Pipe freezing

Replacing the main heating batteries has always caused a lot of difficulties along the way. After all, in order to simply change an old or failed heater, it was necessary to drain the liquid from the system, and during the heating period, completely leave all neighbors without heat for the period of construction work.

To date, all such methods are in the past - they have been replaced by an unusual way to change the battery in the room, regardless of the time of year. This is the freezing of pipes using an electric apparatus Rothenberger ROFROST TURBO 62206.

How it works

When freezing the pipes leading to the heat exchanger, it will not be necessary to close the risers and drain the water, which quite often becomes a technically complex and difficult task. The pipe sealing machine freezes some sections and forms strong ice plugs at their exit. Further, a specialist in the replacement of heating batteries simply cuts off the heater near the place of freezing and carries out its demolition. You can start the process of installing a new heater right there, which will significantly save time for repair work.

The method of freezing pipes in our time is considered the best, inexpensive and successful when replacing heating batteries in Moscow. It has a lot of good qualities:

the device does not stop working very quietly, without disturbing either the tenants of the apartment or office employees, or their neighbors;
within 10 minutes after freezing, you can start work on replacing the battery;
the device provides the same icing;
you can freeze steel, copper, plastic and metal-plastic pipes.

Likewise, it is not difficult to change the battery even in the height of the heating season.

However, only specialists should be trusted to work with the Rothenberger ROFROST TURBO 62206 unit, since certain nuances must be taken into account in the freezing process.

Battery Replacement Precautions

Replacing pipes and heating appliances of main heating is the most important process. The freezing method solves a lot of problems and inconveniences in it, but you must always remember the rules for performing such work:

it is impossible to freeze pipes with a diameter greater than 65 mm, since they most likely will not withstand the pressure of an ice plug;
at a distance of less than 1 m from the ice plug, it is forbidden to carry out work with welding, which can lead to the heating process and depressurization of the system;

Freeze close-up in the section - see what's inside and how it works.

at the site of the formation of an ice plug and not far from it, it is impossible to knock on the pipe with heavy objects, which will violate its integrity.

If you need additional advice on the plumbing services provided, write or call us:

About defrosting prevention

The most correct thing in the fight against defrosting is to prevent it at the stage of building a house or at the stages of installing individual heating systems.

During the winter period of operation of the premises, it is important to prevent an unforeseen shutdown of the heating system, that is, an autonomous backup source of thermal energy should always be provided. The choice of pipes for water supply and heating systems of houses is also of considerable importance.

The trouble with all pipes is corrosion. The most durable material is cast iron, its shelf life is 50 years, and the manufacturers of cast iron radiators claim that, with proper operation, the service life of their products is at least 100 years. The least durable of metals in heating systems is aluminum, its service life is 10 years. Heating systems based on steel and copper pipes with heating devices will stably last 20 ... 25 years.
Plastic pipes are not afraid of corrosion, scale and salt deposits and serve up to 45 ... 50 years.In addition, in case of defrosting, they do not burst. In the place of defrosting, a slight swelling is simply formed.
The homeowner is simply obliged to control how the pipes of the heating and water supply systems of his house are thermally insulated

At the same time, special attention should be paid to welded joints between pipes, in addition, when laying pipes in trenches, before backfilling, make sure that the heat-insulated pipes lie in a "bedding" of crushed stone or gravel, and not in "bare" ground, otherwise they will simply be deformed or even torn

Freezing of heating pipes

Previously, it was impossible to imagine the process of replacing pipes during the heating season. After all, for this it was necessary to achieve a specialized permit for water drainage during the heating season, and this is very, very difficult, and you also have to pay handsomely for this. For now, this is not a problem. There is this procedure as a freezing of heating pipes.

The necessary equipment will make it possible to replace the battery without turning off the riser. In that case, if heat does not move through the pipes. With the help of this device, professionals in 2 accounts can conserve the necessary sections of the pipe, forming a kind of ice plug. And this means that you can very easily change the heater without turning off the heat supply and water from the riser, so you don’t have to drain it.

What features are available with pipe freezing technology?

Replacement of heating generators;
Replacement of pipeline fittings;
Install plumbing fixtures;
Implement various pipe repair works;

Freezing radiators

At this time, a similar operation has become available as a freezing of heating pipes, the price of which will not shock you. Professionals will do everything quickly and carefully for a suitable fee.

If you still find it difficult to use such a service, you need to consider one significant minus, for which you will spend much more money than on frozen pipe products. Basically, if you live in a high-rise building, in order to drain all the water from the system, you will not do without the services of plumbers, and their requests go off scale at times. And this is usually proven, because, very often, in order to remove water, drain it not only from your living space, but from all the apartments that are in your house, or even from several houses.

system breakdown;
No plugs;
Problems with the future filling of the system and its release from unnecessary air.

