How to blow out a radiator: the five most effective ways

The efficiency of heating a living space is largely determined by how well the seasonal work has been done to prepare its heating system for operation. That is why, with the arrival of cold weather, all equipment included in the heating system is checked and, if necessary, repaired. In this case, situations are possible when seemingly serviceable batteries at the beginning of the operational period heat up very little or do not heat up at all.

This is most often explained by the fact that so-called “air plugs” form in the internal space of the batteries. To eliminate them, it is enough to blow out the heating radiator, after which the indicated malfunction, as a rule, disappears.

Reasons for reduced efficiency of heating radiators

Old radiator
There may be several reasons for this. The first and probably the most common is the formation of an air lock. How and why it is formed is another question. But one thing is clear: the presence of such a plug in the pipeline or heating radiator slows down the progress of the coolant or stops it altogether.

The second reason for cooling the heating radiator is the presence of debris in the pipes and radiator, that is, scale and large particles. They move along with the coolant through the heating system. The practice of operating heating systems shows that a narrowing of the internal diameter by 1 - 2 mm, due to the formation of scale on the walls, leads to a decrease in the thermal output of the heating battery by 15%, or even more. That is why before the start of the heating season it is necessary to clean the heating radiator in the house.

Steel

• threaded pipes: inexpensive, available in various types of shapes • seamless: available in various nominal diameters; but: have low corrosion resistance and high resistance to flow • galvanized: resistant to corrosion; but: have high resistance to flow • made of stainless steel: resistant to corrosion, have low resistance to flow, sealed; but: they have a limited number of types of forms, expensive.

• corrosion resistant, low flow resistance; but they require a high technical level for laying and soldering the pipeline.

How can you tell if there is air in the batteries?

To do this, you need to listen to how your heating system works. Very often gurgling or overflowing of water is observed. If there is no air in the system, you should not hear any gurgles or sounds. Another sign of air in the system is the temperature difference in different parts of the battery.

That is, the battery is hot at the bottom, cold at the top, or vice versa. Half the pipe can be hot and half cold. In this case, most often the riser is quite hot. This indicates that heating is still supplied to the system, but does not work due to the fact that air has accumulated in the radiator.

The battery does not heat up

Air purging

Unlike water, which is a practically incompressible liquid, air has very high compressibility. It is this property that allows it to be used in shock absorbers. But the high degree of air compressibility requires the use of a sufficiently powerful compressor for effective blowing; a car compressor is not suitable for these purposes. With a long pipe length, the pressure of the pumped air quickly drops, which does not allow the remaining water to be effectively blown out.

Blowing the water supply after draining the tap
To blow out the water supply system, pressure and air flow are important. Do not use too powerful compressors, since the pipes used for internal wiring are designed for a maximum pressure of 8-10 atmospheres. To blow through a complex and extensive water supply system in a multi-story cottage, a large volume of air will be required.

Preparing to remove air pockets

De-airing scheme
Before blowing out the radiators, you should first take care of the tool used during repair work. The working kit should include the following items:

• key for adjusting the Mayevsky valve;
• screwdriver and adjustable wrench;
• small container (best of all, a bucket);
• WD-40 washing liquid (kerosene) and rags for wiping.

It is imperative to make sure that it is the air pockets that are the actual cause of the detected malfunction.

If the batteries do not heat up well

You can verify this by the characteristic and clearly distinguishable “gurgling” in the batteries, which do not heat up well, despite the fact that hot water regularly enters the system. After finding out the reasons for the lack of normal heating of the heating radiators, you can safely begin removing the plugs.

Diagnostics

Diagnostics of a heating radiator
To understand what caused the decrease in the efficiency of radiators, you need to perform a few simple manipulations.

The first sign that the inner walls of the pipe and radiator are covered with scale will be that the riser along which the coolant moves is significantly warmer than the radiator. The second sign that the pipelines are clogged is different temperatures of batteries installed in the same room or on the same line. The third sign is different heating of sections mounted in one radiator.

How to bleed radiators: how to bleed air from the system using a Mayevsky tap?

Quite often, after heating is applied to the radiator, some areas may remain cold. This usually occurs at the top of the radiator, which indicates that the system is air-filled.

Instructions:

• The method of purging and cleaning the battery depends on the design of the entire system. In private houses, a bleeding system is usually installed on such radiators, which is a Mayevsky tap. It's a kind of valve.
• In order to bleed the air, you need to take a screwdriver, wrap the circumference of this tap with a cloth, place a container under the radiator, and gradually begin to unscrew it. If there is indeed air in the system, you will hear a hissing sound.
• This suggests that air bubbles are indeed being purged from the system, and it is filling with water. As soon as everything stops hissing, a thin stream of water begins to come out instead of air, you need to tighten the tap with a screwdriver and wipe the battery dry.

Radiator with Mayevsky tap

Stages of preservation of home water supply

Next, we will talk about the procedure for preserving the water supply system at the dacha for the winter. The whole process is done in several stages:

1. Turn off the water at the entrance to the house;
2. Open all plugs in the home branch of the pipeline;
3. Prepare cans, rags and containers. Since water can escape from all open parts of the pipeline;
4. Connect the compressor to the vented part of the pipeline;
5. Turn on the compressor; when air comes out, it means the water supply system is preserved and therefore will not be damaged by frost.

