Replacing heating radiators in an apartment - expert advice

What is the feature of gas welding?

So, replacing heating radiators with gas welding involves the direct use of gas welding for connections. This is a process that has the following principle: the edges of the connected metal parts of the heating system are heated with special equipment. As a result, a hot metal is formed between them. When it cools, a strong inseparable connection of parts welded together is created.

Typically, gas welding appliances will work as follows:

• Preparation of parts for welding.
• Welding works - using different types of welding seam: ceiling, horizontal, vertical.
• If necessary, the superimposed cooled seam is boiled in presumably weak places, cracks are welded on the parts.
• The seams are cleaned.

Currently, replacing heating batteries by welding is a common method. And any professional will be able to explain why this is so - after all, such nuances that are used in the systems of multi-apartment domestic houses matter here. Their use is due to the use of a coolant, which is in a state of high pressure.

Gas welding equipment

The fact that the heating system is constantly under pressure on each element, as well as the possibility of water hammer, can have a somewhat detrimental effect on other types of connections. If an accident suddenly occurs, then it will be more expensive to replace the heating battery in another way - in addition, you will also have to pay for repairs to your neighbors when it comes to an apartment building.

However, the reliability of such a design and its durability cannot be underestimated. After all, the strength of the seam after welding will be even greater than the strength of the batteries themselves! Therefore, it cannot be such that a breakthrough in the system is formed at the site of the seam. In addition, replacing heating radiators by welding is also aesthetically beautiful. That is why such a method as gas welding is the most effective.

This is interesting: Soldering polypropylene pipes: we figure out how to solder correctly

Replacement of heating devices through ZhEK. Coordination of the replacement of system elements

Consider in detail replacement of heating appliances through housing office.

So, when the established operational period radiators exceeded, they are in emergency condition and cannot be repaired, replacement of heating appliances performed through the Housing Office only in those situations. In other cases, when batteries leak, minor repairs are performed.

According to current standards, the service life of a cast-iron radiator is 15-30 years when operating in an open system and 30-40 years in a closed one. But, even in the case of an apartment building where the batteries were installed more than 40 years ago, the operating company is often limited to only repairing the radiator, since the replacement is included in the list of major repairs, the timing of which may not yet be determined.

For a free replacement of emergency batteries, residents will need to contact the housing office with a corresponding application. It is suggested that you prepare two copies of the application and mark both copies of the acceptance by the responsible person of the housing office. The date and legible signature of the responsible person, a number is affixed to the application and its copy.

Duplicating the document will help if problems arise in the future due to the unwillingness of the management company to change emergency batteries at the expense of the overhaul budget. But the tenants must stand up for their rights, because they paid for the replacement of the old radiators at the expense of monthly contributions for housing, maintenance and overhaul of the common property of the house.

Now let's take a closer look coordination of replacement of system elements.

System replacement heating in the apartment will require approval from the company providing utilities. By contacting the administration of the operating organization serving the house, you need to obtain permission.

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Organization - means legal entities under the laws of the Russian Federation (except for banks), including organizations whose main activities are financed from the budget.

Service - for taxation purposes, an activity is recognized, the results of which do not have a material expression, are realized and consumed in the process of carrying out this activity.

The volume and temperature of the coolant, etc., even at the design stage of an apartment building, the heating system is calculated - the quantity and power are determined appliances heating, their location. This provokes an emergency situation in case unauthorized replaced batteries heating do not match the calculated parameters. Battery replacement heating on a model with different performance characteristics may lead to a deterioration in system performance heating in the house.

If you plan to change radiators heating in the apartment on your own - at your own expense, you will need to submit a number of documents for consideration:

• A document confirming the ownership of the apartment.
• Certificates of conformity for all components (radiators, fittings, pipes, fittings, etc.).
• Application with attached technical passport for the apartment.
• Thermal calculation of new heating systems approved by the expert appliances.

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Accounts - settlement (current) and other accounts in banks opened on the basis of a bank account agreement, to which funds of organizations and individual entrepreneurs can be credited and from which they can be spent.

An examination of the thermal calculation will be required if it is planned:

• move the device heating to another part of the room.
• having installed devices of a different type, with different technical characteristics, change the batteries heating;
• increase the power of an existing radiator by adding links;

Will upgrading the system break heating heat balance of the house, the expert should check. The examination is a paid service and is carried out at the expense of the owner of the apartment.

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Thermal balance - housing and communal services. the result of the distribution of the amounts of thermal energy released by the heat source (sources), taking into account losses in the transmission and distribution of thermal energy up to the boundaries of operational responsibility and used by subscribers; (MDS 41-3.2000)

Modernization - introduction of improvements that meet modern requirements.

