Replacing the heating system in an apartment: useful recommendations

Over time, any heating system deteriorates and heats the room much worse. This is especially critical for old houses. In most of them, the pipes and radiators are cast iron; in many places they have become corroded and are beginning to leak. Or they have become clogged with salt deposits during operation and are unable to provide the necessary heat transfer and transfer of coolant in the required volume. It is in such conditions that replacement of heating risers, pipes and radiators is required.

Replacement of heating risers, pipes and radiators

Heating devices: replacement procedure

Replacing a battery requires knowledge of the law and your own civil rights.

Where should I contact?

In the event of an accident, you must urgently notify the housing office, informing about the fact of the breakthrough. If it happened at night, then call the 24-hour emergency service number.

It is advisable to record, either on video or in photos, the fact of flooding, as well as the state in which the apartment has become. The housing office does not like to make payments for repair costs, trying to prove that the owner is at fault.

In the event of an accident, the owner decides who to invite for repairs: specialists from the housing office or private owners. The price tag for these specialists is approximately the same. Here is a comparison table:

Sample applications

There are two types of applications you can submit:

1. With a request to change the radiator.
2. With a request to turn off the riser and water drainage. An application for replacing heating batteries in an apartment is required in order to obtain permission and agree on the time of work, and the second application is required for the purpose of carrying out the necessary work.

These statements do not have a regulated form of preparation, therefore they are written in an arbitrary manner, signed by the applicant, namely:

• in the upper right corner you must indicate: information about the official, the name and legal address of the management company. Then indicate the applicant’s name (full name, address, contacts);
• Write the name of the document in the center of the sheet: “Application”. Below is a detailed description of the problem. It is useful to refer to legal norms/government regulations;
• It is useful to attach a photo/video as evidence. To do this, under the text of the application, you need to write the word: “Appendix”, then list all the attached materials;
• You must indicate the date below and sign it.

The application must be accompanied by:

• document of ownership of housing;
• the applicant's identity card with a copy;
• apartment plan with layout and designation of the heating system.

The Housing Office secretary is obliged to accept the papers, assigning them a registration number. The application is considered for a month from the date of its submission. The housing office must inform the applicant in writing about the results of the review.

Price

The cost of replacing heating appliances through the housing office depends on the region: in the capital the price will be much more expensive than in the provinces. Here is the average price range for battery replacement:

• turning off water in risers - from 500 to 1,700 rubles;
• price for replacing a radiator (excluding the price of batteries) – from 4,000 to 6,000 rubles;
• emergency radiator (which is leaking, if there is a conclusion about it) - replaced free of charge by submitting an application to the management company;
• for one battery the plumber will ask from 3,000 to 6,000 rubles. This includes: pipe replacement, welding, installation.

Floor insulation for hidden wiring

Removing heating pipes out of sight is tempting from an aesthetic point of view. To prevent hidden heating wiring from subsequently causing the righteous anger of heating engineers with accompanying sanctions, it is advisable to prepare the floor accordingly. If the decorative flooring is laid on joists and additional floor insulation is not required, then the pipes are simply laid between the joists, and removable access hatches are installed above their connections.

Otherwise, the pipes must be laid in the floor. Methods for floor insulation are described in the corresponding article, and for this case we can recommend the following:

• We lay pipes.
• We form an additional warm screed from foam concrete. We fence the pipe connections until the concrete hardens with boards according to the required dimensions (see at the end).
• We lay 12-18 mm plywood flooring directly over the warm screed, gluing the joints with liquid nails or assembly adhesive. We cut out openings in the plywood above the pipe joints.
• We restore the finished flooring. We cut out the hatches for access to the pipes larger than the openings in the plywood - they will simply be removed.

Note: It is advisable to use sheets of tongue-and-groove plywood. But if there are no wild parties in the apartment, you can also install a simple one - it is much cheaper.

The second method is somewhat more expensive, but it is easier to work with and provides access to the pipes along their entire length. To do this, we use foam concrete or aerated concrete slabs with cement-sand mortar as a warm screed. The rest is the same.

How to choose a material for connecting a radiator

As we said earlier, different types of materials are currently used to replace radiators. Before replacing heating radiators, you need to decide which connection option will be used - welding, polypropylene or metal-plastic pipes.

Connecting batteries with metal-plastic pipes

Almost 95% of all radiator connections in apartments in our country are made through metal-plastic pipelines. Welding or polypropylene are not so popular due to the fact that metal-plastic is distinguished by its reliability, durability and high level of tightness. In addition, this option looks very neat and beautiful and fits well into the interior of the apartment.

