How to wash the heat exchanger of a gas boiler with your own hands. How to clean a boiler at home How to clean a gas boiler - wash the heat exchanger

The dream of every home owner is the uninterrupted operation of all engineering systems, and especially the heating system. Of course, it is desirable that minimal maintenance is required for gas equipment. But in order to ensure a calm and warm life under the roof of your own home, you will still need to strictly observe some simple conditions, namely, carrying out a preventive inspection of the gas unit and carrying out minor repairs, if necessary. The most important tasks that will help add life to the boiler will be: cleaning the heat exchangers and removing soot.

What is a gas heating boiler?

By design, a gas boiler is a combination of several diverse devices:

  • a heat generator in which thermal energy is generated by burning fuel, consisting of a combustion chamber and a burner,
  • a heat exchanger in which thermal energy is transferred to a coolant, which is usually water, antifreeze or air,
  • housing in which the above-mentioned parts are enclosed,
  • a special regulating device with the help of which the fuel supply activity is controlled,
  • chimney.

To ensure high efficiency of the boiler, it will be necessary to systematically clean:

  • fireboxes and chimneys from soot,
  • heat exchanger - from scale.

Each type of cleaning must be carried out according to certain rules; the question of how gas boilers are cleaned should be considered in more detail.

How to clean a gas boiler - wash the heat exchanger

The heat exchanger is a system of pipes designed to move the coolant during the heating stage. Since the water that is used as a coolant is usually not sufficiently purified from impurities of various salts, scale settles on the inner walls of the pipes over time, the diameter of the tubes as a result decreases, and the speed of movement of the coolant becomes lower. In addition, scale becomes a kind of barrier that reduces the thermal conductivity of metal fragments. All these negative aspects lead to serious consequences - a sharp decrease in the temperature of the coolant in the system.

If the system is not flushed in a timely manner, preconditions for a serious accident may arise, including:

  • boiler overheating, because scale will prevent proper cooling of the coolant, which, in the process of reverse movement, should reduce the temperature of the internal parts of the heating elements,
  • breakdown of parts, which may occur as a result of increased loads on the circulation pump (which may be caused by narrowing of contaminated pipes),
  • increase in fuel consumption.

Scale can be combated using several methods:

  • water pumped into the system under high pressure,
  • using chemical reagents,
  • mechanically.

The first method, due to its complexity (you will need a special compressor that allows you to create a pressure of tens of atmospheres), is acceptable if the work is carried out by a team of specialists. It is quite possible to produce the second and third ones yourself.

The difficulty of mechanical and chemical cleaning will be the need to completely dismantle the heat exchanger; this work will require certain knowledge and skills.

How to mechanically clean a heat exchanger

First of all, you should remember that the heat exchanger has a fairly large volume and is located directly above the combustion chamber; some difficulties may arise when trying to get to it.

  1. First, disconnect the electrical wiring (if any) and gas supply pipes from the boiler.
  2. Disconnect the heat exchanger from the heating system.
  3. Remove the heat exchanger fasteners.
  4. Remove the heat exchanger from the boiler and begin cleaning it.

Once the heat exchanger is removed, you can see how thick the deposits are on its walls; pins, scrapers, etc. can be used to remove them. tools. Care must be taken when performing work - otherwise the walls of the heat exchanger may be damaged.

It is more rational to carry out mechanical cleaning after first soaking the part in a weak acid solution - this will soften the scale and make it much easier to remove.

Upon completion of the process, it is advisable to connect the heat exchanger to a source of running water - as the liquid passes through its internal cavities, a large amount of dirt will be washed out of them. Flushing can be completed when the flowing water becomes clear. Tapping the walls of the heat exchanger with a rubber or wooden hammer will speed up the washing process.

Cleaning heat exchangers with chemical reagents

To perform chemical cleaning of the heat exchanger, you will need a special device - a booster. Although the dry cleaning process itself is not complex, before starting work it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the recommendations of specialists.

There is no need to completely remove the heat exchanger; you should disconnect the two pipes, connect a hose to one of them, and the cleaning solution will be supplied through it. The supplied liquid will exit through another pipe and be supplied to the booster through a hose connected to it. Such a connection will ensure the movement of the reagent in a circle.

