MagnaClean Professional 2 Filter Review, Price & Advice
If you are looking to clean and maintain your central heating system, the MagnaClean Professional 2 boiler filter could be the answer.
Below we’re going to cover everything you need to know about the Pro 2 filter, and whether it’s the right one for your heating system.
MagnaClean Professional 2: How It Works
Before we get into our MagnaClean Professional 2 review, have a quick look at the demo video from Adey which shows exactly how effective these filters are.
Over 1.5 million people have Adey filters installed in their homes; for good reason. The Pro 2 magnetic filter will remove iron oxide, the main cause of heating sludge, from your central heating.
Iron oxide is essentially rust that forms over years on the inside of pipework and radiators. Over time, this can block radiator valves, or even worse, break important and expensive parts in your boiler.
Sludge works fast on your boiler
We’ve seen this heating sludge block up ridiculously expensive parts including pumps and heat exchangers. The problem is, once these blockages occur, they create a whole host of other problems.
As an example, a blocked heat exchanger is going to overheat quickly. This usually ends in the heat exchanger cracking. Not only is a replacement going to be needed (costing over £400), the crack is going to leak. And, that leak is going to cause damage to even more boiler parts!
The same goes for the pump. A blocked up is likely to blow its seals. This creates a leak that can end up dripping on electrical components like the PCB.
Therefore, most reputable installers will recommend fitting a Professional 2 with every new boiler installation.
It doesn’t just improve efficiency of boilers, it ensures that no costly problems occur within the central heating system.
MagnaClean Pro 2 Price
The MagnaClean Professional 2 to is priced similarly to equivalent products from brands such as Fernox.
For those looking for a filter only, expect to pay just under £100 (at time of writing). Chemical packs tend to be approximately £25 more than the filter only from most suppliers.
It’s always worth going for the chemical pack. These packs include the chemicals needed to break down heating sludge to a point where the filter can catch them.
Online Reviews
If you’ve been looking at cheap boiler filters, you’ll have noticed one of two things:
- They have no online reviews
- The online reviews are poor
And, this is where the Maganclean Professional 2 beats them hands down, proving it’s a high-quality product. The Pro 2 has dozens of positive online reviews from happy customers.
Pro 2 Features
MagnaClean are constantly upgrading their filters. The new Pro 2 includes:
- Upgraded valves to improve reliability
- Compact size making it suitable for tight installation areas
- Small drain valve to improve access
- Improved filtering using twin reverse flow
Filter Size
Like most MagnaClean system filters, the Professional 2 is available with 22mm or 28mm fittings.
The different sizes on offer for the Professional 2 don’t relate to the amount of heating sludge they’re going to catch. The size you require will depend on the piping to the boiler. So, if you have 22mm pipework, you’ll need a 22mm Pro 2.
There’s a big difference in price between sizes, so it’s worth making sure you buy the right one!
Filter Installation Cost
Unfortunately, most people think the installation cost of a MagnaClean is less than an hour’s labour. Installation cost will depend on:
- Access to pipework
- Size of pipework
- Time to drain and refill the system
As a ball park figure, expect to pay upwards of £100 (labour only).
Why You Need a MagnaClean Professional 2 Filter
Magnetic system filters have been increasing in popularity over the last few years. In fact, many boiler manufacturers insist on a filter such as the MagnaClean Pro 2 being installed for them to honour boiler warranties.
Central heating sludge is one of the biggest killer of heating systems. It can cause a whole host of problems such as:
- Radiators not heating up correctly, or at all
- Strange noises coming from the boiler (usually a sign of sludge passing through and putting excess strain on components)
- The flow on the boiler is hot, but the return is cold (water isn’t passing through the heating circuit correctly)
- The list goes on…
The fact is, a MagnaClean Professional 2 can help with these problems. Once installed, it will start to remove sludge from the heating system. Most boiler engineers will be prepared to clean out a system filter as part of an annual boiler service.
Why Not Buy A MagnaClean Micro?
We get a lot of questions regarding the difference between the Professional 2, and the Magnaclean Micro. The difference here isn’t that one’s designed for a large heating system, and one for a small heating system.
The difference lies in the size of the filter’s body. The bigger the body of the filter, the more heating sludge it will catch. Once a filter is full, it can no longer catch any more heating sludge. As the Micro is a smaller bodied filter, we’d always suggest going for the Pro 2.
Where To Install A MagnaClean
If you’ve already purchased your Professional 2 system filter, you need to get it installed.
System filters need to be fitted on the “return” side of the boiler’s pipework. The return is water travelling back to the boiler after going through towel rails, radiators and copper pipe work.
Essentially, the filter catches any debris in the water BEFORE it gets to the boiler. If you were to fit your Professional 2 on the “flow” (hot water leaving the boiler), the heating sludge that causes damage (and that the Pro 2 is designed to catch) passes through your boiler before it’s caught (that’s bad news).
MagnaClean Pro 2 Review Verdict
There are certainly cheaper system filters out there. Some of the lesser known brands sell filters for as little as £60.
The question is, are they reliable? Do they protect the heating system as well as a MagnaClean or Fernox filter? My guess, is probably not.
And remember, even small heating systems can contain a lot of sludge. Personally, I’d rather spend the extra and get the Pro 2, ensuring all of this sludge is caught.