How to blow out radiators: instructions

What is harmful about airing the system? This not only reduces the temperature in the room, but also often causes very rapid destruction of heating radiators. That is, the radiator wears out faster. The fact is that in a system in which there is air, scale forms in these areas, and the batteries overheat in those areas where there is water and are cold, where air is contained. Over time, such batteries deteriorate very quickly and can cause leaks. The main disadvantage is the low room temperature. What to do if the system does not include a Mayevsky tap?

Instructions:

• In this case, you need to find the highest point in the house. If this is an apartment building, then this point is located directly at the very top of the heating system; they are often mounted on the roof.
• It is necessary to open the corresponding valve and bleed the air. Often such valves, as well as taps, are installed at home. If you do not have them, then we advise you to take care of installing this faucet on batteries in the summer.
• The work is really painstaking and not cheap, but it will allow you to significantly improve and increase the temperature in the room during the heating season.

Heating system installation

Signs of airing

Airing leads to inefficient operation of the heating system, as a result of which unnecessary resources are spent on heating the coolant. This leads to unjustified financial expenses and can significantly affect the family budget during the cold season. Signals if the heating system is airy are the following:

• No heating of heat exchangers. Air in the heating circuit in the form of a plug prevents the coolant from passing through the pipes, as a result of which it does not flow to the radiators or into the underfloor heating pipeline. If air gets into the supply pipes, the radiators and floors remain cold when the boiler is operating at full power.
• Uneven heating of radiators. If there is air in the heating radiators, one of its parts will have a lower temperature, which can be easily determined by touching the surface of the sections with your palm.
• Increased noise. The movement of coolant in a pipeline circuit with air pockets is often accompanied by noise, which causes the movement of microbubbles.
• Vibrations. An increased concentration of air in the coolant leads to an acceleration of oxidative processes due to the oxygen contained in it, accompanied by the decomposition of metals with the formation of salts and carbon dioxide. Periodic emissions of insoluble metal oxides and carbon dioxide into the coolant can cause vibration processes in pipes.

Rice.
2 Air-filled radiators in a thermal imager Date: September 25, 2022

Descaling using the blowing method

Deposits in the battery

A fairly common reason for poor heating of radiators in an apartment is the deposition of scale and foreign particles on their walls, which enter the heating system along with hot water.

Studies have shown that with a scale deposit thickness of only 1 mm, the heat transfer of the battery decreases by 15%. That is why, before the start of the operating season, it is advisable to vent the heating system in accordance with the recommendations of specialists.

But first you will need to make sure that it is scale that is causing the problems that have arisen, which is usually accompanied by the following characteristic manifestations:

1. If a thick layer of scale forms, the heating system riser is somewhat hotter than the radiators themselves.
2. When examining radiators by touch, different degrees of heating are revealed in different blocks.
3. There is uneven heating of individual sections within one battery.

Once you are finally convinced of the presence of scale, you can proceed to choosing the most suitable method for removing it at home. At the same time, you should know that the most effective, but at the same time the most expensive, is the method of hydraulic purging of the system, which is widely used along with other well-known cleaning methods (such as chemical treatment, for example).

Compressor for crimping

We suggest you use the compressor service to purge any systems : heating, water supply, gas supply and any other pipelines. For one-time air blowing, it is not advisable to buy an expensive compressor; we suggest saving your money on this by using the rental service. It will save you not only from high acquisition costs, but also from the costs of maintaining, storing, transporting and servicing the station. By renting a compressor for purging, you will receive the latest high-quality equipment with high performance, because... This type of work often requires a capacity of at least 10 m3 of air per minute, and the requirements for operating pressure may not be lower than 12 bar. However, not all pipes require such parameters; often significantly lower loads on the system are required.

Hydraulic cleaning

As noted earlier, hydraulic purging of the heating system is the most effective method of cleaning batteries from scale accumulated on their walls.

Heating flushing

When implementing this method, a working mixture consisting of ordinary water and compressed air is supplied to the operating riser under high pressure. To obtain it at home, you will need a compressor of appropriate power that provides the required pressure in the channel being cleaned and guarantees the removal of scale accumulated on the walls of the batteries.

Practice has shown that for modern apartments with cast iron radiators, the hydraulic blowing method is the most suitable option for organizing cleaning work. If implementing this method at home is impossible, you can dismantle the batteries and take them for cleaning to a service center that has all the necessary equipment for this.

How to choose material for compressed air pipeline?

Several materials can be used to make compressed air piping.

The choice of material depends not only on its cost, but, like other parameters in the compressed air system, on several factors.

The main ones are: • compressed air quality • pipe sizes • pressure • environmental conditions • volume of installation work • material cost • pressure drop • wear resistance.

Advantages and disadvantages of the most commonly used materials for compressed air piping:

Causes of air locks in batteries

In order to avoid the occurrence of air jams in the future, it is necessary to know the reasons for their occurrence. There may be several such reasons. The main reasons that lead to the formation of an air lock are:

When water is heated, oxygen is released from it, and when it evaporates, it forms air, which accumulates at the top of the radiator. This creates a plug that does not allow water to circulate through the system.

It may also appear after repair work. The heating repair field, the company that carried out the repair, must bleed the system. But this is a lengthy procedure and not all workers perform it, and if they do, it is done partially and carelessly.

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One of the reasons for the appearance of air in the batteries may be a seal failure. Typically, depressurization is indicated by a water leak. But this cannot always be seen visually.

A heating leak may not be noticed, since hot water evaporates quite quickly. And in rooms with high humidity (bathroom, kitchen), you may not pay attention to the leak at all, confusing it with natural condensation on the pipes.

