How to flush the heat exchanger of a gas boiler. Flushing the heat exchanger in a gas boiler is a guarantee of long-term and reliable operation of the device

Any equipment needs service, and gas boilers not an exception. Many homeowners do not remember the need to flush the heat exchanger for years or even decades, but sooner or later this has to be done. Regular maintenance not only extends the life of the equipment, but also saves the owner money. By what signs is it determined that you need to flush the boilers? How to do it yourself correctly?

Why do you need regular cleaning of a gas boiler

For most of the year, water is constantly circulating in the heating system. Over time, a deposit of salts, lime, impurities entering the coolant settles on the parts of the equipment. The harder the water, the more mineral deposits appear on the elements of the system. They remain in the heat exchanger for the gas boiler, which negatively affects its operation.

Heating equipment in the house

The principle of operation of heating technology is based on the fact that the coolant is heated by passing through the curved channels of the coil. To raise the temperature of the liquid, special plates are used. Thanks to these additional elements the coil itself and the water entering it warm up more evenly. When assembled, the system looks like car radiator.

The efficiency of equipment operation largely depends on the thermal conductivity of the materials from which it is assembled. Copper or alloys with this metal are usually used. Any build-ups, deposits on the inner surfaces of the coil tubes lead to a decrease in thermal conductivity and a deterioration in the operation of the system.

Deposits in the boiler heat exchanger

Preventive measures are beneficial

If the equipment is not cleaned in a timely manner, problems may arise:

The heat exchanger of a gas boiler constantly overheats and breaks down faster. It can be replaced, but such repairs are very expensive. To this amount should also be added the inconvenience and costs of heating the house during the period when the equipment is being repaired. Electric heaters are usually included, and this significantly increases the cost of repairs.
Limescale greatly complicates the passage of the coolant through the system. The more scale, the higher the load on the circulation pump. The equipment has to constantly work in an emergency mode, which leads to natural wear and tear of spare parts and negatively affects its service life.
A clogged boiler heat exchanger works less efficiently. It takes more energy to heat it up. Accordingly, the gas consumption increases (on average by 10-15%). This means that the owner will overpay for heating, and the house will heat up worse. Simple calculations show that for the season there will be an amount close to the one that is paid on the bills for the whole month.

Apparatus for flushing heat exchangers with your own hands

How often is the heat exchanger in a gas boiler cleaned

The frequency of cleaning the heat exchanger depends primarily on the type of coolant and the design features of the unit itself. The least likely to have to be serviced single-circuit boilers in heating systems in which purified water is used as a heat carrier. To keep them in good condition, it is sufficient to carry out preventive maintenance every 4 years.

If untreated water circulates in the system, then the boiler should be flushed once every 2-3 years. If the water is hard, then the cleaning mode is once every 2 years. The secondary heat exchanger of a double-circuit boiler must be flushed with the same frequency, because through it comes unfiltered tap water with impurities.

Most often, maintenance is required by equipment in heating systems, where antifreeze is used as a coolant. It should be washed at least once every 2 years. In addition, it is necessary to control the shelf life of the antifreeze, to replace it in a timely manner. Otherwise, the efficiency of the system will decrease and heating costs will increase.

When cleaning the heat exchangers, pay attention to appearance boilers, nozzles and, if necessary, carry out renovation work... You should also monitor the condition of the chimneys, clean them of soot in time. These simple measures extend the service life. heating equipment, prevent breakage.

Antifreeze for heating systems

Contact the masters or do it yourself

Professional cleaning of heating boilers is an expensive pleasure. Depending on the state of the equipment and the peculiarities of its operation, the sums can range from several tens to hundreds of dollars. In addition, craftsmen rarely come in the next few hours, sometimes they have to wait for several days. It is not comfortable.

The cost of professional cleaning with a dedicated heat exchanger flushing station pays off: parts are washed from the inside to a shine, and the equipment works much better. But if you wish, you can always save money and do the same yourself. The result will not be worse, and you will have to invest only your own time and effort.

Professional device for flushing heat exchangers

Methods for cleaning the heat exchanger of a gas boiler

There are two main types of flushing the heat exchanger of a gas boiler - with and without disassembling the unit. You will need tools to disassemble the equipment. Which ones exactly - it depends on the design of the heating equipment. In some cases, it is generally impossible to remove the heat exchanger, but you can access it by removing some of the parts.

