Methods for flushing pipes and radiators of a heating system: description of methods, their advantages and features

During the entire period of operation, dirt accumulates in the pipes and radiators of the heating system. They negatively affect performance and can lead to serious problems. Therefore, a question arises before the owner - how and with what to flush the heating system of the house: radiators, radiators, pipes? After all, the quality of the entire heat supply at home will depend on this.

Reasons for clogged heating pipes

The water contains many additional components. Most of all, iron, calcium and magnesium predominate. When exposed to relatively high temperatures, they are released in the form of small fractions, which settle on the inner surface of pipes and radiators.

Therefore, before rinsing aluminum radiators, you need to find out the nature of the pollution. In addition to calcium and magnesium deposits, oxide deposits can form due to natural rusting of the metal components of the heating system. The optimum cleaning technology is selected depending on the nature of the contamination.

Typically, the composition of the plaque includes the following elements:

• Iron oxides. In a system with steel piping and radiators, they can account for up to 25% of the total plaque;
• Deposits of calcium and magnesium - up to 60%;
• Copper, sulfur and zinc oxides - up to 15%.

Since the heating radiator in the apartment should be rinsed only after a preliminary analysis of the nature of the pollution, it is recommended to first take a sample of the plaque. To do this, you can dismantle part of the pipeline. In practice, this is not always done, especially for heating systems installed relatively recently.

The frequency of flushing the heating system depends on the composition of the coolant, the temperature regime of operation, as well as on the materials for the manufacture of pipes and radiators.

Heating system diagnostics

How to flush an aluminum radiator and when should it be done? First of all, it is necessary to determine the appropriateness of the procedure for cleaning the system. It depends on several factors that can be independently identified.

The main sign of the relevance of solving the issue of how to flush the heating system in an apartment building is the uneven heat transfer of radiators. Those. in some areas the heating temperature is correct, while in others it is not. The relevance of flushing heating batteries can be determined by touch (which is not entirely correct) or using a thermal imager and chiseled thermometers.

Since it is possible to flush the heating system in a private house only after comparing its current indicators with the required ones, you should check the pressure in different parts of the circuit. In places where pipes and radiators are blocked, the wire diameter decreases, which entails pressure surges. This is also one of the mandatory cleaning factors.

What other external signs can indicate the presence of a blockage?

• Increased noise level. It is a consequence of a change in the volume of hot water passing through different sections of the system;
• Frequent actuation of the safety group - air vent and drain valve.

Having found out that it is necessary to flush the heating system in a private house, you should choose the right technology. It depends on the material of manufacture of pipes and radiators.

Regardless of the above signs, the heating system must be cleaned at least once every 5-6 seasons of operation.

Methods for flushing the heating system

Before flushing the heating system, you should choose the best way to clean pipes and radiators from blockages. One of the problems is the density of scale, which most often has a homogeneous structure, located on the inner surface of heating devices.

Therefore, before rinsing the cast-iron heating radiator, this deposit should be destroyed by breaking it into separate small-sized components. They are then removed from the heating using a flow of liquid. This process becomes more complicated if the components of the heating system are made of various materials - metal, polymers. Traditional chemical cleaning can damage some of them. Therefore, it is advisable to choose a method of mechanical action on the scale.

Hydrodynamic heating flushing

This is one of the most time consuming methods of removing contamination. Its essence lies in the effect of a shock wave of water on sediments. This requires special pumping equipment, nozzles and a fluid supply hose.

The hydrodynamic method can only be used for pipelines or radiators with a simple arrangement of water channels. How to flush long-distance heating pipes? The use of chemical compositions will not be economically beneficial due to the significant volume of the system. Therefore, in such cases, the scale is removed mechanically.

This procedure is carried out according to the following scheme:

1. The coolant is removed from the lines.
2. Areas for flushing the heating system in an apartment building or cottage are determined.
3. A piece of pipe is dismantled and a hose with a nozzle is introduced into the line.
4. Pressurized water is supplied, which destroys scale.

The system is then filled with water and rinsed several times to remove scale residues. Before this, all internal filters must be dismantled. So that dirt particles do not remain in the system.

