Hot water supplied to apartments through central heating systems needs to be cleaned before use. Heating systems are steel pipelines, which, under the influence of high temperature and water, begin to gradually corrode. Rust particles and weld seams get into the hot water. Plus, to the negative factors, you can add scale, which covers the walls of the pipes and comes off in small plates. A filter can fix this problem.
Hot water filters
Purely structurally, filters for hot water are no different from devices for cold water supply. But their designs use materials that can withstand high temperatures and not corrode. The devices are made of stainless steel, cast iron (general house filters) or heat-resistant plastic.
Cartridge-type constructions also use stainless steel or polymer compounds, which do not change their technical characteristics under the influence of temperatures.
Varieties of filters
Mainly in apartments and private houses, flow-through main filters for hot water are installed. They got their name only because they cut right into the water pipe - into the supply line. They are presented on the market in two modifications:
- mesh;
- cartridge.
The devices differ from each other by the filter element. In the first case, it is a grid rolled into a cylinder and placed in a flask. In the second, it is a polymer fiber cartridge, which is enclosed in a cylindrical perforated body. The latter is placed in the flask of the device.
Mesh
The devices belong to the category of filters for coarse cleaning of hot water. With their help, large mechanical impurities are delayed. Usually these devices are installed at the entrance to an apartment or house in front of a hot water meter. Thus, the water meter is immediately protected.
The simplest version is a model in which there is a cavity where a mesh in the form of a cylinder is installed. But at the same time, it closes the flow of water with its upper part. Such filters are called mud collectors, because all impurities captured by the filter element settle to the bottom of this cavity, where dirt is formed. The cavity can be perpendicular to the main duct or at an angle.
The second type is flask. The upper part with the main duct cuts into the hot water supply pipe. A flask is screwed onto it from below vertically along the thread, into which a mesh cylinder is installed.
Flask devices require frequent cleaning of the flask and rinsing of the filter element, which is a lot of trouble. Therefore, manufacturers began to offer self-cleaning designs. They differ from the standard ones in that a faucet is installed on the branch pipe at the bottom of the flask. To flush the sieve cylinder and release the mud, it is necessary to open the faucet, through which dirty water begins to flow. The flask will begin to fill with clean water. The more liquid passes through the mesh, the cleaner it will become. To facilitate the cleaning procedure, the tap is connected with a hose to the sewage system.
Manufacturers offer self-cleaning models with automatic cleaning. They work from the pressure difference inside the device. As soon as the mesh becomes clogged with mechanical particles, water will not pass through it well.In the supply pipe, the pressure will immediately decrease, and, accordingly, the pressure. The tap will open itself against the pressure drop, and the filter will be flushed.
Strainer filters are simple in design but work efficiently. Their service life is quite long. In addition, the mesh can always be washed.
Cartridge
This type can be classified as fine filters for hot water, because the devices trap even the smallest particles. It all depends on the filter element, its density, but many manufacturers guarantee a sufficiently high degree of purification. They use polymer fibers as a filter element, which do not react in any way to water and high temperature. The only drawback of such devices is the impossibility of flushing the cartridges. If it is clogged, and this is easy to recognize by the drop in pressure and volume of water, it is simply changed to a new one.
Hot water cartridge filters can be installed at the entrance to an apartment or house, in front of the meter. To do this, it is better to purchase models with a low density of polymer fibers. Installation can be carried out directly in front of the consumer. For this, it is better to use models with a dense filter element. Typically, these modifications are installed in bathrooms in front of washing machines.
Installation features
The installation of filters for hot water is no different from the installation of other type of flow models. The connection is made through American women - removable threaded couplings. This is a convenient option because there is always a need for replacement or repair.
The installation process itself is based on welding one part of the American women to the hot water pipe. The second part is screwed into the pipe of the filter itself, after which the device inserted between the two ends of the pipe is connected to them using parts of the couplings screwed into each other. The main task of the contractor is to accurately transfer the length between the ends of oppositely located pipes to the hot water pipeline. This parameter is in the product passport, you do not need to measure anything.
Other requirements:
- free access to the filter, nothing should interfere with cleaning, repairing or replacing the device;
- flask structures must be attached to the wall with two self-tapping screws for plastic dowels;
- the vertical position of the flask is an important condition that ensures the correct operation of the filter;
- the volume of the flask and the diameter of the connecting pipes are matched to the diameter of the mounted hot water supply pipe.
All sections of the connection are sealed. To screw the American woman into the nozzles of the device, use a fum tape. Rubber gaskets are installed between the parts of the couplings.
Criterias of choice
The choice will depend on the quality of the hot water flowing through the pipes, and what requirements the owners of the apartment will impose on it. If the water is hard, it is better to purchase a filter with an additional softening function.
The second criterion is power or bandwidth. To do this, the number of occupants must be multiplied by the standard value of hot water consumption. This parameter is equal to 5-8 liters per day.
The third criterion is the availability of a quality certificate. Many buyers neglect this document. However, its presence is a quality guarantee that confirms the authenticity of the product. It's good if the package includes a warranty card.