Before starting work, you should prepare the equipment:

Disconnect the boiler from all power sources, drain the water from the system and expansion tank... For draining the coolant, special fittings must be provided. If this is not the case, then you will have to turn off the water supply to the house, and then drain it from the system into prepared pots and buckets.
When there is no water left in the system, you can start disassembling the equipment. First, remove the front of the case to gain access to the heaters. If the boiler is double-circuit, then the second circuit heater is located closer, the main heater is farther. To remove it, you need to disassemble the combustion chamber.
Construction parts are usually dirty. Outside, it is advisable to rinse them with special compounds that remove soot and carbon deposits. If there are no such products, you can take traditional household chemicals that are used to clean ovens - gels, cleaning pastes, etc. They should be used only in extreme cases, since even the most aggressive household chemicals are not able to wash off carbon deposits as efficiently as specialized ones, but they can damage the materials.
From the inside, the elements of the unit can be washed with strong aqueous solution citric acid. It does not corrode metal, but it removes plaque well, lime deposits... Most often there is a lot of scale. It is not possible to cope with it by half measures. In this case, equipment for flushing the heat exchangers of gas boilers will be required. You can make it yourself easy installation with a circulation pump.

Soot and carbon deposits on heater parts

There are three main methods for cleaning boilers: manual, hydrodynamic, chemical cleaning of boilers. Below we will consider them in more detail.

Option # 1: do it yourself by hand

Manual cleaning of boilers is called without the use of special mechanisms. You only need simple tools that can be found in almost any home. The boiler must be partially disassembled to gain access to and remove the heat exchanger. Next, you need to decide how best to remove the dirt - mechanically or using chemical solutions.

If you decide to remove plaque mechanically, you should stock up on a scraper, brush and vacuum cleaner to remove small particles of deposits. If chemical cleaning of boilers from scale is planned, then you can use a citric acid solution, or even better buy a specialized product.

Well proven trade marks MasterBoiler and SVOD TVN Professional. They are produced in different forms... There are liquids that do not require special preparation before use, and powders. When applying, you should carefully read the instructions. Some formulations foam, and you need to be prepared for this.

How to flush the gas boiler from scale? Almost all compositions are suitable for removing carbonate-calcium deposits, and only individual preparations can cope with iron-oxide deposits. When buying a product, it is important to make sure that it is intended for exactly those types of deposits that are characteristic of a particular boiler. Of the popular drugs that remove iron oxide plaque, one can advise CONS TWN Extra.

Advice. When disassembling and cleaning the boiler, try to be extremely careful not to damage the parts. Installing them in place after manipulation, check the tightness of each connection.

Option # 2: chemical wash

Boosters are often used to flush boilers. These are special installations that pump liquid into the channels of the heat exchanger. You can make a booster for flushing heat exchangers with your own hands by connecting a circulation pump so that it drives out the acid solution, flushing the equipment from the inside.

A good flush can take up to 10 hours if the canals are heavily contaminated, but it usually takes much less time. Cleanliness indicators: carbonate and iron deposits completely disappear, and the inner surfaces of the channels shine. To neutralize the residues of acidic preparations, use special formulations, they are poured into a booster for flushing the heat exchangers at the end of the procedure.

Option # 3: hydrodynamic cleaning

Hydrodynamic flushing of boilers and heat exchangers resembles chemical flushing, since it also uses pumps and acid solutions. The main difference is that the liquid is pumped under high pressure... Sometimes abrasive preparations are used as cleaning agents.

Since deposits are destroyed under the influence of water hammer, the procedure itself is quite dangerous. If the pressure is higher than the permissible, the pipes can be damaged, and their repair will cost a serious amount. It is better not to take risks and entrust this work to professionals.

Heat exchanger condition before and after cleaning

DIY cleaning of soot and soot

Soot and soot make the heating equipment difficult to operate. There are models that turn off automatically in such cases. If this does not happen, then the combustion products can enter the room. Harmful gases can poison the residents of the house, therefore it is important to clean the boilers in time in order to prevent such situations.

Work order:

Prepare tools: brushes, screwdrivers, open-end wrenches(most often keys for 8-17 are suitable), a needle, a brush, a rag. If a complete cleaning of the channels is planned at the same time, you will also need a means for flushing the heat exchanger of the gas boiler.

Turn off the gas, remove the front wall of the boiler, disconnect the wires, ignition electrode, burner tube. During cleaning, it is advisable to immediately replace the pilot burner gasket.

