If it is necessary to replace hot and cold water supply pipes in an apartment, the landlord often faces some difficulties. It is necessary to resolve the issue with the neighbors in the riser, figure out the sequence of work, coordinate the repair with the management company and find an intelligent master. Or do it yourself. With the right approach, all hiccups can be easily resolved.
The main reasons for replacing water pipes in an apartment
More often, major repairs in the bathrooms of apartment buildings are carried out for the following reasons:
- Excessive wear on old cast iron or steel pipes. As a rule, they are replete with rust, fistulas, and drips.
- Clogged system. This often happens if the riser is old, overgrown with metal salts from the inside. Under mechanical stress, pieces of growths block the lumen of the pipe. As a result, the water pressure becomes minimal.
- The desire to make redevelopment in the bathroom.
- Replacing an open pipe layout with a hidden one.
In general, there are two types of pipeline - sequential and collector, in which pipes are diverted from a common riser to each plumbing fixture.
Preparatory work
When replacing pipes yourself and installing water meters, you need to thoroughly prepare:
- Coordinate the work with the management company (ZhEK). If the risers are replaced with water, it is necessary at least to invite a regular plumber to block the communication from the first to the last floor. Ideally, it is the employees of the management company that carry out the repair of common building communications at the expense of the condominiums.
- Agree on the performance of noisy work with neighbors or notify them in writing. It is better to carry out repairs on a weekday from 10:00 to 15:00 in order to minimize discomfort for all residents of the riser from the inability to use water.
- Decide on the type of pipeline layout. Pre-draw up a diagram with the necessary measurements.
- Prepare all the necessary tools and materials.
- Provide access to old communications - if necessary, remove the toilet, if it is planned to replace the sewer, sink, washing machine.
At the preparatory stage, it is advisable to decide on the type of pipe material. It is better if it is polypropylene. It withstands the effects of temperature extremes well, is resistant to aggressive environments, and has a perfectly smooth inner surface.
Required tools and materials
To carry out repair work with your own hands, you need to prepare;
- pipe cutter;
- grinder;
- hacksaw for metal;
- sledgehammer;
- construction pencil, tape measure;
- puncher (for hidden wiring);
- new pipes and all necessary fittings in accordance with the communication plan;
- silicone sealant;
- welding machine for polypropylene.
It is better to buy pipes with a small margin in case of unforeseen situations.
Pipe replacement stages
Work on changing the pipeline to cold and hot water is performed in the following sequence:
- Shut off the supply of resources along the riser.
- They begin to dismantle old communications. Metal pipes are cut at the top and bottom points, retreating 15 cm from the ceiling and floor. If the neighbors above / below do the repairs, they do the same.Then the remnants of the risers in the floors are knocked out with a sledgehammer or simply pushed out / unscrewed. In the same way, they cut off all the old pipes from the riser to the bathroom and toilet. All the old stuff is taken out into the street. The site for the installation of a new communication is freed from debris.
- It is necessary to apply markings on the walls or floor in accordance with the drawn up diagram.
- If hidden wiring is provided, strobes are made using a puncher.
- As soon as everything is ready for the installation of new pipes, the installation of risers begins. From the bottom up to the neighbor, a new piece of pipe is driven into the ceiling. It is joined in the upper part with the old metal using a transition fitting.
- The next section of the tube is mounted so that the riser from the lower neighbor is docked in the master's apartment at a level of 10 cm from the floor. The same is done in the apartment on the floor below.
- After installing the risers, they begin wiring around the bathroom and beyond. To do this, a piece of pipe is cut out at the desired level and a tee (adapter) is mounted there. The work is carried out using a special soldering iron (welding machine) for polypropylene.
- A water meter is installed immediately at the inlet from the riser. A coarse filter must be placed in front of it. After it, there is a check valve.
- After the installed nodes, pipes are bred according to the plan to each plumbing point.
- All horizontal and vertical lines should be fixed to the wall with clamps. The step of their location is 70-100 cm.
Before you measure the desired piece of pipe, you need to take into account that each fitting will lengthen it by several centimeters. Therefore, the calculations should be carried out with a correction for the length of the connecting elements.
Once the system is completely ready, it is checked for leaks. If there are no leaks anywhere, the repair has been carried out correctly.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Often inexperienced craftsmen make mistakes when installing a cold / hot water supply system made of polypropylene or HDPE / PVC. It is worth paying attention to such moments:
- In no case do the wiring using threaded connections with the hidden type. Such communications need open access. Only welded communications can be embedded in a screed or concrete.
- All fittings are placed in such a way that in the event of an emergency, they can be quickly accessed and the necessary repairs carried out. That is, they do not install couplings, adapters in the corners, etc.
- Do not use PVC or metal-plastic pipes for hot water. Constant temperature drops will quickly disable communication. It is better to take PP products.
- When buying polypropylene pipes for hot water and cold water supply, it is worth taking products marked PN20. They are versatile, while PN10 tubes are only suitable for cold water. If you need reinforced elements for the heating system, it is better to take tubes with PN25 marking.
- It is advisable with a hidden type of wiring, it is imperative to draw up an accurate diagram and save it. Useful in case of an emergency or the next repair.
- When installing new pipes, a coarse filter must be installed. It prevents blockages in household appliances and faucet.
These important points will help you avoid pitiable mistakes when performing repair work.
At whose expense should the water pipes be replaced in the apartment
According to the law of the Russian Federation, all communications up to the entrance valve to the apartment are common buildings. Therefore, the Management Company (condominium or housing office) is responsible for their performance and condition. The repair of these parts of the communication is carried out at the expense of the named organizations. In addition, residents of the house make payments for water, and they include "maintenance and repair costs." There is a similar column in every payment order.
At his own expense, the owner of the apartment can replace only those pipes that already leave the valve for the apartment.
Cost of work
If you invite specialists to carry out repairs in the plumbing room, the cost of replacing water pipes with polypropylene (other plastic) pipes will depend on the following factors:
- type of wiring (serial or collector);
- number of plumbing fixtures (labor intensity of the process);
- hidden / open communication.
On average, in the Moscow region, the cost of replacing a pipeline for water starts at 5,000 rubles per apartment. Prices may vary depending on the distance from the center to the periphery of the capital. It will be cheaper to change communications if you unite with neighbors in the riser.
