How to properly eliminate a leak in a classic cast-iron radiator

A leak in a heating battery is quite a big problem for home owners. This situation most often occurs at the most inopportune moment - during the heating season. But even this problem can be quickly solved if you take into account a few simple but effective recommendations from experts. To achieve the desired result, you must determine exactly where the battery is dripping, as well as prepare all the necessary tools and devices.

Detection of a fistula in a cast iron product

Factors that cause radiator damage

In order not to have to figure out ahead of time how to properly fix a leak in a cast iron heating battery, you need to understand that structural damage is most often caused by temperature changes in the system and water hammer. Despite the fact that such radiators have increased resistance to various negative factors, they can also fail. Large changes in the temperature of water or other filled coolant negatively affect the condition of the batteries.

If liquid hotter than 100C circulates in the system, gaskets and sealants may eventually be damaged. When water boils, the pressure in the central system can rise several times. This situation does not exclude damage to entire sections. In some cases, the radiator may even burst.

When a previously working battery leaks, the main reason may be due to improper installation of the equipment. This problem can arise just 1-2 years after installation. If cast iron products were chosen to complete the system, then the risk of manufacturing defects cannot be excluded. That is why it is better not to save on heating equipment, so that in the end you do not have to overpay for unscheduled repair work.

Destruction by rust

Why can a cast iron battery break?

The reasons for the occurrence of a defect in the cast iron sections of the radiator are few, but they do exist. Problems may even occur without the formation of a leak, which will affect poor battery performance. To find the right repair method, you need to correctly determine the cause of the breakdown:

1. Cast iron heating appliances are heavy. If they are hung on weak brackets, misalignment occurs over time. The sections begin to “air up” and do not heat up. The radiator can break off from weak brackets and break the pipeline. If dropped by an impact, cracks will appear in the cast iron sections. The section wall can crack due to water hammer
2. Cast iron is weakly resistant to water hammer in the heating system and other mechanical impacts caused by humans during installation. Even if the section is not cracked, leaks can appear at the joints.
3. Clogging is a common cause of failure. Dirt and salt deposits settle inside the sections. Periodically it is necessary to carry out major repairs with washing with chemical reagents. The rubber rings at the connection of the section collectors need to be changed periodically
4. Rubber rings are installed at the junctions of the section collectors. Over time, gaskets wear out. Rubber is corroded by chemicals during washing. During a major overhaul, the gaskets must be changed.
5. The cause of the breakdown may be banal defrosting of the radiator. For example, the owner does not appear at the dacha for a long time. In severe frosts, the coolant freezes in the heating system. The expansion of water causes the cast iron section to rupture.

Signs of breakdown are easy to identify. Unheated areas indicate contamination or airiness of the radiator. If there is no leak on the cast iron surface yet, but a white or rusty coating has already appeared, this is the first “bell” about danger. Repairs cannot be delayed.

Advice! If the radiator simultaneously shows several signs of malfunction, it is better to replace it. The dismantled battery is sent for major repairs.

Most common faults

If the homeowner decides to independently figure out how to quickly eliminate the resulting leak, then it is necessary to familiarize yourself with what types of defects of this kind exist:

• Violation of previously created pipe tightness.
• Cracks in the casing of tubular, sectional and panel radiators.
• Formation of a leak in the area where the structure is connected with the pipeline.
• Violation of the tightness of the seam that serves as the connecting element of the sections of the device.

Even the most minor breakdown inevitably leads to a leak in the heating unit. This is a clear sign that the system is out of order. Even an untrained person can detect such a problem. More serious problems can only be identified by a qualified specialist who has at his disposal a special device for measuring pressure in pipes. This approach is especially relevant if the characteristic sound of a leak is heard, but the damaged compartment cannot be found.

The most problematic area

The most common problems with cast iron radiators

First of all, it is necessary to outline the range of problems that can be solved using cold welding or adhesive when repairing heating radiators.

Traditionally, cast iron batteries are considered the most vulnerable. Here, many problems lie in the design and properties of the metal itself. First of all, cast iron, unlike steel radiators or bimetallic batteries, is very fragile. Yes, cast iron is very strong, but at the same time it is a fragile material - it can withstand great pressure, and with a small impact it can crack.

The second point is the property of cast iron - it is a porous material, which contributes to the formation of craters on the inner surface and the gradual destruction of the wall.

Third, when assembling modern radiators, sections are connected using internal nuts, and the space between the sections is treated with a special compound that reliably cements the connection. In the recent past, flax and red lead were used to seal these joints, which over time led to a breakdown in the tightness of the joint.

So based on the above, the most common problems with cast iron radiators are:

• Violation of the tightness of the battery section after mechanical impact - an impact from the outside or a sharp increase in pressure from the inside;
• Leakage through the body of the radiator due to the formation of a hole in the wall due to metal corrosion;
• Failure to seal the connection points of the radiator sections, pipe supply points, and plug nuts.

As for other types of radiators, similar problems are less common; here, most often the cause of damage to the body of the section is metal corrosion or mechanical deformation of the walls when the battery freezes, when freezing water ruptures the metal.

Damage to a piece of material that does not have a thread

You can qualitatively eliminate a leak in an operating heating radiator on your own. This is an excellent option for those situations when there is no time to wait for representatives of the housing and communal services organization, and a welding machine is also unavailable. Many deformations occur due to poor-quality welds and corrosion damage.

There are several available ways to restore the system:

• At a plumbing store, you need to buy a factory-made clamp, which is designed to combat leaks. The disassembled product is placed on the pipe so that the durable rubber gasket is located opposite the leak. At the final stage, the clamp is tightened with bolts.
• The problem can be solved with the most common aluminum clamp, which is designed to tighten hoses on fittings. First, a thick rubber gasket is applied to the current areas. The structure is clamped with a regular screwdriver. This option is distinguished by its accessibility and simplicity.
• If you don’t have time to visit stores, but you urgently need to solve the problem and eliminate the leak, then you can safely use thick copper or annealed steel wire. The product is folded in half and the gasket is pulled to the location of the detected leak in order to twist it with pliers.

Attention! If the user does not know how to cover up the formed hole, and paint streaks are clearly visible at the leak site, then the structure is first cleaned with a knife. The performer of such painstaking repair manipulations should be prepared for the fact that after the completed manipulations, the liquid pressure will increase slightly.

An accessible way to unscrew the plug

Types and causes of leaks

As a rule, a leak occurs in the off-season, when the heating is turned off, as the metal cools down, the metal narrows and water begins to seep into the threaded joints.

If the heating radiator is leaking, then it is necessary to determine the cause and location of the breakdown. Each plumbing point consists of a heating radiator and an adjacent pipeline. The connections of these elements can be disrupted under the influence of the following factors:

• Long service life as a cause of wear;
• Poor installation of the heating system;
• Mechanical impact, brute force;
• Corroded metal.

Depending on which elements the coolant leak occurred between, the following types of failures are distinguished:

• Violations of the seal between the riser pipes and the battery pipes;
• Partial destruction of the main pipes that connect the radiator and the riser;
• Leakage in the area of ​​intersection connections;
• Formation of a fistula or crack in one of the radiator sections.