Next, you need to get the burner, swirlers. They and the surface of the heat exchanger are cleaned with brushes - soft and metal. The channels are blown out from the inside with a vacuum cleaner.

It is convenient to clean the burner with a brush and a needle smaller than the diameter of the burner hole.

Advice. Do not try to widen the burner hole with a thicker needle. It will be easier to clean the next time, but the performance of the heating equipment may deteriorate.

DIY booster

When the cleaning and flushing of the heat exchangers of gas boilers with their own hands is finished, the equipment is assembled in reverse order... First, put the burner, nozzle, tube in place, connect the ignition electrode, etc.

The assembled boiler is tested. It is turned on and the tightness of the connection of pipes and burners is checked. If the equipment is working properly, it can be put into operation. If there are any malfunctions, then the boiler will need to be disassembled again and the connections must be sealed.

Replacing the heat exchanger in gas boiler do it yourself

Video materials to help a novice master

How to flush the heat exchanger of a double-circuit boiler

How to clean the heat exchanger of a double-circuit boiler

Video tutorial: disassembling and cleaning a gas boiler with your own hands

The article offers options for flushing the heat exchanger of a gas boiler with your own hands and video materials demonstrating the procedure for work. It is advisable to carry out all these procedures at least once every 2 years, and cleaning from soot - once a year. The best time- before the beginning heating season... As a rule, the equipment is cleaned and checked at the beginning of September. quite often it gets colder by the end of the month and you have to turn on the heating at least at night.

Attention! If you are not sure that you can independently cope with flushing the heat exchanger of a gas boiler with citric acid, or special means, contact the specialists.

Modern water contains a large amount of harmful chemically active substances, which contributes to the rapid deposition of scale on various heating elements. Scale is the first enemy of such important units as, for example, a gas boiler. First of all, the heat exchanger located inside the boiler will suffer. Consequence: expensive repairs or the need to purchase a new item.

It is possible to prevent such consequences. It is enough to clean the heat exchanger in a timely manner, and it is quite possible to carry out this procedure on your own.

What is a heat exchanger?

The heat exchanger is an important part of a gas boiler. Its main function is to transfer heat from a heated element to a secondary one.

There are several types of heat exchangers:

Combined or bithermic heat exchangers. In many modern double-circuit boilers heating, bithermic heat exchangers are installed, which combine two heat exchangers in one design: for heating and for hot water supply (DHW).

The bithermal heat exchanger is also called double. The section shows that structurally it is a "pipe in a pipe".

By inner pipe the water of the hot water supply system flows, through the external -
heating medium

Single-circuit or double-circuit boiler - is there a difference?

The types of boilers do not in any way affect the time frame after which it is necessary to flush the heat exchanger. It is much more important which liquid () circulates in the heating system and which one is supplied for DHW.

When using industrial water that has undergone standard treatment, the boiler can be flushed no more than once every four years. This removes a layer of scale (which still forms) and deposits that have a more complex structure. If you do not filter water before pouring into the system, but use ordinary water from a centralized water supply, then flushing should occur more often, at least once every two years. This is due to the high chlorine content of the liquid, which, upon contact with heating element settles in the form of scale.

Some users prefer to use antifreeze as a coolant. This liquid is of better quality: it does not freeze even when low temperatures, gives off heat more slowly, but heats up quickly. Unfortunately, antifreeze is poisonous, and disintegrating into components, leads to spoilage metal structures... The heat exchanger, through which the antifreeze circulates, should be cleaned at least once every 1.5-2 years.

Therefore, both single-circuit and double-circuit boilers require timely cleaning of the heat exchanger, the intervals between which are the same in all systems.

To less often clean the bithermal heat exchanger, it is necessary to take care not only of the quality of the coolant in the heating circuit, but also of the quality of water in DHW system... Water should be pre-purified and filtered. You should also take into account the fact that the process of scale deposition begins at a temperature of 70 ° C, its speed increases 2 times with an increase in temperature for every 10 ° C. In this case, the process progresses, since the growing calcium layer impairs heat transfer and the temperature of the heat exchange wall increases.

Basic cleaning methods

The heat exchanger can be cleaned in several ways:

Mechanical. The heat exchanger is a small diameter pipe system that can be cleaned with a small brush and wire.
Using chemically active substances. Such reagents should be selected very carefully, too strong preparations can lead to damage to the internal surfaces and leaks.
By supplying water under high pressure. It is best to heat the liquid to 70-80 ° C before this procedure.

