Chemical flushing of the system when needed and how to do it
The frequency of chemical flushing depends on the quality of the water used. Many do not flush the system at all; in the case of a special coolant, this is normal practice. But the use of water is associated with the formation of scale and other deposits, which reduce the efficiency of heat transfer and significantly increase fuel consumption.
The flushing of the system is carried out by means of a special pumping unit, which can be rented for a while. The system is flushed with a special solution of cleaning chemicals, which are selected according to the type of pipes, radiators and heat exchanger material in the boiler. In special cases, the boiler is washed separately.
When flushing, it is important to close the taps of all auxiliary equipment: expansion tank, pumps, bleed valves, etc.
At one point, the pipeline ring must be closed, and on both sides of the valve there are branch pipes for connecting flushing hoses.
Flushing is carried out in two stages: first, the system is pumped with a chemical solution for 40-60 minutes, then the chemicals are washed out with clean water several times.
Composition and order of preventive work
To maintain the efficiency of water heating, there is a whole range of measures. Certain types of work are carried out at different intervals.
Performed annually:
- Preventive inspection of gas boilers.
- Checking the functionality of automation.
- Boiler alarm test.
- Checking/cleaning chimneys.
- Inspection of the heating pipeline.
Once every 3-5 years, the following may also be carried out:
- High pressure system test.
- Chemical flushing of the system.
- Coolant replacement.
- Calibration of automation devices.
It is clear that the frequency of some work is a purely individual concept. For example, when using well and borehole water for heating, it is recommended to carry out an annual flush without chemicals, and if a plunger pump is available, to test the system with increased pressure annually. More specific recommendations are given by equipment manufacturers and the organization that installed the system.
Preparation of siphons of wash basins, sinks, sinks.
If you have a plastic sewer and, accordingly, plastic siphons, then theoretically you can not cook them very much for the winter. The water plug in plastic siphons is small in volume, plastic has higher thermal insulation properties than metal or ceramics, in addition, plastic can deform a little, so usually the water that does not have time to evaporate from the siphon before the onset of frost freezes a little slower than in ceramic toilet bowl or cast-iron knee and turning into ice siphons do not tear. If you have cast-iron siphons, then it is imperative to remove water from them for the winter. This can be done in several ways, for example, by using a plunger (plunger) to push water from the siphon further down the pipe. If there is no plunger, then you can try blowing it out with a bicycle or car pump, or gently slip a rag between the drain grate and gradually soak all the water. After removing the water, plug the drain hole with a cork or a rag (it is advisable to press the rag on top with something heavy) so that smells from the sewer network do not enter the house.
I have been using these technologies for 15 years and so far everything is reliable. And yes, do not forget to drain the water from the tank. One of my friends did everything right, but did not drain the water from the tank. When the frosts came, the tightness of the gasket in the tank was broken, the water glassed into the bowl and froze there. As a result, the toilet had to be replaced.
I hope, dear reader, the information presented in this article has helped you at least a little to understand the problem you have.I also hope that you will help me get out of the difficult situation in which I recently found myself. Even 10 rubles of help will be of great help to me now. I don’t want to bore you with the details of my problems, especially since they are enough for a whole novel (in any case, it seems to me so, and I even started writing it under the working title “Tee”, there is a link on the main page), but if I was not mistaken in your conclusions, then the novel will be and you may well become one of its sponsors, and possibly heroes.
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In order not to be “overwhelmed” with the beginning of the next season, you need to properly close the current season. It's time to carry out work that will help save the suburban area until spring. So, we tell you how to prepare the cottage for winter.
Surely, you have already begun to carry out the main part of the work. We have no doubts about your dacha experience, and, nevertheless, we suggest checking it out - suddenly something “flew out of your head”?
How to prepare the sewer for winter in an unheated cottage
One of the weak points of a dacha that is not heated in winter, or rather, a dacha where no one lives in winter, is the sewer system, of course, if it exists.
The fact is that even if no one uses the sewer in winter and the sewer pipes are laid with the correct slope, water still remains in the siphons and knees, the so-called water plug.