For each of these cases there is a different way to eliminate the accident. If the battery is dripping, don’t rush to find out what to cover it with. You may not need to smear at all.

Dripping between the nozzle and the main pipe

A leak at the junction is often the result of improper installation, or a domestic situation where the batteries were used as a support for heavy objects or residents. To complete the repair you will need:

• Car clamp or wire;
• A piece of thin and flexible rubber.

Procedure:

• Cut strips of rubber measuring 5x35 cm or use a rubber bandage from a pharmacy;
• Wrap the strip around the damaged area;
• Secure the rubber with wire or a zip tie.

In this situation, a clamp will be a more suitable option, since it is inexpensive and fixes the damaged joint reliably, evenly, without the risk of overtightening.

Main pipe leaks

There are always two such pipes. One for supplying coolant to the radiator, and the second for discharging cooled water. They are made of steel and tend to corrode and wear out from the inside over time for two reasons:

• Filling with water in the off-season;
• Impurities in water supplied through heating mains.

Most often, the question of what to do if the heating radiator is leaking arises at the height of the heating season. In the event of an accident, a cement-plaster bandage is used on a straight section of pipe. To prepare it you will need:

• Non-sterile bandage;
• Cement;
• Alabaster;
• Container for mixing the mixture.

Important! Alabaster is required when there is no way to turn off the water. It is applied as the first layer, as it dries faster than cement and adds reliability to the dressing.

• Mix cement with water to the consistency of liquid sour cream;
• Prepare strips 25-30 cm long;
• Soak the bandage strips in the mixture;
• Wrap them around the damaged area layer by layer;
• Continue until a tight bandage is obtained.

If a stream of water gushes like a fountain

If a fistula has formed and water flows in a stream, then you can hammer in a wooden wedge before the mechanics arrive. The wood gets wet and holds water well.

How to fix a leak from a locknut

There can be several reasons for this problem:

• As a result of mechanical impact, the tightness of the connection was broken. A common problem often occurs as a result of someone simply becoming naked on the pipe.
• The used plumbing linen burned out.
• The thinnest section was destroyed by corrosion.

If a person has not yet figured out the best way to seal a small leak, then it is best to adhere to the following scheme:

1. The heater risers must be turned off and reset.
2. Use an adjustable wrench or a gas wrench to unscrew the lock nut in order to be able to clear the threads of winding residues. After the manipulations have been completed, you should carefully inspect the structure.
3. If the technician does not find any signs of fistulas, then you can rewind the locknut with flax and paint, sealant or drying oil. As an affordable alternative, you can use a polymer thread, which should be tightened with moderate force.
4. At this stage, outside help will be needed, since when starting the risers it is necessary to monitor the damaged area.
5. If the technician managed to repair the leaks in the battery the first time, then the repair work can be considered complete. You just need to bleed the air. If after rewinding the locknut the leak was not eliminated, then the fistula formed precisely in the thread.
6. It is necessary to push the radiator cap and locknut all the way down the pipe. Now you need to carefully disconnect the wiring from the radiator. The existing thread should be driven with a die and an additional six threads should be cut. Be sure to clean the surface of paint first.
7. All that remains is to cut the pipe to the problem area in order to run the thread with a die again. After this, connect the radiator.
8. At the final stage, all that remains is to launch the system to fully heat the rooms.

Important! Experts recommend applying very little oil to the pipe, since in this case the die will go much easier and will not leave unwanted damage on the metal.

How to deal with battery leaks on your own

Cold welding for cast iron and other heating batteries

Although heating batteries have a service life of more than 50 years, you can often encounter a situation where the radiator requires repair. Several years ago, battery repair was possible only in one way - hot welding. Today we can use a more convenient repair option - cold welding for heating radiators.

Let's figure out what cold welding is for cast iron batteries

In simple terms, cold welding for cast iron radiators is the gluing of bases without preheating. This glue has a special composition, most often it consists of epoxy resin and hardener. After drying, a seam made from such an adhesive composition has the properties of metal. This welding method can withstand heavy loads, high temperatures, and can be used at sub-zero temperatures, so it is considered very reliable for cold welding battery repairs.

How to prepare a battery for cold welding

To understand whether it is possible to cover a battery with cold welding and for high-quality repair of a cast iron battery with cold welding, it needs to be prepared for this. How to seal a heating radiator using cold welding:

1. To cover a battery with cold welding, the surface that needs repair must be cleaned using sandpaper, as the roughness will increase the level of adhesion to the adhesive. Many people ask, is it possible to cover a hot battery with cold welding? If you can paint heating radiators while they are hot, then it is better not to use cold welding with hot radiators. The radiator temperature should be room temperature.
2. Then degrease. Particles of dirt and dust, on the contrary, will worsen the quality of gluing.
3. When using hard welding, keep your hands wet to prevent the compound from sticking. When using a liquid solution, you need to act very quickly.
4. We apply the solution to the surface to be repaired and do not forget that it is better not to use cold welding for heating with hot radiators.
5. For better adhesion and gluing, you need to secure the gluing area with a tourniquet or clamp.
6. The curing time of the composition is from 15 minutes to one hour, it depends on the chosen welding grade, after which it can be processed, drilled, etc. Final strength also depends on the brand, but is usually achieved after 24 hours.

Types of cold welding for batteries

When a battery breaks down, many people ask who to complain about cold batteries in the apartment and how to seal the battery with cold welding and is such a repair durable? Any professional in this matter will tell you that a seam made using cold welding is reliable. Of course, a lot will depend on the choice of adhesive composition. They are divided into two types:

• Liquid. When purchasing this type of cold welding, please note that this composition is two-component. This means that there are two tubes in the package. They must be mixed before use. Please note that after mixing, the solution is stored for no more than 20 minutes.
• Solid. The feel of this type of welding is indistinguishable from ordinary plasticine for children. More often it is a two-part bar, which must also be mixed before use. There are also one-component bars, then you don’t need to mix anything, you just need to knead them before use.

Which cold welding machine should I buy?

In order to correctly buy cold welding for cast iron radiators, when choosing, you should pay attention to the fact that it differs in composition. Not every cold weld can be used to seal leaks in batteries. Depending on the composition, cold welding is used for different purposes:

1. Multifunctional. This welding can be used to repair any materials: metals, wood, plastic. But it is considered the least reliable.
2. For metals. This type of welding has a special composition that, when working with metals, securely holds them together.
3. Special cold welding for batteries and pipes. It firmly glues parts and does not lose its properties even at a temperature of 1500 degrees.
4. Automotive. It is also used for fastening metals, but has a more gentle composition.
5. Cold welding for underwater repairs.

