Polypropylene pipes for heating: characteristics, types, installation features and an overview of leading manufacturers

Do-it-yourself heating installation has always required a large amount of knowledge and practical experience in performing this type of work. However, steel piping and cast iron radiators have been replaced by other system components. When using polymer pipelines, the installation of heat supply will be much easier. In order to make heating from polypropylene pipes with your own hands, you need to know the installation rules, schemes, and it is advisable to read the reviews.

Advantages and disadvantages of polypropylene pipes in heating

The choice of this type of material is due to many factors. First of all, it is a relatively simple DIY installation of heating from polypropylene pipes. But you should also take into account their technical and operational properties.

Correctly designed and implemented heating from polypropylene pipes in a private house has many advantages. These include a low heat loss rate. Due to the use of polymers in their manufacture, their thermal conductivity is one of the lowest. This is the determining factor why they prefer to make heating from polypropylene pipes with their own hands.

In addition to this advantage, heat supply from polymer mains has the following qualities:

• Does not corrode... Over time, polypropylene reinforced heating pipes practically do not change the wall thickness. This increases the durability and reliability of the heat supply;
• Not subject to destruction by ultraviolet radiation... This phenomenon can be observed in metal-plastic analogs. But if the manufacturing technology and the composition of the material are followed - German polypropylene pipes for heating can last up to 30 years;
• Smooth inner surface reduces hydraulic resistance in the system. As a result, this affects the heat distribution and the inertia of the heating operation;
• Easy installation technology... A minimum set of tools and accessories will be required. But before that you need to find out how to choose polypropylene pipes for heating;
• Affordable cost... For autonomous heating systems installed independently, this is the determining factor in the choice.

However, even the highest quality polypropylene pipes for heating Rehau have a number of disadvantages. They are inherent in all products from this material and are determined by the initial properties. The large coefficient of thermal expansion affects the installation technology and the choice of accessories. To eliminate it, it is necessary to install compensation loops. The destruction of the material is also possible when oils, paints and other household and building compounds get on its surface.

For a long service life, a heating circuit made of polypropylene pipes must provide for a low-temperature operating mode. Exposure to high temperatures (from + 95 ° C and more) leads to gradual destruction of the polymer surface.

Selection of polypropylene pipes

The choice of a specific model begins with a study of what the marking of polypropylene pipes for heating means.It will allow you to determine the suitability of this material for installation in a heating system with specific technical indicators.

For heating, pipes with a reinforcing layer must be used. It can be made from aluminum foil or fiberglass. The latter is preferred because Kalde polypropylene pipes for heating with fiberglass are easier to install and have a longer service life. In heat supply, it is recommended to use pipes made of PP-R copolymer. It is designed for high temperatures, which is a prerequisite for the maintenance-free functioning of the heating system.

All these data, including the dimensions of polypropylene pipes for heating, can be found from the marking. In addition to these characteristics, it is recommended to pay attention to the following parameters:

• Pressure indicator... It can be recognized from the letter designation PN. The following numbers indicate the maximum allowable pressure. For example, the PN15 model is designed for use in circuits with a maximum pressure of up to 15 bar;
• Diameter and wall thickness... All polypropylene pipes for heating Valtec and other manufacturers are characterized by an outer diameter. Therefore, to calculate the internal indicator, two wall thicknesses should be subtracted;
• Service class... In the marking of polypropylene pipes for heating, this indicator indicates the maximum permissible temperature effect. For autonomous systems, it is recommended to install models with the fifth (up to + 90 ° C) or fourth (up to + 70 ° C) operating class.

Additionally, manufacturers make color coding. So, many models of Rehau polypropylene pipes for heating have blue and red stripes on the surface. This means that they can be used for cold water supply and heating.

The quality of polypropylene products can be determined by their end. If even minimal delamination from the reinforcing layer is observed on it, this indicates a marriage.

Heating schemes from polypropylene pipes

Most often, the installation of a heating system with polypropylene pipes is chosen for heat supply with forced circulation. For this, lines of small diameter are used - from 16 to 24 mm. Although installation options are possible in schemes with gravitational hot water movement.

The main problem in installing heating from polypropylene pipes with a large diameter with your own hands is in the tool. Standard household semi-professional soldering irons are designed for connecting pipes up to 32 mm. In gravitational heat supply, it is recommended to install pipelines with a diameter of about 40 mm. To do this, you will need special equipment, the purchase or rental of which will be impractical.

But despite this, reviews of polypropylene pipes for heating indicate good performance in the following schemes:

• Closed with forced circulation;
• Open with forced circulation;
• Two-pipe and one-pipe;
• Collector.

For each of them, an individual technology for installing a heating system with polypropylene pipes has been developed. It is important to pre-calculate the optimal dimensions of the pipelines, their configuration and wiring diagram. This can be done using software or manually using standard formulas and tabular data.

The term of the maintenance-free heating service from polypropylene pipes in a private house largely depends on the operating conditions. For the above circuits, the use of a low temperature operating mode is recommended. This will provide a minimum load on the surface of the lines.

Also, during the installation of heating from polypropylene pipes with your own hands, you must follow all installation rules. Otherwise, there will be a likelihood of hidden defects that will provoke a breakdown or failure of the heat supply.

For a medium-sized private house, a two-pipe heating scheme made of polypropylene pipes with lower wiring is most often used. It is easy to install and has good thermal distribution characteristics.

Installation of heating from polypropylene pipes

The determining factor in the quality of heat supply is compliance with the installation technology. Even the most expensive polypropylene reinforced heating pipes may not last long enough if the rules were violated during their installation. The minimum set for connecting polypropylene pipes includes a soldering iron with a set of heads, scissors and a device for processing ends. The latter is an obligatory component, since in order to form a reliable welded joint, it is necessary to remove a part of the reinforcing layer at the end of the branch pipe.