It is worth adding that it is necessary to bleed air from the batteries regardless of whether it is an apartment or a private house. If an air lock has formed in the heating of a private home, this will affect not only the heat, but also the wear of parts.

Most often, heating in a private house operates using a pump. If there is an air lock, the pump will work at full power, and the result will be practically zero.

Heating radiators may not work properly not only due to the formation of an air lock. Even after purging, the batteries remain cold. The cause may be clogged radiators.

Compressor types

Compressors operating on various principles can be used to purify water pipes.

different types of air compressors

Piston compressor

Air is compressed in piston cylinders, a direct analogy is the compression of the combustible mixture in an internal combustion engine. Low price, simple design, maintainability. High noise level during operation, impossibility of long-term operation.

Screw compressor

I pump air into two complex-shaped screws in parallel rotation. Low noise level during operation. Low friction between the screws ensures low power consumption. High energy efficiency - a large volume of pumped air per unit of energy spent. The cost is higher than piston compressors, repairs are only carried out under specialized service conditions.

Scroll compressor

Compact size, convenient for use in small spaces, relatively low productivity.

Diaphragm compressor

Similar to a piston, but instead of a metal piston a thin membrane is used. The membrane is driven by a crank mechanism. Low pressure generated, not very high level of performance.

industrial compressor

Compressors are often equipped with a small receiver. This is a durable steel tank in which compressed air is stored. The presence of a receiver allows you to increase the pressure to high values, which the compressor itself cannot provide, and organize a supply of air. As a result, we get an effective replacement for an expensive, powerful compressor.

The compressor is always equipped with a pressure gauge and control means. This is necessary to monitor and correct pressure levels. After purging the water supply system, all drain valves located at the lower points of different pipe branches should be left open.

Methods for cleaning heat pipes and radiators

In order to properly eliminate air pockets or scale, it is permissible to use several methods, the main ones are given below:

• hydraulic;
• individual;
• using soda ash;
• pulse;
• chemical.

Let's try to figure out what is their difference from each other.

Hydraulic method

Perhaps this is the most effective and at the same time the most expensive method. To implement this you will need an air compressor. With its help, an air-water mixture is pumped into the riser. High pressure creates a situation that leads to scale separation from the walls of the pipe or radiator. This cleaning method is most effective for cast iron radiators. Hydraulic cleaning does not require the use of any chemicals and can rightfully be described as environmentally friendly. But to properly clean the batteries, the homeowner must disconnect the batteries and take them to a specialized service center that has such a compressor. And then the question of how to properly blow out heating radiators will be taken off the agenda. When using this method, it is permissible to use softening agents. To remove traces of them, simply rinse the radiator with clean water.

Individual cleaning

It is advisable to carry out the hydraulic cleaning method when all the neighbors in a city (apartment) building have nothing against such work and are ready to participate in cleaning the heating system, and before blowing out the radiators in the apartment, you will have to coordinate this issue with them. Otherwise, all cleaning will go down the drain. And at the beginning of the heating season, the pipes and radiators will clog again.

If the homeowner does not want to communicate with the neighbors, then how to vent the heating radiator in the apartment? Individual cleaning can and should be done. To do this, you need to dismantle the radiators and wash them in the bathroom. The washing procedure is simple. To perform this, the battery must be disconnected from the network and transferred to the bath. Hot water must be supplied to one hole, and the battery must be constantly turned over. For greater effect, it is permissible to use a plumbing cable with a brush. Flushing is completed when more or less clean water begins to flow from the radiator.

Flushing a heating radiator using caustic (technical) soda

Caustic soda

The procedure for washing using technical soda is practically no different from that described above. The only thing is that all the holes in the radiator are plugged except one. Boiling water is poured into it and soda is added. After this, the radiator can be left alone for a certain time.

The use of technical soda causes the plaque inside the pipes and radiator to become soft and fall off the walls. To speed up the process, you can use a rubber or ceramic mallet. You can tap it on the battery case. This procedure is continued until clean water comes out of the battery. By the way, instead of technical soda, it is permissible to use special cleaners used for flushing the radiator installed in a car.

Pulse flushing

This method can only be used if you have a special gun. The technological capabilities of this device make it possible to use it for flushing a heating radiator with a distance between the walls of no more than 150 mm. In addition, it is permissible to remove scale at a distance of 50 meters.

Is specialized equipment really necessary? To decide on the purchase of equipment that can be used for cleaning radiators, one must proceed from how often it will be used for its intended purpose. The fact is that this work is carried out once a year, before the start of the heating season, and it is advisable to contact a special service.

On the other hand, cleaning the heat supply system yourself ultimately leads to saving money on calling a service company. In this case, you can buy a specialized pump and its accessories and flush the system yourself. When purchasing such equipment, you must pay attention to the following parameters:

• operating pressure;
• water consumption;
• setting the pulse frequency;
• possibility of using additional detergents.

Chemical washing

In many apartments, the quality of the heating system is far from perfect. Heating radiators, pipes, fittings have long been clogged with scale and the described methods are not enough to eliminate it. In this case, cleaning using chemicals comes to the rescue.

The chemicals used are usually organics, alkalis or solvents. When working with them, you must strictly follow safety regulations, because... these substances are mostly toxic.

But the chemical method has a limitation - it cannot be used for washing aluminum products. This may lead to a violation of their tightness. But, on the other hand, chemistry is very effective when working with cast iron batteries. Before blowing through the battery, it is advisable to check what metal the heating radiators are made of.

