How to bleed air from radiators and heating pipes. How much to bleed air from the battery

27.06.2020

From the author: Hello friends! Surely many of you have experienced a situation where the battery suddenly becomes cold. Sometimes completely, sometimes in places. There are also cases when the battery in one room becomes much colder than in another, or all the radiators suddenly begin to hiss and gurgle in displeasure.

The reason for this is always the same - the formation of an air lock in the system. Special equipment - Mayevsky's crane - will help to cope with this scourge. And the procedure is quite simple. We will talk about what Mayevsky's crane is, how to bleed air with it, and what the principle of airing batteries in general is in today's article.

Causes of an air lock

To begin with, let's figure out where air comes from in a closed radiator, and even in an amount that can affect the performance of the entire system. There may be several reasons for this:

incorrect procedure for supplying heating to the house. In a good way, this should be done slowly, and the air should be bled repeatedly in the process;
leakage of any part heating system. In this case, air enters it constantly, and the only way out of this situation is repair;
radiator replacement. After removal old battery and installing a new one, there is always some air in the system. If you do not bleed it before launching, then it will become the very plug in the way of water. This, by the way, is the most common cause of the problem;
poor quality of the coolant itself. The air content directly in the water can be excessively high, and over time the whole thing is collected in the same cork.

The most unpleasant consequence of this phenomenon is the lack of heating, especially if the problem occurs in the middle of winter. The heating radiator just stops working. But the troubles are not limited to this.

For example, air has a very bad effect on the metal from which batteries are usually made. In such cases, there is a high probability of corrosion, which can quickly destroy the equipment.

Another factor is the temperature difference. As a result of the appearance of an air lock, one part is under heating, and the second is cooled. Such differences, again, lead to the destruction of its elements.

The third problem concerns the circulation pump bearings. Their operation requires the presence of water around. Air provokes increased friction, therefore circulation pump can break quickly.

From the foregoing, it becomes clear that it is necessary to deal with air jams. The easiest way to do this is with a Mayevsky crane.

The device and varieties of the Mayevsky crane

A source: housechief.ru

The Mayevsky crane consists of several parts:

cone shaped needle valve. When it is closed, water is successfully retained in the battery. An open valve releases air that has accumulated inside the system;
adjusting screw - a part with which the needle valve is opened and closed;
square key - needed in order to be able to turn the adjusting screw. However, in the absence of a special device, you can get by with an ordinary screwdriver;
housing in which the needle valve is hidden. As a rule, it is made of alloys using brass, which gives it excellent anti-corrosion properties.

These elements form the basis of the design. But there are some differences inherent in certain varieties. In general, Mayevsky cranes are divided into three groups: manual equipment, automatic and with a built-in fuse. Let's take a closer look:

manual is the same simple design described above. If necessary, the adjusting screw is turned with a screwdriver or a square wrench, the air is released, then the screw is screwed back. The device is absolutely simple and reliable;
there is no needle valve in an automatic faucet, the role of this part is played by a float made of plastic silt. There is also no manual control system, as such, but if necessary, you can still adjust its operation manually. The principle of operation is quite simple: inside the brass body there is a float that moves depending on how much air has collected in the system. When moving, it opens the recluse. Through the latter, air is released. Then the float rises back, thereby blocking the corresponding hole;
a device with a fuse not only relieves the system of excess air, but also controls the pressure in it. In the event of an increase in this indicator to 15 atmospheres, a special valve is activated in the equipment, through which the excess is bled. It is optimal to put such a device on pipes made of, since by themselves they do not withstand too high pressure.

To choose the device that is most suitable for your case, you need to take into account some nuances, in particular, the type of heating. If it is centralized, then it makes sense to install only Mayevsky's manual crane. As a rule, in such heating systems, the water is very dirty, so automatic types of equipment will either fail quickly or require constant cleaning.

But for private houses, automation is perfect, because there the quality of water in radiators is of a completely different level. In addition, the crane will automatically save the situation in cases where it has to be installed in hard-to-reach place: for example, in a niche, the walls of which will not let you get close to the manual control screw.

For old cast-iron batteries, there is also a special Mayevsky crane with a manual control system. But the best option is to install a brass air vent with an automatic principle of operation. These products are highly durable and easy to use.