Experts recommend choosing a booster equipped with an electric heating element. It will allow heating of the chemical composition; increasing the temperature of the reagent will help increase the efficiency of washing and speed up the process of destruction of deposited salts.

Chemical reagents can be various solutions sold in hardware stores. However, the choice of product should be made taking into account the degree of contamination and the composition of the deposits, and recommendations regarding what materials this product can be used for cleaning should not be ignored.

Cleaning products most often contain acids:

  • sulfuric or salt,
  • less often - phosphorus or nitrogen.

Such reagents can easily remove dense deposits of large thickness, including layers of trivalent iron. To remove small contaminants, you can use solutions of weaker acids: sulfamic or adipic. If desired, you can use special gels; before use, they are diluted with water.

Cleaning boilers from soot

Natural gas, which is used to heat residential premises, is a relatively clean product. However, during its combustion, heavy components of petroleum products are released, which contribute to the formation of a black layered film on the surface of the heat exchanger and combustion chamber. such a film significantly reduces the thermal conductivity of the metal parts of the boiler, i.e. contributes to a decrease in its effectiveness.

Since only the outer parts of the components will require cleaning, cleaning the boiler with your own hands will not be such a difficult process. First you need to determine the thickness of the soot layer:
if it does not exceed 2 mm, then you can use a scraper or a damp sponge to remove it,
if the layer is thicker, then the use of chemicals will be required; the best option is acid-containing compounds.

Chimney cleaning


An equally important measure is removing soot from the chimney. There are many ways to solve this problem - after all, our ancestors, who used stove heating to heat their houses, had to do this for many centuries in a row.

Modern chimneys, in accordance with the rules, must be made of stainless steel that can withstand the effects of high temperature and acid precipitation that are formed during the combustion of natural gas. Sometimes they resort to installing a ceramic chimney, but with their high quality characteristics, ceramic models do not yet compete with metal ones. Regardless of the type and material of manufacture, chimneys are designed to improve draft. The accumulation of soot on the inner walls of the chimney pipes reduces draft, therefore worsening the operating condition of the boiler.

The amount of accumulated soot can be determined by analyzing the frequency of operation of the boiler: its constant use will contribute to its rapid accumulation. In this case, cleaning the gas boiler from soot, as well as the chimney, must be done at least twice a year.

The intensity of the accumulation of acid condensate is influenced by the ambient temperature - the lower it is, the more active the formation of sediment, which is destructive for pipes.

Severe soot contamination threatens:

  • thinning the smoke opening, reducing draft and smoke emissions can create conditions in the house that are hazardous to human health (suffocation from carbon monoxide poisoning may occur),
  • Since soot is a flammable material, the possibility of a fire will be quite real.

If you don’t know how to clean a gas boiler and remove soot from the chimney, then it’s best to turn to professionals - they will do the job efficiently and in a short time.

Mechanical soot removal


If you decide to do everything yourself, then you will need to purchase the appropriate tools for cleaning chimneys:

  • hard brushes,
  • scrapers and other rigid devices for mechanical cleaning.

The most effective method today is cleaning with a special vacuum cleaner. Accumulated in any quantity, dirt is quite easily removed through a special pocket. The switched on device, drawing in air, removes all accumulations on the walls of the pipe, leaving it undamaged and clean.

Experts consider a special vacuum unit to be an ideal cleaning unit; it is capable of removing dirt of any composition in any quantity, but it is usually used by professionals - the cost of such an installation is within 100 thousand rubles.

When doing the work with your own hands, you can use all kinds of pipe cleaners or brushes, but you should not forget that their diameter should be slightly larger than the diameter of the pipe. A very thick layer of soot can be removed with a scraper, then carefully treat the pipe with brushes or a pipe cleaner. Of course, you can carry out such activities yourself. Nevertheless, at least once every few years it is advisable to call a specialist who can realistically assess the condition of the pipe and determine the presence of flaws in it, if any.

