Cold radiator - problems and solutions

The heating period is a real test drive not only for public utilities, but also for owners of autonomous heating systems, and just residents of apartments. As practice shows, a cold radiator is not forever, the problem is solved, albeit an unpleasant one. In order to understand the cause of the phenomenon and the possible ways of elimination, let us turn to physics.

Back to school

A little recalling the laws of thermodynamics, imagine the movement of hot water or coolant in a closed system:

• Water, heated in the boiler, with the help of a pump, accelerates through the system and enters the radiators;

For reference! We will not now go into the complexity of expansion systems that stabilize the pressure and allow this circulation to take place. We recall only that when getting into batteries, which have a much larger area compared to pipes, water begins to give off heat and cool.

• After passing through the radiator, water releases heat to the metal, which in turn heats the air in the room;
• Going down, the liquid goes back to the boiler, where it is again heated. Everything. The cycle is closed.

So, in a primitive presentation, the coolant moves in the system.

Having trouble?

Yes, problems arise, and they can be of two types:

• The radiators are completely cold;
• The top of the radiator is hot - the bottom is cold;

Note! Practice shows that the causes of both problems are absolutely identical, so we will consider their nature and solutions in a single context.

And before proceeding to the solution of the issue, let us recall another feature of the state, when the bottom of the radiator is cold - and the top is hot - natural. Heating of the top and relatively cold bottom are natural processes in poorly heated rooms, this difference is especially noticeable. But as you noticed, the word was used - relatively cold, not icy.

Every phenomenon has a cause

And if so, then lighting up the problem, why the radiator is hot from above, and below is cold, let us immediately indicate that there are four possible reasons:

• First reason initially incorrect connection of the radiator;
• The second - air traffic jams;
• Third - incomplete opening of valves, or during installation, valves with a reduced passage section were used;
• Fourth - the presence of dirt and sediment products in the radiators.

As far as mention and disassemble.

Connection errors

If your battery is not properly connected, it's easy to check. According to physical laws, the maximum heat release occurs when hot water or heat carrier moves from top to bottom. This suggests that the driving system should be located on the top, not the bottom, and the return should be on the contrary.

Tip! Checking the system when using metal pipes does not cause questions: we looked at which pipe came up to the radiator from above, took it by hand - hot, then everything is fine, cold, it means a permutation is necessary. More difficult to understand plastic pipes. Here only the previous battery can be a guideline.

If it is hot, and the connection of the adductor and outlet systems is identical, then this is not the problem. If there are differences, the system will have to re-solder.

As a result, you get almost two times lower battery efficiency, the explanation for this phenomenon is very simple:

• The coolant, passing a narrow pipe, goes into the radiator and is faced with a cold mass. According to the laws of convection rushes up;
• Going to the top point and passing through the entire length of the battery, the coolant almost flies into the pipe - return;
• For all his short way, all he managed to do was to give heat only to the top of the battery and to the first vertical passage.
• The solution to the problem of urgent replacement of compounds. And remember, the entrance is only from above, the exit is only from below.

Tip! If you do not have any shut-off valves of the heating system in the apartment, before disconnecting the riser, warn your neighbors and calculate the time you need to carry out repairs with a gap of half an hour for unforeseen circumstances.

If you have been using the system for a long time and this is the first time you have such a problem, the reason is not in the wiring diagram. Go ahead.

Air is my enemy

And again, without physics can not do. The air is lighter than water, so it will strive to occupy a “dominant” position, that is, upper floors, extreme batteries and similar niches.

It is he who is the main culprit of the problem called why in the two-pipe system the last radiators are cold. Because there is air.

What to do? The air entering the system with water is either vented or enters the radiator.

In this case, one option:

• Opening the crane Mayevsky, bleed all the air. The criterion for the release of air is the outflow of water without the characteristic whistle or hiss of air;
• Close the tap tightly, making sure that the water does not drain;
• When working with an autonomous heating system, you feed the system by filling it with water until the gauge arrow enters the green sector.

Note! A small amount of water can also cause the above problems, so in homes and apartments with independent heating control of the testimony of the system completely falls on the owners.

A few words about the valve

Locking taps are designed and installed so that, if necessary, you can remove the battery without disconnecting the entire system. For them, in all technological calculations there are two provisions - full opening and full closing.

Only in this case, normal functioning of the radiators and the system as a whole is possible. But there are situations under the name of "untightened."

What happens in this case:

• A natural contraction is formed at the place of passage of the coolant. As in traffic jams, in narrow places, the speed of movement decreases, and there is no heat transfer rate;
• As long as the water crawls to its highest point at low speed, all the heat will be given off along the way. Down she leaves already room temperature.

Tip! Check the condition of the locking reinforcement before the beginning of the heating season, so that you do not puzzle over the question of why the radiator is hot from above - cold from below.

Dirt from where?

Dirt is formed from the system. This and the low quality of water purification, and the products of the interaction of metal and water. Unfortunately, this process is difficult to control.

The appearance of dirt in the radiator can be diagnosed by the futility of previous events.

In this case, do the following:

• Close the locking valve on the radiator;
• Turn off the connecting nuts and flush the radiator;
• Remove the battery with your own hands, mechanically cleaned and washed with water.

Finally

Our instruction is over. Before the video in this article takes up the problem, let's summarize a little.

Summary! Some problems can be avoided with the initial and proper connection of the entire system, others need to be prevented.