Be sure to check the packaging for the temperature conditions at which the seam retains its properties. The higher the temperature, the more reliable the welding. More often, instructions for adhesive compositions indicate a temperature of 260 degrees, but as practice shows, such a seam retains its qualities only at room temperature. Therefore, to avoid this situation, you need to choose cold welding, where the operating temperature will be 1300 degrees and above. Such solutions are the most durable. You can buy cold welding for heating radiators at any manufactured goods store. One of the most popular is cold welding for Mastix batteries. It is sold in a 55 gram tube and the price starts from 40 rubles. Often when repairing a battery, the question arises, how to treat the battery after cold welding? Experts answer that no processing is required. But we should not forget that cold welding is still a temporary solution to the problem. Is it possible to seal a battery by cold welding? It’s possible, but it’s better to call a technician after the end of the heating season to carry out major repairs and, if necessary, replace the radiator. You may be interested in the article “If it’s cold in the apartment, where to go in Moscow?”

If, after removing the paint layer, a rubber gasket is found in the joint area, it will need to be cut off and a new one put in its place. As each nipple is tightened, a silicone gasket is pulled over it.

Quite often it is quite difficult to determine the problem area on the radiator, since water floods almost its entire surface. To find a crack, you have to wipe the battery several times and quickly look for the damaged area. As soon as a leak is detected, immediately close the shut-off valves to ensure that no water remains inside the radiator. After this, lower the pressure by gradually opening the Mayevsky tap. Start repair work only after water stops dripping from the crack. To eliminate leaks between sections, use cold welding. In addition, you can cover the problem area with epoxy mastic with various impurities. Before applying the composition, thoroughly clean the surface of the battery. First, remove the old paint, then use a steel cable to remove the rust inside the battery. The durability of the patch will depend on how well you prepare the surface. When purchasing mastic, pay attention to the instructions for use. Some lubricants are not suitable for working with metal, so they will not stay on the battery for a long time. Often, in order to get a reliable putty material, you need to mix several products and carefully apply them to the crack using a syringe. The mastic will dry for at least 2 hours. At this time, heating the battery is strictly prohibited. Remember that the quality of the repair does not change depending on the amount of material applied. For a reliable patch, a layer 5 mm thick is sufficient. After repair, the device will no longer have the same appearance. However, you can by choosing the right paint for this.

Damage to the radiator plate

Heating of residential premises must be of high quality and reliable. But too thin, corrosion-resistant battery metal will eventually develop a leak that needs to be fixed quickly. If a spare plate is not at hand, then cold welding can be used. This material is a two-component epoxy adhesive with the addition of fine steel filings. All further actions must comply with the following scheme:

• When a heating device leaks, it is necessary to reset the risers. Damaged areas are cleaned of paint and rust. It is advisable to degrease with acetone or gasoline.
• Apply the glue evenly. Detailed instructions must be indicated by the manufacturers on the packaging. It is best to treat an area of ​​at least 4 cm2.
• You need to wait enough time for the composition to harden. After 40-50 minutes, you can start the system and bleed off the accumulated air.

Damage to worn-out products

Features of surface preparation for applying adhesive composition

The use of an epoxy resin-based adhesive requires the fulfillment of a number of conditions regarding the preparation of the surface for gluing. First of all, it is the cleanliness of the surface. Cold welding fits perfectly on metal surfaces and, when it contains metal powder, forms a strong connection, which subsequently also forms a diffuse connection. But in order for the plastic mass to be evenly applied to the surface of the metal, it is necessary to prepare it.

When preparing you need:

• Remove traces of drips;
• Remove the paint layer down to the metal;
• Clean the metal with sandpaper;
• Degrease the surface to be coated.

There are no minor operations in the list of operations; all of them are important for proper gluing of surfaces. True, it is worth dwelling on degreasing in more detail. During mechanical processing, dust and other particles, such as paint residues, enter the battery repair point in the roughness of the metal. In order for the glue to adhere as closely as possible to the metal, the area is additionally degreased so that the surface is as clean as possible. This operation will avoid the formation of a fatty film on the metal, which, after the cold weld has dried, will form a cavity into which water will leak.

Constant hydraulic pressure and temperature fluctuations will quickly expand the area of ​​the cavity, and the coolant will again begin to seep out.

What to do if a leak has formed between two sections of the battery

This problem often occurs as a result of a decrease in the temperature of the charged coolant. If the user decides to seal a tiny defect, then there is no need to rush into performing this procedure until the next frost. The temperature of the battery will gradually rise, causing the naturally expanded sections to again compress the leaky gasket.

Comprehensive leak control includes several stages:

1. The first step is to turn off the system and gradually disconnect the radiators from the supply lines.
2. You need to measure the distance from the nearest end of the heating device to the leak in order to throw a thick steel rod into it, which is flattened at the end. The master needs to try to hook the problematic nipple. The technology for placing this part directly depends on the side from which the key was inserted.
3. The nipple must be tightened along the thread until it stops. In this situation, additional efforts can be made.
4. All that remains is to tighten the plugs furthest from the liner. The unit is connected to the riser, the air is vented and started up.

Attention! When disconnecting the liner, it is better to substitute a capacious basin, since a certain amount of water necessarily remains in the riser.

Formation of cracks between different sections of heating installations

What problems occur most often and why?

• As you know, cast iron batteries are very heavy, so they should be mounted on special fasteners. If a minor mistake is made during installation, the radiators may sag and tilt under their own weight. A misalignment of just a few millimeters already negatively affects the efficiency of the device. If this problem is not corrected, then after some time corrosion will begin to form in the place where the coolant does not reach. Over time, cast iron becomes thinner under the influence of corrosive processes, which leads to the formation of a fistula. It is through this that water flows.
• In apartment buildings where a centralized heating system operates, powerful water hammers very often occur. As a result, leakage occurs at the joints of sections.
• Due to the roughness of the inner surface of cast iron batteries, a lot of different debris accumulates on it. If we take into account that the coolant is rarely free of impurities, then over the years of operation a sediment of rust, pieces of metal and other foreign impurities accumulates inside the batteries. The channels become clogged and can no longer pass water fully. In this case, the risk of battery breakdown will increase. Increased acidity of the coolant also negatively affects cast iron.
• The weak points in batteries are gaskets and nipple threads. This is where leaks most often occur.

Usually, before a leak occurs, certain signs are observed: the room becomes colder, plaque appears on the radiator, and rusty spots appear on the surface of the device. You shouldn’t be inactive at the first suspicion of a leak - you need to quickly fix the problem without waiting for an accident. If puddles of water are already appearing under the battery, or the level of humidity in the room has increased, then it is necessary to urgently repair the product.

The best time to start repairing heating radiators is from late spring to early autumn. The heating season is over, and you can calmly, thoughtfully and without undue haste, inspect the sections for damage, and carry out their full restoration. However, unfortunately, troubles always come when you least expect them, and according to the law of global meanness, the batteries burst in the middle of the heating season.

It’s good if the residents were at home when the heating battery leaked and responded to the problem in time, preventing the neighbors below from flooding. If this trouble happened to you in winter, then be prepared to live in not very comfortable conditions for some time. Also, do not forget to warn your neighbors that you have heating radiators that you plan to repair.

Types of radiators by material

Let's look at a few of the most popular types of batteries and look at their features.