The chimney can also be cleaned from the outside by lowering a brush inside it on a transforming handle; the structure should be weighted with a plumb line. Under its action, the brush will move downwards more actively, cleaning the pipe walls will speed up. The crumbled soot is removed from the chimney through a special pocket using a small scoop or vacuum cleaner.

Chemical cleaning of chimneys for gas boilers is rarely used; this method is more acceptable for wood-burning stoves and fireplaces. If gas is used as fuel, then most likely you will need to pay attention to the fight against condensation.

Why install condensate collectors?

As we have already mentioned, when soot burns during the combustion of gaseous fuel, acid-containing sediments are formed, which can have a detrimental effect on the material from which chimneys are made.

Installing special devices - outlets and condensate collectors - allows you to get rid of acid-containing vapors and completely protect chimney pipes from destruction. Today, technologists are actively developing more effective methods for removing acid condensate, which will allow uninterrupted operation and extend the service life of chimney pipes.

Gas boilers are actively used both in country houses and in various industrial enterprises. The equipment is quite expensive and any repair will cost a significant amount.

In this regard, it is important to foresee possible breakdowns and try to prevent them.

A great danger to any heat exchanger is hard water, which will lead to scale formation. Scale reduces the efficiency of equipment and then completely causes equipment failure. In order to avoid an accident, install filters for wall-mounted gas boilers.

Today, different types of filters are used, but the most popular are polyphosphate and magnetic. The first works on the basis of orthophosphoric acid polymers, the second, using a magnetic field, changes the structure of water, preventing scale from forming.

Both options are affordable, compact, and can be installed on all pipelines. But polyphosphate, like all other types of filters, except magnetic, require regular cleaning and replacement of the reagent.

Filter system for a gas boiler - types and purpose

Gas filters must be installed in front of measuring instruments, control and shut-off valves, and gas burner devices.
Their main task is to remove rust, solid particles, resins, sand and other impurities. The result of such cleaning is accurate operation of measuring instruments, long service life of equipment, reduced risk of breakdown, and reduced wear of equipment.

Let's consider what filters for gas boilers for water manufacturers offer.

The concepts of a magnetic filter and a magnetic softener are often confused. The first is serious equipment, the effectiveness of which is beyond doubt. The second one works due to permanent magnets located inside the case.

They act on water and transform calcite, which causes scale, into aragonite, which can no longer harm heating elements.

Magnetic devices, unlike magnetic softeners, require regular cleaning and removal of stuck debris.

The advantages of magnetic filters include:

  • high efficiency,
  • lack of consumables, and therefore the need to replace them,
  • ease of installation - no cutting of pipes is required, the device can be installed in any place, even hard to reach.

The most popular types of magnetic filters are:

  1. Magnetic flange - effective against iron salts, retains silt deposits, sand and other mechanical impurities. It is made from cast iron. Can be used for both cold and hot water.
  2. Magnetic coupling. Recommended for installation in regions with a high content of ferrocompounds in water. More sealed compared to magnetic flange.
  3. Magnetic softener – recommended for protecting household appliances. A simpler and more affordable option for installation in an apartment.

A salt filter, or polyphosphate filter, purifies water using a reagent - sodium polyphosphate, which is placed in a special flask. Calcium and magnesium, which are part of hard water, pass through the flask, react with the reagent and lose their ability to form scale. The reagent requires replacement on average every three months.


Polyphosphate filters

The advantages of a polyphosphate filter include:

  • high level of protection against scale,
  • extending the service life of equipment,
  • easy to clean.

Made from non-toxic materials, safe to use.

Designed to eliminate medium and coarse fractions that penetrate from the outside or as a result of pipe corrosion.

They are divided into several groups:

  • coarse and fine cleaning – retain particles up to 5 microns and 300 microns in size, respectively. Can be combined with a double-circuit boiler.
  • flushing, non-flushing and self-flushing.

The body of the devices is usually made of brass; for industrial use, cast iron is used. The main working part of the device is a fine-mesh steel mesh; it can be removed to remove dirt. The frequency of flushing depends on the degree of water hardness, as well as the materials from which the pipes are made.

To obtain the most effective result, it is recommended to use several filters simultaneously, for example, mechanical cleaning and salt.