Installation and operation

A source: teplodvor.ru

The most important thing in the Mayevsky crane installation procedure is to choose the installation point correctly. You need a section in the upper segment of the radiator, and located on the side opposite to the place where hot water enters the battery. It is here that large accumulations of air occur.

Most modern heating radiators already have a special place for installing a Mayevsky crane. Before installation, it is closed with a plug. It must be removed, after draining all the water from the heating system, and then fix the tap in the appropriate place.

In order to make the connection the most reliable, special rubber seals are used. In addition, the thread must be slightly sealed with FUM tape or linen tow.

In old cast-iron batteries, there is usually no space for a Mayevsky tap, so the installation procedure will be somewhat more complicated. There is a large plug on the side of such a radiator. It is necessary to drill a hole in it, while its diameter should be slightly smaller than that of the tap thread.

Then, with the help of special dies, a thread is made inside this hole. Finally, the Mayevsky faucet is installed and sealed in the same way as in the case of modern radiators. Do not forget that all work is carried out only in the absence of water in the heating system.

Let's move on to how to use the Mayevsky faucet to bleed excess air from the radiator. Naturally, we will talk about the manual variety, since the rest work without human intervention.

As a preparation, place a bowl or other empty container on the floor under the place where the work will take place. Also prepare a rag. When you release air, water will flow at a certain stage, so you should prevent it from falling onto the floor.
If the performance of your heating system is ensured by the use of special pumps, then they should be turned off at least 10 minutes before you open the tap. During the operation of such pumps, air does not have time to accumulate at a certain point, instead it is carried along with water throughout the system, so there will be no sense in bleeding.
After the preparation is completed, you need to very carefully unscrew the locking screw. This is done either with the help of a special key that comes with the kit, or simply with a screwdriver. You need to rotate counterclockwise, about ¼ or ½ turn. Let's talk about accuracy again. You need to turn the screw very smoothly, especially if you are doing the initial start-up of a new radiator.
As a result of turning the screw, air will begin to escape through the valve. You can determine this moment by a specific hiss. You need to keep the faucet open until water flows out of it instead of air. At first, the trickle will be intermittent - this means that the process has not yet been completed. But when the jet becomes continuous, you can close the Mayevsky tap.

If, after the procedure, the batteries did not start to heat up, this means that the problem is not the presence of air. Most likely, there is a blockage in the heating system. You will not be able to cope with it on your own, so you will have to call the plumbing team.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated in the process of bleeding air from the radiator using the Mayevsky crane. But two problems may arise. Firstly, sometimes it happens that the hole through which the air is supposed to escape becomes clogged. In this case, you can simply fix the problem with a needle or something else thin and sharp.

Secondly, if you rarely bleed air from the battery, the adjusting screw can simply rust. It is clear that turning it in such a situation would be problematic. In this case, you will need a special lubricating spray, which can be purchased from the appropriate stores.

Spray the screw threads with this agent and wait a few minutes. After that, the unscrewing procedure should be painless. To prevent such situations in the future, each time after Mayevsky, treat the adjusting screw with a special silicone-based lubricant. This will help protect it from exposure to water and air in the heating system.

Even the simplest and most inexpensive Mayevsky crane is able to faithfully serve for many years with proper operation and care. So don't forget to periodically clean and lubricate this equipment. In this case, the batteries will always reliably heat your home. Good luck!

This article is about how to remove air from the heating system and how to prevent it from re-airing. In it, I will talk about solutions for different heating schemes and different skill levels of the reader, about the causes of air locks and the prevention of their formation.

Bleeding air when starting heating.

Why is it bad

What harms the air plug in the water heating circuit?

The main danger is that it is able to completely stop the circulation in the entire circuit or in its separate section. Pressure drop in a typical heating system apartment building between the mixture after the water jet elevator and the return (that is, at the beginning and at the end of the heating circuit) does not exceed 0.2 kgf / cm. On a separate riser, it does correspond to a pressure of a few centimeters of water column.

Pressure distribution in the elevator unit.

This difference is not enough to overcome the difference in density between air and water. As a result, the top of the riser remains airy, and the circulation of the coolant in it is impossible. The consequences are the lack of heating in the apartments, and in the very first serious frosts, the defrosting of the heating circuit section.