To perform work using chemicals, only specialized equipment should be used.

Home heating systems sometimes need cleaning. You can clean both entire pipes and individual parts. It is important for residents of private houses and owners of autonomous heating cycles to know how to bleed the battery themselves.

Feeling the batteries

Prices for renting a compressor for pressure testing and purging

Compressor (5m 3 /min, 7 Atmospheres) on a car base – 7500 rubles (7 hours of work + 1 hour of supply to the site inside the Moscow Ring Road, including fuel and operator maintenance).

Order a compressor for crimping: +7(495)241-3371

Algorithm for cleaning the radiator

1. We remove all unnecessary things and furniture from the heating radiator that may interfere with or delay flushing. If there are curtains hanging near it, you need to remove them. In addition, if the room uses laminate or parquet as flooring, then it is necessary to spread some piece of fabric or film under the radiator - this is done so as not to harm the floor.

Before starting work, you must turn off all taps

It is necessary to shut off the water supply to the radiator. If there is no shut-off valve that allows this to be done, then you will have to go the other way - drain the water from the heating system. Take a regular bucket, remove the radiator by unscrewing it from the rest of the equipment, and drain the water present in it into the prepared bucket. The cleaning process is just beginning and then you need to take the heating radiator to the bathroom and then place it in the bathtub. There is a risk of causing mechanical damage to it in the form of scratches, and in order to prevent such a development of events, place something like a wooden pallet under the radiator. If you live in a private house and not in an apartment, then to flush the radiator you will need to take it out into the yard.

The end fittings are unscrewed using a wrench

We unscrew the end fittings using a wrench. This must be done in the yard or in the bathroom, otherwise you can fill the floor with a cloudy and littered liquid that has a very unpleasant odor, and you will create another problem for yourself - you will need to clean the floor.

Next, you need to rinse the heating radiator from the inside; to do this, we supply water under pressure from a hose or shower into the holes at the end.

1. Sometimes owners are forced to deal with crystalline blockages, and in this case slightly different means are needed. You can't do without a concentrated vinegar solution. We install the end fittings at the bottom and pour vinegar inside. Before using vinegar, it is recommended to dilute it 70% with water. This flushing will help remove stubborn blockages from the heating radiator. The solution should sit for about two hours, after which it should be poured out and the radiator should be cleaned with water pressure to achieve complete cleansing.
2. You can also wash the external surfaces of the radiator to give it a nice and clean look.

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One of the reasons for clogging may be scale formation

The radiator should be placed on wall mounts and the threaded connections on it should be lightly cleaned with a cloth, which must be dry. If you have a cast iron radiator, then screw tow onto all the fittings in the direction of the threads and apply paint to the seal. It is allowed to use any paint related to “Nitro” and “Enamel”. Using a two-piece gas wrench, tighten the fittings tightly. If the apartment has more modern radiators, then it is recommended to use film for waterproofing purposes. Do not use tow or paint.

So, as we see, there is nothing overly complicated about cleaning the radiator. This will not require any special skills or knowledge, just as you will not need any rare means and tools that are difficult to obtain. If done responsibly, this procedure will not take too much time and effort, and therefore every owner can clean the radiator on their own. However, there are situations where even after all the measures have been taken and the radiators are installed in their place, the heating system still functions poorly. In this case, you need to buy a new radiator and replace the old one, or use the services of specialized companies that carry out cleaning with a technical booster.

Stages of conservation of street water supply and automatic watering systems

Street water supply in dachas is often located above the ground or at a depth of up to 0.5 m. Therefore, such systems must be emptied before winter frosts, otherwise the resulting ice will break all the pipes.

It is especially important to blow out all metal pipes, since threaded connections quickly burst in the cold. PVC pipes are not so afraid of frost, but the water still needs to be removed from them; a compressor will also do an excellent job with this task.

Do not forget to remove water from storage tanks for irrigation, outdoor showers and other containers. All ball valves must be left open, then they will easily survive the winter and can be used in the future.

Flushing the heating system in a private house

In private homes, cleaning heating radiators is a more pressing problem. This is explained by the fact that the water in the heating system of a private house does not come from pipes, but from wells or reservoirs. The water that comes from pipes in residential buildings is treated, but well water is not. In private homes, radiators become dirty a little faster, as silt or other small particles can accumulate in them, so cleaning radiators will be required more often. If you live in a private house, it is better to flush the entire heating system, and not just the radiators.

Bleeding air from the heating radiator

Cast iron pipes can be washed in the warm season, the main thing is not in winter. Before you wash the radiator and the entire heating system, you need to bleed the air from the radiator, so you will need to unscrew all the valves. If you doubt your abilities, it is better to call a specialist who will not only bleed the air from the heating radiator, but also completely carry out such an operation as cleaning the radiators. If you make even a small mistake, you can damage the equipment or cause a flood.

There is no need to drain water from the heating boiler. The line for the steam line must be completely closed before cleaning the heating radiator. If all the necessary valves are closed and the heating radiators are purged, then you can run water through the heating system. It is necessary to supply water until clean water begins to flow from the pipes.

This method will help clean not only radiators, but also pipes.

To carry out such an operation as flushing a heating radiator more effectively, you can add some chemicals to the water. These include vinegar, soda, whey and others. For washing, a product such as “Mole” or a product for cleaning car radiators is suitable.