Why do you need a water filter for a gas boiler?

A water filter is a safe and effective device that breaks down calcium bicarbonate molecules. As a result of the interaction of water with the filter, an Aragonite crystal is formed, which does not settle on the heating elements, but is simply washed down the drain.

An ion exchange resin, pre-treated in a special way, is used as a filler. The resin ensures uniform treatment throughout the entire volume of water passed through.

Another feature water softening filter for gas boiler– this is protection against secondary contamination of clothes during repeated rinsing during washing. In addition, the filter helps save energy.

Step by step cleaning the water filter for a gas water heater

Many owners of single- and double-circuit boilers have been using the equipment for several years and do not even think about the fact that the equipment needs maintenance. And sooner or later they discover that the power of the unit has decreased significantly, and the house has become cold. This means that soot and scale have accumulated, and it’s time to get rid of them.

First of all, it is worth noting that equipment maintenance is cheaper and more correct than repair. And this must be done before the start of the heating season.

Every two to three years it is necessary to flush the gas boiler heat exchanger, and if the water is very hard, then more often. The secondary heat exchanger also requires flushing once every two years.

It is mandatory to remove soot from the outer surface of the heat exchanger. Otherwise, the efficiency of the equipment is reduced by 40-50%.

And, of course, do not forget about cleaning the filters for the geyser from scale.

To clean the mechanical filter you must:

  1. Turn off the water in the heating area.
  2. Unscrew the plug.
  3. Remove the mesh that traps dirt.
  4. Rinse it under running water.
  5. Place the mesh in place.

The procedure is quite simple, so you can cope with it without the help of a specialist.

Let's look at how to replace the reagent in the salt filter. This must be done on average once every three months, depending on the hardness of the water. Regular replacement is the key to efficient operation of the equipment.

  1. Shut off the water by turning the valve on the inlet water supply. It is also recommended to close the valve on the boiler itself.
  2. Unscrew the flask of the device and place a container under the draining water.
  3. Pour out the used salt, rinse the flask and fill it with new reagent.
  4. Screw the flask into place.

The entire procedure will take no more than 15 minutes.

VIDEO REVIEW

If you are not sure that you can handle the cleaning yourself, contract with a suitable company that will do it for you on a regular basis.

Many people operate heating appliances without properly caring for them. Do you carry out breakdown prevention? This must be done regularly, then the equipment will not break down, and your home will be comfortable. How to clean a gas boiler? You can call a specialist who will do all the work. Or you can clean it yourself. Forget about spending money on servicing - we will tell you how to remove soot and scale.

Why do you need to clean a gas boiler?

Most often, heating units and combustion products removal systems become clogged. Scale may form on elements that come into contact with water. Gas exhaust pipes accumulate soot and soot.

Heating occurs due to the heat exchanger. In double-circuit boilers "", "", "", two radiators are installed. One is a curved tube through which water circulates for the heating system. The second consists of plates and is used to provide hot water supply (DHW).

The harder the water in the region, the faster scale will form. During heating above 60 degrees, active deposition of salts occurs on the walls of the heat exchangers.

How can you understand that it is time to clean the device:

  • The coolant heats up slowly;
  • Low heat transfer with high fuel consumption;
  • Noise and hum during equipment operation;
  • Reduced pressure when opening the mixer.

Scale narrows the passages in the pipes, so the pressure drops. Because of this, there is an additional load on the circulation pump. The radiator does not transfer heat well, which can cause it to overheat and fail.

The chimney, fireplace, and smoke exhaust pipes are susceptible to soot accumulation. During combustion, fuel impurities - carbon, organics - settle on the walls. What does this lead to:

  • The draft disappears, which is why carbon monoxide can enter the room;
  • The level of fire safety is reduced. Large accumulations of soot may ignite;
  • The flame in the burner becomes unstable or disappears;
  • Efficiency decreases due to plaque on the walls;
  • Gas consumption increases.