But how to flush radiators if their internal configuration has a complex shape? The above method is not effective in this case. Therefore, you need to choose another, alternative.

For heating with a short length of mains, the hydrodynamic method can be advisable only in the presence of large solid deposits on the surface of pipes and radiators.

Heating chemical flushing

Flushing heating radiators in an apartment is best done with the help of chemicals. They act on scale, breaking it down and crushing it into small components.

To flush the heating system in a private house, it is necessary to choose the right composition. Some of them can destroy aluminum or polymer pipes. Therefore, before purchasing, you should read the instructions from the manufacturer.

For self-cleaning of the heating, you will need a pump and a container for liquid. These devices are connected to the line with the help of branch pipes. This can be done both on a separate site and on the entire system as a whole. For many chemicals, it is necessary to first dilute the composition with water. After completing the preparatory stage, the procedure for flushing the heating system in a private house is carried out according to the following scheme:

1. Draining the coolant from the network.
2. Filling the tank of the treatment plant with the prepared chemical composition.
3. Turning on the pump and filling the pipelines and batteries with cleaning liquid.
4. It usually takes 2-3 hours of exposure to the composition for the destruction and dissolution of scale.
5. Reusable circulation of fluid in the system. It is carried out until deposits are observed in the filter of the container.

After flushing the aluminum radiator and pipes, the system is cleaned with water to remove chemicals. Then the heating is pressed and checked for tightness.

The cost of cleaning products for aluminum heating batteries depends on the composition and manufacturer. For a small system, it is recommended to purchase a ready-made liquid, and for stand-alone systems - a concentrate, which must be diluted with water.

If there was antifreeze in the system - before chemical cleaning, you must first rinse the pipes with water 2-3 times.

Pulse pneumatic heating flushing

With its help, you can rinse aluminum radiators without fear of destroying their surface. This is a relatively new method that requires specialized equipment and operational experience.

The principle of cleaning heating batteries consists in a short-term impulse effect on the hydraulic medium - water. This creates a pressure of up to 12 atm, with a shock wave speed of about 1400 m / sec. This will be enough to flush the heating system, regardless of its configuration. This technique allows you to remove plaque in long lines without dismantling individual components.

However, before flushing the heating radiator, you must familiarize yourself with the features of impulse hydraulic cleaning:

• The maximum pipe diameter is 4 inches;
• The blockage is effectively removed even at a distance of 60 meters from the installation of the impact ram;
• Virtually no effect on the integrity of heating installation units - fittings, threaded and welded joints.

To flush a cast-iron heating radiator in an apartment building, you must first shut off the flow of coolant in this section of the line. This can be done without the permission of the management company if there is a bypass in the battery piping. Then a hydraulic ram is installed in one of the nozzles and several cleaning cycles are performed.

Timely flushing of the heating radiator will increase its heat transfer by 20-25%. Those. will actually restore this indicator to the standardized factory one.

Self cleaning heating

Can I rinse heating pipes with my own hands? To do this, you will need to conduct a preliminary analysis of the degree of contamination of the highway. Most of the scale forms in the zone of maximum thermal impact - in the pipelines closest to the boiler. This is where most often aluminum radiators need to be cleaned.

If the system has not been cleaned for 15-20 years, it is recommended to dismantle the radiators, as well as the boiler heat exchanger. In this way, you can most effectively flush the heating system in a private house. You do not need to remove the pipes for this - it is enough to temporarily dismantle the batteries.

Then you should choose equipment for washing the heating system. Since this procedure is rarely performed (once every 5-6 years), it is best to rent a pumping station. During the cleaning process, you will need to drain the contaminated water. For temporary storage, use an airtight container. This is important when flushing cast-iron radiators, in which scale accumulates most of all during operation.

Then the tank is filled with the already diluted concentrate of the cleaning liquid. The pump connections are connected to the battery, and several circulations of the cleaner are performed. They continue until there are no scale components in the filter.A similar scheme for flushing heating in a private house is carried out in the summer - during this period there is no coolant in the system.

After flushing the heating pipes, it is recommended to check the condition of the connecting elements - threaded or clamped fittings. They may also have rust or plaque. If cleaning is not possible, replace the component with a new one.

The video shows an example of flushing a heating system in a public building.