How to descale a hot water

system manually
Why is descaling important?
The damaging effects that limescale can have on
the lifespan of a boiler and the energy efficiency of a
central heating system are significant. Part L of the
Building Regulations stipulates that where mains hard
water exceeds 200 ppm, feed water to water heaters
and the hot water circuit of combination boilers must
be chemically treated to reduce the rate of limescale
accumulation.

What should be done?

Limescale prevention
An effective method of treating water to avoid the buildup of limescale is to install a Frys Scale Reducer. An
Electrolytic Scale Reducer will provide whole house
protection, while a Magnetic Scale Reducer is suitable
for single appliances. Both products can be easily
connected directly onto 15 mm horizontal or vertical
pipe work using compression fittings.

After this, turn on the boiler and/or immersion heater

and heat the acid solution in the hot water cylinder
to 50-60C. Maintain this temperature for at least four
hours, opening all hot water taps briefly every 10-15
minutes to allow half to one pint of acid solution to run
into a plastic container.
Finally, turn off the boiler and immersion heater, and
drain the hot water system completely, bailing out
any residual water from the cold water storage tank.
Release the ball valve of the cold water storage tank
and thoroughly rinse the entire hot water supply system,
opening all hot water taps. Where applicable the cold
water system should also be rinsed, as some acid may
have entered via the cold water storage tank.

Limescale removal
Where limescale has already built up it can be removed
from a hot water system, including the storage cylinder,
immersion heater, pipe work and taps using Fernox
DS-3 Cleaner.
After turning off the boiler and/or immersion heater, tieup the ball valve or isolate the mains water supply to the
cold water storage tank. Then open all hot water taps
before draining the entire system, and close the taps
again afterwards.
Having dissolved the Fernox DS-3 in warm water at the
maximum concentration of 1 kg per 10 litres of water,
introduce the solution into the cold water storage tank
either via a funnel connected to rubber or plastic tubing
or directly, if the cold water storage tank serves the hot
water cylinder only. Refill the system until the water level
in the cold water storage tank just covers the cylinder
feed connection.

www.fernox.com