Bimetallic radiators

This type of heating device has a beautiful appearance and is inert to corrosion. Able to provide excellent heat transfer. Repairing this type of radiator is quite affordable on your own, but not so common, since they are distinguished by quite good reliability.

Steel batteries

This type of radiator, like the previous one, is characterized by excellent heat transfer and low weight, but is not nearly as reliable. And most of the cases when heating radiator repairs are required are associated with these heating devices. This type of radiator should not be installed in houses where the heat supply is centralized, since their short service life and high susceptibility to the negative effects of corrosion will not allow them to last long.

Aluminum

This type of heating device is very good to use, has excellent heat dissipation, weighs little and looks beautiful. However, this type of device is very picky about water quality, and can be damaged if there are strong pressure surges. If too many chemical impurities have accumulated in the heating fluid, repairing the aluminum heating radiator will be impossible, so they can only be installed locally. Where the quality of the coolant is constantly monitored.

Cast iron products

One of the most reliable and well-known types of heating batteries. They are characterized by high heat capacity, reliability and excellent strength. They are not afraid of corrosion, and are not at all picky about the quality of the coolant. So you are unlikely to need to wash cast iron batteries yourself more than once every ten years. Due to the fact that, despite all their advantages, these heating devices weigh a lot, it is quite difficult to install and maintain them, so replacing heating batteries in an apartment with your own hands, especially if the radiators are made of cast iron, is only possible if you are completely confident in your abilities and knowledge. In addition, the repair of cast iron batteries is a fairly common occurrence, since their intersection gaskets are subject to fairly rapid wear, as a result of which they leak relatively often.

The most effective methods for eliminating leaks in the battery

With the onset of the cold season, many apartment and house owners discover that a recently working radiator has begun to leak. In such a situation, you need to try to shut off the water supply as quickly as possible and drain all the coolant from the circuit. In emergency situations, the battery simply needs to be replaced. If the structure is collapsible, then the financial costs for restoration work will be minimal, since to fix the problem you can purchase only one new section or plate.

Important! Before a comprehensive replacement of equipment, you should try to take all measures to restore tightness and eliminate leaks. It is for these purposes that experts have provided several simple and affordable home repair options.

Eliminating leaks at the joints of radiator sections

Sometimes it is quite difficult to determine the location of a radiator leak, as water begins to curl over the entire surface of the battery. To find a place where the material could not withstand the pressure of water, you should completely wipe the surface of all sections and carefully inspect them. When you see where water appears, you should turn off the shut-off valves so that there is no liquid left in the radiator. After this, use the Mayevsky tap to reduce the pressure.

You should begin eliminating the leak only after water has stopped dripping from the rusted area. To eliminate intersectional leaks in the radiator, cold welding can be used. The most common type is epoxy mastic with various additives.

But first you need to clean the junction of the sections. The first step is to clean the surface of paint, and you can use a steel cable to remove rust and dirt. The reliability of the patch made will depend on the quality of cleaning of the joint.

After purchasing a specific product, you should carefully read the instructions, since some types of such compounds are not intended for a certain type of pipe. Usually, to create the desired composition, it is necessary to combine several components and apply it to the damaged area using a syringe. The mastic dries in about 3 hours, after which the battery can be used again. One-component compounds are also often used, which must be kneaded before applying to the battery.

Universal hermetic seal

Leaks often occur in an aluminum radiator, which are directly related to various unfavorable operating parameters. To restore the integrity of the structure, a high-quality sealant can be used, which can be purchased at any hardware store. The product that manufacturers produce specifically for heating radiators, consisting of polymers or a special powder, has proven itself to be excellent.

Attention! Due to its specific composition, upon contact with air, the sealant simply polymerizes.

After complete hardening, the applied composition perfectly eliminates leaks, so you can avoid large financial investments in major repairs. If the homeowner has previously worked with sealants, he can quickly take emergency measures so that the system can continue to heat the house.

The use of rubber gaskets and conventional clamps

Before repairing bimetallic heating radiators, you should prepare some materials and equipment:

1. Pliers.
2. Aluminum clamps.
3. Wire.
4. Classic gasket made of durable rubber.

The repair technology includes a certain list of important stages. A gasket is placed in place of the leak and everything is secured with a clamp. If you don’t have the right tools at home, then a simple wire and a bicycle tube will do just fine. From this material you can carefully cut a piece of rubber of the appropriate size. You can secure the homemade gasket with strong wire. To achieve a good tie, you need to use pliers.

Methods for repairing cast iron radiators

There are several methods that allow batteries to last not only until the end of the heating season, but also for a couple of years. These include:

• If there is a leak at the junction of sections, it can be quickly eliminated using a bandage and epoxy glue. The material is impregnated with glue and wound around the leak. After it sets, you can paint this place to match the battery, but the main thing to remember is that such an “operation” is considered temporary, and it is better to buy and install a new section after the cold weather ends.
• If a fistula or crack is detected, a clamp will be required. You can buy it at a building materials store, or you can make it yourself from rubber or tin.
• Cold welding for cast iron batteries is the best way to quickly eliminate a defect. This is a special sealant that looks like children's plasticine. It must be thoroughly kneaded and applied to the damaged area. The product sets quickly, is resistant to temperature changes and is quite suitable for quick and temporary repair of a cast iron battery.

Knowing how to weld a cast iron battery using a welding machine with an inverter circuit, you can save the device from leaks for quite a long time.

Innovative moisture-resistant adhesive

In this case, the technician will not be able to rehabilitate the heating without draining the water. If liquid begins to drip at the junction between the metal sections, then to eliminate this damage you will need a cloth that must be soaked with glue that is resistant to high humidity and high temperatures. When the composition hardens, the leak will be reliably eliminated. For these purposes, it is better to buy universal epoxy glue.

The video provides interesting information about cold welding and its versatility:

conclusions

There are several ways to eliminate emergency leakage of heating radiators:

• using a self-tapping bolt;
• using a cement-plaster cast;
• using a rubber pad with wire or a clamp;
• using fabric impregnated with waterproof and heat-resistant glue;
• using a special sealant;
• using welding.

All of these methods of eliminating leaks are temporary measures that make it possible to have time to purchase new heating devices and plan their replacement.

The leak is repaired using a regular bandage or strip of fabric and epoxy glue. The bandage is impregnated with glue and tightly wrapped around the leak site. After the glue has dried, the repaired area is painted the same color as the battery. This “ambulance” ensures tightness for 1-2 years.

How to seal a heating radiator Miraculously, a problem with an aluminum heating radiator arose when frosts set in throughout Russia. Moreover, the radiator leaked late at night. I woke up several times at night because the heating radiator was making noise. I also thought that this was not without reason and was very similar to depressurization. Alas, I was not mistaken - in the morning there was a decent puddle under the radiator on the laminate floor. Initially I thought that the problems were related to the faucet, but then I discovered swollen paint on the side surface of the radiator from under which water was oozing. I was able to determine the location of the leak by the swollen paint. Having removed the swollen paint with a flat screwdriver, I saw the cause of the leak - two small holes. Two holes in the left sections of the radiator. Most likely, the microscopic hole appeared a long time ago, since just a year ago, a noise similar to a clicking emanated from this battery. I kept blaming Mayevsky's damaged faucet, but even after replacing the faucet, the noise did not stop.