Cast iron battery crushed by ice.

Moreover, most apartment buildings Soviet-built heating still uses black steel pipes. Its contact with air in conditions of high humidity drastically reduces the life of the pipeline. Corrosion, you know.

Where does air come from

Where do air batteries come from? Shouldn't the circuit be filled all year round?

Must. On this account, there is the strictest instruction of the "Heat Networks" responsible for the operation of the central heating.

Only - that's the trouble! - in addition to instructions, there is also a harsh reality:

Summer is the time for the revision and repair of shut-off valves on risers and in elevator units. Fill the circuit and bleed air from each riser after replacing each valve and flushing, the housing organization will simply go broke on paying for water consumption if this is done;

Summer is the time to revise the shut-off valves for heating.

Residents of apartments during the holidays are often puzzled by the replacement and transfer of radiators. At the same time, they also drop risers, and even the whole house;
When the valves are closed and the circuit cools, the volume of the coolant in it drops. Physics, however. It is worth opening any valve - and the riser will suck in air with noise;
Finally, cooled cast-iron radiators after stopping the heating often begin to flow between sections. The reason is the same thermal expansion. After the tenth - fifteenth leak in one entrance, the locksmith faces a difficult choice: spend the whole summer on sorting the batteries with the replacement of gaskets, or simply reset the circuit for a couple of months remaining until the fall.

Leakage between cast iron sections. Look in the spring in all the apartments of the country.

How to pit

The way in which the heating circuit is vented depends quite predictably on two factors:

from its configuration. Bottom and top filling systems are arranged differently;
From who you are - a tenant of one of the apartments or a mechanic serving apartment house. This determines your goal: whether you need to try to run the maximum number of risers possible without going up to the upper floors.

The plumber enters the basement as an administrator.

Bottom filling, access level - user

What does removing an airlock look like in a house with a bottom filling, if you are the owner of one of the apartments in an apartment building?

The key feature of the lower filling is the pairwise connection of the heating risers. The supply and return bottlings are located in the basement; risers are cut off from them by valves, after which there are plugs or taps for discharging water.

All air from the heating system of the lower filling is displaced into the upper part of each pair of risers. In apartments on the top floor or (more rarely) in the attic, there is a jumper between the risers. Directly on it or in the radiator plug of one of the radiators is a Mayevsky crane - a simple device that allows you to bleed air.

Mayevsky crane on a heating radiator.

It is enough for the tenant of the upper floor to unscrew the tap half a turn and wait until water flows out of it in a thin stream instead of hissing air. If you live below - pay a visit to the neighbors from above at a convenient time for them.

If the tenants of the upper floor have not settled in or are away, the problem is solved by the house maintenance housing organization. Your task is to fix the application for the absence of heat in the apartment.

If the problem is not resolved as soon as possible, you have the right to demand a recalculation for heating, so residents usually try to do everything possible and impossible to start the riser.

Recalculation for heating is done if your apartment does not perform sanitary norms by warmth.

Bottom filling, access level - administrator

How to expel air plugs from the heating system of the lower filling, if you are on the “you” with plumbing and have access to the basement?

Bypass the entire heating circuit. To do this, it is enough to close one of the house heating valves and open the discharge into the sewer located in front of it; if the air has not escaped after 5-10 minutes, the system can be bypassed in the opposite direction (from supply to return or from return to supply).

Do not forget, having closed the reset, return the valves to the operating mode: the shut-off valves at the inlet and outlet of the heating circuit must be fully open.

The stem is out, the valve is open.

If the problem concerns individual risers, in many cases they can also be bypassed from the basement. After closing the valve on one of the paired risers, open the vent on it. If, together with the water from the tap, a large number of air, you have a chance of success.

First of all, this concerns a pair of risers, one of which is idle, and heating devices are installed on the second. When starting water for discharge from a working to an idle riser, complete removal of air always occurs.

One of the paired risers feeds the radiators, the second is idle.

If there are plugs on the riser instead of vents - do not despair, we can try to solve the problem in this case too.

Here are two obvious solutions:

Shut off both risers and, dropping them, install a ball valve with male-female threads instead of one of the plugs. Unplanned expenses (the price of a ball valve DN15 - DN20 is approximately 100-200 rubles) will hardly seem like a nightmare to you against the backdrop of a lack of heating;

Drops on the risers will save you from unnecessary problems the next time you start.