How often and what parts need to be cleaned

The equipment needs external and internal cleaning. How often should a heat exchanger be descaled? Experts recommend doing this once a year. What other components of the floor-standing and wall-mounted boiler need to be cleaned:

  • burner;
  • igniter;
  • filters;
  • nozzles;
  • coaxial chimney, conventional shaft;
  • pipes;
  • firebox

Let's look at how to properly clean components in boilers "", "", "" and others with your own hands.

Heat exchanger

The operation of all double-circuit boilers is controlled by a three-way valve. It switches heat from one radiator to another, so you need to monitor its functionality.

The principle of cleaning it and the choice of a suitable product depend on the structure of the heat exchanger. Radiators are distinguished:

  • Bithermal. The design consists of two tubes, heating is carried out simultaneously for DHW and heating. Such products are difficult to clean;
  • Lamellar. Consist of layers of plates;
  • Fire tubes. Liquid circulates through the coil tube. More often found in floor-standing units "", "", "".

What kind of washing happens:

  • Chemical;
  • Mechanical;
  • Hydrodynamic;
  • Electric discharge.

To work you will need:

  • wrench;
  • brush-brush;
  • metal brush, made of lint;
  • screwdriver.

First you need to get to the node.

  • Close the gas valve;
  • Remove the cover. This may require unscrewing the bolts;
  • Disconnect the sensors connected to the heat exchanger.

For proper cleaning, the unit must be dismantled. Using a brush and brush, clean the surface and internal parts from soot, dust, and soot. If descaling of internal parts is required, chemical reagents can be used.

The reagent is pumped into the booster. The pump hoses are connected to the radiator, and flushing starts. Upon completion, all parts are washed with clean water. Users recommend using ordinary household products - they are much cheaper than specialized ones. The main thing is that they are thick.

You can use home remedies. Prepare a solution of citric acid in a ratio of 200 grams per 5 liters and pour it into the heat exchanger. Place the knot in a metal basin of water and place it on the stove to heat for half an hour. Then rinse in the shower.

Plates and parts should not be subjected to strong mechanical stress, otherwise they will deteriorate or become deformed.

Hydrodynamic cleaning consists of pumping pressure. Thus, a high-pressure stream is forced through the system, removing contaminants and deposits.

The electric discharge procedure requires special Streamer equipment, so it is carried out in a service center or workshop. At home, contamination can only be eliminated mechanically or chemically.

Igniter

How do you know when it's time to clean the system? Watch the flame. If everything is in order, it is an even blue color. If the flame is yellow and burns unevenly, it means that the burner and igniter are clogged with dust and soot.

To remove contaminants, do this:

  • Shut off the fuel supply;
  • Remove the igniter;
  • Clean the element with a brush;
  • Reinstall the part.

Burner

The degree of contamination can be determined by the signs indicated above.

  • After shutting off the gas, remove the burner and nozzles;
  • Clean the injectors with a small brush;
  • The burner is cleaned with a brush, the inside is purged with a pump;
  • Reassemble the parts and install them back.

Filters

Water filter meshes are removed and washed with running water. Rusty deposits can be removed with citric acid - just soak the part in the solution. Don't forget to clean gas filters.

Firebox, chimney

The accumulation of soot narrows the shaft passage, which leads to poor traction. In this case, the boiler cannot be operated - it is life-threatening. You can remove the soot from your side, and contact the utility company for cleaning from the street. Make sure that the top of the chimney is not covered with ice. To avoid this, it is better to insulate the pipe.

The firebox is cleaned with brushes. Carefully monitor the amount of soot. Under unfavorable conditions it may catch fire.

Boiling water is used to remove accumulations on the walls of the boiler. Fill the unit with it and turn it on. Let the liquid boil. After this, the soot can be easily removed with a sponge. You can use chemicals, but read the instructions carefully before doing so.

Sometimes the automation, relief valve and other parts need cleaning. Preventive maintenance should be carried out at least once a year. This way you will avoid many problems and prevent serious breakdowns.

Content

Gas boilers require flushing of heat exchangers every 2-3 years. If you neglect this procedure, over time the boiler unit will become worse able to cope with its functions, its efficiency will decrease by almost half, and in order to maintain the usual temperature regime in the house during the heating season, you will have to force the unit to constantly operate at full capacity.