What to glue with?

After searching for information on the Internet, I decided to buy cold welding. There was no choice, so I took what was in the store - “Almaz Universal Cold Welding Adhesive.” Almaz Cold Welding Adhesive Previously, I had the opportunity to use this glue to repair a leak in a steel heating pipe under pressure of about 2 atmospheres. It was not possible to completely eliminate the leak, since it was not possible to drain the water from the system and properly degrease the surface of the pipe at the place where the glue was applied.

Equipment:

1. Plastic tube packaging;
2. Glue wrapped in film;
3. Instruction insert.

What does Almaz universal glue:

• Parts made of ferrous metals;
• Parts made of non-ferrous metals;
• Plastics;
• Glass;
• Ceramics;
• Tree;
• Marble;
• Concrete;
• Granite;
• Plexiglas.

Be sure to look at the manufacturing date on the back of the insert - the glue has a shelf life of two years. The shelf life of cold welding does not exceed two years. The adhesive is two-component - before mixing, the components are inert to each other. The adhesive is two-component. Visually it looks like a brown core and a white shell

Instructions for using Almaz welding adhesive:

Clean off dirt, degrease and sand the parts at the joints. Cut off the amount of compound required for repair, thoroughly mix its components with each other with wet hands (use gloves) until a working mass of a uniform color is obtained. The composition should warm up in your hands and become plastic and sticky. Immediately apply the composition to the surfaces to be glued, if necessary, fix them for 15-20 minutes with a clamp or tourniquet. Curing time is 1 hour, after which the composition can be processed, drilled, threaded, painted. Final strength is achieved after 24 hours, after which it can be subjected to structural loads. Wrap the remaining adhesive with film, secure with an elastic band and pack in a tube for reuse.

Gluing process

Before gluing the radiator, I turned off the taps on it and waited until water stopped flowing from the leak. The heating radiators are equipped with bronze half-turn taps with an American nut. Thanks to this, you can close the taps and dismantle the radiator without draining the water from the system. If necessary, you can always loosen the American nut to quickly drain the water. For these purposes, it is convenient to keep a plumbing wrench on hand. When the gluing process began, the surface near the damaged area was dry. In principle, Almaz cold welding can be glued to a wet surface, but I prefer a dry one. Alcohol applied to a cotton pad was used as a degreaser. The adhesive area was degreased with alcohol applied to a cotton pad. After cutting off the glue and mixing the components, I got a ball with a diameter of about 15 mm. The composition is ready for use. Cold welding was first applied by hand and then pressed tightly to the radiator using the tip of a screwdriver. It doesn’t look very neat, but the glue is applied between the fins of the radiator, where it is still not visible

To improve the quality and speed up gluing, the composition applied to the radiator was heated using a household hair dryer for 5-10 minutes.

Heating with a hairdryer allows you to get better bonding and speeds up the hardening process of the composition. In principle, after 10 minutes, the glue has hardened considerably. However, he decided not to rush and opened the taps only after an hour. The leak has now been eliminated.

Bandage based on plaster and cement

To figure out how to repair a damaged radiator, you can use this technology. To work you will need prepared alabaster, sharp scissors, a regular bandage, a container for water, and cement. In a vessel you need to prepare a solution of a thick consistency, into which you need to dip the pieces of bandage. One strip should be 35 cm long. Bandages thoroughly soaked in alabaster are applied to the detected leak area. To achieve maximum results, you need to apply several layers at once. This option is actively used by both beginners and professionals.

Application of universal welding

Thanks to this device, you can eliminate absolutely all traces of leakage. Welding allows you to eliminate leaks in any type of battery in just a few minutes. The master can purchase a high-quality installation in a specialized store.

Important! Classic welding copes well with all types of cracks and breakdowns, due to which you can quickly return the system to its previous tightness.

This option is in great demand, since the result of the manipulations performed is not afraid of the negative effects of moisture and high temperatures. Welding is one of the most reliable ways to eliminate leaks in a heating system. If a person has not previously encountered such a device, then it is better to entrust all manipulations to a specialist.

A variety of products for filling holes in cast iron products

How and with what to seal a leak in a heating battery so as not to spend money on a new radiator

However, even such a simple device can fail.
As a rule, such cases are unexpected for the owners. Sometimes the situation can only be resolved by urgently calling an emergency team. Fortunately, owners are often able to cope with the problem on their own. You just need to know how to repair a leak in a heating battery so that the equipment can last for quite a long time. However, let's initially decide when it is still necessary to call the emergency service, and not try to fix the situation ourselves. If you live in a private house, then at any time you can turn off the heating system and calmly fix the leak or replace the radiator, so such cases need not be considered. But if you live in an apartment connected to central heating, then everything depends on how the radiators are connected. There are two options:

• with shut-off valves. If there is a valve on the pipe to which the battery is connected, then with its help you can shut off the coolant flow. But at the height of the heating season, this should be approached with caution. In many cases, closing the valve will stop the flow of coolant to the neighbors in the riser - this depends on the wiring diagram of the heating system. In such situations, you can close the valve only if there is a bypass. This is a piece of pipe that forms a bypass path for the coolant current. This way, the liquid can circulate freely further along the route while you are repairing the radiator;
• without shut-off valves. If there is no way to shut off the coolant flow, then if a 100% leak occurs, it is necessary to call an emergency team. Firstly, in this case, the liquid supply can only be shut off using a valve on the common riser - residents of an apartment building, as a rule, do not have access to it. Secondly, this needs to be done urgently, even in a situation where the leak is not that strong - for example, water drips in a thin stream. Remember that this can suddenly turn into a real fountain, with almost boiling water running in the pipes. Workers of any emergency team can tell you about cases where delay led to severe flooding of the apartment, which, given the temperature of the liquid, is very difficult to eliminate. And even before flooding, water “rushing” from the radiator can leave serious burns on people nearby. In general, you shouldn’t delay - at any time of the day or night, if you notice a leak, immediately call the emergency services.

In the second situation, while you are waiting for the emergency team to arrive, you can make things a little easier. If the leak is strong—the coolant is literally splashing out of the battery—then throw a blanket over the area. You won’t save your apartment from flooding, but at least you will protect your family members from burns.

If the leak is small, the liquid runs in a thin stream, then you can get by with “little bleeding.” Wrap the battery in the area of ​​the leak with a cloth, such as a towel. Dip the ends of the tourniquet into the basin. This way you will direct the coolant into the container and not onto the floor. You can also try to completely eliminate such a leak. But let's talk about this in more detail.