If various chemicals are used to clean radiators, you will need to rinse the system thoroughly with water after using them. It is best to flush the system with hot water, and this will require turning on the boiler. A procedure such as cleaning heating radiators should be carried out at least 2 times a year.

How to blow out pipes in a dacha using a compressor?

1. Connect the flexible line from the canister to the vented part of the pipeline (do not forget to remove one plug or open the tap before doing this, since the water will need to come out somewhere);
2. Close the ball valve;
3. Pump up pressure into the canister with a compressor (this is done with a manual or electric compressor);
4. Then it is necessary to increase the pressure in the canister to 4-5 atmospheres;
5. After this, you need to stop pumping air into the canister;
6. Now you need to gradually open the tap, and the air pressure will displace all the water from the system being purged.

How to wash a heating battery without removing it

During long-term operation of a water heating system, all its components and assemblies (boilers, pipes, radiators) eventually become clogged with small mechanical particles present in the water, scale forms on their walls and, as a result, the heat transfer of the system decreases and it no longer works as efficiently as it should. .
Without regular flushing, it is impossible to restore its normal operation and heat transfer. If flushing boilers is the domain of exclusively appropriately equipped professionals, then, say, you can flush the heating radiator (battery) located in the room yourself. Usually, to do this, it is dismantled and taken out of the room, but there is a way to clean the interior of the radiator right at the place of its installation. How to rinse the battery without removing it from the brackets on which it is installed? First, the water from the heating system is drained if possible, the valves on the pipelines supplying and discharging water from the battery are replaced with new ball valves, and one of the pipelines at the bottom of the battery is disconnected. To wash the battery without removing it from the brackets, you will need a small compressor capable of supplying air at a pressure of 13-15 atmospheres, equipped with a special “gun” that meteres the air supply. In the place of the disconnected pipeline, a fitting equipped with a ball valve is installed into the battery. A hose from the compressor gun is connected to it. The second hose from the gun is lowered into the sewer, for example, into the toilet. How heating is flushed: when a portion of air under pressure is supplied to a water-filled battery from a compressor “gun” (shot), the dirt inside it is knocked off the walls, turns into dust, and all this under the air pressure in the system through the check valve of the gun thrown into The toilet hose goes into the sewer.

Flushing the heating battery is considered complete when the water squeezed out of it with air becomes relatively clean. After this, the fitting with the valve is removed from the battery, and a pipe equipped with a ball valve is attached in its place.

This is how you can wash the battery using hydropneumatic washing without removing it from the brackets. Experts recommend carrying it out at least once every four years. The method is simple and the main difficulty is to find and rent a compressor equipped with a gun designed for flushing heating systems.

Device for blowing with compressed air.

Device for blowing with compressed air.

#1 Post by Doc Brown » Mar 16, 2011, 00:05

The task arose to create something for blowing with compressed air under the hood in small ways. Moreover, the cheaper in money and lighter in weight, the better. The blow gun was found without any problems in Leroy Merlin for 110 rubles. I decided to create pressure using a car compressor or a foot pump - so the role of the pressure valve was immediately assigned to the valve for tubeless tires, called a “nipple” in jargon. Then the question arose of what to use as a receiver. For purging it is necessary to have at least 5 atm. At first I started to think about the option of using the body of an old fire extinguisher, but it is heavy and the adapter sleeve needs to be sharpened on a machine. And then, as a result of searching on the Internet, I came across a material where a plastic soda bottle was used as a receiver for an airbrush. The author wrote that he tested her at 8 atm and she calmly maintained this pressure for several days. “This is what you need!” – I thought and got to work.

Source materials and tools: GTZ tank hose from Gazelle (ideal for the pump tip and the olive of the gun) - I used a short section, not the entire length, a nipple, a cap, a 4-sided awl, a conical drill.

Using an awl, make a hole in the center of the lid.

And drill it out to fit the nipple diameter

In my case it was f14 with a slight minus

We try on the valve, make sure that there is enough free space on the sides of it for the walls of the bottle.

And we plant it finally

Next pressure check

The tip from the pump is attached to the gun on a piece of hose and the device is ready for use.

As tests have shown, a 2-liter bottle is quite enough to blow through one side mirror. Making and pumping air into 2 bottles is no problem at all. In terms of volume, this will be comparable to using a wheel from a garden cart as a receiver, but much cheaper and lighter. In addition, there is no risk of damaging the paint on the car if the receiver accidentally hits the body. But it will not be possible to make a long hose so that the receiver lies to the side - there will be unreasonably large losses of compressed air.

This way you can easily blow through not only mirrors after washing, but also, for example, spark plug wells before unscrewing the spark plugs.

Our goal is to do good and do good!

“Come on, you apes! Do you wanna live forever?” (c)

Cleaning radiators

Contamination of the heating system is a more complex problem, since its elimination often requires dismantling the radiators. Sometimes, if the blockage is not severe or the system is not very extensive, you can wash the heating radiators without removing them. To do this, water is supplied to the system and simultaneously drained. Flushing is more effective when hot water is supplied.

The main signs that indicate the need to wash batteries in the house are as follows:

• uneven heating of different parts of the heating system;
• longer period of reaching operating temperature;
• greater energy consumption to heat the system.

The issue of washing old batteries is especially relevant. After all, the longer the service life, the more deposits accumulate inside.

How to wash a cast iron battery?