Gas boiler heat exchanger in need of cleaning

Why does this happen and why is it dangerous? Cleaning the heat exchangers from the outside makes it possible to remove the accumulated layer of soot - the thicker the layer, the worse the boiler works and the higher your energy costs. Flushing the boiler from scale helps remove scale deposited on the inner surface of the heat exchanger. Due to scale, the working cross-section of the heat exchanger narrows, the coolant warms up more slowly - this also negatively affects the efficiency of the autonomous heating system and adds load to the boiler.

If gas boiler maintenance is not carried out in a timely manner, gas costs increase every month and the risk of boiler breakdown increases. Steel boilers, constantly working at full power, quickly burn out. In the vast majority of cases, boilers fail at the height of the heating season, when they are operating at full load. Calling a specialist to repair a boiler unit with mandatory cleaning and flushing of the heat exchanger will cost a significant amount.


This is what the scale that forms on the heat exchanger looks like

To avoid problems and save money, it is enough to carry out preventive measures every three years. Flushing a gas boiler is a set of works that can be done on your own, spending from 1.5 to 4 hours on everything.

How to clean the heat exchanger?

The heat exchanger is cleaned at the end of the heating season. To carry out the work, it is enough to have a standard set of tools. Before starting work, it is necessary to disconnect the boiler unit from the gas network (main or local) and electricity.

Let's consider how to clean a floor standing gas boiler:

  • first of all, the burner device is dismantled;
  • it is necessary to disconnect all wires from the gas valve;
  • a thermocouple is removed from the combustion chamber and connected to the gas valve by a capillary tube;
  • the fuel supply pipe is disconnected;
  • the bolts or nuts (4 pcs) securing the stove with the burner are unscrewed, the assembly is removed out.

It is convenient to clean the gas boiler burner with an old toothbrush. Soot must also be removed from the flame control sensor, igniter, and piezoelectric device for automatic ignition.

To get to the boiler heat exchanger, remove the top cover of the unit, disconnect the draft sensor and chimney, remove the insulation, dismantle the casing fasteners and the casing itself. Having gained access to the heat exchanger, it is necessary to remove the turbulators from it.

A soft metal brush is suitable for cleaning turbulators, and the heat exchanger itself is freed from soot deposits with a miniature scraper made of thin metal. A brush with a long handle is also used. First of all, the smoke pipes are cleaned and swept, then the soot that has fallen off on the bottom should be removed.


Cleaning the wall-mounted boiler is done with a toothbrush.

Cleaning a wall-mounted heat generator. After turning off the gas supply, it is necessary to dismantle the front panel of the boiler. Then the front cover is unscrewed, which closes the combustion chamber. It is recommended to cover the nozzles with a sheet of thick paper to prevent the burner from becoming clogged by falling soot. Do-it-yourself cleaning of the heat exchanger of a double-circuit boiler is done using an old toothbrush or a brush with metal bristles. After cleaning is completed, you need to sweep the heat exchanger with a brush and carefully remove the paper with the collected soot. See the video below to see how the procedure is performed.

Flushing a single-circuit and double-circuit gas boiler

Flushing the heat exchanger of a gas boiler is necessary to remove internal deposits that can disrupt the normal circulation of the coolant in the heating system and cause problems with the supply of hot water to the local hot water system. Also, deposits may contain substances that destroy metal.

How often this activity needs to be performed depends on the type of coolant. If purified water circulates in the system, it is enough to carry out preventive maintenance once every four years, removing deposits. A system with antifreeze should be flushed every two years and the coolant should be changed regularly - under the influence of high temperatures, it changes properties over time and can become dangerous for the metal elements of the system.

How to flush the heat exchanger of a gas boiler?

Washing the heat exchanger of a gas boiler with your own hands is carried out mechanically or chemically, and the second option is more effective.

Mechanical method. In this case, remove the heat exchanger to clean it manually. Dismantling this part is a troublesome task, the complexity of which depends on the design of the specific boiler model. In any case, the result of mechanical flushing is lower than that of chemical flushing.


