Partially heating radiators, a noisy boiler and your home taking longer to heat than normal are all signs we don’t want to see in our central heating systems over the winter months, and can often set the alarm bells ringing with fears of a broken boiler. It may sound scary, but don’t be alarmed! These are all key indicators that could suggest your central heating system maybe suffering from a case of system sludge. Over time, many central heating systems develop sludge, and our heating engineers will be able to diagnose and treat your system to eliminate the problem.

Known technically as Black Oxide Sludge or magnetite, system sludge is the result of debris and corrosion of some of the components within your heating system.

Here to educate you on the symptoms of system sludge, what to do if you think it’s in your heating system and how to prevent it, is our very own Dublin Gas Works guide to system sludge.

What causes system sludge? Sludge is caused by the natural corrosion of radiators and other heating system components (other than the boiler), in addition to any existing dirt and minerals in the water and air in the system.

As water flows past the debris, it creates a circular pattern moving the dirt around your radiators. This causes cold spots in the centre of the radiator to appear where the dirt is moved to, leaving only the top, bottom and side of the radiator to warm your rooms.

System sludge can also find its way into your boiler, restricting flow rates, and in, extreme cases causing failure to key components.

It is something many central heating systems will develop in time and the symptoms should not be ignored.

What are the symptoms of system sludge? System sludge presents itself in a number of ways. The tell-tale signs to look out for include:

A reduction in the overall heat in your home

Your heating taking longer to heat up

Cold spots in parts of your radiator

Radiators only working in some of your rooms

Excessive noise from your boiler including drumming, knocking and thudding

Untreated sludge can lead to an increase in your heating bills, less heat, key components in your heating system being damaged and blockages. If you think your heating system may have system sludge, it is important to seek professional advice.

Treating system sludge:

The treatment of heating system sludge requires thorough boiler, radiator and pipework cleaning which should be carried out by a qualified heating engineer. Using Power flush machine, mains water and a specialised cleanser. The system should then be rebalanced using a thermometer to ensure equal energy distribution thorough the system.

Professional treatment can take just a couple of hours for a basic system flush, through to a full day if each radiator requires individual treatment. The treatment type is dependent on the amount of sludge in your system. When a new boiler is installed it is also important that the system is flushed to prolong the life of your boiler, in addition to treating the system with a chemical inhibitor and the option of a  Magnetic Filter to prevent future corrosion. The less sludge in your system, the more efficient your heating will be through the cold winter months. So if your central heating system isn’t operating quite like normal this winter, don’t panic or ignore it, your system could just be in need of a good clean and a bit of TLC! If you think your heating system may have system sludge, seek professional advice and CALL US NOW.