Close both valves on the risers, and then unscrew one of the plugs. Having overtaken the riser to reset, stop it and wrap the plug back, then start it in operating mode. Water hanging in a relatively thin tube will not allow it to gain a new portion of air.

This technique works only at the beginning of the heating season, when the temperature of the mixture at the outlet of the elevator does not exceed 45 degrees. In the cold, instead of starting the riser, you will get quite serious burns.

Top filling, access level - administrator

How to expel an air lock from the heating system of a house with top filling?

The peculiarity of this system is the bottling of the feed placed in the attic of the house with the return line located in the basement. Each riser is switched off at two points - above and below; all risers are equal and have the same temperature on the same floor.

Heating scheme with top filling.

When the circuit is started, the air is displaced from the heating battery and further from the riser to the supply filling, and then to the closed one located at its upper point expansion tank. Having opened the house valves, you must go up to the attic and for a while open the tap at the top of the tank. After the air is displaced by the coolant, circulation in all risers will be restored.

At the top right is a closed expansion tank with an air release valve.

If you are far from the secrets of valves and gate valves, just apply to the service company. In the house of the upper bottling, you will not be able to bleed the air from the battery on your own, but it is easy to fill the residents of the upper floor from the attic.

Private house, access level - administrator

What to do in a private house if the heating circuit or part of it does not start?

The bad news is that universal recipes no: the heating circuit of a private house is always designed individually.

The good thing is that designers are guided by the same principles:

With forced circulation, automatic air vents in the heating system are mounted near the circulation pump (usually in front of it in the direction of the coolant). The air vent can also be installed in the boiler body. If there is air in the circuit, it is possible that the air valve is simply clogged with debris or scale;

Boiler safety group. In the center is an automatic air vent.

An air release valve is installed on individual heaters only if they are located above the filling. If the filling takes place under the ceiling or in the attic - look for an air valve for heating in its upper part;

The radiator is located below the filling. The air will be pushed up.

Each bracket (filling bend in the vertical plane) is also always supplied with an air vent. If for some reason they are not there, you can try to overtake the bottling for discharge using one of the methods described above.

The reason for the lack of circulation is often not air, but a fully or partially closed throttle on one of the heaters or sections of the circuit.

In the photo - the throttle on the radiator hose. If it is covered, the battery will be cold.

Safety

What not to do when bleeding air?

Human imagination is truly limitless, so I will cite only repeated cases from my practice.

Of course, from the repertoire of apartment residents: plumbers have their own quirks.

Do not completely unscrew the rod from the air vent. Under the pressure of hot water, it cannot be wrapped back;
Do not try to unscrew the faucet body itself. Even half a turn. If the thread is torn off, flooding of the apartment will become inevitable;

It is safe to unscrew the air vent only when the riser is dropped.

An even worse idea would be to partially unscrew any of the radiator plugs to bleed air. There were precedents. In the last case known to me, 6 floors were flooded with boiling water.

Very, very unreasonable.

Prevention

Is it possible to modify the heating system with my own hands so as not to encounter the problem of airing?

If you live on the top floor or in a private house, you can.

The recipe is extremely simple:

In an autonomous circuit, connect the heating devices according to the "bottom down" scheme. Even if air accumulates inside the radiator, it will not affect the circulation of water through the lower manifold. In this case, the battery will be hot throughout its volume due to its own thermal conductivity;

With this connection scheme, even an air-filled battery will be hot.

Install automatic air vents at the top of the riser or the entire circuit. They rarely require maintenance and bleed air jams without your participation.

An automatic air vent may well replace the Mayevsky faucet on any battery.

Conclusion

As you can see, all the problems of airing heating are completely solvable. You can learn more about possible solutions from the video in this article. I look forward to your additions and comments. Good luck, comrades!

Why is it bad

What harms the air plug in the water heating circuit?

The main danger is that it is able to completely stop the circulation in the entire circuit or in its separate section. The pressure drop in a typical heating system of an apartment building between the mixture after the water jet elevator and the return flow (that is, at the beginning and at the end of the heating circuit) does not exceed 0.2 kgf / cm. On a separate riser, it does correspond to a pressure of a few centimeters of water column.