It can take up to 2 months from the moment the documents are submitted to the managing organization to the issuance of a permit. In the future, after obtaining permission, you need to file an application to turn off the riser and drain the coolant from the corresponding section of the system.

In the future, after replacing the batteries heating an application for technical expertise is submitted in the apartment - specialists and representatives of the management company check the correct installation and compliance appliances heating those that were allowed to installation.

Radiators in stock

It is not difficult to calculate the number of sections per room; one section of a bimetallic radiator heats 1.8 square meters. For example, if your room is 18 square meters, you will need a 10-section battery to replace it.

Company certificates and licenses

The procedure for processing documents

If the installation of a new geyser is planned in the same place and it does not exceed the old one in terms of power, then such a replacement is carried out according to the sketch, within the framework of the existing project.

This will require the following list of documents and their copies:

1. Gas supply project.
2. Certificate confirming the ownership of the apartment or house. For the private sector - an act on the right to use a land plot.
3. Registration certificate of an apartment or house.
4. The act of checking the condition of smoke and ventilation ducts. To obtain it, an application is first submitted to the service authorized in your region (housing and communal services, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, firefighters).
5. Technical passport of the new water heater.
6. Application for the replacement of a geyser without changing its location and capacity.

Requirements may vary by region.

An example of an application form provided to the gas service to replace the column. In some regions, additional requirements may be put forward for the installation of a gas alarm, the prohibition of turbocharged ventilation systems and others.

In all other cases, for example, when you need to move the column to another location or install a more powerful water heater, a new project is required.

The required documents are collected in the following order:

1. Obtaining a chimney inspection certificate.
2. Submission of an application to the Gorgaz (or other specialized organization with which an agreement has been concluded) for obtaining technical conditions for the replacement of a gas water heater.
3. After their manufacture, it is necessary to find a design organization to create a project.
4. Then the received documentation is coordinated in the metrological and technical department of the gas economy.
5. 5 days before the start of work on replacing the column, it is necessary to submit an application for technical supervision. At this stage, you will need to present an act on the condition of the chimney.
6. Installation work to replace the water heater is carried out by a licensed organization.
7. Connection to the gas system and commissioning of a new column is carried out by a Gorgas representative.

At the final stage, the following list of documents will be on hand: a project, an act of acceptance into operation of a gas appliance, an act of checking the chimney.

Violating the registration procedure, ignoring it, or trying to somehow get around it is a bad idea. As soon as illegal replacement / installation of equipment is revealed, the violator will be fined

Going through the paperwork can seem like a rather lengthy and costly procedure. But the competition that has appeared in recent years in the market for the provision of maintenance services for VDGO and VKGO contributes to its acceleration and simplification. In addition, all attempts to circumvent it, in most cases, are even more expensive.

Dismantling the old battery

Cast iron radiator

The instructions for dismantling the cast iron battery are as follows:

1. We drop the riser or close the valves on the connections.
2. We unscrew both locknuts with a gas wrench No. 1 or an adjustable wrench. The thread on the eyeliners is right-handed. We drive the nuts to the end of the thread and clean it from winding.
3. We give and drive both radiator caps. To do this, you need keys No. 2 - No. 4, depending on how stuck the plugs are.

1. Remove the radiator from the old brackets.
2. Inspect piping for corrosion. If they are in good condition, a new battery can be connected directly to them. If necessary, you can shorten the thread with a hacksaw or a grinder and increase the supply with a pair of taps and spurs.

Convector

1. Dry your liners.
2. Cut them in a place convenient for mounting a threaded connection with a grinder or with your own hands, using a hacksaw.

The length of the remaining eyeliners should allow them to be threaded.

If the connections are equipped with a jumper, leave it in place.

1. Using a chisel, pry the convector mount, pull the nails out of the wall and remove the appliance.

Mounting technology.

Let us consider in detail the installation technology with steel pipes, as the most common case. There are two options, welding or carving. The optimal technology is gas welding, since in comparison with a thread there are no vulnerabilities in the form of spurs, without which no installation on a threaded connection can do. In short, the spurs usually always flow, since thermal expansion loads apply to them, and installation with a large number of fittings does not look as attractive as a solid steel pipe for welding.

Details in the photo of mounting the radiator on the thread and our alteration with gas welding.

As for gas welding in comparison with electric arc welding, gas welding has 3 advantages:

- the ability to correct inaccuracies in the installation of builders by heating and bending fragments of the riser using a gas burner.

- the absence of slag inside the pipe, narrowing the section.

— absence of sparks from molten metal.

Sequence and time of installation.

