installation. As soon as water is introduced the efficiency of that system is immediately at risk. Tests have shown that an average system that hasn't been protected with an inhibitor can potentially lose over 6% efficiency in under a month.
Central heating systems that have not been chemically treated will be susceptible to black oxide sludge (magnetite), forming as a result of electrolytic corrosion, and a reduction in heat transfer efficiency. Limescale deposition from the initial fill water can account for a further 2% efficiency loss. This translates into an increased annual fuel bill, a poorly functioning system and higher CO2 emissions.
Condensing boilers are now installed as a matter of course, and operate at efficiencies over and above 90% – an impressive figure. However, as boiler technology has advanced, heat exchangers have become more compact with smaller waterways and high heat. Because of this, condensing boilers, although efficient, are more prone to corrosion and scale formation.
In addition, heat exchangers are largely manufactured from aluminium because of its excellent heat transfer properties and flexibility. The drawback of using aluminium is that its protective coating can become unstable outside pH range (4.5 to 8.5) or in water that contains high chloride and copper ions. These conditions mean aluminium becomes susceptible to pitting, which can result in wall perforation and component or system failure. These potential problems can be prevented with the use of an inhibitor, such as the Fernox Protector F1, which prevents corrosion in aluminium and all other materials.
Water treatment isn't just beneficial for new central heating systems. The effects on old systems can be just as rewarding. Some of the most common problems such as boiler noise, pump failure and cold spots could all be prevented with treatment and effective cleaning. Chemical water treatment is worth considering as a dirty central heating system can potentially increase a fuel bill by up to 35%.
Powerflushing can remove up to 30% of a system's debris and is the most effective method for cleaning an existing system or pre-commissioning a new installation. To increase this further, powerflushing combined with the use of a cleaner such as Fernox Cleaner F3 or Heavy Duty Restorer can remove up to 80% of scale and sludge. By using a Fernox Powerflow Flushing Machine MKII an entire central heating system can be cleaned in a few hours. The new model has a higher operating temperature of 85°C and increases the flow rate in a central heating system by 25%.
Part L states that: "During the final filling of the system, a chemical water treatment formulation should be added to the primary circuit to control corrosion and the formation of scale and sludge. Reasonable provision would be to follow the guidance on how to prepare and commission systems given in BS7593."
Boiler manufacturers have also recognised the positive effect chemical water treatment can have on a system and warranty repairs can be affected if the failure or problem has been caused or aggravated by sludge and scale in the system. If it cannot be proved that the correct preventative measures have been taken to ensure the system was correctly pre-commissioned, this could result in costly repairs and call-backs.
The benefits of chemical water treatment have been tested and proven. Putting it into practice is the next step, and in doing so, we can reap the rewards from a positive move to reduce CO2 emissions.