Fixing a leak between two sections

The technician needs to perform additional sealing of the joints. Those areas that are located between the two sections are distinguished by their unique rectilinear shape and small area. Thanks to this, you can find a defect much faster and eliminate it efficiently. Experts recommend using a simple algorithm of actions:

• You should try to strengthen the guide screw using a classic car clamp.
• If desired, the master can make the fastening element himself. To work, you will need several plates made of durable steel (aluminum blanks). The hinges can be tightened using a classic bolt connection.
• Before using clamps, you should isolate problem areas using a rubber gasket. You can also use a piece of fabric that is impregnated with epoxy glue.

Attention! The winding between the batteries must be done as carefully as possible so as not to overtighten the connection. Particular care is also taken when fastening the clamps.

First signs of breakdown

There is a list of “symptoms” indicating that not everything is in order with the heating batteries. These include:

• the rooms became cool. Try asking your neighbors and find out if their apartment is warm. If they are doing well, then you have a problem. The reason may be contamination of the equipment, misalignment or the presence of fistulas. In the first case, it is enough to wash the batteries; in the second, fix or replace the brackets and check the correct installation with a construction ruler. In the third - radiator repair;
• If a strange coating appears on the surface of the battery, then the reason is the wear of the gaskets. It is necessary to turn off the system, remove the batteries and install new ones;
• The leak is immediately visible. If it is small, then you can use a clamp or cold welding, otherwise you will have to change the equipment.

Even small, barely noticeable defects can turn into a large and serious problem if they are not corrected in time. Temporary clamps and patches will not help. Only professional specialists will make diagnostics, determine the reliability and density of the heating circuit and its parts, and also carry out qualified repairs.

Combating defects that have formed at the junction of the riser and the pipe

Damage to the heating battery used may be caused by incorrect installation of the equipment. The first problems become noticeable to the user after the first start-up of the heating system. To connect the riser to the pipe, experts use threads or conventional welding. But poor-quality assembly, failure to comply with basic techniques, as well as the use of pipes of different diameters can provoke the occurrence of leaks, which is why unscheduled repairs are simply inevitable.

If a large mechanical pressure is applied to the created structure, this can provoke the formation of a fracture at the junction or distortion. This situation most often occurs when a person needs to get to the top of the window or due to careless play by children. The salvation in such a situation is the use of a clamp in strict combination with a rubber gasket.

Professional approach to repairs

How to quickly fix a leak

Since operating a vehicle with a current radiator is not possible, the problem must be urgently resolved. As a rule, small cracks in the radiator housing, which can only be detected when the engine is running, can be eliminated independently and quite easily by using appropriate sealing compounds.

If the leak is more severe and is detected even when the car is turned off, this may indicate a violation of the integrity of the radiator due to a breakdown or intense corrosion processes occurring inside. They often start when the driver has chosen the wrong antifreeze/antifreeze. Then the cracks are large in size, and the situation cannot be corrected with sealant - either the radiator will need to be replaced, or it will be dismantled and then soldered. How to work with sealant is shown in the video: Before starting repair work, you should make sure that it is the radiator that is leaking, and not the pipes. If a leak is detected visually and its size is small, the best way to solve the problem is to use a special sealant. It is capable of high-quality sealing of small cracks, is distinguished by its high efficiency and ease of independent use. This composition is especially convenient on the road, because when the cooling radiator leaks, and there is no specialized service or just a populated area nearby, further movement may be impossible.

However, its purchase will not help much in case of sudden repairs. Welding can be handled by a specialized specialist who has at least three years of relevant experience.

Welding is relevant when repairing cast iron radiators, as a way to ensure a permanent connection. But the difficulty of its use lies in the fact that this metal is difficult to weld. You can find a way out of this situation - use the so-called cold welding. As for other materials used in heating systems, more modern types of connections are used for them.

Fighting cracks of different diameters

Elimination of such defects has its own characteristics. The most suitable option is to use traditional welding. But this option is quite labor-intensive, and also implies the presence of appropriate equipment and minimal skills. As an excellent alternative, you can use special glue. First, the technician needs to prepare the problem area of ​​the battery. The process itself is based on cleaning the surface and degreasing it.

The prepared cold weld fragment is pressed against the crack formed with a certain force. This material stands out for its quality and reliability, since it polymerizes within a few minutes. It takes 35-45 minutes for the formed seam to harden. The very next day, the restored battery can be put into operation, but after the end of the heating season, such a device will need to be replaced, since such welding falls into the category of temporary repair work.

Rewinding the cork for better sealing

The battery is leaking - how to cover up a leaking cast iron battery

The battery is leaking - what to do?

Almost every house and apartment has cast iron radiators, thanks to which it is always warm and cozy in cold weather. The service life is several decades, this is so long that almost everyone takes their work for granted, without thinking at all about the fact that they need to take care of the battery. Of course, when an incident occurs in the form of a leak, everyone begins to cut off the telephone numbers of the housing office and private masters If this happened on a weekend, everything is somewhat more complicated. The average apartment resident has no idea what or how to do if a cast iron battery starts to leak.

Please note that if employees of the management company or heating network, during a scheduled inspection, will be able to identify and fix the breakdown in time, but this must be done on time and in advance.

A breakdown causes a lot of trouble if it happens in winter and there is already water in the system . Below we will tell you how to provide first aid to a battery and not leave your family without warmth and comfort, without flooding your neighbors.

What does the battery consist of?

If we are talking about old-type radiators, then in appearance they resemble accordions, while modern models are flat, due to which they heat up more evenly. Cast iron is a very strong material, but even it does not last forever, it has a limit of stability. So the service life varies from 20 to 30 years, depending on operating conditions. If maintenance is carried out in a timely manner, the service life increases several times and the battery will last almost a hundred years.

Unfortunately, problems often arise in the places where the sections are fastened to each other; they wobble due to water or crack due to age. This is where the leak begins, which is best localized as soon as possible.

Placing a basin or saucepan under a dripping radiator is not a solution, as the crack tends to grow, so that one day a flood may occur! If we are talking about the winter period, then there is generally boiling water in the pipes, which poses a serious danger to the life and health of people.

What breaks most often

Although cast iron is a great conductor of heat, batteries have wide channels which minimize the risk of the battery clogging. In this case, it will heat the room worse. So why might the battery burst? The radiator is too heavy , if the brackets are installed weakly or not deep enough (and it also happens that they are completely forgotten about and the battery hangs on the pipe), over time it sags under the weight of its own weight and tilts. It would seem that this is not the case, but the slightest deviation is fraught reducing the efficiency of the device. If no one paid attention to this and did not correct it, corrosion appears and leaks begin. Initially, corrosion damage appears as a small brown spot that gets larger.

Many people mistakenly believe that older radiators last much longer and work better, but there are also those who prefer newer models. Both will work properly if they are located no higher than the 6th floor.

Provided the water flow is stable and there are no water hammers, in this case the battery will heat and operate at least on the 10th or 20th floor. Otherwise, a leak may form at the joints . Any hardware store has a lot of sealants that will help correct the situation or prevent it altogether.