The sequence of installing German polypropylene pipes for heating:

1. After purchase, they should lie for some time in a room with a temperature of + 15 ° C to + 20 ° C.
2. According to the drawn up scheme, nozzles of a certain length are cut.
3. Degrease the ends before soldering. Short-term exposure to Kalde polypropylene pipes for heating with acetone or industrial alcohol is allowed.
4. By heating the mirror of the welding machine to the desired temperature, the ends of the fitting and the branch pipe are inserted into the nozzles. At this stage, it is important that the dimensions of the polypropylene pipes for heating correspond to the nozzles. Temperature exposure is also necessary for a strictly defined time.
5. When the polymer surface softens, you can install the pipe into the fitting. It is important not to rotate the connection until it has cooled down completely.

You can determine the optimal welding time for Valtec polypropylene pipes for heating according to the manufacturer's recommendations. It depends on the diameter of the product, as well as the wall thickness. If it is difficult to find out this information, you can use the data from the table.

The step of their fastening depends on the choice of polypropylene pipes for heating. For products with a diameter of 16 to 25 mm, it can be 60 cm. If pipes of 40 mm are used in heat supply, the recommended step is 110 cm. On straight sections with a length of more than 1.5 m. compensation loops are installed. They are necessary to relieve surface stress after installing heat supply from polypropylene pipes with your own hands during the operation of the system.

Concealed installation in grooves is not recommended. In this case, upon completion of the installation of the heat supply system with polypropylene pipes, there is a high probability of breakdown, since external pressure will appear when the surface expands.

Manufacturers of polypropylene heating pipes

One of the indicators of the quality of heat supply from polypropylene pipes in a private house is the manufacturer. The manufacturing technology of this product is rather laborious. But the appearance of a large number of low-quality pipes indicates the expansion of the "gray" production market.

During the selection, you should pay attention to a few details. First of all, this is the presence of marking of polypropylene pipes for heat supply. In addition to the technical parameters, the manufacturer must be indicated on it, as well as the regulatory document according to which the product was manufactured. But experienced craftsmen first of all recognize the trademark, and then check whether the polypropylene reinforced pipes for heat supply are a fake.

Currently, there are several manufacturers whose products are completely trustworthy and differ from the rest in quality. Despite the fact that this is more characteristic of German polypropylene pipes for heating, there are high-quality products of domestic manufacturers on the market.

Rehau polypropylene pipes

Currently, Rehau polypropylene pipes for heat supply are the sales leader. For a long time, the German company has earned the image of a reliable manufacturer, whose products meet modern quality standards. Therefore, when planning the installation of heating from polypropylene pipes with their own hands, they most often opt for this brand.

For heat supply, the company offers the following models of polymer pipes:

• Rautitan pink... A universal option for any type of heating. A distinctive feature is pink;
• Flex... This model is adapted for the selection of polypropylene pipes in heating with a maximum pressure of up to 10 atm;
• His... The pipes can be used for heat supply with water temperatures up to + 70 ° С, as well as for hot water supply.

Additionally, Rehau manufactures a series of professional installation tools.

Kalde polypropylene pipes

The Turkish company Kalde has recently appeared on the domestic market. But a responsible attitude to quality and a fairly large range of products allowed her to gain confidence. For the organization of heating, the following models of Kalde polypropylene pipes for heating can be purchased:

• Reinforced with aluminum foil... Belong to the economy category. But despite the more than democratic cost, the marriage rate is low;
• Fiberglass reinforced... Designed for use in high temperature systems ..

A distinctive feature is the use of PP-b grade polypropylene in the manufacture. In reviews of polypropylene pipes for heating from this manufacturer, it was indicated that integrity is maintained even when the water freezes.

Valtec polypropylene pipes for heating

From the very beginning of its production activity, the Italian company Valtec has focused on the versatility of its products. But this was done taking into account the world requirements for quality and operating conditions. As a result, Valtec polypropylene heating pipes have a seven-year warranty.

Basic models for installation in a heating system:

• PP-FIBER PN 20... Designed for use in systems with nominal pressures up to 6 bar. The maximum hot water temperature can be + 90 ° С;
• PP-FIBER PN 25. It differs from the one described above only by a higher maximum pressure - 9 bar at the same coolant temperature.

Pipes from this company can be used for heating in production. Their surface has increased protection against the influence of many chemical components.

Reviews about heating with polypropylene pipelines

Often, reviews about polypropylene pipes for heat supply make it possible to find out the intricacies of installation and operation. That is why it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with their content before purchasing and installing:

• I thought for a long time on what scheme to install polypropylene pipes in a one-room apartment. As a result, I will focus on the option with strobes. It is good that they were warned in time that they cannot be plastered after installation. First you need to blow out with polyurethane foam. It must compensate for thermal expansion;
• I always thought that the main advantage of polypropylene pipes is their installation. But after I installed them instead of steel ones, there were fears in the operation of the heating. I have an old solid fuel boiler that sometimes heats up the water a lot. Friends advised to put the mixer on the supply and return pipes so that the plastic would not melt;
• Remember that you cannot install polypropylene pipes on the boiler inlet. We decided to do the editing ourselves and made this mistake. After the first start of heating, the pipe “leaked”. As it turned out later, a steel pipe with a length of 1 m and more is installed first, and then a polypropylene one.

Polypropylene pipes are the most common option for arranging heating, both in private houses and in apartments.In order for the heat supply system to work without failures and breakdowns, it is necessary to follow all installation rules, select the appropriate model of a polypropylene pipe.

In the video, you can familiarize yourself with the test method for polypropylene pipes for heating: