is powerflushing a 2 man or 1 man job

[welly2510]

hi, just thought i would see how every one else works when powerflushing, do you do it alone or is it a 2 man job. i know its not a hard job and you can do it on your own but iv allways teamed up because of some of the problems that can arise, iv had pipes and rads burst and found its best to have 2 people so one can try and contain the leak while the other shuts water off/drains machine.

 

[WHPES]

Always done it by myself. Never had anyone available to assist.

 

[FD Powerflow]

Same as WHPES, like sex, it would be easier with two people but realistically I can do it by myself.

 

[LegionellaSlave]

If you work for a big firm,
it's a two man'er !:wink:

 

[jase158]

done it with both, problem is that 1 person is just sat there watching tank.

theoretically you shouldnt leave tank incase of problem but I can't afford to pay somebody to sit there all day doing nought.

 

[arran197]

Never done one, but I always think you are best off having 2 people when filling a system up after being worked on. Unfortunately it isn't always the case.

 

[welly2510]

thanks for replies, i work for a local council and have allways been paired up, but they recently changed it so you go alone, i have no problem in doing it alone until you come across a problem like burst rads. its difficult being in two places at once trying to contain the leak and save the carpets and shutting down the machine. do you guys get many problems like leaks when flushing, i seem to come across quite a few. the systems i work on are quite old and alot of the time have hidden weak spots on the rads behind the paint. never spoken to anyone else that does flushing so didnt know what was best practice.

 

[jase158]

I find that if system is leaking turning the machine off usually stops it leaking so bad. If it is a continous problem I would speak to supervisor and say that you think it would be better to have 2 people which would prevent a massive insurance claim?

 

[jase158]

Mainly get leaks on lockshield valves, 90% of the time, from turning it after 10 years of no movement it starts to leak. Other 10% of time is the pump valves again when moving after 10 years of not moving. never had 1 radiator leak or heat exchanger.

 

[LegionellaSlave]

thanks for replies, i work for a local council and have allways been paired up, but they recently changed it so you go alone, i have no problem in doing it alone until you come across a problem like burst rads. its difficult being in two places at once trying to contain the leak and save the carpets and shutting down the machine. do you guys get many problems like leaks when flushing, i seem to come across quite a few. the systems i work on are quite old and alot of the time have hidden weak spots on the rads behind the paint. never spoken to anyone else that does flushing so didnt know what was best practice.

Sounds like they're cutting back on cost (surprise!)

Just tell them, it's an accident waiting to happen.

Then it's up to them. :angry:

 

[welly2510]

i see where they are coming from about paying for two blokes to do what seems to be an easy job that one bloke could do, maybe its just there systems, they have never really been maintained. they just wait for a problem to occur before doing anything to them. it is quite entertaining trying to calm a tenant down when anything happens. i was lucky on the last one, had a pipe that had been hit with a nail, had sealed its self for years until we flushed it, luckily it was under a suspended ground floor, if was on first floor would of had a nice mess to clear up.

 

[jase158]

I am imagining you holding a pipe shouting at the apprentice to turn water off and drain down, whilst he is wondering which button to press and ends up pumping more water in rather then draining down, good fun (in my head)

 

[Powerflushman]

Not as simple to answer as it seems:
It depends on experience and system size. The more plumbers the faster it can be done and the more experience the less mistakes, also depends on the machine size being used. Bigger machines will clean faster allowing one plumber to do larger systems by himself. When two is used one operates the machine and the other one controls the flow by opening and shutting radiators. When there is just one, he will need to do both the machine and flow control by doing a lot of running around.

Example:
10 radiators can easily be Power or Powder flushed by one experienced plumber. I would say that up to 15 radiators, is still practical for one plumber to do in one day, depending on how bad the sludge build-up is. Larger systems need two people purely so that it can get done faster and in one day. There is also the problem that if only one is working it will take longer for him to notice and get to a problem, should one arise.

 

[secret squirrel]

Both really,

I think it is easier with two, one person (me) runs around turning rads on and off. My mate, does god only knows what looking at the machine.....

 

[SimonJohns]

Just out of curiosity

How do you powerflush a system that has a bigger pump than the pump on your flushing machine

 

[FD Powerflow]

Simon, usually if the system has a larger pump then it will be split into zones, in which case it means isolating the other zones and taking it one at a time. Sometimes larger systems just have to be dosed with cleaner and left for a few weeks. I tend to fit a commercial spirovent/magnaclean to help trap the released sludge.

 

[jase158]

Just out of curiosity

How do you powerflush a system that has a bigger pump than the pump on your flushing machine

On this point, Kamco say that the normal pump can be left on whilst powerflushing, no matter which way you are powerflushing as the power flush will push the water stronger then the pump. Doesnt make sense to me.

 

[SimonJohns]

Simon, usually if the system has a larger pump then it will be split into zones, in which case it means isolating the other zones and taking it one at a time. Sometimes larger systems just have to be dosed with cleaner and left for a few weeks. I tend to fit a commercial spirovent/magnaclean to help trap the released sludge.

Thanks. Logical really

 

[Heating-eng]

I have done a lot of powerflushing over the years and I have always done them myself.
Also flushed systems with 25 by myself.
No way BG would send 2 men.