System testing is the key to reliable operation

For personal safety and high-quality operation of the heating system with updated radiators in the apartment, it is necessary to test the equipment after completing all installation work. To do this, you should agree with those people who drained the water from the system, so that after completion of the work they will immediately release it under pressure.

However, it is important to remember that in most cases, the heating system is completely filled only during general start-up, when the pressure reaches 2-4 atm. If any defects are discovered during the tests, they must be eliminated as soon as possible.

When do you need to change pipes?

The laying of new communications is carried out in a number of cases, these are:

• blockage that has arisen due to a decrease in clearance inside, the formation of a layer of rust, limescale, while the coolant flows through the communications less intensively, which can affect their temperature, since the pressure in the heating pipes increases;
• communications are dismantled if hidden installation is planned; in this case, there may be no malfunctions in the operation of the heating system; all that is required is the transfer of pipes from the surface of vertical structures to prepared recesses;
• violation of the integrity of the pipeline, which contributed to the flooding of the premises; the cause may be an installation error or rusting of the metal;
• changing the layout of the room during renovation; in this case, communications are moved.

It is often recommended to remove old batteries along with the pipes. Metal products become unusable as a result of prolonged use.

Which radiator is better?

Among all the radiators that are sold in the store, choose the one that you would like to see in your room. It should fit into the interior, perhaps even be its exclusive part. Next, consider its characteristics.

The choice of radiators can be based on the following indicators:

• where are you going to install;
• radiator type;
• material;
• power;
• operating pressure;
• sectional or monolithic panel;
• exotic appearance;
• price.

You can choose such a radiator to suit your interior

Cast iron radiators last a long time, but they are heavy, initially require overhaul and replacement of gaskets, take a long time to heat up and have poor heat transfer. They cost not much less than bimetallic ones.

Bimetallic and aluminum radiators make no difference from a practical point of view. The operating pressure, even in high-rise buildings, does not exceed 10-12 atm and such radiators can easily withstand it. Look in the passport - the manufacturer indicates the working pressure and testing pressure, which is not less than 15 atm. This applies to houses with a riser system.

Heating radiators and their calculation

Many people know in general terms how heating works in an apartment building. Very often you see cast iron batteries in apartments connected to a centralized system. Such radiators are not suitable for autonomous heating in an apartment. They have too large a capacity, so you have to heat a lot of water. And besides, cast iron also takes a long time to warm up. Therefore, when using cast iron batteries, there will be excessive gas consumption, and as a result, large financial costs.

When making heating repairs in an apartment, you should pay attention to radiators made of other materials. Experts recommend installing modern batteries made of steel, aluminum or bimetal (read: “How to install heating radiators in an apartment - a short guide”).

All of them are suitable for low pressure heating systems (this is typical for small water circuits) and can also withstand high temperatures. If necessary, you can even combine radiators and a “warm floor” system in one circuit. As for how to improve heating in an apartment, it is recommended to install aluminum radiators. But they are quite difficult to operate (read: “Heating in an apartment: diagrams and features of the project”). If the content of alkalis in the water is high, it is necessary to add neutralizers to the system. It is also unacceptable for copper to enter the circuit, since the interaction of this metal with aluminum leads to their oxidation and, accordingly, destruction. In addition, aluminum radiators are not affordable for everyone.

Before purchasing radiators, you need to calculate the required power and number of sections.

If the question arises about how to make the apartment warm, then this stage should be given special attention.

To calculate the number of sections in a radiator, you can use the formula Sх100/P if the ceiling height is no more than 3 meters. The area of ​​the room is designated by the letter S, and the rated power of one section is P. Typically, the power of a section is 180-200 W. The number 100 is the required number of watts per square meter of area. The result is denoted, for example, by the letter K.

If a do-it-yourself apartment heating system involves the use of panel radiators that are not divided into sections, then a different formula is used for calculations. In this case, you will have to calculate the power and size of the batteries. The formula looks like this: P=Vx41. The initial power is denoted by the letter P, the volume of the room is V. The number 41 is the number of Watts required to heat one “square” of area.

For example calculations, you can take a room with a height of 2.7 meters and an area of ​​15 “squares”. This means V=2.7x15=40.5. Now it’s time to calculate the power of the radiator. The resulting formula is as follows: P=Vx41=40.5x41=1660.5. Since there are no heating devices of such power, it is worth choosing a radiator with an indicator of 1.5 kW.

After completing the calculations, you can buy radiators. Heating distribution in the apartment should occur according to a well-designed scheme.