This difference is not enough to overcome the difference in density between air and water. As a result, the top of the riser remains airy, and the circulation of the coolant in it is impossible. The consequences are the lack of heating in the apartments, and in the very first serious frosts, the defrosting of the heating circuit section.

Not only that: in most Soviet-built apartment buildings, heating is still used from black steel. Its contact with air in conditions of high humidity drastically reduces the life of the pipeline. Corrosion, you know.

Where does air come from

Where do air batteries come from? Shouldn't the circuit be filled all year round?

Must. On this account, there is the strictest instruction of the "Heat Networks" responsible for the operation of the central heating.

Only - that's the trouble! - in addition to instructions, there is also a harsh reality:

Summer is the time for the revision and repair of shut-off valves on risers and in elevator units. Fill the circuit and bleed air from each riser after replacing each valve and flushing, the housing organization will simply go broke on paying for water consumption if this is done;

Summer is the time for the revision of shut-off valves for heating.

Residents of apartments during the holidays are often puzzled by the replacement and transfer of radiators. At the same time, they also drop risers, and even the whole house;
When the valves are closed and the circuit cools, the volume of the coolant in it drops. Physics, however. It is worth opening any valve - and the riser will suck in air with noise;
Finally, cooled cast-iron radiators after stopping the heating often begin to flow between sections. The reason is the same thermal expansion. After the tenth - fifteenth leak in one entrance, the locksmith faces a difficult choice: spend the whole summer on sorting the batteries with the replacement of gaskets, or simply reset the circuit for a couple of months remaining until the fall.

How to pit

The way in which the heating circuit is vented depends quite predictably on two factors:

from its configuration. Bottom and top filling systems are arranged differently;
From who you are - a tenant of one of the apartments or a locksmith serving an apartment building. This determines your goal: whether you need to try to run the maximum number of risers possible without going up to the upper floors.

Bottom filling, access level - user

What does removing an air lock look like in a house with a bottom filling, if you are the owner of one of the apartments in an apartment building?

The key feature of the lower filling is the pairwise connection of heating risers. The supply and return bottlings are located in the basement; risers are cut off from them by valves, after which there are plugs or taps for discharging water.

All air from the heating system of the lower filling is displaced into the upper part of each pair of risers. In apartments on the top floor or (more rarely) in the attic, there is a jumper between the risers. Directly on it or in the radiator plug of one of the radiators is a Mayevsky tap - a simple device that allows you to bleed air.

It is enough for the tenant of the upper floor to unscrew the tap half a turn and wait until water flows out of it in a thin stream instead of hissing air. If you live below, pay a visit to the upstairs neighbors at a convenient time for them.

If the tenants of the upper floor have not settled in or are away, the problem is solved by the housing organization serving the house. Your task is to fix the application for the absence of heat in the apartment.

If the problem is not resolved as soon as possible, you have the right to demand a recalculation for heating, so residents usually try to do everything possible and impossible to start the riser.

Bottom filling, access level - administrator

How to expel air plugs from the heating system of the lower filling, if you are on the “you” with plumbing and have access to the basement?

Do not forget, having closed the reset, return the valves to the operating mode: the shut-off valves at the inlet and outlet of the heating circuit must be fully open.

If the problem concerns individual risers, in many cases they can also be bypassed from the basement. After closing the valve on one of the paired risers, open the vent on it. If a large amount of air comes out of the tap along with the water, you have a chance of success.

First of all, this concerns a pair of risers, one of which is idle, and heating devices are installed on the second. When starting water for discharge from a working to an idle riser, complete removal of air always occurs.

One of the paired risers feeds the radiators, the second is idle.

If there are plugs on the riser instead of vents - do not despair, we can try to solve the problem in this case too.

Here are two obvious solutions:

Shut off both risers and, dropping them, install a ball valve with male-female threads instead of one of the plugs. Unplanned expenses (the price of a ball valve with a size of DN15 - DN20 is approximately 100-200 rubles) will hardly seem like a nightmare to you against the backdrop of a lack of heating;

Close both valves on the risers, and then unscrew one of the plugs. Having overtaken the riser to reset, stop it and wrap the plug back, then start it in operating mode. Water hanging in a relatively thin tube will not allow it to gain a new portion of air.

