How to fix a leak in heating batteries

Central heating in an apartment and autonomous heating in a private house is a valuable system for a person, thanks to which life has become much easier and more comfortable. There is no need to monitor the hearth and constantly refuel it. However, besides the invoice for payment, these systems have a serious drawback - inevitable breakdowns, the consequences of which can reach catastrophic proportions. Nevertheless, if the heating battery leaks, this is not a tragedy yet. Knowing what to do in such cases, you can quickly and easily deal with the problem. You can fix the situation with your own hands, without spending money on hired plumbers.

The main types of breakdowns of heating batteries

In order to correctly and reliably eliminate a leak in a pipe or in a radiator, you need to know and understand well the nature of the occurrence of such a phenomenon.

The formation of cracks and holes occurs for the following reasons:

• metal corrosion that occurs when black iron comes into contact with oxygen present in air and water;
• the use of low-quality material when assembling the structure;
• water hammer, the consequence of which is the appearance of cracks;
• wear of gaskets installed at joints and in places of threaded connections;
• mechanical damage associated with a strong impact with a hard object during the repair or movement of household appliances;
• violation of assembly and welding technology during installation.

All these prerequisites lead to the appearance of breakdowns of this nature:

• Radiator slots. Such malfunctions are the most unpleasant, as they appear in difficult, sometimes inaccessible places. Sometimes several ribs or the entire product are covered with water. Most often, the heating battery flows at the joints of the sections. This is due to the drying out of the gasket or increased pressure in the pipeline. Less commonly, holes are formed in the case. The reason for this lies in a manufacturing defect, which cannot be identified at the installation stage, since the defect manifests itself over time.
• Through cracks in pipes. Are the result of poor-quality welding or factory defects. Most often they occur at the seams of the strapping pipes, at their junction with each other and with the riser. Often the problem arises due to electrolytic corrosion, when property owners close zero or ground from household appliances to the heating circuit.
• Freezing or overheating of the pipeline. A common problem for country houses and summer cottages, sometimes arising in the urban sector. Expanding upon freezing, water tears apart the metal, leaving cracks of various widths and lengths on it. You may not immediately notice them, but when the water thaws, the defect will immediately appear. When overheated, thermal expansion of iron occurs. If communications have nowhere to move, in weak places they collapse, burst or crack.
• Cracks in the joints of batteries and pipes. Leakage occurs due to a violation of the tightness of the connection. The most common cause is metal corrosion as a result of the welded joint. Sometimes the hole is formed due to the inexperience or carelessness of the craftsman, who left a thin layer of metal on the seams. The problem of leakage may be in the wrong choice of the location of the load-bearing anchors, when mechanical stresses arise due to the skew.The pipe often leaks after people stand on it or heavy objects are suspended.

Knowing the causes of problems with heating communications, you should prepare in advance to eliminate pipe leaks, so a breakdown can occur at any time.

Problem solving materials and tools

The presence of a minimum set of household tools and consumables allows you to repair leaky pipes, radiators and risers.

The list of tools and devices required for solving emergency situations:

• pliers, adjustable wrench, pliers;
• grinder, puncher, screwdriver, welding machine;
• scissors;
• metal brush;
• tools for making threads;
• calipers;
• aluminum wire;
• old bicycle camera;
• steel clamps.

When a battery or piping is leaking, a large volume of water can flow out of the holes. In constant readiness you need to have rags and containers for its emergency collection. In addition, you should purchase a construction mask and thick silicone gloves to avoid burns and cuts.

If a pipe, cast iron or aluminum radiator is leaking, you can use one of the following troubleshooting methods:

• Self-tapping bolt. An effective option for sealing small holes and a shape close to a circle. Consideration should be given to the type of metal in which the hole was formed. The bolt will fit perfectly into steel and aluminum, but not into cast iron, which is fragile. A hole is drilled under the self-tapping screw, then with a plastic washer inserted, it is screwed into the damaged fragment. The advantage of this solution is that it is feasible even when the system is under pressure and in working order.
  