The replacement of heating radiators is optimally and technologically correct to carry out after the completion of the rough plastering of the walls and pouring the screed, before replacing the windows. In order for the installer to understand at what distance to install the radiator, both from the wall and parallel to it. If the old heater interferes with the plastering of the wall behind it, it is recommended to plaster around the old radiator. Plaster the remaining area after welding is completed by removing the new radiator and closing the ball valves. As for the windows, for an experienced and accurate team, their presence is not a problem, but if the work is done carelessly, the glass can be damaged by sparks from the angle grinder (grinder), and the window sills can melt from the flame of a gas burner if they are not covered with a special material that does not conduct heat.

As for the time of year, the main recommendation is not to plan these works for August-September, so as not to fall into the peak of the season for replacing radiators. For my 12 years of experience, I am annually convinced of the veracity of one well-known saying, when everyone who wanted to change batteries remembers this at the last moment before the start of the heating season.Hence, there are long lines to experienced specialists and there is a risk of not being in time before the beginning of October.

Obtaining permission to replace equipment

Since in apartment buildings all heaters are elements of one common system, the replacement of the central heating battery can only be carried out after disconnecting the entire riser from the circuit. In this regard, it is advisable to carry out such work before or after the end of the heating period.

If the need to replace the heating batteries in the apartment arose during the heating season, neighboring apartments may be left without heat as a result of the disconnection of the riser. To reduce this time, you can turn off the riser only for the time it takes to cut pipes at the beginning and end of the circuit and install ball valves on inlets.

Please note that such work can only be performed in agreement with the service organization. So, to replace the heating radiator, you need to submit an appropriate application to this authority.

In addition, disconnecting the riser from the common system should be performed by a specialist with the right to access the tie-in point of the heating circuit into the central collector of the house.

It is possible to dismantle old radiators or batteries with pipes suitable for them only after the water has been drained from the riser.

Installation of new heating devices

It is better to change radiators after the end of the heating season, in summer. If the work is supposed to be carried out in an apartment of a multi-storey building, then you must first obtain consent from the Housing Office or other service organization. When the project is approved and suitable radiators are purchased, installation can begin.You will need the appropriate materials, tools, fixtures, which are best prepared in advance:

Scheme for replacing heating batteries.

• brackets for fixing radiators (depending on the wall material);
• ball valves (determine their number in advance) and Mayevsky valves;
• adjustable wrenches;
• drill;
• dowels, self-tapping screws for mounting brackets;
• building level;
• silicone sealant;
• flax fiber;
• heat reflector panel (optional).

  Scheme of a mixed sequential heating system.

Before changing purchased heating batteries, they must be prepared. Put plugs, Mayevsky taps and adapter threaded couplings on them. To prevent leakage, it is better to wrap all connections with flax (tow) and coat with sealant.
Next, you can drain the water from the heating system

In this case, it is better to be careful. The coolant will not completely pour out anyway, so prepare rags and a container in advance.
Fasten the brackets at the radiator installation sites.

At the same time, carefully check their horizontal position according to the building level. It must be placed immediately on 2 brackets. If you plan to install a heat-reflecting panel, then when buying brackets, you need to consider their length. Radiators are mounted on brackets in compliance with the vertical and horizontal. Otherwise, air will accumulate in the heating system.
To ensure air circulation, keep a distance of at least 5 cm from the wall, floor and window sill. After completion of work, you can fill in the coolant (if you plan to use antifreeze, then first fill in water for testing) and, if necessary, tighten the threaded connections.

Replacing batteries in an apartment: correct dismantling of old radiators

If you decide to independently replace the batteries in the apartment, you should understand the need for a certain tool - to carry out this operation, a professional plumber, in addition to a standard set of keys, will need a grinder, a puncher and an expensive set of thread-cutting equipment. A snag may arise with the latter - if a puncher and a grinder can still be found with friends and acquaintances, then there may be problems with threading lerks. But, as they say, there are no hopeless situations, and in this case, proper dismantling will help to do without threading in the process of replacing radiators in an apartment.

If you pay attention to old heating appliances, you will see that in most cases they are connected to pipelines using the so-called squeegees. This is a ready-made long thread, on which a coupling and a lock nut are screwed, which, if handled correctly during dismantling, can serve as an excellent place to connect a brand new radiator

If everything is done correctly, then you will not need any threading equipment.

Dismantling old heating batteries photo

To begin with, you will have to twist the lock nut to the very end of the thread - this must be done both on the upper and lower liner. After this operation is carried out, we arm ourselves with a level or plumb line and determine the places of the cut. The level or plumb line must be set so that at least 1 cm of thread remains on the pipes

It is very important to use a level to determine the places where pipes are cut - if you ignore this nuance, then you will not be able to hang a brand new battery evenly.In the worst case, replacing a heating radiator in an apartment may not work at all - connecting the battery to the heating system with crookedly cut pipes is quite problematic

Further, at the marked places, we cut the pipes and remove the batteries from the brackets. The dismantling is almost over - it remains to remove the old brackets holding the battery from the walls and prepare the remains of the threads on the pipes for further work

Particular attention must be paid to the threads - you need to make sure that the cut is even and there are no burrs. If necessary, the edge of the thread can be trimmed with a grinder, and to get rid of burrs, it is almost always enough to twist the locknut from the thread

It is for this purpose that we drove it to the very end of the thread. Now everything is ready and you can start installing a new heating radiator.