This technique works only at the beginning of the heating season, when the temperature of the mixture at the outlet of the elevator does not exceed 45 degrees. In the cold, instead of starting the riser, you will get quite serious burns.

Top filling, access level - administrator

How to expel an air lock from the heating system of a house with top filling?

A feature of this system is the bottling of the feed placed in the attic of the house with the return line located in the basement. Each riser is turned off at two points - above and below; all risers are equal and have the same temperature on the same floor.

When the circuit is started, air is forced out of the heating battery and further from the riser to the supply filling, and then to the closed expansion tank located at its upper point. Having opened the house valves, you must go up to the attic and for a while open the tap at the top of the tank. After the air is displaced by the coolant, circulation in all will be restored.

At the top right is a closed expansion tank with an air release valve.

If you are far from the secrets of valves and gate valves, just apply to the service company. In the house of the upper bottling, you will not be able to bleed the air from the battery yourself, but it is easy to fill the residents of the upper floor from the attic.

Private house, access level - administrator

What to do in a private house if the heating circuit or part of it does not start?

The bad news is that there are no universal recipes: the heating circuit of a private house is always designed individually.

The good thing is that designers are guided by the same principles:

With forced circulation, automatic air vents in the heating system are mounted near the circulation pump (usually in front of it in the direction of the coolant). The air vent can also be installed in the boiler body. If there is air in the circuit, it is possible that the air valve is simply clogged with debris or scale;

Boiler safety group. In the center is an automatic air vent.

An air release valve is installed on individual heaters only if they are located above the filling. If bottling takes place under the ceiling or in the attic, look for an air valve for heating in its upper part;

Each bracket (filling bend in the vertical plane) is also always supplied with an air vent. If for some reason they are not there, you can try to overtake the bottling for discharge using one of the methods described above.

The reason for the lack of circulation is often not air, but a fully or partially closed throttle on one of the heaters or sections of the circuit.

In the photo - the throttle on the radiator hose. If it is covered, the battery will be cold.

Safety

What not to do when bleeding air?

Human imagination is truly limitless, so I will cite only repeated cases from my practice.

Of course, from the repertoire of apartment residents: plumbers have their own quirks.

Do not completely unscrew the rod from the air vent. Under the pressure of hot water, it cannot be wrapped back;
Do not try to unscrew the faucet body itself. Even half a turn. If the thread is torn off, flooding of the apartment will become inevitable;

An even worse idea would be to partially unscrew any of the radiator plugs to bleed air. There were precedents. In the last case known to me, 6 floors were flooded with boiling water.

Prevention

Is it possible to modify the heating system with my own hands so as not to encounter the problem of airing?

If you live on the top floor or in a private house, you can.

The recipe is extremely simple:

In an autonomous circuit, connect the heating devices according to the "bottom down" scheme. Even if air accumulates inside the radiator, it will not affect the circulation of water through the lower manifold. In this case, the battery will be hot throughout its volume due to its own thermal conductivity;

Install automatic air vents at the top of the riser or the entire circuit. They rarely require maintenance and bleed air jams without your participation.

Conclusion

The reason for the low efficiency of the heating system is often the air that accumulates in pipes and batteries. To troubleshoot, you need to bleed excess air from the batteries.

Usually used for this Mayevsky's crane, but if it is not, other methods are used.

Causes of air in the radiator

High coolant temperature— hot water releases air, which moves to the upper parts of the components of the circuit;
incorrect installation;
incorrect system startup;
insufficient pressure;
deterioration, weakness of seals;
poor water conductivity(clogging in pipes);
poorly done repair or prevention(this is true in apartments);
pipe deterioration and radiators, rust;
lack of air outlet in the system, improperly installed or defective air vents.

Repair work

Having found signs of the presence of air in the heating system, you should not immediately begin to get rid of it. First, the circuit is checked for integrity and tightness. After all, if there are leaks, the problems will continue.

Coolant leakage

Coolant leakage is a loss of fluid that occurs due to loose connections and damage to the circuit.

Photo 1. Leakage in the pipe of the heating system. Such a malfunction can cause poor performance of the heating structure.