The task of a water plug is to keep odors and gases from the sewer out of the house. This very necessary and useful quality in summer can turn into harmful in winter. Because water, due to its physical properties, expands when it freezes and can damage siphons and knees.
In order for the next year the sewerage system to work properly, in the fall, before leaving for the city for the winter, it is advisable to perform a few simple steps:
The main reasons for draining water from the underfloor heating system
There can be quite a few reasons why it becomes necessary to drain the water from the pipeline of the heating system yourself - from the upcoming long absence of residents in the house to replacing the water in the system with antifreeze. In order to do everything right, and not damage the heating system, let's take a closer look at how to drain water from the warm floor on your own.
A common reason for the need to drain the coolant is the preservation of the heating system for the winter period when used in a normal water circuit. This event, before the onset of cold weather, is mainly carried out in summer cottages and country houses that are not used in winter. To simplify and speed up the draining process, special equipment is used.
Portable Air Compressors (Motor Driven)
Another equally important measure in the operation of underfloor heating is preventive maintenance on the heating system. Boiler water has a lot of impurities that, when heated, precipitate or form layers on the walls of the pipeline
Due to the reduction of the internal clearance of the heat conductors, the circulation of the coolant in the system is disturbed, and heat transfer is reduced. For this reason, when using water, the coolant must be drained once or twice a year.
A water circuit filled with antifreeze does not suffer from such a problem. The replacement of the coolant in this case is carried out every 3-5 years - provided that the boiler is operated without overheating (for warm floors, the maximum allowable temperature threshold for heating the coolant is 45-55 0 С).
One of the types of antifreeze for filling the contours of the underfloor heating system
Another reason for the need to drain the coolant may be the loss of its physical properties by the liquid.The change in the characteristics of antifreeze occurs after overheating - the solution begins to foam, filling with foam certain sections of the heat pipes, which disrupts the circulation of the coolant in the system and reduces heat transfer.
Failure to comply with the installation technology of a warm floor, the use of materials that are not intended for contact with chemicals, causes the occurrence of corrosive processes in the heating system, as a result of which the circulation of the coolant is also disturbed, and water circuit leaks occur.
Naturally, you will have to drain the water from the underfloor heating pipeline when replacing it with antifreeze - modernization.
These are the main reasons for the need to empty the underfloor heating system and, regardless of the basis, the water must be drained in accordance with all the rules, with the implementation of safety precautions and compliance with the technological sequence of the constituent operations.
Draining the rest of the water from the accumulator
Before carrying out repair work on this device, it is necessary to organize the draining of the remaining liquid from the tank. This process is carried out in different ways, depending on the design features of the hydraulic tank. Some models of the device are equipped with a drainage mechanism. When it is opened, the accumulated liquid quickly drains.
If the hydraulic tank does not have such a function, the connection of the device with nozzles by the threaded method is used. The use of an American fitting is the most convenient way. The presence of such a node in the water supply system allows you to remove the hydraulic tank for draining the remaining water and subsequent repairs. Before draining the water from the accumulator, the electric pump is de-energized.
After that, the drain itself is carried out. This sequence of actions will ensure the safety of stopping the water supply system. Drainage of accumulated water is carried out in such cases:
Drainage of water from the hydraulic tank is carried out in various cases.
- before renovation work. They can be caused by a violation of the integrity of the storage tank, loss of tightness of rubber gaskets.
- After a long system downtime. Drainage is carried out before fresh water is supplied.
- Preservation of the system for the winter. A necessary operation to protect the integrity of the tank.
- Failure to comply with the organization of water drainage in the winter, leads to freezing of water inside the accumulator, which increases the risk of its breakdown.
An important role is played by the tightness of the safety membrane. It separates the chambers of air and water. Membrane integrity is difficult to determine. The operation of the system does not change if it is damaged. But when frost sets in, the membrane that has lost its integrity is finally destroyed.
After draining the accumulated liquid, the hydraulic accumulator is pumped. The air cavity becomes accessible after the membrane is removed. After removing it, make sure that there is no water in the air compartment. Inspect the tank walls for corrosion. Its presence is a sign of a violation of the tightness of the membrane. The tank is dried and the damaged area is cleaned. There is no need to inspect the water tank. It is made of thick rubber.