Galvanized and metal-plastic pipes for heating

One of the most common materials is galvanized pipe. At the same time, it must be coated with a layer of zinc not only on the outside, but also on the inside. You can verify this even by visual inspection. Why do you need to choose this particular pipe? This will give you confidence that the pipe will not rust after the first heating season, and deposits will not form on its walls.

Experienced plumbers know many examples that when such pipes were opened after several years of operation, the inside was in the same condition as after purchase. In addition, such a pipe is able to withstand all temperature and pressure changes that will occur in the heating network. The only drawback of such pipes is the labor-intensive process of processing and installation. Since from the very beginning we decided that the replacement of pipes would take place without the use of a welding machine, we would have to cut a large number of threaded connections ourselves to be able to install fittings, and during the work, carefully monitor the coincidence of the sizes of the pipes and pipes.

You can do it even simpler and install metal-plastic pipes everywhere. Such pipes are in high demand today due to their low cost, long service life, strength, and ability to withstand high temperatures and pressure. The smooth inner surface of the pipe does not give any chance for various deposits to stick to its walls. For installation you will need a special soldering iron with various attachments and all the necessary tools for such a case. Buying a device or, as it is called in a professional environment, an iron, is completely unnecessary for a one-time job; you can simply rent it for the duration of the work.

And how to do it

But leaving aside for now the questions of who should do what and be responsible for what, let’s consider purely technically how it is possible, for example, to replace old pipes with plastic ones. This will allow you to remove worn-out pipes clogged with deposits, installing new ones, and thus help solve the problem of how to increase the heat transfer of a heating pipe - due to the passage of more coolant.

In this case, what your neighbors have will be critical for completing the work. If the neighbors above have already replaced the metal riser pipe with a polypropylene one, then you should install the same one.

It is best if you can agree with them on the possibility of connecting to their junction. In this case, you are dismantling the heating in the apartment, i.e. cut out all the old pipes, cut out an adapter from plastic to metal from a neighbor, determine locally the required length of pipes that need to be laid. Then the metal scrap is pulled out from the ceiling, a propylene pipe is inserted in its place and soldered through a propylene coupling to the neighbor’s pipe.

In cases where your neighbors have metal left and they do not allow you to make a joint at their place in order to go through the ceiling, you will have to cut your pipe under the ceiling and cut a thread on its remains. A transition coupling for polypropylene is placed on it, and the corresponding pipe is already connected to it.

If you want the heating replacement in the apartment to be complete, i.e. If you are planning to replace radiators, then you need to start work with them.

There are quite a lot of them, and of very different types, but regardless of this, there are general rules, the implementation of which will allow you to get a good result:

• all radiators in the apartment must be placed equally, on the same level;
• the battery must be positioned strictly vertically;
• its top should be five cm below the window sill and six cm above the floor;
• when attaching a radiator, there should be one mounting bracket per square meter of its surface;
• the front surface of the battery should protrude beyond the edge of the window sill.

What's behind this?

However, not everything is as simple as it looks at first glance. Technically, replacing heating risers is quite simple. The question is: do you have the right to do this? And who will be responsible for the consequences. And there is another problem - how will replacing the heating riser in the apartment (yours) relate to what the neighbors did (above and below).

In any case, it is quite difficult to find an unambiguous solution. Everything will depend on the specific management company (MC) and the locksmith, as well as your persistence and determination to resist the management company’s attacks. According to current regulatory documents and regulations, in-house heating, which includes: risers, heating elements, shut-off and control equipment, is classified as common property.

Central heating riser in the basement of a multi-storey building

Therefore, you have already paid for its maintenance, including the replacement of heating pipes in the apartment, as part of your monthly payments under the heading “general household expenses”. This is where the main contradiction arises - you yourself do not have the right to do anything, and the management company will not do anything at its own expense. Any alteration or replacement of heating pipes is met with hostility, and in the best case, you will be asked to do it at your own expense.

True, there is one nuance here. If there is a shut-off valve at the outlet from the common house riser, then everything located behind it is already your property; if there is no such tap, then it is common property, and it is managed either by the management company or the general meeting. This is a rather complex issue, and you may need to seek the help of a lawyer if, for example, it is important for you to replace heating pipes with polypropylene.

Replacing heating batteries in an apartment

It is much easier to do such work in your own home. In this case, there are no described difficulties, and you can change the heating in a private house at any time, if you, of course, are the owner.

Example of replacing part of a riser

Legal basis for replacing heating devices

The heating system of an apartment building is a complex mechanism that requires special settings at the beginning of each heating period and periodic adjustments during heat supply. Equipment and pipelines are common property of the house; they are on the balance sheet and in the area of ​​responsibility of the management company or housing office of a multi-storey building.