And the person has no choice but to overpay twice, or even three times more than he expected to spend from the very beginning.

All these problems can be avoided by using frozen heating pipe products, the service of which will significantly save the integrity of your wallet.

The good qualities of this service

By forming an ice plug, you can begin subsequent work on the required section of the pipe. The installation does not stop working very quietly and this is quite convenient, because no one has canceled the dissatisfaction of the neighbors. The device ensures the icing of the pipe in the same way, thanks to this it gives you a guarantee of safety for plastic, metal-plastic, copper and metal pipes. The procedure is fast enough, thanks to this, all your planned replacement does not take a large amount of time.

Service cost

In order to tell the price of the service, a professional must first of all evaluate the range of work and take into account your own desires regarding the place and size of freezing. Freezing heating pipes the cost of such a service is completely optimal. At this time, this is hardly a bad option for those who wish to implement any repair work regarding the water meter assembly without draining the water from the riser. The benefit is understandable, save yourself strength and cash. We recommend you a similar service at the best rates.Qualitatively and quickly, our professionals will cope with the task that is set. Working with us you can always count on excellent quality, great functionality and very good prices. We are waiting for your requests, we will be sincerely glad to help you.

Defrosting by internal action

However, in addition to devices that have an external effect, there are those that heat the ice inside. One of them is a steam generator. It produces steam, which enters the system under high pressure, acting on the frozen area.

As the ice plug melts, the hose carrying the steam moves further. This method allows you to quickly and effectively deal with the freezing of pipes. Another device that allows you to melt the ice from the inside is an apparatus for hydrodynamic washing. It supplies water to the system, which also leads to defrosting of the pipes.

Non-traditional ways

Often there are situations that the pipeline has frozen and immediate measures are required, and there is no appropriate equipment at hand. How to defrost a water pipe in such a situation? In this case, many begin to look for a way to deal with the problem with improvised means. It could be:

Blowtorch (for metal pipes);
Electric convector;
Hot water;
Construction and even a hair dryer.

But you need to know

After all, freezing could lead to damage at the joints. It is not recommended to use diesel or gas heaters and open flame sources for defrosting.

The process itself should start from mixers and taps - this will allow the melted water to drain from the system. After the defrosting is completed, the line must be checked for leaks and only then put into operation.

If a pipe located in the ground freezes, then you will have to dig a trench, which is very problematic to do in the winter season. Therefore, it is better to take care of the insulation of water pipes in advance.

After opening it, pay attention to the material from which the pipeline is made. After all, various equipment is used to defrost polyethylene and metal pipes.

For the former, electric heaters with a temperature not exceeding 100 ° C are most often used. In addition, you can use the insulation of water pipes, this will speed up the thawing process.

Heating of metal sections is carried out using an open flame. It can be either a blowtorch or firewood.

How to avoid the effects of frost

The most reliable way to avoid such problems is to use frost-resistant pipes complete with a heating cable. This combination will save you forever from the need to defrost the water supply. Typically, such cables are switched on when needed, and in warm weather they are inoperative.

A cheaper way is to use insulation for water pipes, the price of such materials is relatively low.

Among the most popular ways to insulate water pipes, it is worth noting the use of:

glass wool;
Basalt insulation;
Styrofoam;
Heat insulating paint.

The choice of a particular one depends on the characteristics of the pipeline. For example, glass wool is recommended to be used for metal-plastic products, and one layer of paint replaces polystyrene when insulating a water pipe on the street.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=6wF_AjhfYnQ

For underground laying, the ditch is made in such a way that its depth is below the freezing level of the soil;
The line should run at a distance from reinforced concrete structures - this will significantly reduce the likelihood of freezing;
The areas where pipes pass through the walls must be insulated;
The diameter of the pipeline must not be less than 50 mm;
For street laying, it is recommended to use a polyethylene type that is not afraid of freezing;
For seasonal use, the water must be drained.

By adhering to all these rules and insulating the line passing in the open air, you can avoid freezing of the system, and, consequently, the problems associated with their defrosting. But it will not be superfluous and a heater for pipes.

Pipe defrosting methods

For any methods pipe defrosting There are rules that are very dangerous to break. It is better if specialists are engaged in defrosting, but if you could not find them, then in any case you need to know the following:

before defrosting, it is necessary to fully open the tap closest to the place where the water in the pipe freezes;
defrosting should be done very slowly, gradually moving from the open flow valve to more distant sections of the pipe;
the temperature of the defrosted pipe must always be such that it can be touched by hand;
remember, if you overheat the pipe, steam may form, excess pressure in the pipe can lead to its rupture in nature close to an explosion.