Possible leak locations and solutions:

Pipe sections. Clamps are used to stop leaks. cold welding. If the pipe is plastic, the entire segment is replaced.
The joints of the parts of the system are sealed. welding is used.
Loose connection of radiator sections. You will have to remove the battery and tighten the connections (on aluminum). Cast iron radiators are glued with a cloth with epoxy resin.

This is a time-consuming part of the work of preparing the system for the heating season. But it needs to be done Otherwise, you can be left without heat in the winter.

Permanent loss of coolant will lead to system instability.

Features of the underfloor heating system

The presence of a warm floor complicates the system, air in the floor hinges is not easy to expel.

Air plugs appear due to:

pressure reduction;
high heat coolant;
leakage formation;
leaks connections;
mistakes made during installation(uneven surface, pipe slope, errors in the organization of the collector);
illiterate first run systems.

In order for the system to start correctly, air is bled from it before turning on the boiler and heating the coolant.

If a warm floor is the main means of obtaining comfortable temperature, then air must not be allowed in it.

Attention! A normal system works even if there is air in there. efficiency will decrease but the heat will still flow. When air appears in the circuit, the floor will stop heating - the reason for this is the complex laying and the small diameter of the pipeline.

Expelling air from the floor circuit is a lengthy process:

Turns on on the collector only one circuit.
The pressure is increased above the working pressure ( by 15-20%).
The circulation pump starts at low speed. To fill the circuit, some time is allotted for the coolant to displace the air. Then the next circuit is activated, so one by one, all the branches that go through the collector are slowly filled.
The process takes several days. It is repeated until all the air is out.
This is done with a cold coolant, the heating is switched on only when it is certain that the air has been completely expelled.

Reference. When installing the system, it is useful to think about equipping the floor circuit separator- a device for automatic removal of air from pipes.

Coolant renewal frequency

Fluid is an important component of heating, which must be properly operated.

Periodic replacement is necessary, but do not abuse it. Optimal time the suitability of the liquid in the pipes - 12 months subject to the mandatory draining of the system.

Synthetic coolants: propylene glycol, ethylene glycol stay in the system up to 7-8 years.

Photo 2. Canister with synthetic coolant for the heating system. This substance lasts longer than ordinary water.

The concentration of synthetic compounds in the composition of the liquid extends the shelf life of the coolant. But if there is no need to use antifreeze, then you can do with plain water.

The replacement time will be prompted by coarse filters: if they do not need to be flushed and replaced, then the water in the system is also suitable, it does not need to be changed.

This is important, because each fresh portion of the liquid is a fresh set of salts and impurities, oxygen, which reacts with new forces with internal surfaces, settling on them in layers, gradually reducing the efficiency of the system.

Important! Water that is already in the circuit - prepared liquid without impurities and active substances. The fact that the water has changed color does not change its value - it has already passed the reactions, received inertness and is now the optimal addition to the efficiency of the system.

If the radiators are clogged, then you can remove them for cleaning without draining, just close the valves.

System start

Excessive air is generated when pouring coolant into the system.

In order to initially start the system correctly, it is filled with coolant according to a certain algorithm.

Water is supplied from the bottom up, while closed must be only taps for draining liquid.

The remaining valves remain open until water begins to flow from them. So, gradually closing each tap, the system is filled and prepared for launch.

After filling the entire contour, it starts forced circulation(pump).

How to bleed air from the battery if there is no Mayevsky crane

If the radiator is not equipped with air release devices, you will have to get rid of airiness in a more laborious way.

For these purposes it serves plug sealed with tow. The design is usually covered with paint in several layers. This option is more common in older houses with cast-iron radiators.

If you hear and feel signs of airiness ( noise and cold batteries), then you will have to act according to a time-tested scheme.

To preserve property and health you need to take care of disconnecting the riser. If the plug is completely unscrewed, then there will be a flood.

It's cold outside, it's getting closer heating season, in the pipelines, the water filling the system merrily gurgles. Along with it come the annual problems in the form of barely warm radiators with air pockets. How to release air from the battery will be discussed in this article.

Consider three possible options production works:

in the presence of an air vent;
if a conventional tap is installed on the radiator;
there is no fittings.

There is no difficulty in releasing air from a battery equipped with a manual air vent - a Mayevsky crane. To do this, you should arm yourself with a tool for unscrewing the tap, a small container and a rag.

