Repair and maintenance instructions for heating systems

Repairing a heating system is an expensive, complex, but necessary procedure. It must be carried out regularly, at regular intervals, both in a city apartment and in private real estate. If you do not pay attention to this design, over time it will begin to malfunction until it comes into an emergency condition. The drop in pressure and temperature is just the beginning. The most sad consequences are manifested in leaks and pipeline breaks. This is dangerous to health and is fraught with large material costs. The volume of repairs to the heating system is determined by its age, degree of wear and damage. Based on the diagnostics carried out, a decision is made on local or capital intervention.

Types of repairs

The specifics of repairing a heating system in a private and apartment building differs in many ways. First of all, these are the size of the structure and ownership. Then the number of auxiliary and control devices is taken into account. The owner of a summer cottage or a country mansion can stop the system at any time and perform routine maintenance with his own hands, regardless of deadlines. If it is required to repair heating in an apartment in a high-rise building, these actions must be coordinated with the board and the management company. Moreover, in most cases only specialists can carry out system maintenance.

Planned repair

Scheduled work on the heating system is carried out in accordance with the schedule. The document is developed taking into account the material from which the communications are assembled, the chemical composition and purity of the coolant, the intensity of the system's operation. Depending on the available factors, scheduled repairs are carried out at intervals of 10-20 years.

This activity may include the following works:

• minor repairs of electric heating boilers;
• restoration of cast iron batteries;
• elimination of leaks;
• replacement of gaskets, couplings, taps and valves;
• flushing pipes;
• cleaning of radiators.

Regular procedures are carried out after the end of the heating season so as not to cause discomfort to the residents of the building. In cold weather, the system can be stopped only in case of massive malfunctions or the appearance of prerequisites for the occurrence of emergency situations.

Scheduled repairs can be carried out by the staff of the house management plumbers, but the testing and commissioning work is carried out by the specialists of the energy company.

Major overhaul

Major repairs are carried out as needed, sometimes 40-50 years after the building was put into operation. The frequency is determined by the degree of wear and tear of heating devices, equipment and communications. This event involves a partial or complete replacement of contour parts, in some cases with a change in the design wiring diagram.

In the process, heating batteries are being repaired or modern productive products are being installed.

In addition, the following parts of the system can be replaced:

• common risers;
• separate emergency sections;
• valves;
• control sensors;
• centrifugal pumps;
• expansion tanks.

Repair of electric boilers is carried out if there is a deterioration in the heating of the premises. The products have a complex structure, so it is advisable to invite specialists to restore them.

DIY equipment and materials

Having made the decision to repair the heating with your own hands, you need to correctly and competently prepare for this event.

To work, you will need the following tools:

• grinder, perforator, soldering iron for plastic pipes, screwdriver, welding machine;
• tape measure, square, level;
• plumbing pliers, adjustable gas wrench, core;
• devices for cutting internal and external threads;
• a hammer;
• cable with a brush;
• ladder;
• marker.

The list can be more or less depending on the type and volume of the upcoming repair. To protect the skin, eyes and breathing, it is recommended to wear glasses, gloves and a gauze bandage.

List of required materials:

• pipe clamps;
• sandpaper;
• cold welding;
• tow;
• FUM tape;
• acetone;
• rags.

Since some of the water will remain in the system after draining, you need to prepare buckets and basins for emptying radiators, rags to collect spilled liquid from the floor.

Heating repair manual

Without interfering with the general heating system, the owner of the apartment can independently carry out a number of measures to improve its work within the limits of his property.

You should start by repairing cast iron heating radiators. These products have a large volume, due to which the circulation rate in them is low, and this leads to the formation of sludge. Over time, it thickens, is deposited in the ribs, closes the channels. It is faster to change batteries, but it is quite expensive.

The restoration of old cast-iron radiators is carried out in the following sequence:

1. If there are taps in front of them, place them in the closed position.
2. Unscrew the connecting nut. As a rule, this cannot be done immediately. Strong heat is used to loosen the connection.
3. Remove the battery from the brackets, drain the water from it.
4. Carry out initial mechanical cleaning from the inside. After removing the hard deposits, seal the holes with plugs and pour 10% citric acid solution inside.
5. Soak for 30-40 minutes, drain the liquid, check the result. Repeat the procedure if necessary.
6. Remove old paint from outside. To do this, use a wash, a manual sandblaster or a grinder with a metal brush.
7. If intersection gaskets are leaking, replace them.
8. Paint the radiator with acrylic heat-resistant paint, wait until it dries completely.
9. Hang the battery in place, connect to the pipes.

While the radiator is with acid and dries after staining, you can do the strapping. Horizontal spans are often clogged with dirt and limescale. Getting rid of deposits is easy. To do this, you need to take a cable with a brush, insert it into the pipe and start moving it until a hole in the riser is reached. To achieve the best effect and speed up cleaning, a household detergent with an abrasive is added to the brush. The achieved result is checked visually using a flashlight for illumination.

Quite often, due to corrosion or poor-quality welding, leaks occur in pipes and radiator housings. These phenomena cannot be ignored, since the holes will constantly increase.

In such cases, proceed as follows:

1. Cut off the water, drain the problem area. Sometimes you have to temporarily dismantle it.
2. Remove paint around the hole to metal. Extend the gap with a thin drill. Check that no rust remains. Degrease the material with acetone.
3. Close up the hole.To do this, you can use mastic or a rivet with a silicone washer. If there is welding it is better to make a metal patch.

If there is neither sealant nor rivets at hand, the hole is closed with a clamp, under which dense rubber is placed. This method is unaesthetic, but the clamp will do its job by the end of the heating season. After draining the water from the system, you need to carry out a high-quality repair.

Improving room heating

Quite often, property owners have to deal with an insufficient level of heating of premises in severe frosts.

You can increase the efficiency of the heating system by installing the following products:

1. Centrifugal pump. You need to install it at the exit by inserting it into the feed.
2. Copper pipes with better heat dissipation.
3. Electric or water heat-insulated floor.

In some cases, it is necessary to change the piping scheme using the two-pipe option.

Stages of repairing heating systems

When starting to repair a heating system, you need to have a clear, thoughtful and technically sound plan.

The event itself consists of the following stages:

1. Cutting off the supply and draining of water from the system.
2. Checking the condition of the circuit by external inspection of devices, communications and joints.
3. Dismantling of radiators and obsolete pipes.
4. Electric boiler repair.
5. Calculations and purchase of new materials.
6. Marking.
7. Installing new batteries.
8. Installation of a new piping, connection and loop closure.

Finally, the system is checked for performance. This is done independently or with the assistance of specialists.

Hydraulic tests

Hydraulic tests of the heating system (pressure testing) are planned and control measures designed to check the reliability of heat exchange equipment. This action is carried out in order to detect potentially dangerous leaks in terms of components, equipment and communication sections. Hydraulic tests should be performed before the start of the heating season, after the end of the scheduled or major overhaul of the system.

During the check, water is pumped into the pipes, air is vented. Then, using a pump with a pressure gauge, a pressure of 2-6 atm is created in the circuit, which is higher than the nominal one. Signs of a problem are leaks and water droplets at the joints. After elimination of defects, the test is repeated. A prerequisite is the use of hot water, the temperature of which corresponds to or higher than the calculated one. The thermal check shows the true readiness of the circuit for operation.