Deterioration in heating performance can be due to several factors. One of them is airiness - the appearance of voids inside pipes and radiators. At the same time, the circulation of the coolant becomes more difficult, the efficiency decreases significantly and the risk of breakdowns increases. How to remove an airlock from the heating system on your own? To do this, you need to find out the main factors in the appearance of such a defect.
Causes of air congestion
A formed air lock in the radiator can occur for a number of reasons. The main one is the coolant leak. Even a small decrease in the volume of water in the system entails the formation of air gaps in pipes and radiators.
In addition, one should not forget that water is characterized by the degree of oxygen saturation. During heating, not only expansion occurs, but also the release of steam. It can concentrate at the high points of the line. Most often, an air lock in a heating radiator is formed precisely because of this. After the coolant cools down, its volume decreases, the resulting space is occupied by air. During the operation of the system, in order to avoid the occurrence of these phenomena, the following recommendations must be adhered to:
- Compliance with the level of the arrangement of pipes and heating devices. Even a slight distortion of the battery will pose the question for the owner - how to expel the airlock from the heating system;
- Use of system elements, the material of which does not allow oxygen molecules to pass through. The most common mistake is to install XLPE pipes without a protective sheath;
- Compliance with heating operating modes. This applies to both the operating temperature curve and the pressure. For this, manometers and thermometers should be mounted on critical sections of the line;
- For closed systems, it is recommended to install an automatic coolant make-up. In the event of a decrease in even a small amount of water due to leakage or evaporation, this mechanism will add the required volume of coolant automatically.
But how to break through the heating plug if it has already formed? First you need to find. A clear sign of its appearance will be a sharp drop in temperature in a certain place of the pipeline or radiator. Characteristic sounds will also appear - gurgling and fluid overflow. Light tapping will help you find the exact location of the defect. At this point, the metal will make slightly higher sounds than when it is completely filled with water.
If it is necessary to avoid a situation in which it will be difficult to remove the formed air lock from the heating pipes, it is recommended to install a separator after the boiler. This device reduces the gas content in the water.
Methods for eliminating air congestion
Before removing an airlock in heating, you need to find out its properties. The main one is the density, which will always be lower than the same indicator of water. Accordingly, the liquid will displace the air up and in the direction of circulation.
Consequently, steam must be released to remove airiness. To do this, you should install special devices - air vents and Mayevsky taps. They work on the principle of a check valve.When a certain pressure is exceeded, steam acts on the valve seat. The stem moves, releasing air from the radiator or pipe. After the pressure is normalized under the action of the spring, the stem returns to the old position.
An air lock in a cast iron or aluminum radiator can damage the housing. Therefore, if such a situation arises, you need to immediately solve the problem.
Mayevsky crane
It is designed to eliminate the air lock in the radiator. Despite its small size, the Mayevsky crane contributes to the effective removal of accumulated steam not only in radiators, but also in pipes.
Structurally, it is a needle valve enclosed in a metal body. How to remove an air lock from a heating system using it? First you need to decide on the model of the device.
Manual cranes
After installation in the upper radiator pipe, air is released after turning the union nut on the tap. Removing an airlock from the heating system using a Mayevsky manual valve is performed as follows:
- Filling the system with a coolant. At the same time, the valves on the radiators are closed;
- When the maximum level is reached, the water supply stops;
- Having installed the required gap of the needle limiter in the devices, the taps are opened;
- At the same time, the supply of the heating medium is resumed.
Water is added to the system until liquid begins to flow from all Mayevsky taps. The absence of an air stream must be checked. This method is effective for removing an air lock in heating radiators when the system is first started up, before the season, or when air becomes airy during operation.
Manual models will effectively eliminate the airlock in the radiator for both autonomous and central heating. The main thing is to choose the right mounting thread. In most cases it is 1/2 ", but there are also models with a non-standard 3/4" size.
Automatic taps
Unlike the above-described model, in their design, a seat with a certain surface area is installed on the end face of the needle valve. In combination with a return spring, the degree of compression of which determines the critical pressure value at which the valve opens. The detailed device is designed to automatically break through a plug in heating when the critical temperature value is exceeded and, as a result, pressure.
However, before installation, you should familiarize yourself with the specifics of the operation of this model:
- To prevent the ingress of water on the floor, the structure must provide a branch pipe for draining excess water into the sewer;
- If the valve is stagnant for a long time, the valve seat may become covered with limescale, which will make it difficult to open. Therefore, it is recommended to open the tap manually once every 2-3 months. The steps of the procedure must be done before the first heating start;
- The set maximum opening pressure should not exceed the critical value of the entire system. In order to remove the airlock from the heating in automatic mode, the pressure value on the tap must be less than the maximum by 5-10%.
Which is better to install: an automatic or manual Mayevsky crane? If the operation of the system does not provide for sudden pressure surges, manual models can be put on the radiators. For autonomous heating, preference is given to automatic ones.
It is best to choose models made of brass. During the expulsion of the airlock from the heating, they can withstand not only the critical value of pressure, but also temperature. The steel body is susceptible to deterioration and rusting.
Heating air vent
But in addition to radiators, situations often arise when it is required to expel the airlock from the heating system in the pipes.To do this, it is necessary to install air vents in certain sections of the line. Their design is in many ways similar to those described by Mayevsky's automatic cranes. However, there are significant differences - they are designed for the largest volume of exhaust air and are not installed horizontally, but vertically.
In order to remove the formed air lock from the heating system, you first need to install air vents in the right places:
- At the highest point of the highway. For an open system, this is only possible if a sealed expansion vessel is installed on the return pipe;
- In collector heating - on each comb;
- For tee wiring - in front of each branching point of the line.
After installation, it is necessary to correctly set the pressure value at which the air vent will work. To remove the air lock from the heating system, coolant is pumped into the pipes until the air vent on the return line is activated.
Removing the airlock in the autonomous heating, you need to reduce the temperature of the coolant to a minimum. This will reduce the volume of water and help you troubleshoot more effectively.
In combination with the functional qualities of Mayevsky's cranes, this makes it possible to effectively break through any plug in the heating. It is important that the response parameters of the devices do not exceed the critical pressure value. Otherwise, the security of the system may be at risk.
The video shows an example of venting a heating radiator:
