Many buildings were erected in the days of the USSR. And, despite the fact that they are very often in a dilapidated state, the authorities do not often think about the need to change heating elements. You have to solve this problem yourself. Replacing heating batteries in an apartment turns out to be especially troublesome.
The fact is that the overwhelming majority of people are faced with the need to change radiators once in a lifetime: where does the experience come from with this state of affairs? Our material will turn out to be a good guide that can be safely used in the implementation of this type of repair and construction work.
Reasons for replacing batteries and pipes during the heating season
The current legislation does not contain norms prohibiting the replacement of batteries during the heating season. Neither are the grounds given for the action to be taken. The need to replace heating radiators arises from the following reasons:
- there is a leak;
- the apartment is cold;
- a person wants to replace the batteries with new ones.
It is easier if the radiator is separated from the general system by taps, which allow shutting off the water and actually disconnecting the section to be replaced from the heating system. As a result, you can do whatever you want with it.
The situation is more complicated when there is no overlap. We'll have to block the riser. To do this, you will need to obtain permission from the management company.
Important! The organization is obliged to comply with the regulation of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 354. It shows the permissible heating interruption duration.
According to the law, the period for stopping the heating supply is:
- in total, no more than a day within 30 days;
- no more than 16 hours at a time if the air temperature in residential premises is above 12 degrees;
- no more than 8 hours at a time, when the air temperature in the apartment is 10-12 degrees;
- no more than 4 hours at a time if the air temperature is 8-10 degrees.
If the above period is exceeded, the size of the utility bill is reduced by 0.15%.
Management companies are reluctant to give permission to shut off risers. Moreover, institutions approve applications if their plumbers will do the work. Otherwise, the citizen may be asked to collect signatures from residents confirming that they are not against a temporary shutdown of heating. It is quite difficult.
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Therefore, if a person wants to replace pipes during the heating season, he must be prepared for additional costs, since plumbers of management companies take an order of magnitude higher than specialists who are not related to the organization.
Helpful hints
With regard to rented housing, the picture is hazy. So, according to Government Decree No. 491 of 13.08.06, heated elements are part of the common property. And Art. 65 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation states: the landlord is obliged to monitor the proper condition of the common property and repair it as needed. In fact, the Criminal Code and ZhEKi carefully conceal this information, encouraging residents to replace heating devices at their own expense. Those who wish to defend their rights can apply to the court. But there is certainty about the privatized apartments. There, the repair of engineering networks is entrusted to the owners.
If the radiator has burst, you must immediately call the operating organization (UK or ZhEK). In some entrances on the wall you can find an emergency brigade call telephone.The second thing to do before the repairmen arrive is to localize the leak (throw a blanket over the battery) and try to collect the water in a substituted container (basin). The third action is to shut off the water. If there are no shut-off valves in the apartment, you will have to turn off the entire riser in the basement, the key from which, as a rule, is kept by the plumber on duty.
Step-by-step instruction
If a person wants to replace the battery or pipes of the heating system in the apartment, it is recommended to follow the step-by-step instructions. This will reduce the risk of errors. It is important to follow the scheme:
- The work is being coordinated with the utilities. It is possible to carry out the procedure without their permission only if there is no interruption in the supply of heating to other apartments.
- If permission is obtained, a plumber is called. He will dismantle old and then install new radiators.
- Tests are carried out. If the heating is running, the system is put into operation.
- It is important to act promptly. Interruptions in the heating supply for a long time are unacceptable. The period during which the work must be done varies from 4 to 16 hours and depends on the temperature in the apartments. For a longer period, the management company will not allow the heating to be turned off. The plumber takes about 1-2 hours to complete all the work.
Heater type.
Three types of radiators are suitable for installation in the central heating system of an apartment building from modern heating devices:
- cast iron
-bimetallic
- steel tubular.
The advantage of cast iron radiators is their versatility, due to which their operation does not depend on the direction of supply of the coolant through the riser, but there are 2 serious drawbacks. Cast iron is a brittle material, so it is not recommended to install them in systems with high pressure, therefore, according to the project, you will never find cast iron radiators in modern high-rise buildings with more than 9 storeys. And also cast iron does not lend itself to such processing as steel and aluminum, therefore, the surface of cast iron radiators is always rough and requires additional painting.
Of the bimetallic radiators, it is worth highlighting two models that differ favorably from all the variety on the market due to their construction and design: Rifar Monolit and Rifar Supremo.
Rifar Monolit.
Rifar Supremo.
These two models, unlike all other bimetallic radiators, have several important design features:
-Radiators have an all-welded manifold, which eliminates leakage between sections.
- inlet diameter to the manifold DN-20 (3/4 ″), which eliminates the need to install a transitional sleeve mounted on a gasket, which may eventually lose its elasticity and cause leakage.
- wide seats for brackets, thanks to which the radiator slides without causing extraneous sounds during thermal expansion on the risers.