The easiest method for defrosting pipes indoors is to turn on the autonomous heating system at home. The house will warm up, and the pipes will defrost on their own. When defrosting outside the house (in the basement), you can wrap the place where the ice plug has formed with rags and continuously pour hot water over these rags. Substitute a bucket or basin under the place of irrigation so that the water does not spread and does not form frost.
Good results can be obtained by heating the pipe with an electric heating pad or electric blanket. A heating pad or blanket is wrapped around the pipe, any heat-insulating material is thrown on top. The whole structure is connected to the mains, the thermostat switches sequentially from a low degree of power to the highest. Then, smoothly and slowly, move the entire structure to the end of the ice plug.
In rooms and basements, it is safe to defrost pipes with an electric hair dryer or an electric heater with a fan. A jet of warm air is simply directed to a heated place.
Pipes in walls and wooden floors are very effectively defrosted using conventional electric lamps with a reflector reflecting thermal energy. In this case, the wiring should be designed for a power slightly greater than the power of the electric lamp used.
All of the above methods are quite applicable for defrosting metal-plastic pipes. When they are defrosted, the temperature should not exceed 120 degrees.
And finally, the most dangerous method. To defrost, you can use a propane torch with a flame divider. A sheet of asbestos cardboard must be installed behind the heated pipe. In addition, there should be a fire extinguisher nearby and cleared, free places for the possible evacuation of all people involved in the defrosting work.

A burning burner must not be left unattended, and heating must be carried out gradually and very carefully. Due to the high risk, this method can be referred to as an extreme and last resort in solving the problem of pipe defrosting.

Pipe defrosting

If the heating pipes are still frozen, they must be thawed as soon as possible. Of course, the best thing is to entrust this to a specialist. However, it is not always possible to invite him. In this case, you should take up the defrosting yourself, sequentially performing the following steps:

it is necessary to open the tap, which is located closest to the place where the ice plug forms.
gradually move further and further, opening more distant taps.
defrosting should be done at a relatively low constant temperature (you should calmly keep your hand on the pipe).
overheating of the pipe can have a detrimental effect on it - it can simply burst under the influence of excessive pressure that has arisen in the pipe.

Pour hot water over the pipe - an easy way to defrost it

If the heating pipe that runs directly in the house or basement is frozen, you can use the following method to solve the problem

The “affected” place is wrapped tightly with a cloth, and moderately hot water is carefully poured onto it. Of course, at the bottom you should put a container into which this water will drain.

Another solution to the problem that the heating system has defrosted is to use an electric sheet (blanket) or an electric heating pad. It wraps around the pipe, connects to the power supply and gradually heats up. In this case, the level of heating should be controlled, gradually increasing it.

If the frozen piece of pipe is very long, the heating element should be carefully moved along the cork

Another option for dealing with ice jams is to use conventional lamps with reflectors that reflect heat. But this method is only suitable for small sections of frozen pipes.

Installation for defrosting heating pipes

The choice of method for defrosting a frozen area largely depends on its location, as well as on the duration of the plug. In this case, it should be taken into account that if defrosting of metal-plastic pipes is necessary, the heating temperature should not exceed 120 degrees.

There is another defrosting method, which, however, can be called extreme. You can resort to it only if other methods have not had the necessary effect.

In this case, an important condition is the presence of a gasket in the form of an asbestos sheet between the pipe and the wall.

The heating of the pipe is done very carefully. It is desirable that there is a fire extinguisher nearby and there are no flammable or explosive substances and materials

Now you know how to warm up the heating system if there is a problem with it.

Any actions should be carried out carefully, and it is best to call specialists

What threatens freezing

If ice plugs have formed in your pipes, it will be problematic to get rid of them, so it is better to perform insulation in advance. But if the moment is lost and the system is still frozen, then it will no longer be able to perform its functions.

But besides this trouble, there is another one. If a water pipe freezes, it threatens to burst it. To avoid possible troubles, it is necessary to take measures in advance to prevent freezing of water in the system.

One of the ways is insulation - this is the main protection of water pipes from freezing. But we must not forget that the installation of engineering networks must be carried out in accordance with the requirements of SNiP:

The depth must exceed the level of soil freezing;
Insulation of pipes in the ground is organized using one of the possible methods;
The entrance of the pipeline to the house must be effectively insulated;
In the case of seasonal operation of systems, the water must be removed for the winter period;
Heating cables are allowed.