Prepare your lawn for winter
The first step is to clear the lawn of debris. A layer of fallen leaves or twigs will interfere with photosynthesis, and can also be an excellent "home" for pathogens and pests. Also, the lawn must be mulched to preserve the sown grass and reduce the evaporation of moisture. Do not forget about mowing the grass - this procedure in the middle lane can be carried out until the end of October. Moreover, the mowing height should be 1-2 cm more than usual (i.e. if during the season you cut the lawn to 4 cm, now the grass height should be 5-6 cm).
In the first half of October, do not forget to feed the lawn with phosphorus-potassium or special autumn lawn fertilizer (according to the instructions). If pits and bald spots have formed on the cover, they need to be “patched” by adding soil and sowing seeds.
Drainage and conservation of the pumping station
The sequence of actions is as follows:
- The pumping equipment is disconnected from the electrical network.
- The hose is disconnected through which the liquid is sucked.
- All valves and outlet cocks open, the water must drain completely.
- The pumping station is different from the pipeline, the rest of the liquid drains from the pipes.
- The pressure in the hydraulic tank is checked (the norm is 1.5 bar, as indicated in the data sheet).
When the pressure is not enough, use another pump to pump out the remaining water from the pumping station. If the liquid remains at least somewhere, the equipment will have to be thrown in in the spring and a new one will be bought.
In addition, it is necessary to go along the contour of the system, checking that there is no water in any of the nodes. The boiler is empty. Storage tank, circulation pump, filters must be empty. During this period, it is convenient to check the cartridges, rinse the nets, and carry out preventive maintenance. In the spring, when you have to start the system, it will be enough to connect the pump, fill the pipes and press the start button.
Most plumbing equipment has special shut-off valves designed to drain water from the working chambers. But if the valve is not provided, you will have to disconnect the equipment not only from the mains, but also from the pipes connecting the device to other devices.
Treat the basement and cellar from mold
The end of the summer season is the time to process the cellar and basement so that the “mold kingdom” does not start up in them during the winter. First of all, in dry weather, take all the jars outside and dry the room, and then treat the walls and other structures with an antiseptic (this procedure must be repeated every few years).
As an antiseptic, you can use a solution of copper sulfate (100 g per 1 liter of water).
Fans of solving problems in a radical way recommend using a sulfuric smoke bomb to process the basement. Seal all ventilation openings in an empty room, cover metal parts (if any) with polyethylene. Check that there is no one in the house (you will have to leave it for a day), and then set fire to the fuse of the checker, go out and close the doors tightly. Upon your return, thoroughly ventilate all rooms.
System Design Features
The design of the heating system in an apartment building is of two types: two-pipe and one-pipe. The single-pipe system has the main drawback - the cooling of water on the way to the upper floors. Heat is directed upwards under pressure, bypasses all thermal circuits and flows back through the same pipe.
In a two-pipe heating system, the coolant is returned back through the second pipe, and the temperature is maintained high when it enters the system along the entire route.
Heating systems are also divided into open and closed. In an open system, water comes directly from the heating plant and is distributed through heating and hot water pipes. Most of the apartment buildings are of this type.
In a closed system, water is supplied only for heating purposes. From the heating plant, water is distributed to heating points, where it is brought to the required temperature before being supplied to residents. A closed autonomous system is also installed in private homes. Installation of an autonomous closed heating system is carried out with the expectation that any part of it can be turned off and drained of water, without damaging the rest. To do this, ball valves-cut-offs are installed at the inlet and outlet of the radiators. A spare pipe is mounted - a bypass. Cranes allow you to block the flow of coolant.
In order for the heating system inside the apartment to be serviced without problems, it must be installed in a certain way. The batteries are placed on a slope so that the water is drained quickly.
To drain water from the heating system, the battery must be mounted in a certain way.