The management company (hereinafter referred to as the management company) bears administrative and financial responsibility for maintaining the general house heating system in a technologically sound condition. This allows the management company to perform one of its main functions - providing utility services to supply residents of an apartment building with heat in full during the entire heating season.

Unauthorized interference with the operation of the system, dismantling - installation of heating radiators in the apartment - is unacceptable. This directly concerns those who live in multi-storey buildings with a riser coolant supply system.

Changing the general house heating system will affect the supply of heat to all apartments connected to the riser. Unauthorized interference is legally defined as a gross violation and entails administrative and financial liability.

The Criminal Code has the right to force the tenant to restore the changes made and impose an administrative fine. Affected neighbors have the right to sue for costs incurred, especially when the heating shutdown caused harm to their health.

The issue can be resolved if you follow the rules for installing heating radiators in an apartment and do it legally. To do this, a user who decides to make changes to the heating circuit must sequentially go through several steps before obtaining permission. Visit the control service of the management company, write an application asking them to send a commission to decide on the possibility of replacing heating devices, changing the connection diagram, and installing additional radiators.

The application is written in any form addressed to the head of the Criminal Code. The manager of the management company is obliged to accept the application, register it under the incoming number indicating the date of receipt, and put a stamp. Keep an eye on this. The Criminal Code is given 5 days to consider the application and make a decision.

If the decision is positive, the commission draws up a diagram of the arrangement of devices and piping, determines their number and permissible type, makes a hydraulic calculation, and determines the timing of the work. The project or scheme is approved by the management company, an energy saving organization. After completion of the work, the system is pressure tested, connected to central heating, and an acceptance certificate is drawn up.

The process is lengthy, requiring material and moral costs. The result will be an official permit for dismantling - installation of heating radiators in the apartment with the possibility of changing the connection diagram, installing additional devices. It is recommended to carry out work in the summer months, before the onset of the heating season.

For residents of apartment buildings with floor-to-floor zoning of central heating, such problems do not arise. The apartment-by-apartment wiring system provided for by the project allows any changes to the circuit without the approval of the management company, even installing heated floors and connecting them to central heating.

Pipe type selection

The next, and very important, stage of preparation for work is deciding which pipes to use for heating. Costs, complexity of work, and reliability of heating with its durability depend on this.

Steel

There is nothing bad to say about steel as a material for heating systems, and in combination with HMS, steel pipes become truly eternal. In addition, steel pipes are cheaper than all others. There are only two small “buts”:

1. Firstly, steel is difficult to work with and welding will most likely be required. That is, to independently install heating with steel pipes, you need to have the working skills of a mechanic and pipe welder, or hire a specialist temporarily. And you will have to buy or rent steel equipment: a pipe bending machine, pipe dies with a knob, etc.
2. Secondly, if cast iron “accordions” are replaced with aluminum, it is necessary to insert at least 10 cm of propylene in both the supply and return pipes and radiators, otherwise in a conductive medium two different metals will form a galvanic couple and electrocorrosion may begin.

Propylene

Polyisopropylene pipes for heating systems (trade designation - PPR) are the main competitor of steel, equal or superior to it in everything except price. In an apartment building, a valuable advantage is that propylene pipes are “blind”: the blow to the pipe does not reverberate across all floors. They practically do not transfer heat to the ceiling.

The main advantage of propylene is reflected in the collective transition to them. Currently, most houses are equipped with house heat meters, and a complete transition to house-to-house heat meters is inevitable. Heating payments are “scattered” across apartments by area, and replacing steel with propylene throughout the entire house reduces heat leakage by three to four times.

In some regions, because of this, there is an increase in the fuss of thermal power plants: with a massive transition to propylene, planned “Soviet” losses on highways become very noticeable for them, which forces them to find means and methods for their reconstruction. One heating engineer put it this way: “For us, switching to propylene is like discovering antibiotics for doctors.”

A separate section below will be devoted to the specifics of installing polypropylene heating systems.

Other plastics

Installation of heating with plastic pipes made of other polymer materials attracts many due to its relative cheapness. Pipes made of modified polyethylene, specially designed for heating systems, are actively advertised; trade designation – PER. Unfortunately, they have a fundamental drawback: the softening temperature of the starting material is 65 degrees Celsius versus 130 for polyisopropylene.

No modification of fundamental defects can, in principle, eliminate it, therefore PER or PVC heating wiring can be recommended only in warm regions with predominantly low-intensity heating. In the middle zone, you should not expect a service life of simple plastic of more than 10 years, and in the north it may not survive until the end of the heating season without leaking.