The advantage of steel tubular, in contrast to bimetallic ones, is the absence of a large number of thin plates, which in rare cases can cause acoustic discomfort.
Steel tubular radiator Arbonia.
The latest radiators are very expensive, but I have good news for you, domestic manufacturers have mastered the production of affordable steel tubular radiators under the RadStal brand, which in their design and appearance are no different from the German Arbonia.
Where to go
Initially, you need to obtain permission to replace the batteries. For this, a statement is written in the housing office. Additionally, it is necessary to provide certificates of conformity for radiators and accessories.
Note! If batteries are replaced with structures that increase the heating area, representatives of the management company may require an examination to understand how the thermal balance of the building will change.
A similar procedure is carried out in the event that a major overhaul is carried out in an apartment and a change in the configuration of the pipeline is carried out. It is necessary to carry out the work, observing the norms of communal legislation. Otherwise, they may be considered a violation.
The cost
Replacing batteries in an apartment during the heating season requires significantly higher costs. The cost of the procedure is influenced by:
- the region in which the room is located;
- the institution that will replace the batteries;
- used equipment.
In cities of federal significance, the cost of services is much higher. Plumbers of private companies ask for about 5,000 rubles.
However, the management company will give permission if its specialist is involved in the replacement procedure. Due to the presence of a monopoly on the plumbing service, prices are inflated. As a result, employees of the management company ask for 8,000 rubles.
A number of organizations offer to carry out the replacement procedure without disconnecting the entire staircase from the heating. For this, a pipe freezing unit is used. This is a rather massive and expensive tool. It will lead to an increase in cost by at least 1000 rubles. At the same time, there is a risk that the riser will freeze in the neighboring apartment. This can be the reason for filing a complaint and subsequent proceedings.
Important! Disconnecting and draining the riser also requires a fee. The price depends on the region and varies from 300 to 3000 rubles. for 1 hour of shutdown. The work is carried out by several employees at once.
Shut-off and control valves.
Each radiator must be equipped with two ball valves as shut-off valves. The specific manufacturer is not so important, the main thing is that the faucet is made of high-quality plumbing brass of the CW617N brand and is original, that is, not a fake. Counterfeit manufacturers often sin using cheap raw materials, which adversely affects the reliability of the ball valve. I opted for Valtec ball valves, which have proven themselves excellent throughout the entire time of working with them, and I have 12 years of installation experience. In addition, these are the only taps that have a white flywheel, which perfectly matches the interior color of the radiator.
To increase comfort, I also recommend installing thermostatic valves with thermostatic heads together with the ball valve, which automatically maintain the user-selected comfort temperature. When choosing a valve, it is important that it matches the type of heating system, one-pipe or two-pipe. For one-pipe systems, only 2 models from the manufacturers Valtec and Danfoss are common on the market. My personal choice is Valtec, as they are significantly more attractive in cost and have universal thermal head seats, allowing you to choose any thermal head by design. The nicest in my opinion and the smallest on the market are Valtec 1000 and Oventrop Uni SH.
Danfoss thermostatic valves are only suitable for thermal heads of the same brand, but they differ, in my opinion, by an unattractive design, so I install these valves only when the customer has a need to install programmable thermal heads that allow you to program different temperatures for different times of the day, for example, it is warmer during the day. , at the time of sleep - cooler.
I also want to note that all the stories of "experienced" plumbers that valves are often clogged are based only on the wrong choice of valve type. If you install a valve from a two-pipe system on a one-pipe system, which has a much smaller nominal bore, then the radiator may not work right away and not because it is clogged with scale.For 12 years of installation, I have not received a single complaint from my customers that radiators equipped with thermostatic valves began to warm up worse.
Samples of documents
As mentioned earlier, a citizen will have to write a statement to the housing office. The form of the document is not established in the current legislation. Therefore, it is permissible to write an application arbitrarily. However, it is important to adhere to generally accepted principles of office work. Experts advise to reflect the following information in the document:
- information about the organization to which the appeal is sent;
- the applicant's personal data and address of residence;
- document's name;
- a statement of the specifics of the situation;
- a request made to the institution;
- date of preparation of the document and signature.
Handwriting is acceptable. The signature is affixed by hand. Having received the appeal, the representatives of the authorized body are obliged to give an answer. If the decision is positive, it is permissible to turn off the heating.
Can I replace it myself
When figuring out how to change the heating battery yourself, a person will find out that there is no prohibition on taking action in the current legislation. If it is not necessary to block the riser for all apartments, the person has the right to perform the procedure without contacting the authorized bodies. The situation changes when, in order to replace the batteries, it is necessary to deprive the inhabitants of other premises of heat.
Only representatives of the management company have the right to overlap the risers. It is better to use the services of the organization's specialists. The plumbers of the management company know better the features of utilities in the house, the location of the taps. As a result, technicians will be able to replace them faster. Moreover, sometimes the application is approved only if the replacement will be made by the plumber of the management company.