Batteries must be equipped with shut-off valves, a Mayevsky tap and a tap for draining water. Old cast-iron batteries in most cases do not have any fittings. They have a plug installed in the lower part, but over the years of operation it tightly grows together with the radiator and is often painted over.
In the heating riser and batteries of an apartment building, water is present at any time of the year, only its temperature is different. In winter, hot water moves in the system, in summer it is cold. When carrying out serious work, draining the coolant from the pipes is mandatory in any season.
Video of the intricacies of filling a closed system
With caution and start-up rules, you can independently cope with adding water to the old system. At the first start, the check and filling must be done by the masters who installed the heating
If you do not have the skills, do not try to fix the leak yourself or replace the coolant in the circuit. Entrust the work to a specialist - the master will select the optimal carrier, cleaning agent that will not damage the internal surfaces, and correctly fill the system.
One of our readers is wondering how legal is the requirement of the management company to pay for the drain of the heating system riser during the work on replacing the heating radiators in the apartment? Recall that we have already discussed the issue of . Let's take a closer look at this topic today.
Indeed, before proceeding with the replacement of heating appliances in the apartment, you need to turn off the central heating riser and drain the water from the heating system. There are no other options, because even in the summer there is residual water in the batteries.
You can entrust the process of draining the coolant only to representatives of the management company serving your home, or hire another specialized organization, while coordinating the shutdown with the Criminal Code.
In this case, you will have to pay for the service provided in both cases. The cost of disconnecting the riser for each district and even the house may vary - the final price is determined by the management company of the house. The fact is that the prices and tariffs for the provision of services and works by housing services at the request of residents are not regulated by the state in any way. Therefore, each office has its own rates.
The cost of work is indicated in the price list for paid services, which can be found by contacting the management company of your home. In addition to the riser shutdown service itself, a fee is also charged for draining the coolant (water) in the batteries, as well as for filling the heating system after all the work has been done. These two components (drainage and physical water) are set by state tariffs (in practice, their cost is averaged), which, like the drain / fill service, must be paid to your management company.
In addition, if the riser is turned off during the heating season, then the payment will be added up by the hour. In winter, the riser can be turned off for a maximum of three hours (to avoid freezing), but usually only an hour is enough for repairs. If outside the window the temperature drops to minus 30 degrees, then turning off the risers is prohibited!
How to drain the heating riser
1. Close the valves on the supply pipe (1) and the return pipe (2).
2. Open the drain cocks (3) and drain the coolant.
In the second figure - also a system with a bottom feed. Only the supply and return risers go in different rooms. Therefore taps 1 and 2 can be removed from each other. And the procedure for draining the coolant is the same.
In the third figure - a system with an upper coolant supply. The supply line is located in the attic or under the ceiling of the upper floor.
The procedure for draining the heating riser:
- close valve 1 in the attic;
- find valve 2 in the basement and close it too;
- remove plug 3 and drain the coolant.
The same systems are made in high-rise buildings.
Even a minor repair of one of the radiators or a heating pipe is inevitably associated with a complete drain of the coolant from the heating system. After completion of work, the circuit will have to be filled with water. The question arises - how to start the heating correctly? What temperature should the water be, at what speed should the liquid be poured? How to prepare and flush the home heating network? It is better if the work is done by the masters - many factors will have to be taken into account.
Drainage and replacement of water, inspection of pipelines and fittings
To avoid corrosion of steel pipelines, they are kept constantly filled with water. This rule does not apply to systems with plastic pipes, however, if the boiler has a black iron heat exchanger, it is allowed to drain water only when the valves on the supply and return pipes are closed.
Water is drained to replace it or flush the system, repair pipelines and connections. Inspection of pipelines starts from the boiler and follows in a circle, starting with the direct supply pipes. Leaks are often local and periodic, most of them are not detected during the heating period. However, leaks can be detected by characteristic traces: a white or rusty coating, stains from small puddles of water, a change in the color of the winding-sealant. Even with slight traces of leakage, the spigot or connection should be repacked, or the radiator sections should be sealed.