Do-it-yourself battery replacement in an apartment

Self-removal of radiators

Unscrewing the threaded connections at the inlet to the radiator

Before removing old equipment, you should consider whether it is advisable to replace the internal wiring. Pipes can become clogged with limescale and dirt, especially at joints and bends. Instead, it is advisable to install modern polypropylene sections.

Removing the batteries is performed in the following sequence.

1. Unscrewing the threaded connections at the inlet to the radiator. If the joint does not lend itself, it can be heated with a burner. If the product is to be disposed of, it is simply cut off the pipe.
2. The battery is carefully removed from the brackets. To facilitate further transportation, water must be drained from it.It is not worth throwing away the dismantled element, since it can be profitably handed over for scrap metal at the railway reception point.
3. Pipes are cut at a distance of 15-20 cm from the riser. A thread is made at the ends, to which transition fittings for plastic wiring are screwed.
4. To improve the heat transfer of the heaters, foil foam is attached to the opening where they will hang. Previously, the base is cleaned of debris and primed. This will ensure an even distribution of the flow of heated air throughout the volume of the room.

Sequence of work when replacing radiators

To carry out the dismantling of old heating devices, it is necessary to drain the coolant from the heating system. The easiest way to perform this procedure is in a private house, using a tap, the presence of which is provided for at the design stage of an autonomous heating system. In an apartment building, you will need to call a representative of a service organization or management company.

Dismantling the old heater with the help of a grinder, which every lover of do-it-yourself repair work has. In this case, the master works without protective equipment - this cannot be done

After draining the coolant, they begin to dismantle the batteries that have served their time. For cutting pipes use an ordinary angle grinder. The cut must be neat and straight so that the installation of new heaters can be carried out without unnecessary difficulties.

Then a new battery is packed, and this procedure can be performed by the owner of the apartment on his own. In this case, it is necessary to stock up on some materials: investment paste, flax, a set of nuts for pipes, an adjustable wrench.The nuts are sealed with flax, smeared with paste, and then they are screwed onto the pipes protruding from the radiator. Then, from the attachment side with pipes of the heating system, a ball valve with a drive, called an American, is installed, as well as a Mayevsky crane.

Assembly of a new bimetallic heating radiator from separate sections using sealed nipples

Next, the installation of a new battery begins, installing it in place of the old radiator. They start welding the drive, screwed into the battery, to the heating system. For better circulation of the coolant between the pipes (suitable for the battery and leaving it), a jumper pipe is welded.

A real master of his craft will carefully install a new battery like this. The owners can only paint the replaced pipe sections, after which no one will even guess about the installation work

As you can see, the process of replacing heating appliances is a serious and very responsible matter. Therefore, to carry out work, it is worth contacting the housing department in writing. The owner of the apartment writes a statement-request in which he describes the problem and the need to shut off the heating system in an apartment building. Employees of the housing office will consider the application, give permission and agree with the applicant on the date of installation work. Next, you need to wait for the plumber, who will be sent by the housing office to the address indicated in the application. The plumber will turn off the heating system and carry out all the necessary work. Upon completion of the radiator replacement procedure, the specialist will without fail test the system in test mode in order to verify the quality of the service provided to the applicant.

Some housing offices may require documents from which you can find out the technical characteristics of the installed heating elements. Such documents may include a technical passport, as well as a description of pipes and batteries.

Cons of replacing radiators

There are also downsides to this process. Many attribute these facts to them:

• availability of qualifications for welding work or remuneration of the relevant specialist;
• purchase, rental or availability of gas welding equipment;
• figuring out how much it costs to change a battery using welding, in some cases the price will be higher than other types of work.

However, all such shortcomings are compensated by the reliability and durability of the connection, when using high-quality consumables. The performance characteristics of this type of connection have proven their effectiveness over many years of their use.

Due to the physical and chemical processes occurring during welding, a strong seam is formed, which receives mechanical characteristics that exceed the reliability of the welded pipes. This corresponds to the fact that the occurrence of any rupture in the future along the received connection is excluded, and the replacement of the heating batteries will take place in normal mode.

Accordingly, gas welding, in the context of the question of how much it costs to change a heating battery in an apartment, is the most profitable and durable option for resolving the issue. This will leave a small aesthetic seam that will be easy to hide with paint.