There are two more nuances: if Chinese propylene is practically not inferior in quality, “cool polyethylene is worthless. And metal fittings (see below) on any PER often leak - this is due to the high “slipperiness” of polyethylene.

Note:

R - means reinforced for direct flow of hot water. Both “cold” and “hot” water pipes are not suitable for heating. Conflicting user reviews are explained precisely by ignorance of this circumstance.

Metal-plastic

Metal-plastic heating pipes are somewhat more expensive than propylene ones, and installation requires quite expensive additional equipment: a pipe cutter, a press for flaring the ends, a special pipe bender. And the heat outflow through the thin wall is quite high. There are also technical disadvantages: gaskets in connectors often leak even in the most “company”, thin pipes are afraid of shocks and direct sunlight.

Nevertheless, it is beneficial to distribute heat throughout the apartment using metal-plastic pipes:

1. Equipment rental is compensated by a smaller number of rather expensive fittings: metal-plastic pipes can be bent.
2. The high cost of the pipes themselves is compensated by the reduction in the length of the pipelines: flexible pipes can be routed along the shortest route.
3. You can also do without a pipe bender if you firmly remember that the bending radius must be at least 5 clearance diameters: metal-plastic bends easily by hand.
4. The design of the connectors allows the use of additional low-cost sealing, see below.
5. Heat loss in the apartment is not terrible, since it will still go into the room.
6. With hidden wiring, the thickness of the floor does not need to be tied to the pipes and connectors: the pipes are thin, and there are no intermediate fittings.

Copper

They speak sharply but fairly about the installation of heating with copper pipes on construction forums: “Let sellers of copper pipes install copper for heating. If they counted crows in school chemistry lessons.”

And the point here is not that technical additives to the coolant water can corrode copper. And it’s not that copper pipes perfectly heat walls and ceilings from the inside at the expense of their “lucky” owner. And not in the price of copper itself.

Copper pipes are connected by soldering. The main part of solder is tin. Tin exists in two chemically identical but physically distinct forms: a white soft metal (white tin) and a gray semiconductor powder (gray tin). Chemically speaking, tin is known in the form of two allotropic modifications.

White tin is an unstable allotrope; over time it turns into gray tin. Any radio amateur knows: old solderings are prone to crumbling, they need to be soldered again. Under water pressure from the inside, the slightest microcrack will leak, and always in winter, when the system is full. And heating is not running water; you can’t bring a bucket of heat from another entrance, from a water heater or from an ice hole.

Let's not remember the horrors of unfrozen houses, which are reported from time to time in the media. But the neighbors in the riser will have a compelling and undeniable reason to demand compensation from you for the costs of electric heating during your repairs. Which will cost a pretty penny anyway.

In general, the conclusion about copper is that its advertising can be explained solely by the tricks of marketing specialists armed with modern brainwashing technologies. There are no physical, technical, or objective economic justifications for heat supply with copper pipes.

Conclusions on the section:

1. In apartment buildings, the optimal option for heating wiring - from the entrance to the house to the risers inclusive - is propylene; in apartments - metal-plastic with additional sealing with tow.

1. For compact private houses, the best heating system is steel.

1. For houses with 2-3 floors with 1-2 entrances, households with attics, heated garages and outbuildings, polypropylene has no alternative.

Replacing heating radiators in an apartment

Art. 25 Housing Code of the Russian Federation, Russian Federation No. 37 dated 08/04/1998, Central heating radiators

Consequently, moving or replacing heating devices, as well as changing their configuration, does not require changes in the technical passport, and also cannot be considered as a refurbishment of the premises, and, as a result, is a violation of the procedure for using common property.

Coordination

The apartment owner first needs to agree on:

• replacing the original radiators with similar radiators;
• replacing batteries with radiators of a different type, with possible configuration changes;
• transfer of batteries.

In the first case of replacing batteries with similar radiators, it will only be enough to notify the management organization about the upcoming installation.

Subsequently, you need to seek the help of a specialist who will determine the possibility of installing new devices. The examination is paid for by the owner of the apartment.

To select and replace heating devices in your apartment, you need to understand the main stages of work, as well as possible problems that you may encounter during the work process.

Aluminum radiators are lightweight, so battery installation can be done by one person. The positive qualities of radiators lie in the large number of product options that differ in functionality and form, as well as an immediate response to changes in water temperature. Disadvantages include the need for air removal and unacceptable contact of the coolant with other metals. If this rule is not followed, the radiator may be destroyed by chemical attack.

Calculating the number of sections

To calculate the required number of sections, you can use a simple algorithm: 2 sq. m. area = 1 section.

