Flushing the heating system: the rules and methods of implementation

Gradual corrosion of metal on the inner surface of pipes and radiators in the heating circuit, crystallization of salts in the coolant, lead to clogging of the heating system and reduce its overall efficiency.

This can be prevented by the regular flushing of the heating system with the removal of foreign particles from the heating circuit.

Signs of poor heating system care

For normal functionality heating systems nothing should interfere with the movement of the coolant through the channels built for it.

There are several symptoms that accumulated a large amount of debris inside the heating circuit, and scale accumulated on the walls of the pipes. There are no obvious visual signs of clogging of the heating system.

You can diagnose it with careful monitoring of the entire system and the appearance of a number of indirect signs:

• system warming up takes longer than before (for autonomous heating systems);
• boiler operation is accompanied by sounds uncharacteristic for it;
• increased consumption of gas or electricity;
  the temperature in different parts of the radiators varies significantly;
• radiators are noticeably cooler than the supply pipes.

However, weak or uneven heating of the batteries is not always a sign of clogging. May have happened them airing. In such a situation, it is enough to dump the airlock through crane Mayevsky.

In houses with a centralized heating system, flushing should be carried out by employees of the heat supply company. In a private house, this procedure is carried out by the hosts or invited experts.

Definitely recommend the frequency of flushing the system is difficult. Too many factors affect this.

For example, in systems of centralized heating, the coolant must undergo a water treatment cycle, which reduces the degree of contamination. True, this is not always the case. Yes, and the system itself is often operated the third or fourth decade and the amount of garbage circulating inside increases every year.

But for both centralized networks and autonomous systems, it is recommended to perform washing annually. That, by the way, is confirmed by the requirements of building codes. It is this period that is considered critical for accumulating the amount of garbage inside the contour, which significantly reduces the work efficiency.

Options for flushing heating systems

Depending on the degree of fouling of the heating system, the volume and extent of the circuits, several options for flushing the heating systems can be implemented:

• mechanical;
• hydrochemical;
• hydrodynamic;
• hydropneumatic;
• electrohydropulse.

The first two methods do not require complex equipment and can be easily carried out on their own. The remaining methods imply an appropriate level of technical equipment of the performers. Therefore, to implement them, you either have to rent equipment, or invite specialists who perform such work.

But in any case there are certain rules for flushing autonomous or centralized heating systems, the non-observance of which will make the procedure ineffective. Next, we will talk in detail about each of the cleaning options so that the effect of the procedure is maximized.

Method # 1 - Mechanical Flush

Immediately, it is worth noting that such washing is oriented, first of all, to cleaning radiators from accumulated dirt, and to a lesser extent from scale on the inner surface of the circuit. Valves, expansion tank and circulation pumpif it is installed in the system, it will have to be cleaned separately.

Before starting flushing, care should be taken to ensure that coolant in the system, in the cleaning process, in a minimum amount went out. The procedure must begin with the overlap of valves, limiting the flow of coolant in the circuit.

If the procedure is carried out in a high-rise building, then the valves are usually located in the basement of the house. In a private house shut off valves before and after the boiler.

The next stage is to drain the coolant from the circuit. This can be done either through the drain valve, which was originally installed during installation of the system. If there is no such tap, the drain is performed by unscrewing the plug on the radiator, located below or beyond all the rest.

It is most convenient to do the discharge of the heat carrier through a hose connected to the drain valve and taken out into the toilet or another sanitary device connected to the sewage system. Mechanical cleaning will be more efficient if you first disassemble the batteries and clean them separately heating devices and pipes.

The procedure for dismantling radiators from different materials does not differ in essence. But in any case, you should prepare a container for draining residual coolant. For the procedure itself will need keys of the appropriate size. To unify the process, it will be useful to have a pipe wrench in the arsenal - “ass”.

Depending on what radiators connected to the circuitThe procedure for dismantling is also different. In any case, the radiator has an inlet and outlet for the coolant. In the process of dismantling release spanner Nuts, coupling radiators with pipes. At the first one or two turns of the nut, you must be prepared for the fact that the remaining water begins to ooze out of the connection. We collect it with the help of a rag.

After the looseness of the unwound joint "pipe radiator"Increases; collection of effluent coolant is performed in a tank - basin, trough, or something similar. At the same time carefully monitor that the coolant is not leaked to the lower floor.

After dismantling the radiator, we take it out either to the courtyard or to the bathroom. In this case, the plumbing is covered from damage to the enamel coating with a thick cloth, which then it is not a pity to throw away. Sink drain or baths must be overlaid with a net to prevent clogging of the siphon and sewage.

Mechanical cleaning of the radiator can be performed with a cable similar to the one with which the sewer is cleaned. We carry out the same procedure with pipelines. However, for a network with a large number of turns, mechanical flushing will be difficult.

After the cleaning of batteries and pipelines is finished, we proceed to washing them with water. We wash the radiators in the same place in the bath or in the yard, directing a jet of water from the inside.

For flushing pipes it is more convenient to use hoses with adapters. They allow you to hermetically dock the hoses to supply water to the heating circuit and to drain it into the sewer. Flush the heating system with water until it is clean at the outlet.

After flushing the radiators and pipes, you can repeat the mechanical cleaning procedure. To make the procedure more efficient, introduce a cable better in the direction opposite to the direction of the coolant movement.

This is done so that the “scales” that have settled in the direction of motion are torn off as a result of mechanical contact. If there is less dirt in the flowing water than during the first round of cleaning, it means that the procedure is effective.

