Flushing heater matrix

I'm replacing the radiator on wednesday and want to flush the heater matrix at the same time as the system will be empty to see if it makes a difference in output.

Now as its damn cold here and the garden hose pipe is probably frozen i was wondering if i can use a compressor and blow air through the matrix instead of water...any ideas of whether this is going to destroy the inner workings of the matrix??

Or should i just try and defrost the garden hosepipe and play safe...

Mark

no ideas then....

blown air will flush it a bit, but filling it with that liquid stuff designed for descaling kettles or pipes is much much more effective

Sean said:

blown air will flush it a bit, but filling it with that liquid stuff designed for descaling kettles or pipes is much much more effective

Click to expand...

ok..can see how that'd be effective if the things all clogged up...whats the best way to fill it with de-scaler..i'm thinking that there will be no pressure if i just pour it in through 1 hose, it'll just run back out surely?? Or shall i use the blue peter method and fill an empty washing up bottle and squeeze like mad!!

storm99 said:

ok..can see how that'd be effective if the things all clogged up...whats the best way to fill it wit
h de-scaler..i'm thinking that there will be no pressure if i just pour it in through 1 hose, it'll just run back out surely?? Or shall i use the blue peter method and fill an empty washing up bottle and squeeze like mad!!

Click to expand...

couple of foot of hose on one of the matrix pipes - that can be folded over on itself to stop the fluid coming out (and to aim the fluid away when your done) - and a garden weed sprayer filled with the rad flush/descaler attached to the other

am sure there are better ways to do it but you get the drift