If you clean the heat exchanger yourself, then the third option may require serious costs, since you will need an installation capable of providing a high water pressure. When cleaning with your own hands, you should use a mechanical or chemical method.

The sequence of disassembling the boiler and removing the heat exchanger

It should be remembered that this procedure should not be performed at the height of the heating season. Because there is a certain time frame for which it is necessary to remove the heat exchanger, rinse it and install it in place. During this time, there will be no constant temperature maintenance in the heating system, and when severe frosts this is fraught with serious consequences or a sharp cooling of the house, which will lead to additional costs for heating it.

Gas boiler cleaning sequence:

Dismantle the burner device. It is immediately necessary not only to remove the part, but also to clean it. The best way to clean the burner is to use a toothbrush. This personal hygiene item will allow you to get to hard-to-reach places.
Further, the supply wires are undocked from the gas valve and the thermocouple is removed from the combustion chamber. To remove the thermocouple, you first need to remove the capillary tube that connects it to the gas valve.
Disconnect the pipes through which gas is supplied to the device. Now all that remains is to unscrew the 4 bolts (in some models, nuts are used). Once undocked, the entire assembly can be pulled out and cleaned.

The main element is a heat exchanger. To get to it, you need to remove the protective cover of the device and undock 2 sensors: draft and chimney. After the sensors, you need to remove the insulation. During long-term operation of the boiler, it is best to replace the insulation with a new one. Its poor quality condition is the cause of energy loss during operation.

After the above operations, the casing is dismantled and the heat exchanger remains open. Only turbulators interfere with its removal. This is a device that slows down the movement of exhaust gases. The temperature of the gases is too high and, at an appropriate speed, such exhaust can damage the internal surfaces of the heat exchanger.

Dismantling and flushing the wall-mounted BAXI Mainfour 24.

Mechanical cleaning of the heat exchanger

After removing the heat exchanger, you can start cleaning it mechanically. Of course, you can choose the second option (using chemically active substances), but it will be described below.

After going through the step-by-step removal process and taking the heat exchanger outside, an unattractive picture opens up to users: a large amount of deposits and soot both inside the pipes and between the cooling plates. The mechanical method of cleaning involves the use of a metal cable with a brush at the end, as well as various scrapers and shovels. With this tool, harmful deposits are removed from both internal and external surfaces.

To make the process of removing dirt faster, you can "soak" the device in water, with the addition of detergents... Then plaque or scale will be removed much easier and without effort. When using a cable, it must be slowly pushed into the device while turning clockwise.

After the inside has been cleaned, it is necessary to flush the heat exchanger using a hose that can be connected to a centralized water supply. It does not require a lot of pressure, even an ordinary flow of water is enough to wash out dirt, plaque and other deposits.

Remove dirt from the outer surface, especially between the blades, with care, as this can damage the heat exchanger and cause malfunction.

What is a booster and how to mount it yourself

When cleaning with chemically active substances, you do not need to make a lot of effort, but you should purchase or make your own solution that will remove harmful deposits. When using chemicals booster.

A booster is a device that creates a certain pressure in a heat exchanger and allows a cleaning liquid to be pumped through it. Such a device can be purchased in a specialized store for a substantial amount or you can make it yourself.

Booster installation sequence:

Purchase 2 metal plates, no more than 2.5 mm thick. Place them on the heat exchanger and drill holes opposite the connection terminals.
Purchase 4 American-style water taps. For better tightness, you should also buy washers for them.
The taps must be installed in the holes on the plates that are located at the bottom and, using 4 bolts, connect the plates to each other.
Now you need to find a suitable container. It can be a canister made of durable plastic or the same bottle. The main condition is a perfectly clean surface inside.
An adapter is mounted at the bottom of the canister, to which the hose will be connected in the future. The adapter must be sufficiently tight.

If desired and there is an extra tap, it can be installed on the adapter, but the heat exchanger can be flushed without it.

A variant of a homemade booster with a circulation pump is presented in the video.

Another option using circulation pump.

How to clean a heat exchanger using a booster

This procedure requires skill and compliance with some safety rules:

All connections of the system must be as tight as possible in order to avoid contact of chemically active substances on the skin or eyes.
The rinsing solution must be prepared only in protective equipment (gloves and, if required, glasses).