Method # 2 - hydrodynamic cleaning

When choosing this method of cleaning systems, the procedure will require special equipment. In this case, water is supplied not from the tap with the help of a normal hose, but from a pump under high pressure.

Sometimes during hydrodynamic flushing, the pump is connected to the heating circuit rupture as far as possible from the point of discharge of dirty water. But more often for these purposes a special hose is used with limit switch.

The design of the end cap has holes of small diameter. Through them high-pressure water goes outside.

It is the accented effect of the water jets supplied under pressure that can effectively deal with mud and salt deposits. The supply hose can be specially stopped in potentially problematic areas for more efficient flushing.

Choosing a hose for hydrodynamic washing, it is necessary to take into account that with its sufficient rigidity it is possible to apply pressure further from the inlet. The truth on the turns of the pipes of the heating system such a hose is difficult to push further.

Therefore, when conducting a hydrodynamic flushing using a hose, it will be necessary to sequentially open the heating circuit in several places to supply water to all points.

Method # 3 - Chemical Flushing System

You can perform washing without mechanical intervention. For these purposes, there are either ready-made chemical compounds, or solutions that are easy to prepare handicraft. Dismantling of heating radiators is not required.

The lack of chemical washing is to prohibit the use of aluminum for washing. radiators and in a large number of caustic solutions that require disposal in specially designated for these places.

If the heating circuit is not heavily clogged, then it is quite possible to use it for preventive washing:

• caustic soda;
• vinegar;
• available acids (phosphoric, orthophosphoric and others);
• whey and other.

But it is better to use specially designed formulations for this purpose. Their packaging will not only indicate the recommended use case (pipe material, the nature of pollution, etc.), but also detailed instructions for use.

Focusing on the instruction will allow not only the most efficient use of the composition, but also to clean the heating system at the lowest cost.

It is recommended to withstand the time intervals of the reagents as accurately as possible. At the same time, in autonomous systems we do not forget to turn on the circulation pump to ensure uniform distribution of the “activated” coolant.

For carrying out this type of flushing it is useful to have at its disposal a pump with a tank - booster. In order to connect it to the system, it is necessary to organize a gap in the circuit. You can, for example, do this by disconnecting the direct stroke from the boiler to the heating circuit. A tap should also be provided in the circuit to discharge the used reagent.

So that the destruction of scale on pipes and radiators is uniform, after pumping the reagent we leave it in the system for a period of several hours to several days. The main disadvantage of this cleaning method is the possible negative effect of the active substance on the surface of the pipes. Therefore, after processing the system, we flush it with clean water.

A more gentle, but similar in action, method of cleaning the pipes of the heating system from overgrowing is dispersed cleaning.

In this case, a reagent is introduced into the system that acts exclusively on the settled particles. At the same time, the metal remains without negative impact. And the procedure itself is similar to chemical cleaning.

Method # 4 - hydro-pneumatic cleaning

One of the most effective and safe for equipment cleaning options heating systems from the accumulated dirt is considered flushing the heating system hydropneumatic method. Its essence lies in the supply of high-pressure air inside the heating circuit.

Air supply to the circuit is performed by the compressor. At the same time, turbulent flows with high kinetic energy are created inside the pipelines. Due to this, there is a breakdown of growths from the inner surface and leaching of accumulated dirt from the radiators.

Turbulent flows through the heating circuit are not constant, and from time to time in the form of short pulses. Create such impulses using air gun. Connection of the compressor to the circuit is performed via a check valve. This will prevent water from entering the compressor.

For flushing, we block the flow of coolant into the circuit. Then we connect the compressor with air gun. If flushing is performed without dismantling the radiators, then at the farthest radiator we unscrew the cap and connect a hose to the dumping of waste through the adapter and put it into the toilet.

The first air supply to the system should be made in the direction opposite to the direction of circulation of the coolant. Repeat the procedure can be performed by changing the direction (swapping hoses for supplying pressure and dumping garbage).

Can hydropneumatic washing is carried out with the dismantling of radiators. It will be more troublesome, but also more efficient. Then it is better to take the batteries out and wash them there.

After rinsing we put in place radiators, connect the circuit to the boiler and let it into the pipeline coolant. Those debris that are in the system will be washed with water.

Then briefly overlap the flow of coolant undocking drain hose and return the plug in place. Now you can run the system to work.

Method # 5 - electrohydropulse technique

The basis of the work of this method of washing is the use of the energy of an electric pulse, which is aimed at the destruction of salts deposited on the walls of pipelines. It is effective for such a struggle with such blockages of heating systems. The pipes themselves are not affected.

To generate an electric pulse, a special apparatus is used. A coaxial cable is connected to it, at the opposite end of which a discharge is formed, the shock wave from which destroys scale on the inner surface.

After that, the system is washed with clean water to remove foreign particles separated from the surfaces.

Cleaning the system with an electropulse cleaning method requires special equipment. But its effectiveness is large enough and there is no need to disassemble the system for washing. At the same time, unlike chemical cleaning, all slag can be discharged without hesitation into the sewage system.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Video # 1. Efficiency of application hydropneumatic radiator flushing can be estimated by the amount of dirt thrown out:

Video # 2. The subtleties of the chemical type of flushing the heating system are outlined in the following story provided by the owner of a private household:

Any of the options considered flushing heating systems is not too complicated procedure. With some experience in plumbing and, in some cases, special equipment that can be rented, you can do this operation yourself.

Would you like to ask a question about the effectiveness of the flushing process or tell you how you washed the heating circuit in your home? There are valuable recommendations or important nuances that you want to share with site visitors? Please write comments in the block below.