Schematic illustration of the radiator flushing process

The most labor-intensive process is washing cast iron batteries. This is explained by the low corrosion resistance of the material and the design of the radiators. How to wash a cast iron battery? First of all, you need to turn off the water. Then the radiator is dismantled and moved to a place where manipulations can begin without fear of damaging the floor or walls.

In a private house, it is more convenient to wash heating radiators outside, in an apartment - you can do this in the bathroom, after first protecting the enamel coating of the bathroom itself from damage. After unscrewing the plugs, a stream of water is directed into the radiator from a hose. This removes the lightest dirt particles. However, this is often not enough, and then chemicals are used to more completely clean cast iron batteries. You just need to remember that using any chemicals is best done with gloves and protective clothing to avoid getting them on the skin.

How can you clean cast iron radiators? This could be concentrated acetic acid or a number of household chemicals used to clean drains. The selected substance is poured into the radiator, the drains are closed and left for several hours. During a chemical reaction, deposits become detached from the inner walls and subsequently merge

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To speed up the process, from time to time the radiator must be turned over or gently tapped on it so as not to damage the outer coating. As you can see, washing cast iron batteries with your own hands is quite an affordable activity.

It can be performed even by a non-specialist plumber.

How to wash radiators made of other materials?

There is no fundamental difference in the process of flushing more modern radiators. It is only necessary to avoid tapping, as this can lead to deformation of the aluminum or casing. And most likely there will be no need for it. Because radiators made of these materials are less susceptible to corrosion than cast iron. After the aluminum heating radiators are removed, they should also be washed under high water pressure. And if necessary, use a chemical solution to dissolve the scale. Another nuance is installation and dismantling. As a rule, removing and installing modern radiators does not require much effort. They are much lighter compared to cast iron. And sealing is carried out in a “cleaner” way - using special gaskets or FUM tape.

Thus, cleaning and blowing radiators, although a rather labor-intensive task, is within the capabilities of almost everyone. If you wash the batteries regularly enough, you can do without dismantling the radiators, and limit yourself to supplying flush water to the heating system with simultaneous draining.

You can clearly see how to wash heating batteries in the video.

Pipe blowing (whisking)

Pipe blowing (purge) - cleaning a pipeline by running a piston through it. Widdling helps to clean the system from residual chips after welding, as well as other foreign contaminants. Purge of pipes is carried out to detect defects, namely an arbitrary decrease in pressure in the system. In other words, thanks to this test, a leak is established, or the readiness of the pipeline for normal operation. Without carrying out a test by pumping air and starting the system, there is a huge risk of at least digging up and carrying out additional work. work, and in the worst case scenario, cause multimillion-dollar damage to yourself and invaluable damage to the environment. Therefore, great attention is paid to this procedure. It is worth noting that a compressor with an operating pressure of 5-7 atmospheres may not be enough to blow air through the pipes. Such parameters are more suitable for blowing pipes in a country house, or other systems that do not require too much load.

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However, to test large water and gas pipelines, we recommend using more powerful equipment; for example, this could be a compressor with a capacity of
10 m3/min and a working pressure of about 10 bar . To carry out one-time work of this kind, it would be unwise to purchase expensive equipment costing over 2 million rubles; a more competent solution would be to rent. Today it is a flexible tool that helps optimize costs and works for your business. You can rent similar equipment in the highest quality at a-kompressor.ru by filling out an online application or calling the numbers provided.
You receive only reliable, high-quality equipment for pipe blowing and waddering, on the most favorable rental terms. Working with us, you only get benefits!

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Don't forget to check out the other compressor features:

Preventive measures

As most people agree, it is still easier to prevent a disease than to treat the consequences it causes. Likewise, with batteries, in order not to be left without heat in cold weather, you need to promptly carry out technical measures to maintain heating radiators, and also install additional devices during installation that will help prevent the formation of blockages and air locks.

For example, Sira heating radiators have a built-in multifunctional deaeration system. During its use, special devices for bleeding air from the system are cut into several places, which allows air to be released separately for each group of heating devices.

In order not to rack your brains about how to blow through an aluminum heating radiator, you just need to promptly install a special device on it - an air vent. There are two types of these devices:

• manual;
• automatic.

The air vents are manual - they are usually installed on the end side of the battery. They are easy to use to bleed air from the heating system. It is enough to turn the bolt with a special key or screwdriver and the air will begin to escape. Given their low performance, such devices are installed only for home use.

Automatic air vents operate completely autonomously. There is no need to bleed air by unscrewing or opening anything, the device does everything themselves. They can be installed vertically or horizontally.

True, such air vents have one significant drawback: they are sensitive to various types of pollution. Therefore, an additional filter will have to be installed in the system to clean strong mechanical contaminants.

When installing Arbonia heating batteries, installing a full set of additional components allows you to free yourself from constant monitoring of the heating system.

For cast iron radiators, you can also install special air vents; this is most important for apartments in multi-storey buildings. In fact, it is much simpler and easier than having to deal with blowing or washing batteries later. In any case, the first option to return heat to the battery is simpler, but if the battery is clogged, nothing other than flushing will help.

In order to flush cast iron radiators, you will first have to completely disassemble the battery using a blowtorch to unscrew the connecting nuts. Then the radiator is disassembled into sections, the nipples (threaded connections between the battery sections) are cleaned, and washed using a hose. All this requires incredible strength, because the weight of each section of a cast iron radiator can reach up to 7 kilograms.

In order to prevent blockages in cast iron batteries, special jumpers must be installed, in which all the dirt settles. In high-rise apartments, the presence of jumpers is simply mandatory. Indeed, often at the beginning of the heating season, the water entering the heating system is, to put it mildly, completely unclean.