• Rubber strip with wire or clamp. Also a repair option without shutting off the water supply. The advantages of the method are that it does not require any preparation or preliminary steps. It is necessary to wrap the rubber tightly around the hole several times, and then fix it with clamps or thick wire. Instead of rubber, you can use FUM tape, which almost every home craftsman has. The result of the work will not be the most aesthetic, but the problem will be solved. The pads will last until the end of the heating season, after which you can change the faulty fragment or carry out professional repairs.
• Cement-plaster cast. This method is only applicable for a drained heating circuit. It is necessary to knead a solution of cement, gypsum and water in a 1: 1: 1 ratio. An ordinary medical bandage is immersed in it and, after swelling, is wrapped around a pipe or joint in a radiator. To achieve sufficient strength and tightness, at least 10 turns must be made. It usually takes 30-40 minutes for the mixture to harden.
• Fabric impregnated with heat and water resistant glue. The method is similar to that described above. You can buy such glue at any hardware store. If not done beforehand, epoxy can be used. A two-component solution is mixed in a ratio of 10: 1, after which it is dipped into it, a cloth or bandage is impregnated, and then wrapped around the damaged area. Depending on the brand of resin, it completely hardens within 15-120 minutes.
• Special sealant. There are universal compositions, as well as those designed for a specific metal. If the heating pipe leaks, you can cover it with sealant after draining the system or a separate section. The plastic glue is kneaded until soft and then pressed into the hole. Then, with the help of a thin sharp object, the part of the substance that is inside the pipe is expanded so that it covers the edges of the gap. After that, another layer of glue is applied and given the desired shape.The polymer cork hardens in a matter of minutes, the material is waterproof, resistant to chemically active substances and high temperatures. This method is so effective that if you seal the water pipe with sealant, it may not be repaired until the end of the heating system's life.
• Welding. This method is the most reliable, but not always available and applicable. Leaks often occur in places inaccessible to the electrode. Not every house and apartment has a welding machine. Another difficulty is that you need to have on hand material for a patch of a certain size and configuration. Before sealing the hole with welding, the metal around it must be cleaned of paint and rust. Otherwise, the connection will turn out to be leaky and will leak.

Since leaks are detected only during powering up the system and during the heating season, you should be prepared for the development of events during this period.

Procedure for repairing a leak

Since there are many reasons for the occurrence of leaks in the elements of the heating system, there is simply no universal way to eliminate them. You need to choose an option quickly, since a large volume of spilled water is fraught with serious consequences not only for the interior and decoration of the room, but also for the apartments located below in a multi-storey building.

It is recommended to adhere to the following procedure:

1. Localize the leak. Substitute a bowl or saucepan under the stream immediately. If the jet beats upward or to the side, you need to throw a cloth over the hole, and bring its edge into the tank. Throw as much fabric as possible on the floor so that it absorbs the liquid. If there is a threat of flooding electrical devices, raise them to a high place - a sofa, a shelf, a window sill. After that, liquid spilled on the floor is urgently collected. For this, rags, scoops, basins, buckets, a washing vacuum cleaner are used. To reduce heat and remove steam to improve visibility, open a window and create a draft.
2. Shut off the water. In a private mansion, this is easy to do - just go down to the basement and turn off the water tap. In a multi-storey building, this is more difficult to do, since the plumber or the person in charge may not be in place. In such cases, if water is poured out of the system in a large volume, you need to make a responsible decision - knock down the lock from the door, get into the basement and block the emergency riser. It is not difficult to find it, focusing on the distance from the front door. If the equipment is new and has pressure gauges, the correct pipe can be found at a lower pressure reading. In any case, such a decision is justified - it is better for people to sit for several hours with cold batteries in one room than to be flooded.
3. Elimination of malfunction. The repair method can be local or global. If the damage is insignificant, it is eliminated by minor intervention - a bandage is applied to the pipe, a screw is screwed in or a wooden chopik is driven into the hole. When the gap is so large that it is not possible to eliminate it with improvised means, it will be necessary to drain the water, carry out a local replacement of individual sections or the entire internal wiring.

Correct and prompt response to a heating leak will save time, nerves and money for residents of an emergency apartment and their neighbors at the entrance.

DIY elimination

Even with the knowledge of liquidating leaks and a complete set of equipment necessary for this, it is not always possible to apply your skills in practice in full.

Often it is not possible to shut off and drain the water.An example is simple - a powerful steel door leads to the basement, the plumber has the key, and he left for a weekend in a neighboring city or region.

There is only one way out - to work under pressure and under the influence of critically hot water. Initially, you need to organize the collection of water into the container from the hole and effective ventilation. Then you should take measures to protect the skin, eyes and breathing from hot water and steam. Waterproof winter hiking clothing is a great help.

After putting on protective clothing, you can start working. Choose a self-tapping screw with a silicone washer, a rubber wrap or a wooden wedge.

If you managed to stop the water and drain the faulty area, you can fix it without welding. There are many ways to do this: wrapping a cloth soaked in a sealing solution, rivets, a self-tapping screw, a polymer plug. The choice depends on the period allocated for the repair.