Now you can start cleaning the heat exchanger using the booster. This requires a pump low power for example from washing machine or heating systems, and a device whose manufacturing sequence was indicated above. The pump should be connected to a container, into which then pour at least 6 liters of water. Before this, the water is heated to a temperature of at least 50 degrees.

After preparatory phase, hoses from the reservoir are connected to the inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger and the pump is started. It is enough to drive the liquid through the system once and turn off the pump. Now it is necessary to carry out a thorough inspection to make sure that the system is very tight. If leaks or drops of water are not noticed anywhere, then cleaning can be done in full.

A special solution is added to the system and the pump is started for at least 40 minutes. It should be remembered that both the primary and the secondary heat exchanger require thorough flushing. Then the total time should be at least 1 hour 20 minutes (40 minutes for each lap).

After the cleaning agent has run through the system for a predetermined time, the booster can be turned off and a hose from the centralized water supply tap connected to the outlets of the heat exchanger. 3-5 minutes are enough, and the device can be put back on the gas boiler.

The video shows how to flush the primary and secondary heat exchanger of an Ariston boiler using a booster.

Flushing with booster and hydrochloric acid.

Heat exchanger cleaners

For this procedure, it is best to use products that are sold in household or other specialized stores. But, to save money, such a composition can be made independently.

The first thing that is used most often is a solution of 10% sulfuric acid. A similar tool can be used, but this should be done very carefully, since sulfuric acid is very active and can quickly burn through the thin walls of the heat exchanger. Result: the need to contact a technician who can solder the hole or buy a new device. Both the first and second options will cost the user a substantial amount.

You can resort to a more gentle and folk way: Dissolve 20 g of citric acid in 1 liter of water. If the result is not immediately noticeable, then the concentration should be slightly increased. Citric acid qualitatively removes scale and dirt, but at the same time has a negative effect on areas damaged by rust.

The video below shows how to disassemble the Baxi Ecofour 24F boiler and clean the heat exchanger with citric acid scale.

Therefore, it is best to spend a little more money, but to clean the heat exchanger with specially designed tools. For example, a preparation for cleaning gas boilers Detex. This composition has never damaged the inner surface of the heat exchanger and has earned a large number of positive reviews from users.

Benefits of using DETEX fluid:

Removal of scale, biological deposits, oxides, salts.
The composition of the liquid does not damage the surface of the heat exchanger.
Contains surfactants, antifoam and corrosion inhibitor additives.

Summing up

Cleaning the heat exchanger is an important and mandatory procedure that must be carried out at regular intervals. Only then the service life of the gas boiler will be long, and its operation will be reliable. Before cleaning, you must carefully study the above information and carefully follow the tips and recommendations.

Periodic flushing of the gas boiler heat exchanger is a basic requirement. Maintenance heating equipment. Cleaning significantly affects the smooth operation of the entire system and greatly extends the life of the device for heating the house. When do you need to flush and can you do it yourself?

During the operation of a gas boiler, a layer of scale forms, which prevents the necessary cooling of the heat exchanger. In this case, the circulation pump takes on a large load. Therefore, without flushing the heat exchanger, the heating unit may fail.

At home, cleaning should be done every two years. If the water in the house is hard enough, it is recommended to reduce the interval between flushes.

The first signs that a user needs to flush the heat exchanger are:

long-term heating of the gas boiler;
reduced heat output;
partial heating of the system;
the presence of extraneous sounds during the operation of the heater;
significant increase in gas consumption.

When limescale appears in double-circuit boilers, the water may not completely warm up or the pressure level may decrease.

It is advisable to avoid a combination of such symptoms. But if there are warning signs, flushing should be done immediately.

In addition to the internal cleaning of the heat exchanger, external cleaning of its body from soot is used. Socialized services are involved in the elimination of scale and pollution in the gas boiler system. The cost of their services is not cheap. Therefore, sometimes you can flush the heat exchanger yourself.

Heat exchanger flushing methods

The method of cleaning the heat exchanger in a gas boiler depends on the design of the device itself and the quality of the water used in the heating system. A booster is used for complete flushing. With this special equipment, you can clean the inside of the heat exchanger without disassembling it.

Flushing can be done independently with or without a booster. There are three main methods for flushing a gas boiler. Each option has its own characteristics.

Manual cleaning

Observing all safety measures, the heat exchanger can be cleaned independently at home using manual flushing.