In addition to the throttle or thermostatic head, it is advisable to install the following near each radiator:

• an additional valve on the second line of the supply line, which will completely cut off the radiator and allow, if necessary, to completely disconnect and dismantle the radiator;
• a valve on the jumper, which in the closed position will direct the entire flow of water in the riser through the radiator, otherwise through the bypass.

Launch of a new heating system

If screw valves are installed on pipes, water must flow in accordance with the marked arrows, otherwise the valve may tear off.

First, you need to allow the coolant to fill the radiators, for which you open the inlet valve slightly and wait until the sound of water in the cavities being filled stops. After this, open the outlet valve and completely unscrew the input valve.

Whose property are heating radiators in apartments?

Heating devices - an intra-house heating system, including risers, heating elements, control and shut-off valves, collective heat energy metering devices and other equipment located on these networks - are common house property. Based on this, it is prohibited to independently replace radiators.

An appointed construction and technical examination can determine whether heating appliances belong to the common or personal property of the apartment owner. The expert considers the following questions:

1. How are more than one room in the house served by heating elements located in the apartment?
2. The heating elements of the intra-house heating system located in the apartment are intended to serve more than one room in a given house.

Calculation of the heating system and selection of boiler power

It is impossible to select equipment without knowing the amount of thermal energy required to heat the building. It can be determined in two ways: simple approximate and calculated. All sellers of heating equipment like to use the first method, since it is quite simple and gives a more or less correct result. This is a calculation of thermal power based on the area of ​​heated premises.

They take a separate room, measure its area and multiply the resulting value by 100 W. The energy required for the entire country house is determined by summing up the indicators for all rooms. We suggest a more accurate method:

• by 100 W, multiply the area of ​​those premises where only 1 wall, on which there is 1 window, is in contact with the street;
• if the room is a corner one with one window, then its area must be multiplied by 120 W;
• when a room has 2 external walls with 2 or more windows, its area is multiplied by 130 W.

If we consider power as an approximate method, then residents of the northern regions of the Russian Federation may not receive enough heat, and residents of the south of Ukraine may overpay for equipment that is too powerful. Using the second, calculation method, heating design is carried out by specialists. It is more accurate, as it gives a clear understanding of how much heat is lost through the building structures of any building.

Before you begin the calculations, you need to measure the house, finding out the area of ​​the walls, windows and doors. Then you need to determine the thickness of the layer of each building material from which the walls, floors and roofs are built. For all materials in the reference literature or on the Internet, you should find the value of thermal conductivity λ, expressed in units of W/(m ºС). We substitute it into the formula for calculating the thermal resistance R (m2 ºС / W):

R = δ / λ, here δ is the thickness of the wall material in meters.

Note. When a wall or roof is made of different materials, it is necessary to calculate the R value for each layer and then sum the results.

Now you can find out the amount of heat lost through the external building structure using the formula:

• QTP = 1/R x (tв – tн) x S, where:
• QТП – lost amount of heat, W;
• S is the previously measured area of ​​the building structure, m2;
• tв – here you need to substitute the value of the desired internal temperature, ºС;
• tн – street temperature in the coldest period, ºС.

Important! The calculation should be made for each room separately, alternately substituting into the formula the values ​​of thermal resistance and area for the external wall, window, door, floors and roof. Then all these results must be summed up, this will be the heat loss of the given room. The area of ​​internal partitions does not need to be taken into account!

Do-it-yourself heating from polypropylene pipes in an apartment

Residents of apartment buildings are familiar with the situation when it is necessary to replace an old cast iron pipeline. Replacing heating pipes in an apartment is a rather complicated undertaking, but even here it is quite possible to do without the help of professionals.

A self-designed new heating system in an apartment can work well if you follow the procedure and safety rules. Replacing old heating pipes in an apartment with polypropylene ones will look something like this:

• coordination of work with municipal services. The first and very important stage, which will give you permission to shut off the water supply and discharge it from the system;
• coordinating work with the residents of the apartment above and below yours. Replacing risers will be needed not only in an apartment where renovations are being carried out. However, if dismantling the riser is not possible, you can choose special adapters from cast iron pipes to plastic ones;
• dismantling old heating. Old cast iron pipes lend themselves well to dismantling, but this procedure requires compliance with some safety rules. The fragility of cast iron depends on how long the system has been in use. Old pipes break down very quickly, breaking into small pieces. When struck with a metal hammer, fragments fly off the cast iron, which can get into the pipeline: the water supply system can become clogged. Therefore, for such purposes, it is better to choose a rubber or wooden butt, which everyone probably has at home. Dismantling work should be carried out wearing a respirator and goggles;
• a diagram of the new system is formed, the radiator is hung along the specified perimeter;
• assembly of polypropylene heating pipes and connection of the radiator;
• checking the system for leaks. The testing procedure is carried out under high pressure - 1.5 times higher than normal operating pressure. If the old system was replaced with a new two-pipe system, the water should be run in the opposite direction when checking.

