Do-it-yourself replacement of heating radiators in the apartment

Replacing old do-it-yourself heating radiators in an apartment is a problem that any person may encounter at least once in their life. The fact is that in most apartment buildings of the old buildings, heating batteries are made of cast iron or metal. Over time, this material rusts and becomes scaled, respectively, the heat conductivity of the radiator decreases. The reason for the replacement may be more commonplace, for example, the battery leaks due to mechanical damage. In any case, the heating radiators in the apartment must be dismantled and replaced with new ones. This begs the completely legitimate question: is it possible to replace the batteries in the apartment with your own hands? You can, and we will tell you how to do it.

Preparatory stage

Before starting work in the apartment, you must inform the utilities. In apartment buildings, a centralized heating system is usually installed. To replace the radiator, you need to drain the water from it, so you have to block the entire riser. This can only be done by a housing office worker. It will be useful to notify the residents of the entrance and agree with them the time of the work.

Having received the “go-ahead” on replacement of heating batteries in the apartment, you must go to the store and purchase new radiators. It is best to give preference to products made of bimetal. They are light in weight, have a presentable appearance and are convenient in terms of DIY installation. Besides, bimetal radiators have good heat dissipation and a long service life.

Remember to prepare the necessary tools and purchase fittings and stopcocks. Having made all the necessary preparations, you can begin to work.

Replacing batteries in an apartment

First you need to dismantle the old radiator. As already mentioned, for this, the entire riser is blocked and water is drained from the batteries. Then lock nuts on the upper and lower water connections are twisted. After that, you need to arm yourself with a building level and determine the location of the cut. If you cut off the radiator from the heating system in the apartment "by eye", then evenly hang a new battery will be very problematic. It is unlikely that even a professional can install it on crookedly cut pipes. Given that you do the replacement of radiators with your own hands, try to ensure that the cut is as even as possible. It is recommended to treat the cutting site with a file or a grinder. This is necessary in order to remove the burrs.

After the battery is cut off from the heating system, it can be removed. Typically, radiators are mounted on special brackets that are mounted on the wall. If a fastenings look reliable, you can leave them. If the brackets are loose, it is better to replace them with new ones.

In the places where the radiator is connected to the heating system, flat nuts are installed in the apartment. It is worth noting that the holes for water supply can be equipped with right and left threads. To avoid possible complications, we recommend purchasing an additional kit for connecting radiators in the apartment with your own hands. Such a set includes through nuts, which allow you to install the radiator in any position. To install such nuts, rubber seals are usually used, which are also included. After the nuts take their place, the counterparts of ball valves (in places of water connections), a plug and a device for venting air are installed on them. As the latter, we recommend using a Mayevsky crane. You can install this device yourself without any problems. Such devices are simple in design and reliable in operation.

Ball valves are installed on the heating pipes. To do this, thread the pipes. If you have plastic pipes in your apartment, then the crane is installed using a fitting. The installation of additional taps will allow you to change the battery in the future without blocking the entire system. It will be enough to shut off the water supply to the radiator in your apartment.

Given that there are quite a lot of threaded connections, it is necessary to exclude possible leaks. To do this, you can use FUM tape or anaerobic sealant. FUM tape is wound over the thread in the same direction in which the nut is twisted. The number of turns is determined by the diameter of the pipe (average value of 8-10 turns).

Before applying anaerobic sealant, the threads should be degreased. The composition must be shaken before application, after which it is applied in an even layer over the entire length of the thread. The nut or fitting is also degreased and screwed onto a greased thread. The property of the sealant allows you to not tighten the connection much, the main thing is that it completely fills the thread. After 15 minutes, the composition will react with the metal, and it will be possible to carry out further assembly. Pressure testing is carried out not earlier than after 1 hour.

Now you can proceed directly to the installation. If the mounting brackets are not dismantled, then the battery is simply hung in its old place and all screw connections are tightened with an adjustable wrench.

Do not make much effort when tightening the nuts. Usually the fittings are made of a rather fragile material and any excessive force can lead to mechanical damage to the structure.

In the event that the brackets were removed, the radiator is installed as follows. The battery is put in place and fastened with fittings to the heating pipes. So that the structure does not fail, you can put a few bricks. After that, with the help of the level, check the horizontal position of the radiator (it should be level) and mark the mounting locations of the brackets. Then the battery is removed, the brackets are mounted to the marked places and the final installation is made.

At this stage, the process of replacing the heating radiator in the apartment can be considered completed. All work can be done with your own hands, without resorting to the services of specialists. All that remains is to turn on the water supply and check the tightness of the connections. If everything was done correctly, then there will be no leaks.

Conclusion

There are several ways to replace heating batteries in an apartment. The technology described above is considered optimal. There is no need to use welding equipment and other technical devices. The entire replacement process can be done with your own hands and in the shortest possible time. If the replacement is not a separate radiator, but all the batteries in the apartment, then repeating the installation procedure for the second or third time, you can feel like a real pro. After all, the replacement process will occur much faster. Remember that coziness and comfort in the apartment in the winter season will directly depend on the correct installation of the heating system.