Our 2021 Guide to Powerflushing Prices

This is what can happen to pipes and radiators when they aren’t powerflushed periodically.

You don’t need to be an expert to see that this system isn’t running efficiently!

The poor pump would have had real difficulty pushing the hot water through a system as clogged as this one:

This might come as a surprise to you but on average, tradespeople are charging less for powerfushing than they did a decade ago.

We know because we monitor the prices being charged by tradespeople and businesses up and down the country.

Powerflushing is one of the few projects that have come down in price since 2010.

Why?

Because:

• There are more tradespeople and businesses offering this work and competition is good.
• The large energy companies used to charge extortionate fees for powerflushing but after several investigations by consumer groups, many have now lowered their prices.
• New equipment and techniques mean the work can be done in less time.

Let us show you how much it costs to powerflush radiators and a heating system.

We can also help you get a competitive price from a local, trustworthy tradesperson.

What Is Powerflushing and What Are the Key Benefits?

Powerflushing is a cleaning technique that removes rust, sludge and scale from the radiators and pipework of a central heating system.

Chemicals are pushed through the system at a high pressure to remove unwanted waste.

Vehicles have a service and oil change every now and again and this is very similar, just for your heating system.

Here are the main benefits:

1. Better efficiency, your heating system burns less fuel and costs you less to run.
2. Faster radiator start-up times.
3. Fewer cold spots on radiators.
4. Can solve noises in the system such as knocking sounds that occur during heat up.
5. It can significantly reduce the wear and tear on expensive items such as the pump.
6. Prevents damaging rust.

We asked 32 businesses to provide us with prices for powerflushing a small 3-bed semi-detached property.

The types of businesses we contacted ranged from small one-person traders to medium-sized local firms up to national, well-known companies that you’ve probably heard of.

You can use our figures below as a guide price, but please remember these are averages. Small one-person type businesses typically charge around £200 – £350 for a powerflush depending on location while some larger firms charge closer to £800.

The average price is somewhere in the middle, with London being more expensive than every other area we checked.

Powerflush Prices Updated for 2021

Here’s our price list for UK powerflushing, the figures we updated in January 2021 but should be relevant for a year or two.

What’s Included (& Excluded) In the Price For Powerflushing?

If you’ve ever obtained quotes for home improvement projects or maintenance work, you’ll know that every business will offer a slightly different service with what’s included/excluded varying from firm to firm.

For clarity, the prices for heating powerflushing shown above exclude the following:

• Installation of a magnetic filter.
• Repairs that go beyond straightforward valve leaks.
• New valves.
• New radiators, pipework or repairs to the boiler beyond cleaning.

The prices shown above include the following, this list is based on the written quotes provided to us, although it did vary slightly from firm to firm:

• Note the temperature of each radiator.
• Record TRV settings for each radiator.
• Take a water sample.
• Open all valves and remove the TRVs.
• Bridge any valves or equipment that may prevent a reverse flow, for example, a pump.
• Isolate the boiler.
• Connect the power flushing unit.
• Power flush the system and loosen any stubborn particles from the radiators with a vibrating tool.
• Clean the magnetic filter if one is present.
• Reset the system.
• Take the temperature of individual radiators and compare to the original radiator readings.
• Test water the water for purity.
• Add a rust inhibitor.
• Refit the radiator valves and the apply original settings
• Check for leaks at the valves and repair as required.
• Supply a certificate of completion (sometimes required for insurance/warranty etc.).

Magnetic Filters – What They Are and How Much Do They Cost?

Central heating systems contain various amounts of metals, which can turn to a rusty sludge that may block the system and cause all sorts of problems, including at the boiler and pump.

In fact, the vast majority of waste removed from central heating systems during a powerflush isn’t scale but metal sludge, often rusted.

A great way to stop this metal from blocking the system is to install a filter that collects the metal.

The best filters are magnetic, the water in the system passes through the filter which catches any metal fragments. The filter itself should be cleaned during the periodic boiler inspection, which most people have done once a year.

But how much does it cost to install a magnetic filter to a central heating system?

We asked for prices for that too, and while many of the firms suggested different products, we’ve listed the average price below.

The figures in the table below include parts and labour. From searching online, we can see that many of these filters cost between £70 to £120 on a supply-only basis. The rest of the cost is labour:

MagnaClean – a popular product with plenty of good reviews

Get a Custom Price For Powerflushing

We hope you found our powerflushing cost guide insightful.

Please bear in mind that the prices on this page are just an average of the quotes given to us for very specific projects.

The estimates you’re given could be different as no two jobs are ever the same.

Tap the button below and fill in the contact form to get a custom powerflushing price.

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Got a Powerflush Question? Try Our FAQs

Below you’ll find answers to common central heating powerflushing questions: