How to change heating radiators in an apartment

Recommendation points

• Preparatory work for dismantling old radiators
• Strapping schemes
• Side connection
• Diagonal connection
• Bottom connection
• Consumables and tools
• Installation of new radiators
• Bypass
• Protection of pipes and welded joints (sanding, degreasing, painting)

If you decide to change the heating radiators in the apartment, then you probably thought about the necessary taps, fittings, thermostats, piping schemes and the work that you will have to perform when dismantling old batteries and installing new ones. This work is not difficult, but you need to know its order..

Preparatory work for dismantling old radiators

Replacement of radiators is mainly carried out during the period when the heating is turned off. But, if necessary, the replacement of heating devices can be carried out during the heating season. The main thing is to remember that during its period, the central heating risers can be turned off for no more than three hours. During this time, you must have time to dismantle the old radiator and install a new one, or connect a bypass with shut-off valves.

Before starting to dismantle the radiator, it is necessary to turn off the riser and drain the coolant from it. If there is no shut-off valve installed in front of the radiator, you should first make sure that the required riser is disconnected. To do this, you need to burn a small hole in the pipe near the radiator using gas welding. Cutting off the radiator with a grinder without making sure that there is no water in the riser is not recommended, as you can get an electric shock from water that gets on the tool.

Before starting work, protect the flooring in the room and the wall near the battery with sheets of cardboard or fiberboard. Sparks from grinder and gas welding can damage the finish.

Strapping schemes

When designing and connecting radiators to the main heating system, several basic radiator piping schemes are used.

Side connection

When connected to the side, the radiator inlet and outlet are on the same side. The advantage of such a system is the ease of installation to the passing riser of the heating system..

Lateral connection of the radiator to a two-pipe heating system

If, when replacing the radiator, a device is selected that has more sections than the previous one, and the last sections do not warm up, then a diagonal connection must be used. If this is not possible for technical or aesthetic reasons, then a flow extension must be installed in the radiator. You can buy it or make it yourself.

Diagonal connection

Diagonal connection is the most efficient one-pipe system operation scheme. When supplying the coolant from bottom to top, it is necessary to use this radiator trim. It is also recommended to use it to connect radiators with a large number of sections. Such a strapping is more difficult to install than a strapping with a side connection..

Diagonal connection of the radiator to a one-pipe heating system

Bottom connection

When the coolant moves along the riser from bottom to top, the bottom connection can also be used. It is also used in cases where it is necessary to hide the pipes of the heating system. With such a connection, the heat transfer efficiency is lower in comparison with the side or diagonal strapping.

Bottom connection of the radiator to a one-pipe heating system

Consumables and tools

When replacing heating radiators with your own hands, you must have a certain set of tools. The main problem that you may face is the presence of gas welding. Welded connections can be replaced with threaded ones, but remember – this will reduce the reliability of the system.

For the manufacture of bends, you will need a hydraulic or manual pipe bender. In the absence of such a tool, elbows and fittings can be purchased.

To cut a thread on a pipe, a die of the corresponding diameter or a set of pipe threading – die-cutting is required. Working with this tool does not provide anything difficult.

From fittings and fittings you will need:

• couplings;
• kegs;
• drives;
• squares (45 °, 60 °, 90 °);
• tees;
• union nuts (“American”);
• locknuts.

Each radiator comes with its own connection kit:

• plugs – 2 pcs.;
• footwear – 4 pcs. (2 left and 2 right);
• Mayevsky crane – 1 piece.

When installing the radiator, you only need two fittings, but the presence of the right and left will ensure that the radiator is connected from the side you need..

The presence of control and shut-off valves on the heating radiator is optional. But its presence will allow regulating the flow through the battery, as well as, if necessary, replace or dismantle without disconnecting the riser. Shut-off and control valves are not included in the standard radiator kit, they must be purchased additionally.

Installation of new radiators

When connecting new radiators for their connection, it is necessary, if possible, to use the same materials that make up the entire central heating system. Moving between materials unnecessarily is undesirable. Most central heating systems are made of metal pipes, the temperature of the coolant in such a system can reach 120 degrees. Using polypropylene or metal-plastic instead of steel pipes, you risk the reliability of the entire system.

The joints of steel pipes must be welded. A welded seam is a more secure connection than a threaded one. The welded joint must be made through a glass or directly with preliminary hot flaring of the pipe. It is only necessary to use threaded connections for connecting shut-off valves and fittings. It is best to use tow (flax) with special sealants as a thread sealant.

Remember, it is necessary to make shaped elements from steel pipes using a pipe bender. If the pipes are bent “hot”, this leads to a narrowing of the pipe cross-section and, as a consequence, a decrease in its throughput.

The distance between the connection holes of a standard bimetallic radiator is 50 cm.If the connection holes on the old battery are at a different distance, it is necessary to change 50 cm directly on the riser.

Bypass

When using a one-pipe central heating system, a bypass is installed on each radiator. The presence of this element in the system is required. A bypass in a one-pipe central heating system is not installed only if your apartment does not have any shut-off valves in the heating system. If during the process of replacing the radiator you decide not to install a bypass, your service organization will oblige to do so. An improperly installed bypass can also cause the radiator not to fully warm up..

Installation of a bypass for a one-pipe heating system

The bypass must be installed directly next to the radiator at a distance of 20–30 cm, no more. If the bypass is closer to the riser than to the battery, the radiator may not fully warm up. The situation is aggravated if the system does not provide a two- or three-way valve. Installation of shut-off valves on the bypass is prohibited, since the user can unconsciously shut off the entire riser.

Protection of pipes and welded joints (sanding, degreasing, painting)

The final stage of work is to protect the pipes of the system from the external environment. Pipes and welds should be cleaned of rust until a slight sheen appears. Then the pipes must be degreased with white spirit or other solvent. After degreasing, the pipes must be primed. Pipes need to be painted with heat-resistant paint that can withstand temperatures up to 100 degrees. It is better to paint with a brush, applying a thick layer of paint.

After completing the installation work, open the shut-off valves completely, use the Mayevsky valve to release the air from the system, make sure that your radiators are fully warmed up (if the heating season has already begun). If thermostatic taps were used as shut-off valves, then adjust them to set a comfortable temperature.