After a long period of inactivity, all dirt and rust, as a rule, rush into the heating elements with the first flow of hot water. Needless to say, but, unfortunately, our Russian central heating systems are extremely imperfect.

Helpful advice. If an air lock has formed in your heating system, try to find out the cause of its occurrence, especially if this has not happened before. Try not only to get rid of the air, but also to take measures to prevent a recurrence of this situation. Check the system for leaks at the junctions of pipes and radiators. Perhaps somewhere you need to tighten the bolts, or change the nuts, you may need to re-seal the joints using more tow.

Filling the heating circuit with coolant

In order for the heating system to work correctly, it must be flushed and then refilled with water. It is often at this stage that air leaks into the circuit.

This occurs due to incorrect actions while filling the contour. In particular, air can be trapped by too fast a flow of water, as mentioned earlier.

The diagram of the expansion tank of an open heating circuit allows you to get an idea of ​​​​the procedure for filling such a system with coolant after flushing

In addition, correct filling of the circuit also facilitates faster removal of that part of the air masses that are dissolved in the coolant.

To begin with, it makes sense to consider an example of filling an open heating system, at the highest point of which the expansion tank is located.

Such a circuit should be filled with coolant starting from its very bottom. For these purposes, a shut-off valve is installed at the bottom of the system, through which tap water is supplied to the system.

A properly designed expansion tank has a special pipe that protects it from overflow.

A hose of such length should be attached to this pipe that its other end is brought out into the area and is located outside the house. Before you start filling the system, you should take care of the heating boiler.

It is recommended to disconnect it from the system at this time so that the protective modules of this unit do not work.

Once these preparatory steps have been completed, you can begin filling the contour. The tap at the bottom of the circuit through which tap water flows is opened so that water fills the pipes very slowly.

The recommended filling flow rate should be approximately three times less than the maximum possible. This means that the tap should not be turned off completely, but only to one third of the pipe lumen

Slow filling is continued until water flows through the overflow hose leading outside. After this, the water tap should be closed. Now you should go through the entire system and open the Mayevsky valve on each radiator to bleed air.

Then you can reconnect the boiler to the heating system. It is also recommended to open these taps very slowly. While the boiler is filling with coolant, you can hear a hissing sound produced by the air release safety valve.

This is normal. After this, you need to add water to the system again at the same slow pace. The expansion tank should be approximately 60-70% full.

After this, it is necessary to check the operation of the heating system. The boiler is turned on and the heating system is warmed up. Radiators and pipes are then examined to identify areas where heating is missing or insufficient.

Insufficient heating indicates the presence of air in the heating radiators; it must be bled again through the Mayevsky taps.

If the procedure for filling the heating circuit with coolant was successful, do not relax.

For at least another week, the operation of the system should be closely monitored, the water level in the expansion tank should be monitored, and the condition of pipes and radiators should be checked. This will allow problems to be quickly resolved.

In a similar way, closed-type systems are filled with coolant. Water should also be supplied to the system at low speed through a special tap.

You can fill a closed-type heating system with working fluid (coolant) on your own

It is important to arm yourself with a pressure gauge for this. But in such systems, pressure control is an important point.

When it reaches a level of two bars, you should turn off the water and bleed air from all radiators through the Mayevsky taps

But in such systems, pressure control is an important point. When it reaches a level of two bars, you should turn off the water and bleed air from all radiators through the Mayevsky taps.

At the same time, the pressure in the system will begin to decrease. It is necessary to gradually add coolant to the circuit to maintain the pressure at two bar.

It is difficult to perform both of these operations alone. Therefore, it is recommended to complete the filling of a closed contour together with an assistant. While one person bleeds air from the radiators, his partner monitors the pressure level in the system and immediately corrects it.

Collaborative work will improve the quality of this type of work and reduce its time.

Installing air release valves

To remove air from heating, air vents are installed on radiators - manual and automatic air valves. They are called differently: bleeder, air vent, bleeder or air valve, air vent, etc. The essence does not change from this.

Mayevsky air valve

This is a small device for manually bleeding air from heating radiators. It is installed in the upper free radiator manifold. There are different diameters for different collector sections.

Manual air vent - Mayevsky tap

It is a metal disk with a conical through hole. This hole is closed with a cone-shaped screw. By unscrewing the screw a few turns, we allow the air to escape from the radiator.

Device for removing air from radiators

To facilitate air outlet, an additional hole was made perpendicular to the main channel. The air actually comes out through it. When deflating using a Mayevsky tap, point this hole upward. After this you can unscrew the screw. Unscrew it a few turns, but do not unscrew it too much. After the hissing stops, return the screw to its original position and move on to the next radiator.

When starting the system, it may be necessary to bypass all the air collectors several times until air stops escaping altogether. After this, the radiators should heat up evenly.

Automatic air release valve

These small devices are installed both on radiators and at other points in the system. They differ in that they allow you to bleed air in the heating system automatically. To understand the principle of operation, consider the structure of one of the automatic air valves.

The operating principle of the automatic release is as follows:

• In normal condition, the coolant fills the chamber by 70 percent. The float is at the top, pressing the rod.
• When air enters the chamber, the coolant is forced out of the housing and the float lowers.
• He presses the protrusion-flag on the nozzle, squeezing it out.
• The depressed jet opens a small gap, which is enough to allow the air that has accumulated in the upper part of the chamber to escape.
• As water comes out, the air vent body fills with water.
• The float rises, releasing the rod. It returns to its place due to the spring.

