How and what to wash the heat exchanger of the gas boiler at home

In order to keep your house warm and comfortable throughout the winter, the heat exchanger in your gas boiler must operate efficiently. But with time, dirt, debris, and other buildup can accumulate on this essential part, reducing its functionality and possibly necessitating expensive repairs. That’s why keeping your boiler operating at peak efficiency requires routine maintenance, which includes cleaning the heat exchanger.

Although cleaning a heat exchanger may seem difficult, particularly if you’re not experienced with boiler maintenance, it’s actually a doable task that you can accomplish at home with the correct equipment and knowledge. By taking the time to clean your heat exchanger, you can prolong the life of your boiler and enhance its performance, which will ultimately save you money.

Prior to beginning the cleaning procedure, it is critical to comprehend the functions of a heat exchanger and the reasons behind their maintenance. Heat is essentially transferred from the burning gas in the boiler to the water that heats your house through the heat exchanger. The inefficiency of the heat exchanger in transferring heat leads to higher energy bills and reduced heating effectiveness when it gets dirty or clogged.

Now that you know the importance of having a clean heat exchanger, let’s look at some methods for doing the cleaning yourself. Fortunately, all you need to get started is a basic set of tools and a willingness to get your hands dirty. No specialized skills are required. By exercising patience and paying close attention to details, you can effectively clean the heat exchanger in your boiler and experience enhanced heating capabilities.

Causes of scale formation in the boiler and its danger

Gas consumption will increase – the metal used for manufacturing heat exchangers has a good heat conductivity. Calcium and magnesium deposits, significantly deteriorate heat conductivity. To warm up the heating circuit and transfer heat to the water, more gas will need to be burned.

The first sign that indicates the need to clean the heat exchanger from salt deposits is increased fuel consumption. It has been calculated that as little as 1mm of deposit will increase fuel consumption by 10%.

In the event that you neglect to promptly remove scale from the hot water heat exchanger of a gas heating boiler, costly repairs will be necessary. One of the most frequent reasons why gas water heating equipment fails is a malfunctioning DHW coil or heating circuit.

In our post "How to Clean the Heat Exchanger in Your Gas Boiler at Home," we’ll walk you through the crucial procedures for properly maintaining your heating system. Maintaining the cleanliness of your heat exchanger is essential to its effective functioning and the avoidance of future malfunctions. We’ll go over simple, safe solutions that can be done with easily found household items, stressing the value of routine maintenance to extend the life of your boiler and maximize energy efficiency. You’ll be able to handle this task with confidence and keep your house warm and comfortable without hiring a professional with our helpful advice.

How to wash the heat exchanger of the boiler from scale

The frequency at which the heat exchanger needs to be cleaned is specified in the instruction manual that comes with European-made boilers. If any of the following indications of scale formation are seen, service is necessary:

Increased gas consumption.

There are various approaches to servicing, each with varying levels of effectiveness and outcome. The majority of manual methods for cleaning the gas boiler’s heat exchanger involve the use of chemical reagents and makeshift tools. Professional cleaning compositions and pumping equipment are utilized during service in specialized centers.

Heat exchanger flushing equipment

A booster is the tool used to clean the heat exchanger in gas boilers. A pump built into the device generates pressure within the heating circuits. Appropriate for both primary and secondary heat exchanger cleaning. Specialized service centers use boosters.

Through branches on the boiler drum, the device is connected to the heating circuit and charged with a chemical reagent. One way to clean a gas boiler with two circuits is to connect to each heat exchanger alternately.

The booster pressurizes and forces the reagent to circulate in a single direction, which is the essence of the procedure. Recirculation is turned on automatically after a certain amount of time. As a result, the heat exchanger is cleaned completely of limescale by being washed in various directions.

You will need to purchase a home booster in order to thoroughly clean the gas boiler’s heat exchanger from scale at home. The following brands are used to market the products:

The pump can cost anywhere between fifteen and thirty-five thousand rubles. Generally, it is less expensive to hire a technician to service an appliance or to avoid purchasing one for home use and to clean it with chemicals on a regular basis.