DIY repair

The inside of the cast iron is rough; if the radiator is foreign-made, then there are no roughnesses. Due to the roughness, debris clings to the walls and settles inside. If the battery is not cleaned, it will clog and simply burst from the high pressure of water. If there is a leak at the joint, then a simple bandage and epoxy glue will help to cope with this, coat the joint with glue and soak the bandage with it, then wrap the joint tightly, wait until the glue sets and once again, sparing no glue, coat everything, then you can touch up the place no repairs were visible. This is a temporary measure; after the heating season ends, it is worth replacing the section.

If a crack has formed , then a bandage and glue will not save the situation; you will need a clamp. It is better to use cold welding, a sealant that is very similar to window putty. Knead it thoroughly and cover the crack with it, after a few minutes everything will set and you can sleep peacefully for another heating season.

All other methods, unfortunately, are useless. Even after such independent repairs, after the end of the heating season, it is worth turning to a specialist for help. Even the best cold welding is not a guarantee that the leak will not return after some time. Carry out technical inspections and minor repairs in a timely manner and let the radiator serve you faithfully.

Restoring the integrity of pipes

If the structure is already leaking, then you simply cannot do without a plaster-cement dressing. The repair of heating equipment itself includes several main stages:

1. Cement is diluted in a pre-prepared container to a consistency that is convenient to use.
2. A classic medical bandage is cut into pieces 35-40 cm long.
3. The prepared strips are thoroughly soaked in the prepared cement mortar.
4. The fastening blanks are carefully wound onto the formed crack in several layers so that maximum joint strength can be achieved.

If the user does not have the opportunity to turn off the tap on his own, then the first dressing must be treated with an alabaster solution. All subsequent layers can be based on classic cement.

Welding all cracks and large holes on the battery

Sequence of work

Depending on how serious the breakdown is, the steps to fix it depend. So, if the leak is small, then you can do without disconnecting the battery from the circuit, and for repairs you will need:

• Place a container under the breakdown site in case of a breakthrough or an oilcloth with rags to collect water.
• The area of ​​the rupture or crack must be cleaned down to the base using a cable or sandpaper. It is necessary not only to remove a layer of paint, but to expose the metal itself.
• Degrease the prepared area with some solvent.
• If special glue or epoxy resin is used to repair the damage, then strips of thick fabric or bandages will be required. Apply the product to them and wrap several layers around the tear site.
• If cold welding is used, fabric is not needed.
• A clamp is put on and screwed onto the area captured by the sealant, but it is important to ensure that its clamps are on the opposite side of the leak. For example, a crack has formed on the inside of the radiator, which means the clamps will be on the outside, and vice versa.
• If the breakdown is serious and hot water is gushing out of the battery, then you need to call an emergency team, and not try to stop the leak yourself without the necessary tools.

Even the highest quality repairs do not guarantee long service life of the device. Restored cast iron radiators will still have to be replaced, and the sooner this is done, the safer it will be in the apartment.

Effective prevention measures

Every property owner can detect a leaking pipe, regardless of the operating characteristics of the heating system. But all of the above methods of dealing with defects are relevant exclusively in the winter season, when it is necessary to take any measures as quickly as possible to restore the structure. But at the end of the heating season, it is imperative to organize professional scheduled maintenance of batteries and pipes.

The radiators are carefully dismantled and disassembled into separate sections, trying to remove all the old sealant from all threaded connections. In some cases, it may be necessary to replace old nipples. Experts definitely recommend preparing new intersectional rubber sealing gaskets. If the repairman also finds fistulas, then they must be welded in order to subsequently be able to return the already restored radiator to its place.

If the house has not previously undergone a comprehensive replacement of all components of the designed heating system, then the resulting risk of a leak increases exponentially. This is caused by natural wear and tear of communications. Experts always recommend having classic thick rubber gaskets and various clamps in your home arsenal. For emergency repairs, you will need cold welding to be able to immediately shut off the flow of moisture. In practice, it has been proven that specialized glue is capable of eliminating any leaks that form in heating devices.

Important! There is a huge range of sealants on sale that will help even an inexperienced craftsman improve the tightness of the structure. The final choice depends on the allocated budget and the actual condition of the equipment.

After all the manipulations have been done, you can install the battery in the circuit and fill the system with water to check the integrity of all connections. This stage must be performed with the boiler operating, since under the influence of pressure the circulating coolant is able to identify all weak points in the pipes. If no defects were found within 24 hours, then the problem can be considered resolved.

More interesting and educational information on this topic is presented in the video:

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Cold welding

But repair of heating system components is required not only when replacing old radiators. Sometimes during the heating season the unexpected happens - the joints between individual sections begin to leak or a fistula (deep chip) forms. Preparing for repairs In such an unpleasant situation, the owners cannot do without cold welding. This material is an epoxy resin-based adhesive. It can help in repairing products:

• of steel;
• made of copper;
• made of tin;
• made of cast iron;
• made of lead;
• from nickel and other metals.

An adhesive composition produced in the form of a bar is suitable for repairing batteries . The plastic substance is placed inside, and the hardener covers it on the outside. Before use, the block must be thoroughly kneaded so that it resembles plasticine. If a small part is needed, the block is cut crosswise to maintain the proportions of the components that make up the glue. One of the popular types of such glue is Mastix, sold in small packages. One “portion” of welding is equal to 55 grams and costs about 60 rubles. Polymerization of the composition occurs within 2.5 hours. After which you can start using the heating system.

Repairs begin with preparatory actions. A film is placed under the radiator, since water and dirt cannot be avoided here. It is important to know that if you choose the method of sealing with epoxy resin or cold welding, then the radiator must be disconnected from the heating system, otherwise a coolant leak will prevent the bandage from sticking to the cast iron surface. However, this can be done when the battery is equipped with shut-off valves.

The service life of cast iron heating radiators is so long that residents take their work for granted, so if a leak or fistula appears in the wall of the device, they do not know what to do. It is especially unpleasant if the breakdown occurred in the midst of cold weather, but even in the off-season you cannot leave heating elements unattended. As a rule, preventive work carried out by heating network workers can reveal the presence of contamination or leaks in the device. In this case, there are simple ways to eliminate a leak in a cast iron heating radiator.

Construction of cast iron radiators

This type of heating device consists of sections. Models of the old type, even today, are produced in the form of “accordions”, while the new generation has a flat outer panel that provides better heating of its entire area. During operation, these devices use two types of heat transfer:

1. Radiation, or as professionals call it, radiation accounts for up to 25-30% of heat. It not only heats the air, but is transferred to nearby objects, providing better heating of the room.
2. Convection produced by the heating battery ensures constant movement of air masses around the room and accounts for about 75% of the heat transfer.

The structure of the cast iron battery, despite all the external changes, remained the same. It consists of sections equipped with:

• plugs;
• locking devices;
• traffic jams;
• shank and thermostat;
• locknuts;
• nipples and gaskets.

No matter how strong cast iron is, even it has its limits. As a rule, the service life of cast iron radiators is 25-30 years, and with proper care and optimal operating conditions they can operate without interruption for 50 to 100 years. The same cannot be said for the parts that hold the sections together, such as spacers. With frequent water hammer, they can “sway” or crack over time. In this case, a leak appears between the sections of the cast iron battery, which, if not eliminated in time, can cause a serious accident and a threat to human health and life. To avoid this, you need to check the condition of cast iron radiators after the end of the heating season. In this case, you can detect completely different problems in the heating system.