This process can be done in two ways:

Mechanical cleaning. Cleaning of blockages and scale from the heat exchanger is carried out with tools such as a brush, wooden hammer or a metal brush.
Flushing with active solutions. This option is most effective, especially for boilers with two circuits.

In case of severe blockages, two types of cleaning can be used - flushing with a solution, and then mechanical cleaning.

It is quite easy to remove dirt and scale from the heat exchanger at home. First, you need to shut off the gas supply, turn off the power supply and disassemble the boiler:

remove the boiler door (cover) by unscrewing all fasteners;
disconnect all wires from the gas valve;
disconnect the wire from the piezoelectric element;
remove the nozzles, thermocouple and detach the gas supply pipe;
remove the burner from the device;
open the top roof by unscrewing the nuts.

When the device is disassembled and access to the heat exchanger is provided, you can start cleaning it:

remove the heat exchanger;
put it in a solution with active substance- a light solution of hydrochloric acid;
thoroughly, but carefully clean it from dirt with a brush or metal brush;
rinse well in clean water;
dry.

After these actions, the heat exchanger and the dismantled parts are installed in place. Before disassembling the gas boiler, it is recommended to study the instructions supplied with the device.

This flushing is done using a booster. But the device is not cheap at all. Therefore, many craftsmen do special device on one's own. A ten liter container, a pump and two hoses are used for this.

During chemical cleaning, it is important to select the correct acid solution so that the substance does not damage the metal parts of the boiler. For severe scale, you can use products based on hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid. Lighter dirt is cleaned with citric acid, two hundred grams of which are diluted in five liters of water.

Gas boiler cleaning process chemicals simple enough:

the rinsing solution is diluted in a container;
the hoses of a factory or home-made booster are connected to the pipes on the heat exchanger;
the device is turned on and a chemical liquid moves inside the closed system.

Factory boosters are equipped with a heating mode. This function allows you to increase the temperature of the cleaning solutions, thereby improving the quality of cleaning.

Flushing the gas boiler heat exchanger with chemicals should take at least two hours. After the entire procedure, the reagent should be removed and the device washed with a neutralizing agent, which is selected depending on the agent used. After the solution with citric acid, you can carry out the treatment with soda dissolved in water.

The disadvantage of frequent chemical cleaning is the negative effect of active elements on metal elements boiler. Therefore, it is recommended to do this type of flushing no more often than after two or three years.

For chemical removal of scale and dirt from the heat exchanger, use the following means:

Cleaning gel. The composition of such a substance does not include acid, but regardless of this, the gel does an excellent job with different kinds dirt, salt deposits and scale. After treatment with such a substance, rinsing with neutralizing solutions is not required. All parts can be cleaned with plain water. The gel is considered to be more gentle on metal products.
Adipic acid. To flush a gas boiler, such a reagent must be properly diluted in water, otherwise the substance can damage metal parts. Adipic acid well softens all deposits inside the heater. For cleaning with this agent, remove the heat exchanger and allow it to cool. After the cleaning agent, the device must be rinsed in a neutralizing liquid composition and dried.
Sulfamic acid. The activating substance is diluted with water and poured into a heat exchanger using a booster. Such a reagent effectively breaks down complex scale and saturated salt deposits. Typically used to flush out neglected dirt. Thorough rinsing after the sulfamic acid solution is required.

When working with chemicals, you should adhere to safety precautions. Dismantling of heating devices is carried out only after complete disconnection from the gas and electricity supply.

Hydrodynamic cleaning

This flushing is carried out without disassembling the boiler. The process consists of pumping water into heating system and pressurization. At the same time, an abrasive substance is sometimes added to the liquid.

By increasing the movement of water, scale is effectively destroyed, and is well washed off various pollution inside the system.

With such cleaning, it is important to correctly organize the pressure level, otherwise pipe rupture may occur. Therefore, it is not recommended to do hydrodynamic flushing on your own. This process is carried out by specialists who have permission to work with gas equipment.

Distinctive features of cleaning a single-circuit and double-circuit boiler

The type of heater does not affect the frequency of flushing the heat exchanger. Both a single-circuit boiler and a double-circuit boiler need timely cleaning.

A distinctive feature of flushing a boiler with a water heating function is that in addition to cleaning the main heat exchanger, it is necessary to remove scale from the hot water supply lines.