Heat exchanger flushing agents

For ease of use, limescale remedies are separated into two groups:

Because they are widely available and reasonably priced, handy means are especially well-liked. Use citric acid and vinegar to remove limescale. These techniques have the benefit of having little detrimental effect on the heat exchanger material.

After removing and filling it with composition, the heat exchanger must be soaked in the solution in order to clean the gas boiler’s heat exchanger with vinegar or citric acid. Soak the circuit; this will require a day or so. Only a thin layer of scale can be cleaned with this method.

Chemical methods are a useful tool for descaling at home. Flushing is done using both removable and non-removable techniques. The circuit of medium deposits can only be thoroughly cleaned using a booster. The appliance has a liquid inside of it that is used to clean gas boiler heat exchangers. Hydrochloric, sulfamic, orthophosphoric acid, and reagents (Antinakipin, etc.) are the building blocks used to make chemical reagents.

Chemical cleaning is not without its drawbacks. Leaks are frequently caused by sealing rubbers and weld seams after the procedure. Consequently, the technical requirement for acid washing is an obligatory inspection of the connections’ tightness following the completion of the service.

A leaky circuit may result from using hydrochloric acid to flush the gas boiler’s heat exchanger. Once a thermal unit has operated for five years, this method is not advised.

When none of the aforementioned techniques work, hydrodynamic cleaning is employed. The liquid used to clean the heat exchangers in gas boilers is created by adding abrasive materials to a regular water solution. The only places that use hydrodynamic cleaning are specialty service centers.

The following products are used for collapsible or booster-based self-cleaning:

Consider the product’s use and composition before making a purchase, and make sure to follow the directions to the letter.

How to protect the heat exchanger in the boiler from lime scale

The heat exchanger’s scale removal is a difficult process that costs money in materials. Even with professional assistance, it is not always possible to remove calcium and magnesium deposits. It is therefore preferable to avoid the formation of scale. The following techniques are employed for this purpose:

Fill with a quality coolant – distilled water is optimal. Liquid from the heating system is not drained unnecessarily. After several heating seasons, the composition of the coolant becomes optimal.

Scale is impossible to totally eliminate. The heat exchanger is cleaned as part of the boiler’s routine service maintenance.

Maintaining effective heating and extending the life of your heating system depend on keeping the heat exchanger on your gas boiler clean. The efficient transfer of heat from the burner to the water or air in your house can be ensured by routinely cleaning the heat exchanger to avoid debris accumulation.

Your gas boiler’s heat exchanger can be cleaned at home using a variety of techniques. Using a brush or vacuum to get rid of any accumulated soot, dirt, or dust is one popular method. This is a reasonably easy method that you can incorporate into your routine boiler maintenance.

Using chemical cleaners made especially for heat exchanger cleaning is an additional choice. These cleaners can efficiently remove tough deposits and raise your boiler’s heat transfer efficiency. But, when using chemical cleaners, it’s crucial to pay close attention to the manufacturer’s instructions and make sure there is enough ventilation.

If the buildup is more severe or there are hard-to-reach areas, you might need to hire a qualified technician to thoroughly clean the heat exchanger. Expert cleaning services possess the knowledge and specialized tools required to safely and effectively remove stubborn deposits, assisting in the restoration of your boiler’s effectiveness and efficiency.

To sum up, keeping your heat exchanger clean is essential to maximizing the efficiency of your gas boiler and guaranteeing effective heating throughout your house. Regular maintenance is essential to preventing expensive repairs and guaranteeing the lifespan of your heating system, regardless of whether you decide to clean the heat exchanger yourself or hire a professional.

Video on the topic

Flushing the heat exchanger of a gas boiler at home part 2

How to wash tubes and heat exchangers of gas boiler with citric acid.

Flushing the heat exchangers of the boiler (without dismantling )with their own hands