Many city dwellers are familiar with the situation when, after the beginning of the heating season, the long-awaited heat in the house is not observed. At the same time, the neighbors say that they have a fever. It is not Energosbyt that is to blame for such a situation, but the people who made mistakes when installing or replacing heating radiators in the apartment. The situation is not easy, unpleasant, but quite solvable. In most cases, to stop freezing, you need to change the batteries or the central riser that runs through the floors. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account a number of nuances associated with the technical and legal side of this issue.
Who should change the batteries in the apartment
Replacing heating batteries in an apartment of a multi-storey building is an event that requires careful preparation. In accordance with current legislation, one of its stages is to find out information regarding the ownership of the heating circuit. In most cases, the system, unless a private autonomous boiler is installed, is a public property, with which it is prohibited to perform any independent actions, with the exception of air bleeding.
If in doubt, you should write an application to the management company and wait for the expert opinion. It is carried out by studying construction and technical documentation and inspection of communications.
Based on the survey conducted, conclusions of the following direction are drawn:
- The way of servicing the premises in the apartment and their relation to the general network.
- The presence or absence of a separate riser, which is designed to heat only one property.
If the housing is supplied autonomously, the owner has the right to replace the heating on his own. When it comes to part of the general communication, repair and installation of radiators can only be carried out by a master who has the right to access shut-off and control valves.
Why you might need a replacement
In most cases, the lack of heat during the heating period is associated with faults in communications and heating elements. To get confirmation of this, you need to go to the neighbors or go down to the basement. The hand will immediately feel the difference in temperature.
Reasons for replacing heating batteries:
- Clogged canals with dirt and debris. Foreign bodies appear in pipes after repairs on the heating main by an open method.
- Limescale deposits. This phenomenon is typical for buildings and communications, the age of which is several decades. The narrowed channels slow down the movement of the coolant and it cools down quickly.
- The need to change the design of the room, which does not fit the old heating equipment - untidy cast iron products covered with several layers of peeling paint.
- Appeared leak. This is a hazardous phenomenon that indicates corrosion and wear of the metal or the beginning of the destruction of the gaskets. An immediate replacement of heating radiators is required, since the hole can quickly increase and massive flooding of neighbors will occur.
- For prevention purposes. Heating elements should be changed regularly in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
It is recommended that you contact a professional contractor to replace radiators. You can install batteries yourself only if you have the necessary skills and equipment to carry out this procedure.
Tools and materials required for replacement
To replace obsolete heating equipment, you must have at your disposal a set of tools and devices that will be required to remove, repair and install heaters.
For work you will need:
- gas wrench;
- welding machine;
- plumbing pliers;
- a hammer;
- core;
- puncher;
- grinder with a cutting disc for metal;
- taps and dies for threading;
- soldering iron for welding polypropylene pipes;
- scissors for cutting sections made of PPR;
- roulette;
- level;
- marker;
- construction gloves;
- protective glasses;
- respirator.
To install new heating equipment, you need to purchase:
- radiators approved by the management company;
- brackets for hanging batteries;
- Ball Valves;
- Mayevsky taps for removing air plugs;
- stubs;
- tow or FUM tape;
- pipes meeting technical specifications;
- set of fittings for wiring.
Since the change of heaters is accompanied by a spill of water, you should stock up on rags for emergency collection. This will prevent unpleasant situations with damage to the flooring or flooding of neighbors.
Self-removal of radiators
Before removing old equipment, you should consider the issue of the advisability of replacing the internal wiring. Pipes can become clogged with limescale and dirt, especially at joints and bends. Instead, it is advisable to install modern polypropylene sections.
Removing the batteries is carried out in the following sequence.
- Unscrewing threaded connections at the radiator inlet. If the joint does not lend itself, it can be heated with a burner. If the product is to be disposed of, it is simply cut off the pipe.
- The battery is carefully removed from the brackets. To facilitate further transportation, it must be drained of water. Throwing away the dismantled element is not worth it, since it can be profitably handed over for scrap at the railway collection point.