Note. Various modifications of the Mayevsky crane can be equipped with screws for different tool. Most often they are made under an ordinary flat screwdriver, sometimes - under special key or with a plastic handle requiring no tools.

After spreading a rag on the floor, you need to make sure that the side hole of the drain valve is not directed towards the wall. If so, then you need to cover it with something to dirty water didn't get on finishing material your room. Next, a container is placed under the hole, and with a screwdriver (or other tool), the screw is carefully and slowly unscrewed until a characteristic hiss appears. Here you need to stop and wait until the sound disappears.

The cessation of hissing does not at all indicate that the air in the battery has already ended and all has come out. Part of it remains mixed with the coolant, so you need to unscrew the screw a little more until water comes out of the hole. Here one must be especially careful, since in the first moments the coolant can come out unevenly and with splashes. After waiting for a small stable jet, you can tighten the valve. To make sure that everything is done correctly, after a few minutes you need to feel the previously cold part of the battery, it should warm up. If this does not happen, the operation should be repeated.

Often, on various Internet resources or forums, not entirely correct advice is given on eliminating air accumulations from heating equipment. For example, that before unscrewing the needle valve of the air vent, you need to go to the basement and block the entire riser. Or even worse - that you have to wait until the coolant in the system cools down.

Remember that the air will leave the battery only under the pressure of the water displacing it. Being on the last floor and turning off the riser, you reduce the pressure and success of your event to zero. On the lower floors, when turned off, the pressure of the water column above your apartment will remain, but its magnitude will not be enough.

The conclusion is simple: if you do not plan to disassemble the heater, then you do not need to block anything to perform air discharge work, you just need to take measures so that hot spray does not burn your hands.

Ventilation with a faucet

The essence of the method is that the air is “squeezed out” from the system if the speed of water movement is increased in this area. In this case, the turbulent flow “picks up” oxygen with it, gradually removing it from the heat supply network. For this purpose, instead of the lower or upper plug cast iron battery valve installed.

In order to bleed air from the radiator in this way, it is best to have a long hose on the farm, which is enough to the toilet. Otherwise, you will have to run with buckets, sometimes for quite a long time. One end of the hose is attached to the valve, the other is lowered into the sewer, after which the valve gently opens. Moreover, it is desirable to open it to the maximum in order to create a good flow of coolant inside the battery.

Important. The degree of opening of the valve is determined locally. If the pressure in your system is too high, then this will be noticeable and you do not need to fully open the valve.

The operation may take long time, it depends on the power of the air pocket and the pressure in the heat supply network. The faster the flow of water, the faster it will remove all the air. The process should be controlled by the degree of heating of the cold sections of the heater.

Air release without tap

The hardest thing is to bleed air if there is no Mayevsky crane and other fittings. Good news for those who have modern sectional radiators: you can carefully unscrew the top plug in them. True, you will have to cover everything with rags and perform the operation very slowly and carefully. It is not necessary to completely unscrew the plug, it is necessary to make 1-2 turns so that air can pass through the thread.

Advice. Batteries are often supplied with ball valves and thermostats. It makes sense to try to release air through them.

It is much more risky for owners of cast-iron Soviet "accordions" of the MS-140 type to perform the operation. Not only is it not easy to move a large old nut, but there is also a danger that after tightening the gasket will stop holding and a leak will appear. Then the exhausting work of emptying the riser and installing the same Mayevsky valve into the plug awaits you. Although for such events it is supposed to attract a team from the local public utilities.

Who should bleed the air from the batteries in the apartment?

A little about the legal side of the issue. The answer depends on the legislation of a particular state. For example, in Russian Federation there is a Decree of the Gosstroy of 09/27/2003, in accordance with it, the situation when there is air in the radiators must be corrected by housing and communal services employees. Other CIS countries also have similar legislative acts.

In practice, the housing and communal services staff long ago placed this responsibility on the residents of the 5th, 9th, 16th and other upper floors. Although, according to homeowners, in some cities, plumbing teams, after the system is launched, conscientiously check the heating devices in each apartment and eliminate air locks.

Conclusion

The operation to remove air from the batteries is not the most difficult, especially if the appropriate fittings are installed. In the case when there is no fittings, you need to take care of this in the off-season and put air valves on all heating appliances. Moreover, the price of the issue is quite small.