The method of flushing the hot water supply path in the boiler depends on the type of heat exchanger, of which there are two for a boiler with two circuits:

steel secondary;
combined bithermic.

connecting the hoses of the cleaning device to the nozzles for the outlet of hot liquid, as well as to the inlet of the cold water supply;
booster launch;
switching on the boiler.

In this case, you should observe temperature regime heating within fifty and fifty-five degrees above zero.

If there is a secondary heat exchanger in a double-circuit boiler, then it can be dismantled for cleaning. This requires:

remove the front panel;
unscrew the fasteners from the control unit and move it slightly to the side;
remove the fasteners from the secondary heat exchanger and take it out.

After that, the device can be cleaned by immersing it in a solution with an active solution. It removes limescale well lemon acid... It is diluted in a container with water, a secondary heat exchanger is placed there and boiled on low heat until the deposits are completely dissolved. Be sure to rinse after cleaning clean water silt with soda solution all the processed parts.

For a single-circuit boiler, only flushing of the main heat exchanger is required. The main thing is to prevent the formation of strong dirt and scale. It is better to carry out a light preventive cleaning than to subsequently wash the heat exchanger with strong metal-destructive substances.

Flushing a gas boiler is a mandatory process that should be carried out in a timely manner. The reliability of the heater and its service life depend on the observance of the frequency of cleaning and its correct implementation. To avoid extra costs you can remove small scale yourself. To do this, it is necessary to select the required cleaning method and study the technique for its implementation.

Flushing the gas boiler heat exchanger increases the efficiency of the heater and helps save on heating bills. After all, the heat exchanger “clogged” with scale “captures” far from all the “calories” of the gas burning in the boiler's furnace. As a result, some of the fuel is wasted.

In turn, a "clean" heat exchanger increases the efficiency (the ratio of consumed and released energy) to the maximum, increasing the efficiency of the system and reducing the cost of consumed gas.

Therefore, in this article we will look at the process of "cleaning" heat exchangers. Indeed, given the current high cost of gas, this information will be of interest to all owners of boilers and water heaters.

When should you clean the heat exchanger?

In addition, the frequency of cleaning also depends on the structural material from which the heating system wiring fittings were made. After all, rusting steel pipes The heat exchanger will be “clogged” with iron oxide flakes in a couple of seasons, and completely inert polymer reinforcement is devoid of such a disadvantage in principle.

Tip: If you want to reduce the frequency of cleaning, fill the system with rainwater. It is cheaper than distilled liquid and reduces the risk of lime scale formation. Also, when collecting system wiring, use plastic pipes... They will save you from rust clogging the heat exchanger in a couple of seasons.

How are heat exchangers of gas boilers cleaned?

Scale, rust and other components of the plug clogging the cross-section of the tube of the heat exchanger are brought in by water. Therefore, in the process of cleaning, we must start this process in the opposite direction - rinse the heat exchanger with the same water, which will wash out the plug in the pipes and take out the "dirt" particles from the boiler.

However, the lime plug builds up on the inner walls of the heat exchanger tube over several years, and we would like to complete the cleaning process in a couple of hours. So plain water need "helpers" - abrasive particles and chemical reagents accelerating the "peeling" of plaque.

As a result, the process of cleaning the heat exchanger is as follows:

You supply water sprinkled with "helpers" into the boiler pressure pipe. Moreover, the flow must be directed precisely from the side of the pressure connection: after all, it is located at the upper point of the heat exchanger.
After some time, and sometimes immediately, you collect water and flakes of rust and scale at the "return" fitting.

How to flush the heat exchanger of a gas boiler?

Chemical washing. It is realized by introducing weak solutions of acids into the heat exchanger that destroy calcium and magnesium salts. In addition, chemical flushing can also deal with rust. Reagents can be poured into the boiler through the pressure connection and drained from the "return" after a while. Abundant flushing in this case is required. Residual reagents can burn through the heat exchanger tubes or piping.
Water jet washing. It is realized in the process of circulation through the heat exchanger of a concentrated suspension of abrasive particles, grinding the inner surface of the pipes. The abrasive slurry is fed into the pressure connection and leaves the "return" outlet without delay. Moreover, this cycle is repeated many times. After waterjet cleaning, the heat exchanger will need to be flushed slightly.
Hydraulic flushing. It is realized with the help of special nozzles introduced into the heat exchanger tube. These nozzles eject streams of water from themselves under high pressure. These streams wash away scale and rust, destroying plugs and sediment. The nozzle is introduced from the side of the discharge pipe, and the return line is connected with a hose to the sewage system. In this case, additional flushing is not required.