- Pipes are cut at a distance of 15-20 cm from the riser. At the ends, a thread is made to which the transition fittings for plastic wiring are screwed.
- To improve the heat transfer of the heaters, foil foam is attached to the opening where they will hang. The base is preliminarily cleaned of debris and primed. This will ensure an even distribution of the flow of heated air throughout the volume of the room.
When cutting and welding metal, it is recommended to protect walls and floors with plywood or cardboard boards soaked in water. Sparks can damage the finish and cause a fire.
Installing new batteries
Before you start installing new heating equipment, you should take the dismantled products out of the room so that they do not interfere with work. The floors must be covered with a dense material so as not to scratch them with the sharp edges of the heaters.
Further work is carried out in the following sequence:
- Marking for mounting brackets. The distances are indicated in the instructions supplied with the products. The vertical and horizontal lines are verified using a level.
- Drilling holes. Plastic dowels are inserted into them and holders are screwed in. Here you need to maintain an exact distance to the wall so that the heaters become precisely and firmly in the grooves.
- Hanging radiators on brackets. If the choice is made in favor of cast iron products, it is better to invite an assistant, since the batteries are very heavy.
- Making wiring. Depending on the material chosen, metal welding or a soldering iron for polypropylene is used for this.Before entering the radiator, be sure to put a ball valve.
- Manufacturing of squeegees, attaching them to inlet and outlet openings. After that, the entire system is assembled and looped back.
- Installation of the Mayevsky crane. This is done on the upper floors where the riser ends. The replaceable part is screwed in place of the plug on the opposite top of the battery from the inset. The valve is needed to bleed air after powering the system.
- Fastening caps. They are placed in the unused ends of the radiators, making them airtight. To achieve greater reliability, it is worth winding tow or FUM tape on the thread.
It is recommended to carry out an initial check even before the water supply to avoid an emergency. To do this, use a brush and soapy water. Swelling bubbles will indicate the presence of poor-quality joints. Such assemblies need to be redone and re-inspected.
What time to carry out work
It is allowed to replace fragments of the heating system during the spring-autumn period, after the water is drained from the pipeline. At this time, the repair work will not cause any trouble to others. After all the measures have been taken, the tightness of the circuit is checked using special equipment by injecting compressed air into the riser and monitoring the maintenance of constant pressure in it. This service is paid, but the damage from flooding of neighbors can be hundreds of times more expensive.
Since the activities of utilities are scheduled months in advance, an application for the provision of special services must be submitted in advance. Otherwise, you will have to replace the heating devices yourself, without permission, at your own peril and risk. It should be borne in mind that in the event of an emergency, you will have to pay for repairs to neighbors and a fine from the management company.
Is it possible to replace without disconnecting the riser
In accordance with current regulations, batteries may only be changed during the off-season. But no one can guarantee that an emergency situation will not occur during the heating season.
Options for action in such cases:
- There is a ball valve in front of the entrance. The water flow is shut off, after which you can safely unscrew the radiator from the supply and return. Then it is repaired or replaced with a new product.
- There are no ball valves. The riser overlaps, the water is drained. The pipes are cut off, shut-off valves are screwed to them. Water is supplied to the riser, the owner of the apartment in a calm atmosphere replaces the faulty battery.
In all cases, your actions must be coordinated with representatives of the management company. It is forbidden to independently interfere with the operation of the general heating system.
Procedure time
If you have the necessary equipment and experience in handling it, you can replace heating devices quickly and efficiently.
Calculation for one product:
- drafting a project - 10 minutes;
- cutting off feed and return - 5 min;
- removal and removal of the old radiator - 5 minutes;
- installation of a heat shield - 15 min;
- mounting brackets - 10-15 minutes;
- assembly of a circuit with a ball valve - 40-60 min;
- fastening the Mayevsky crane - 5 min;
- connection of the wiring - 10 min;
- assembly quality check - 10 min.
It will take no more than 2.5 hours to replace the battery in one room. For repairs in a standard kopeck piece, 8 hours will be enough, taking into account the lunch break.