Mechanical method for descaling a heat exchanger

Chemical method. Allows you to wash your boiler without dismantling the heat exchanger, but requires the use of special equipment - a booster.

You can install it yourself:

  • a washing solution is poured into a tank with a volume of 15-20 liters;
  • Hoses connected to the heat exchanger pipes are lowered into the tank;
  • the boiler turns on for heating (it is necessary to maintain a stable temperature of about 50 degrees);
  • a circulation pump (preferably reversible) should be connected to the assembled system, which will force the flushing solution to pass through the heat exchanger.
  • If you additionally install a mesh filter on the supply hose, mechanical impurities will not be cycled through the heat exchanger.
Note! From time to time, switch the system to move in the opposite direction using a reversing pump, or simply by swapping hoses. The heating of the boiler is turned off.

Before connecting the equipment for flushing, you need to relieve the pressure in the heating system to zero using the Mayevsky tap, drain the coolant from the heat exchanger, and clean the built-in dirt filter of the boiler (if there is one).

Flushing the double-circuit heat exchanger

If the double-circuit unit is equipped with a bimetallic heat generator, which simultaneously heats the coolant and prepares water for hot water supply, then cleaning is carried out according to the method described above, using a booster.

For models with a secondary heat exchanger, this stainless steel part should be removed and washed separately. To dismantle, remove the front panel, unscrew and slide the control unit. The secondary heat exchanger for the gas boiler is bolted to the bottom. It is removed and boiled on the stove in water with citric acid or a special product.

How to flush the heat exchanger of a gas boiler?

Citric acid is a popular folk remedy; the solution is prepared at the rate of 20 g of acid per 1 liter of water, but higher concentrations are allowed. You can also use special products that are safe for metal and seals of the heating system.

In any case, at the final stage of cleaning, clean water should be pumped through the heat exchanger with a booster to remove traces of cleaning agents aggressive to metal, and only then should the unit be put into working condition.

How to perform cleaning and flushing work without removing the heat exchanger using a circulation pump, see the following video.

Symptoms of a clogged built-in filter in the heating system of an Ariston gas boiler are a general drop in temperature and insufficient heating of the coolant, with the burner turning on/off frequently.

The reason is that, due to a clogged filter, the flow of cooled “return” is obstructed and the boiler circulation pump begins to circulate the liquid through the built-in bypass small circle, quickly heating it to the set temperature, which leads to the burner turning off. Then the slowly feeding return dilutes this small amount of heated liquid, the boiler turns on again for heating, quickly heats up, turns off, etc. The overall heating efficiency naturally drops.

Firstly, if the boiler is being used to heat a room, then turn it off and let it cool.

Then turn off the power supply and turn off the heating supply and discharge taps. Remove the front cover, secured from below with 2 screws, by pulling its bottom towards you and lifting it up to remove it from the upper studs. Remove the thermal protection of the combustion chamber, secured with two latches. For convenience, it is better to remove the right wall, it is secured with 4 screws, two on the front part and two from the bottom, move it slightly to the right and back and it can be easily removed. The panel with regulators, pressure gauge and the entire control circuit is hinged and after that we are presented with this view:

The number 1 indicates the overpressure valve.

Number 2 is where the heating filter is installed.

First of all, you need to relieve the pressure; to do this, you need to place a container under the safety valve (a water release tube is visible from the valve to the right) and, holding the valve body with one hand, carefully pull the stem with pliers and hold until the pressure is completely relieved:

Now you can begin dismantling the filter.

The tube is inserted directly into the end of the filter and goes to the pressure gauge.

Latch holding the pressure gauge tube

Filter latch

Putting the handset aside

We take out the filter, it was quite tight,

pulled it out by the ear with pliers, shaking it slightly.

This is the “handsome guy” I ended up with:

And this is it after cleaning with acrylic and Abro oven cleaner:

We assemble in reverse order. What’s great is that the mounting hole and the mating part of the filter are thoughtfully shaped in such a way that the filter cannot be inserted in the wrong position.

Once you know how, it turns out to be nothing complicated, next time I probably won’t even remove the right wall.

Please be careful, this article is not an official guide.