In apartment buildings, metal heating pipes can be replaced with polypropylene ones either completely or partially.

The first step is to choose the optimal type of system. The heating system can be one-pipe or two-pipe. The number of radiators and, accordingly, the cost of work will depend on this. A two-pipe system requires a larger number of radiators: if there are more than 8 of them, then a polypropylene pipe with a diameter of 32 mm will be used for such heating. If you choose a single-pipe home heating system made of polypropylene pipes, the costs of its installation will be reduced, but the heat will not be distributed evenly. Each subsequent radiator will be cooler than the previous one. The circuit can be supplemented with thermostat valves that regulate the power of each radiator.

Whatever heating system is planned, it is necessary to place an air vent valve in the upper part of the radiator - the Mayevsky valve. In the lower parts, the holes are plugged with a stopper.

Important! When screwing the plug into the radiator inlet, use a knife blade to remove paint deposits and any other contaminants. This even applies to new radiators. Also, replacing a heating system made of polypropylene pipes with your own hands is done using fittings, clamps, couplings (plugs, angles, tees). What kind of fastening and connecting elements will require replacing pipes depends on which heating scheme was chosen. Replacement of polypropylene pipes is carried out using a welding machine. The heating time for each type of PPR pipe will be different. The most common polypropylene pipes 25 mm and 32 mm require 7-8 seconds to melt. If replacing with aluminum-reinforced PPR pipes, do not forget to pre-clean the foil before soldering.

Also, replacing a heating system made of polypropylene pipes with your own hands is done using fittings. clamps, couplings (plugs, angles, tees). What kind of fastening and connecting elements will require replacing pipes depends on which heating scheme was chosen. Replacement of polypropylene pipes is carried out using a welding machine. The heating time for each type of PPR pipe will be different. The most common polypropylene pipes 25 mm and 32 mm require 7-8 seconds to melt. If you are replacing with aluminum-reinforced PPR pipes, do not forget to pre-clean the foil before soldering.

The number of pipes for heating a private house depends on the type of heating system.

Heating system diagrams for a private home

Heating systems sold in private housing construction can be single-pipe or double-pipe. It's easy to distinguish them:

• according to a single-pipe scheme, all radiators are connected to one collector. It is both a supply and a return, passing by all the batteries in the form of a closed ring;
• in a two-pipe scheme, the coolant is supplied to the radiators through one pipe and returned through the other.

Choosing a heating system layout for a private home is not an easy task; consultation with a specialist will certainly not hurt. We will not sin against the truth if we say that the two-pipe scheme is more progressive and reliable than the one-pipe one. Contrary to popular belief about the low installation costs when installing the latter, we note that it is not only more expensive than a two-pipe one, but also more complex. This topic is covered in great detail in the video:

The fact is that in a single-pipe system, the water from radiator to radiator cools more and more, so it is necessary to increase their capacity by adding sections. In addition, the distribution manifold must have a larger diameter than the two-pipe distribution lines. And lastly: automatic control with a single-pipe circuit is difficult due to the mutual influence of the batteries on each other.

In a small house or dacha with up to 5 radiators, you can safely implement a single-pipe horizontal circuit (common name - Leningradka). With a larger number of heating devices, it will not be able to function normally, because the last radiators will be cold.

Another option is to use single-pipe vertical risers in a two-story private house. Such schemes occur quite often and work successfully.

With a two-pipe distribution, the coolant is delivered to all radiators at the same temperature, so there is no need to increase the number of sections. Dividing the lines into supply and return makes it possible to automatically control the operation of the batteries using thermostatic valves.

The diameters of the pipelines are smaller, and the system as a whole is simpler. There are the following types of two-pipe schemes:

dead-end: the pipeline network is divided into branches (arms), through which the coolant moves along the highways towards each other;

associated two-pipe system: here the return manifold is, as it were, a continuation of the supply, and the entire coolant flows in one direction, the circuit forms a ring;

collector (radial). The most expensive wiring method: pipelines from the collector are laid separately to each radiator, the installation method is hidden, in the floor.