Advice: do not try to flush the kettle yourself. Each cleaning method involves the use of a special tool and reagents. Without specific skills and practice, you, in best case, "Fail" this business, and at worst - damage the heat exchanger.

How to flush the heat exchanger of a gas boiler?

It all depends on the method of flushing. The chemical version involves the use of hydrochloric and sulfuric acids as reagents. As a last resort, you can use nitrogen or phosphoric acid... Waterjet cleaning involves the use of concentrated suspensions based on abrasive materials - sand, corundum and others - as a reagent.

Moreover, in the process of abrasive and dry cleaning we will need a set of tanks and pressure equipment that circulates the reagents through the insides of the heat exchanger.

Usually, such a kit is used ready-made solution- a booster for flushing the heat exchanger. It consists of a reagent tank and a pressure head unit - a pump. Moreover, it is better to use drainage equipment as a pump, capable of pumping a contaminated medium through the working chamber.

A tank with a reagent is connected to the pump intake pipe, and the pressure pipe of the unit is connected to the upper boiler connection. In turn, the lower connection of the heater is connected to the tank by installing a simple filter at the interface point.

The booster pump circulates the reagents, and the filter “catches” rust flakes and the remains of destroyed scale.

Moreover, cleaning with a booster does not imply a complete dismantling of the boiler. To start flushing, you just need to disconnect the boiler from the wiring and connect its pipes to the corresponding "connectors" of the booster.

On which the efficiency of his work depends.

Over time, especially if the water in the boiler is hard, it clogs up and becomes unusable.

How to flush the heat exchanger of a gas boiler, can you do it yourself or is it better to contact a service?

When is it worth saving on it, and when not? In what cases is intervention required, and when is it worth looking for the cause somewhere else?

During combustion, inevitably, over time, a layer of soot forms on the heat exchanger, furnace walls and nozzles.

Nozzles are parts of a gas boiler on which a flame is formed and through which gas is supplied for combustion.

Before flushing the heat exchanger of a gas boiler, it is necessary to remove soot from it.

Soot is formed when low-quality gas is used. For example, in those designed to work from natural gas, use propane-butane gas, another gas.

Usually, services that offer to flush the heat exchanger of a gas boiler at home offer flushing without removing the heat exchanger. To do this, they have a special device that allows you to connect and pass a special cleaning solution through it.

As a result, after a while, from half an hour to two hours, the boiler is descaled.

In principle, the device is quite simple and consists of a small circulation pump and a system of pipes. If you have all the necessary parts, you can assemble it yourself. However, if you have to buy something, especially a pump, the idea will not pay off.

The fact is that the cleaning procedure itself costs from 500 to 1500 rubles in different cities.

Cleaning is required every 2-3 years.

Buying a pump will cost about 3,000 rubles, and it will pay off after 2-6 cleanings and 4-18 years.

Therefore, it makes sense to contact the service department.

The flushing solution consists of reagents that dissolve calcium salts.

The advantages of cleaning the heat exchanger without removing it - there is no need to waste time removing it, it is often impossible to remove this part, and this method is the only possible one.

Disadvantages - if the pipes are connected to the boiler on a rigid connection, or if they are stainless steel, which were assembled with the help of welded inserts, then it is often completely impossible to remove them and attach the cleaning pipes.

How to remove the heat exchanger, disassemble and assemble it, and put it back in place

This procedure may be required before cleaning the boiler from soot, or before cleaning the gas boiler heat exchanger at home with removal.

If the boiler is connected to the pipelines "tightly", then this method is the only possible one without cutting the pipes. Before removing the heat exchanger, you must read the instructions.

In most cases, it is necessary to remove the protective covers and then disconnect the heat exchanger from the pipes by loosening the latches.

Different boilers may have a different design, so the heat exchanger must be removed carefully, carefully recording the whole process so that you can then put it back.

In some cases, it is not necessary to remove the nuts, and the heat exchanger has a collapsible design with latches or generally non-collapsible. In the latter case, it can only be cleaned using a special device that passes a cleaning solution through it.

After cleaning, the heat exchanger must be replaced. The instructions for the heat exchanger and the previously recorded removal process will help in this. You can fix it on paper in text, using drawings, photographs or video: