To create a comfortable microclimate in the apartment, it is necessary to maintain an air temperature that is optimal for all residents. However, over time, the efficiency of the water heating system decreases, and the rooms warm up much worse. The reason for the decrease in heat transfer is clogging of the batteries due to the coolant. To remove deposits and restore the functioning of radiators, their timely cleaning, which is carried out at home, will help. How to flush the heating batteries depends on the nature of the pollution, operating conditions and the material of the heating elements.
Causes of clogging of the heating system
Hot water, circulating through the heating pipes, interacts with the metal and contributes to the occurrence of chemical processes. As a result, deposits appear on the internal surfaces of the batteries, which prevent the operation of the system and the heating of the premises in the apartment. In cast iron pipes, a blockage is formed due to foci of corrosion that destroys the metal and settles on the walls in the form of tiny particles. On interior surfaces aluminum or steel radiators deposits occur due to precipitation of calcium and magnesium salts.
In addition, the low quality of the coolant contributes to the clogging of the heating system. Together with water, sand particles, welding scale, and other types of pollution move through the pipes, especially if the communications are old. Over time, all elements of the heating system become silted up and need to be cleaned, which you can do yourself.
Signals that batteries need flushing are:
- increasing the heating time of the room;
- growth in energy consumption;
- uneven heating of radiators;
- extraneous noises in a heating boiler;
- cold batteries with hot pipes.
If the network is not cleaned in time, then in addition to reducing heat transfer and increasing energy consumption, the mechanical wear of communications also accelerates.
Ways to eliminate blockage in the heating system
Depending on the execution technology, the removal of clogging of batteries and pipes can be:
- hydrodynamic;
- chemical;
- pneumohydropulse;
- hydropneumatic.
Each cleaning option has its own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages and requires certain equipment.
Hydrodynamic
This method is based on the removal of deposits in the heating system with a jet under enormous pressure. Water is supplied to places where sediment accumulates using special nozzles. As a result, there are no accumulations of silt particles, rust and other contaminants inside.
This method is effective for cast iron elements of the heating network, because due to the porous structure, dense deposits form on the walls that interfere with the operation of the equipment. The rather high cost of hydrodynamic cleaning is compensated by the result.
Chemical
Flushing with chemicals is one effective way to remove deposits. For this, various compositional compositions, solutions of alkali, mineral and organic acids are used. This option is optimal for removing sediment from the inner surface of steel pipes and is used in apartments in multi-storey buildings.
Chemical cleaning requires special equipment, which consists of a container for liquid, a pump and hoses. The composition of the solution is selected taking into account the material of the heating network.
The advantage of this method is the ability not to stop the operation of the heating system, so all technological operations can be performed in the winter. To get the desired result, you only need to correctly select the solution and calculate its concentration.
Pneumohydropulse
Such cleaning is indispensable if the diameter of pipes and heating elements does not exceed 150 mm. To work, you need a water pneumatic gun that allows you to remove deposits from a distance of 50 m. It is convenient to use, because it allows you to remove deposits pointwise in places of their greatest accumulation. At the same time, the radiators retain their functionality and do not require shutdown.
hydropneumatic
For cleaning in this way, it is necessary to have equipment capable of creating high pressure. As a working fluid, ordinary water is used without the addition of reagents and chemically aggressive substances.
Deposits on the inner surface of the radiator mainly consist of salts of magnesium, sodium and other elements. The specificity of such sediments lies in the combination of strength of fastening on the walls and brittleness. Therefore, during hydropneumatic treatment, deposits are easily destroyed by turbulent flows.
Deposit removal technology
To rinse and remove the sediment from the walls with your own hands, you will need to perform a series of operations. First, turn off the water supply to the heating element. If there is no shut-off valve, then the water is completely drained from the engineering network. To do this, remove the radiator and take it to the bathroom, and under certain living conditions ─ to the street.
When cleaning indoors, plumbing is protected from damage with a rag or film. The opening of the bath should be closed with a special mesh in order to avoid large particles entering the sewer during flushing. Then do the following:
- plugs are removed from the batteries, this is done especially carefully for cast iron products;
- using a garden hose, thoroughly rinse the internal surfaces with a stream of water under pressure, tapping from the outside;
- dry the heating element and install it in place.
With caked sediment, cleaning with vinegar is necessary. To do this, the plugs are installed at the bottom of the radiator, and a 70% essence solution is poured inside and left for about an hour. At the end, the heating element should be shaken so that rust and scale peel off.
The final step is to remove the vinegar solution with sediment and rinse with clean water. It is carried out especially carefully, since the remnants of the essence can cause corrosion and destruction of the metal.
If aluminum batteries are installed in the heating system, then exposure to acid or alkali solutions should be avoided. Otherwise, the heating element is damaged and loses its operational properties and technical characteristics.
Advice! For efficient operation of the heating network, all its elements should be cleaned regularly. The frequency depends on the degree of contamination of the coolant, and is usually 2-3 years.