If you take horizontal lines of larger diameter and lay them with a slope of 3-5 mm per 1 m, then the system will be able to work due to gravity (by gravity). Then a circulation pump is not needed, the circuit will be non-volatile. To be fair, we note that both single-pipe and two-pipe wiring can function without a pump. If only conditions were created for natural water circulation.

The heating system can be made open by installing an expansion tank at the highest point, communicating with the atmosphere. This solution is used in gravity networks, otherwise it cannot be done there. If you install a membrane-type expansion tank on the return line near the boiler, the system will be closed and operate under excess pressure. This is a more modern option, which finds its application in networks with forced movement of coolant.

It is impossible not to mention the method of heating a house with warm floors. Its disadvantage is that it is expensive, since you will need to lay hundreds of meters of pipes in a screed, resulting in a heating water circuit in each room. The ends of the pipes converge to a distribution manifold with a mixing unit and its own circulation pump. An important advantage is the economical, uniform heating of rooms, which is very comfortable for people. Underfloor heating circuits are clearly recommended for use in any residential buildings.

Advice. The owner of a small house (up to 150 m2) can safely recommend adopting a conventional two-pipe circuit with forced circulation of coolant. Then the diameters of the mains will be no more than 25 mm, the branches - 20 mm, and the connections to the batteries - 15 mm.

Who should do maintenance and repairs and when?

According to the above standards, the repair and replacement of heating devices related to common property is assigned to management companies, whose property is the entire heating system in the house, if this heating network does not have boundaries within the apartments (shut-off valves).

The article “Maintenance and repair of common property” can be found in the receipt for payment of services, according to which the owners of apartment buildings pay a monthly fee for the maintenance of this property (how is the heating fee determined?). The management company should seek funds for the repair and replacement of batteries and other communications included in the heating system from this fund.

We figured out who should do the repairs. Now let’s talk about when such equipment should be changed or repaired. In case of emergency - immediately.

The homeowner should not pay for these services to plumbers or other persons.

The issue of replacing radiators is more complicated. Here you should rely on GOSTs and other standards that determine the service life of batteries.

How to obtain permission to install and replace a gas boiler

To obtain permission to install and replace a gas boiler, you will need to go through several stages of registration and approval of documents. Even if the installation and placement of boiler equipment is carried out without violations, in accordance with SP 62.13330.2011, registration will require material investments and time costs. Knowledge of the basic current regulations will help facilitate the registration process.

What is needed to install a gas boiler

The first stage of installation is to determine whether the room meets the minimum standards for the installation of boiler equipment.

Types of materials for making radiators

• Radiators made of cast iron
  . The biggest advantage of cast iron is its low cost; moreover, it is highly durable, which will increase its service life for many decades. The features of this design are designed for the purchase of radiators with a large number of sections in order to heat the room quickly and efficiently.
• Batteries made of steel
  . Such structures are characterized by a high level of heat transfer, and are also able to withstand high loads and corrosion; moreover, they are easy to install indoors and ensure maximum efficient operation. Steel radiators can be sectional or panel. Sectional radiators in appearance resemble cast iron batteries. Steel radiators are able to withstand a working pressure of 16 atmospheres and also have a long service life. The main disadvantage is the risk of damage due to water hammer or external mechanical impact, due to the relatively thin steel - 1.5 mm.
• Bimetal batteries
  . This type is considered the most innovative and modern, in addition, they are light in weight and have a pleasant appearance. Such a heating system can be installed independently and without the help of specialists, and the combination of two types of metals increases resistance to external and internal influences and ensures maximum heat transfer (read: “The best heating radiators for an apartment: classification”). Bimetallic batteries with a steel core and aluminum fins have 4 important properties: high mechanical strength, thanks to the high level - 16 atmospheres - working pressure and test pressure - up to 30 atmospheres;
• the chemical stability of the core has the ability to form a galvanic couple with copper pipelines;
• high efficiency;
• the modern look is quite presentable. Aluminum radiators are lightweight, so battery installation can be done by one person. The positive qualities of radiators lie in the large number of product options that differ in functionality and form, as well as an immediate response to changes in water temperature. Disadvantages include the need for air removal and unacceptable contact of the coolant with other metals. If this rule is not followed, the radiator may be destroyed by chemical attack.

Advantages

A closed system has the following positive characteristics:

• safe pressure;
• contact with the environment is limited, which prevents the entry of air that could disrupt operation;
• use of specialized tanks for pressure safety;
• dividing the tank into two chambers: one of them is a gas storage (mainly nitrogen), and the second is a water chamber;
• safe work process;
• a specialized valve in the tank maintains a safe pressure level.

In practice, a closed structure rarely fails, which is why it is popular.