Various designs of automatic air valves operate on this principle. They can be straight or angular. They are placed at the highest points of the system and are present in the security group. They can be installed in identified problem areas - where the pipeline has an incorrect slope, which is why air accumulates there.

Instead of Mayevsky's manual taps, you can install an automatic drain for radiators. It is only slightly larger in size, but works automatically.

Automatic air release valve

Cleaning from salts

The main problem with automatic valves for venting air from the heating system is that the air outlet hole is often overgrown with salt crystals. In this case, either the air does not come out or the valve begins to “cry”. In any case, you need to remove it and clean it.

Automatic air vent disassembled

So that this can be done without stopping the heating, automatic air valves are installed in pairs with non-return valves. The check valve is installed first, followed by the air valve. If necessary, the automatic air collector for the heating system is simply unscrewed, disassembled (unscrew the lid), cleaned and reassembled. After this, the device is again ready to bleed air from the heating system.

Stub

It is not an easy task to bleed air from a heating battery if there is no air vent and a plug is installed instead. Before starting work, you should block the coolant access to the radiator.

Modern sectional batteries are equipped with top plugs. There is no need to completely remove the fitting. It is enough to carefully turn it slowly, making several turns, and wait until the air comes out. First, all adjacent surfaces should be protected with rags.

It is more difficult to ventilate an old cast-iron radiator, since usually the plug on it is securely fixed with tow and paint. Algorithm of actions:

1. Apply a little solvent to the connection between the fitting and the battery. Wait 10-20 minutes.
2. Place a bucket under the hole. Place rags on the floor.
3. Using an adjustable wrench, unscrew the plug (not completely) until air begins to escape.
4. Wrap the thread with sealing material and tighten the plug.

Bleeding air from an old cast iron radiator may require more effort

It is important to do everything carefully. If you do not turn off the water and remove the fitting completely, hot water under pressure will flow out of the hole.

You can determine that the air lock has been eliminated by assessing the temperature of the batteries. Sections that were previously cold should warm up.

Tap

Many old batteries have regular water taps. When you unscrew the valve, water begins to flow from the hole, and with it the accumulated air comes out. You may need to drain several buckets of liquid to remove all the excess gas.

To make the work easier, it is advisable to use a long flexible hose: attach one end to the tap, and lower the other end into the toilet. The valve must be opened as much as possible to ensure a high flow rate of water.

Why do radiators get airy and what does this lead to?

The reasons for the appearance of air jams can be different:

• Incorrectly selected slope when installing elements of a gravity system. If the slope is insufficient or absent, circulation will be weak and air pockets will appear.
• Incorrect installation of forced circulation systems.
• Low pressure level in pipes. In their clearance there will be voids filled with air.
• Using the wrong coolant. The liquid poured into the radiator reacts with the metal from which it is made. As a result, oxygen or hydrogen is formed. They create gas-air plugs.
• Coolant overheating. Most often occurs in old single-pipe systems. Due to the high pressure, the boiling point of water in them is lowered, but if the pressure decreases, the carrier will boil, releasing gases. They form an air jam.
• Too active filling of empty communications. The coolant, entering the pipes at high speed, bubbles, and then the bubbles turn into a plug.
• Weak sealing. Air can leak inside thermal communications even through microscopic holes. Therefore, a small gap or leaking fittings can cause such a problem.

Gas-air plugs are detrimental to thermal communications. The batteries heat up poorly and unevenly, and the pipes can make a hum. But the most unpleasant thing is that gaseous substances, when reacting with metal, oxidize and destroy thermal elements. We have to do repairs and restoration. Therefore, it is necessary to get rid of gas-air sources. It is imperative to find the cause of the airing and eliminate it. Bleeding the air is a temporary solution to the problem.

Advice from professionals

A few tips from professionals will help you safely ventilate the system and reduce the likelihood of blockages:

1. Always add water to the cooled autonomous heating circuit from the lowest point under low pressure. After topping up, turn on the boiler, heat the coolant to a temperature of 60 °C, and begin to bleed air from each battery through the Mayevsky valve. If necessary, after servicing all radiators, add more water to the system.
2. The rod from the Mayevsky tap cannot be completely unscrewed. It is difficult and often impossible to screw it back in under running hot water.
3. Unscrewing the radiator cap in an apartment is strictly prohibited. Central heating operates under high pressure. If the plug is torn off, all the apartments below will be flooded.

If problems arise with airing, it is best to call a specialist from a service organization who has the right to turn off the riser for repairs even during the heating season.

Deaeration of a centralized system

In apartment buildings and the private sector, central heating is designed with air collectors. They are located at the top point. When the heating system is aired, just open the tap. When an air lock forms, opening the air collector allows air to rise through the pipes. Thus, the entire system is filled with water, and there are no plugs left.

In apartments, to ventilate the system you just need to open the tap

In an apartment or house, you can remove the blockage by bleeding the air in the place where it formed. For this purpose, batteries are equipped with taps. It must be borne in mind that it is unacceptable to install plumbing elements. Special valves called air vents are used . If the owner of the premises installs a water tap instead of an air vent and accidentally drains a certain amount of coolant from the system, he will have to pay a fine.

The vent is opened using a special key or a regular screwdriver. Extreme care must be taken, but even if everything is done correctly, it is possible that not only air will come out of the radiator, but water will also leak out.