Replacement of water in the heating system is carried out at the final stage of prevention, it is recommended to do this before the start of each new heating season no later than 30-40 days before it starts. Water is drained from the system and the deposits formed are washed out of the pipes, applying pressure to the upper point of the circuit through the direct supply pipe. The flushing liquid is drained until it is clarified, then the system is filled with water through the bottom supply pipe under slight pressure.
We drain the water correctly
If you leave the liquid in the pumping station for the winter, the liquid will freeze and break the parts, and the expensive device will become unusable. To prevent this from happening, the entire water supply system needs to be prepared for the winter correctly. What does that require:
- First of all, the station is disconnected from the power supply.
- Then, it is necessary to disconnect the suction hose, it should be taken into account that the water that remains in the system will flow.
- To relieve pressure, the drain flap is fully raised; if it is not there, the nearest faucet or valve is opened.
- The pressure pipe or hose is removed.
- The pressure in the accumulator should be determined, it should be 1.5 bar or a little more.
- When there is no necessary device or the magnitude of the force is less, any application is used, they work until the water supply stops from the suction pipe. If this procedure is not carried out, the liquid may remain inside, the station's hydraulic accumulator may break, then in the spring you will have to spend money on replacing it.
- After that, the pumping station is assembled and cleaned until spring. In order to preserve the equipment, it can be taken away from the dacha.
- Water is drained from all hoses and pipes.
The successful result of the work on the conservation of the station will be the absence of liquid in the pipes of the entire system in the house.
Boilers and automation
Maintenance of electric boilers includes inspection of heating elements, revision of start-up equipment and hauling of electrical connections. The heating elements are removed from the flask, loose scale deposits are removed and the crust of plaque is removed with a cleaning agent. The starters should be disassembled and the silver-plated contacts should be brought to a shine with a zero-sandpaper. All cable and wire connections must be loosened by 2/3 of the clamp and tightened again.
Comprehensive maintenance of the boiler can only be carried out by a specialized organization, but it also depends a lot on the owner. First of all, you must do:
- external inspection with the casing removed;
- treatment of gas pipeline connections with soapy water;
- check draft and air supply;
- visual assessment of the burner condition;
- checking the correctness of the piezo ignition.
In boilers out of warranty, it is allowed to clean the flame sensor, the air sensor and the boiler chimneys on your own. At the same time, the connections of the gas pipes must remain intact, and it is also not allowed to clean the burner yourself.
With complex maintenance, the specialist will perform all of the above actions, as well as adjust the fuel supply, set up and test the automation, and analyze the composition of the exhaust gases.
Maintenance of solid fuel boilers includes, first of all, a comprehensive cleaning of the furnace, pyrolysis chamber and chimney channels. Cleaning is carried out with a metal brush, removing carbon deposits and scale from the metal, but not cleaning the surface to a shine. This does not apply to heat exchangers: their surface must be kept as clean as possible.
Starting an open heating system
Filling an open heating system is easier. No special tools needed. It is enough to determine the upper point of finding water in the expansion tank. You will need an assistant who will monitor the air taps.
Work rules
The liquid is drained through the drain pipe located at the lowest point. If necessary, the circuit is flushed. Filling the system is performed in the following sequence:
Shut off the drain valve.
Open the air bleed valves.
Distillate is slowly poured into the expansion tank.
Tank for open type heating
Continue to fill the system with short breaks so that the air rises evenly to the surface. Filling is carried out until the moment when liquid begins to flow from the air taps. The valves are closed.
Add water to the expansion tank up to the mark. You can not fill the expander completely. When heated, the volume of liquid increases, and water over the edges of the tank will begin to pour out. The maximum coolant level is 2/3 of the internal volume of the tank.
System check and maintenance
After completion of work, air is bled from the radiators. Check each valve one by one. Add the required amount of water to the tank.
When operating an open system, it must be remembered that the warm carrier is constantly in contact with air, and, accordingly, evaporates. Therefore, periodically it is worth looking into the expansion tank. When the level drops, simply top up with enough water.
Before checking, be sure to turn off the boiler and wait until the water has cooled to room temperature. Do not add media to hot water. Use liquid with a temperature up to 40 o.