The most common problems and their symptoms

Although cast iron perfectly tolerates the imperfections of the central heating coolant, and the radiators made from it have wide enough channels so that debris does not accumulate in them, problems can arise even with them. And this despite the fact that there is no wear to this metal. The following factors may be to blame for a cast iron battery bursting or a fistula appearing in its walls:

• Everyone knows the heavy weight of radiators made of this metal. If during installation of the structure, insufficiently strong brackets were used, or there were not enough of them, over time it may sag under its own weight and tilt. Even a slight deviation of just a couple of millimeters will reduce the efficiency of the device, and if the distortion is not corrected, then after a few years corrosion will appear in the place where the coolant is missing. At first it will look like a small brown spot, which will grow with each heating season until a fistula forms in its place.
• The reputation of “long-living” is characteristic of both old and new models of cast iron radiators, but provided that they are installed in the contour of an apartment building no higher than six floors. If the heating network is reliable and does not suffer from strong water hammer, then they can be installed in nine-story buildings. Otherwise, under strong water pressure, the cast iron battery may leak at the joints of the sections. In the event that a cast iron battery leaks during the heating season, you need to know in advance how to repair it. Today there are a lot of sealants that will help the device “hold out” until warm days.
• The internal structure of domestic batteries is such that the cast iron from which they are made has roughness that is completely absent in imported analogues. That is why a lot of debris is deposited on the walls over time, which fills the water in the heating network. Suspensions, particles of rust and metals, all settle and make the wide channel so narrow that it is no longer able to easily pass coolant under high pressure. In this case, the structure may burst anywhere, and then you will have to urgently decide how to eliminate the leak in the cast iron battery.
• Gaskets and threads of nipples are the weak “link” of heating devices

As practice shows, most often it becomes known that something is wrong with the heating system when repair of cast iron radiators is already required. To find out about a problem in advance, you need to listen for “help signals” that indicate the presence of defects.

The first signs of trouble

There are a number of factors that indicate that something is wrong with the heating circuit or batteries. These include:

• Feeling of coolness in the room. In this case, it is worth asking your neighbors how warm it is in their apartment. If everything is in order, then you can start looking for problems in yourself. The reason may be simple contamination of the channels, misalignment of the device, or the presence of fistulas. In the first case, it is enough to wash the batteries, in the second, fasten or change the brackets and check the correct installation with a building level, and in the third, provide assistance to the “sick” radiator.
• If an incomprehensible coating appears on the battery, visible to the naked eye, then the reason for this is worn out gaskets. You will have to turn off the system, remove the batteries and install new ones, for example, from paronite.
• The leak is immediately noticeable. If it is small, then you can get by with a clamp or cold welding, otherwise you will have to completely change the device.

It should be remembered that even small defects can develop into a big problem if they are not eliminated in time. Don't rely on temporary clamps and patches. Only heating network specialists can determine the reliability and tightness of the heating circuit and its elements.

Elimination of fistula

For any breakdown there are a number of reasons accompanying it. A fistula on heating system pipes or on a radiator is no exception. If a small brown spot appears on the elements of the heating network, you should not think that it is paint coming off. In fact, this is the beginning of an often irreversible process, but knowing how to repair a fistula in a cast iron battery, you can stop the destruction and extend its service life. Causes of corrosion:

• Taking into account the frequent increases in the cost of utilities, some craftsmen are cunning and, in order to save energy, connect a neutral cable to the heating circuit. The currents that begin their “journey” through the pipes through the coolant are what cause the formation of corrosion. You can identify a dishonest neighbor if there are several fistulas and they appear with a certain regularity. Calling the appropriate service to identify the intruder and repairing cast iron batteries yourself will help save the situation.
• Too much acidity of water can harm even corrosion-tolerant cast iron.
• The batteries have expired or deposits on the battery walls have damaged the metal. In this case, even a small fistula or crack under the influence of water pressure can cause the battery to burst and a stream of hot water to flow from it.

Any of the options requires urgent intervention. If the cast iron battery leaks only slightly, then you can do without disconnecting the circuit and dismantling it. A clamp can save the situation. If the water only drips, then a one-sided clamp will do, but if it runs in a thin string, then it is better not to risk it and use a double-sided clamp. In the event that the coolant ruptures the place where the fistula was located, the question immediately arises whether it is possible to weld a cast iron battery . As a rule, cold welding becomes an emergency solution, but even if it has restored the tightness, it is necessary to call specialists from the heating network to check the condition of the heating system.

Methods for repairing cast iron radiators

There are several methods that allow batteries to last not only until the end of the heating season, but also for a couple of years. These include:

• If there is a leak at the junction of sections, it can be quickly eliminated using a bandage and epoxy glue. The material is impregnated with glue and wound around the leak. After it sets, you can paint this place to match the battery, but the main thing to remember is that such an “operation” is considered temporary, and it is better to buy and install a new section after the cold weather ends.
• If a fistula or crack is detected, a clamp will be required. You can buy it at a building materials store, or you can make it yourself from rubber or tin.
• Cold welding for cast iron batteries is the best way to quickly eliminate a defect.

Knowing how to weld a cast iron battery using a welding machine with an inverter circuit, you can save the device from leaks for quite a long time.

Sequence of work

Depending on how serious the breakdown is, the steps to fix it depend. So, if the leak is small, then you can do without disconnecting the battery from the circuit, and for repairs you will need:

• Place a container under the breakdown site in case of a breakthrough or an oilcloth with rags to collect water.
• The area of ​​the rupture or crack must be cleaned down to the base using a cable or sandpaper. It is necessary not only to remove a layer of paint, but to expose the metal itself.
• Degrease the prepared area with some solvent.
• If special glue or epoxy resin is used to repair the damage, then strips of thick fabric or bandages will be required. Apply the product to them and wrap several layers around the tear site.
• If cold welding is used, fabric is not needed.
• A clamp is put on and screwed onto the area captured by the sealant, but it is important to ensure that its clamps are on the opposite side of the leak. For example, a crack has formed on the inside of the radiator, which means the clamps will be on the outside, and vice versa.
• If the breakdown is serious and hot water is gushing out of the battery, then you need to call an emergency team, and not try to stop the leak yourself without the necessary tools.

Even the highest quality repairs do not guarantee long service life of the device. Restored cast iron radiators will still have to be replaced, and the sooner this is done, the safer it will be in the apartment.

Conclusion

You can repair cast iron batteries yourself if you have the tools and necessary materials, but only in case of minor defects. Cold welding is the easiest and fastest way to return the heating device “to operation,” but even it does not guarantee that everything will be fine in the future. To make sure that the heating circuit and all its elements will last a long time and will not pose a threat to human life, you need to either completely replace the repaired structure after the end of the cold season, or invite specialists to check its reliability.

Useful video