Installation of heating pipes: what to choose

10-08-2018
Pipes

According to SNiP 41-01-2003, the service life of heating pipes and heating devices in public, industrial and residential premises should be at least 25 years, but there are also projects that increase the estimated period to 40 years.

But such figures are unlikely to become a consolation for you if a leak suddenly occurred in the apartment and you understand that the system has become unusable - this situation most often occurs in old houses built during the times of Stalin, Khrushchev and Brezhnev.

But there is an opportunity to maximize these deadlines, as we now will tell, and in addition we will show you a video clip.

Installation of heating pipes. Polypropylene

Heating pipes

Note. The duration of the service life of the heating circuit in your house or apartment primarily depends on the material from which this system is made, as well as on the quality of work. We consider the advantages and disadvantages of a particular product and the basic installation methods.

Extraneous sounds

Steel pipes of different diameter

Currently, steel is used for heating circuits in the construction of multi-storey residential buildings, in public and industrial buildings, as well as in the laying of heating mains. For autonomous systems, such material is no longer used, preferring polypropylene, polyethylene and metal-based laminate to it. Nevertheless, such contours are familiar to almost all residents, since they were initially mounted in city apartments.

Formed a fistula on the heating pipe

From the residents of city apartments you can often hear questions such as why the heating pipes knock or why the heating pipes buzz, as this is not just idle curiosity - in most cases people are afraid of various breakthroughs or leaks.

In addition to the routing and radiators in the system, as a rule, there are other devices - bypasses, gate valves and Mayevsky taps (valves). In such situations, pressure drops in individual areas occur, for example, the heat transfer fluid with a half-closed valve gets to the next one under high pressure and this is accompanied by a thud (water impact) or noise.

Also, the appearance of noise contributes to air traffic jams, which can be formed in certain parts of the entire system.

Another reason for the noise in the heating pipes is the poor fixation of radiators with brackets. Everyone knows that the metal expands when heated. Therefore, when the coolant is supplied, there is an imperceptible movement accompanied by a crash - the radiator rubs against the metal bracket. To prevent this from happening, rubber gaskets are installed in the places of contact.

Pipeline Narrowing

Also, the cause of noise or knocking (cod) in the system can be a narrowing of the passage in certain areas, which causes a pressure drop and, of course, is accompanied by extraneous sounds.

In some cases, you can hear a hum or whistle in the risers - as a rule, this is the result of a leak, which most likely can be in the basement and the distance to your apartment does not matter - the sound is very well transported along the metal. Another knock can occur when the pumps work poorly, but this is entirely the problem of housing and utilities, which you can hardly influence.

Note. Often, residents are worried about this situation - if the heating pipe has burst - who is to blame? In such cases, there are no perpetrators, but this problem falls on housing and communal services, although such situations can be prevented. If you notice dark (wet) stains on pipes or a pinch of rust, then at 99% this indicates a possible breakthrough, so you should call the utilities that serve you - so you will warn the accident.

Advantages and disadvantages of steel steel pipes

Steel registers
  • Despite the fact that rust and corrosion of heating pipes made of steel are their main enemy, in some houses they have been without any repair for more than 50 years, which is almost twice their design calculation. This is possible thanks to the residents themselves - timely painting of the metal protects it from corrosion.
  • In addition, steel contours are resistant to water surges and pressure drops, and the welding of heating pipes by electric welding makes their joining reliable and preventing leakages. Steel has a low coefficient of linear thermal expansion and it is relatively cheap, therefore, when designing large buildings, in most cases this material is used for heating circuits and hot water supply.
Steel fittings
  • As we mentioned above, the main enemy of metal is corrosion and rust, therefore, this quality refers to the most serious shortcomings of steel heating pipes.
  • From the inside, the contour clogs quickly enough, which prevents good water flow, therefore, the quality of the service is reduced. In such cases (not during the heating season), housing and utilities services should clean the heating pipes with alkalis. You have every right to insist on such a procedure, since it is the responsibility of public utilities.
  • In addition, the steel contour conducts stray currents very well and this directly affects the accumulation of various deposits on the inner walls.. Installation work for the installation of such systems is quite expensive and not only the welding electrodes are included, but the complexity of the welding work itself.
Sealing threaded connections

Recommendation. If during the heating season you saw a small leakage or even a pinch of rust in a contour or radiator in your apartment, you can fix this problem yourself. To do this, the damaged area must be cleaned of paint and put there either dry welding or sealant for heating pipes, then tighten this place with a rag bandage or bandage (after drying, the bandage is removed).

For minor leakage such repair will ensure the integrity of the wall for many years.

Copper

Copper heating distribution

In addition to steel, the instruction from SNiP 41-01-2003 also allows the use of copper, which has a very high thermal conductivity and is practically not subject to corrosion, only with this circuit can not use aluminum heating radiators - this will cause oxidation of materials.

Copper pipes can usually be bought in two types - annealed and not annealed - in the first case the material bends very well and from it you can even mount a floor heating system. Annealed pipes are sold in coils, and not annealed - in measured lengths, but their price, compared to other materials, is quite high ..

Copper fittings. A photo

The joining of elements of the copper circuit is possible only with a homogeneous metal or alloy, as well as with steel, which must be alloyed, otherwise the steel part expects intense corrosion. Considering the thermal deformation of copper, in the case of laying the contour under plaster or screed, it needs to be wrapped with polyethylene - this is how a buffer zone is created.

If we talk about the terms of operation, they can be compared with the operational resource of the house itself, if this does not take into account minor repairs.

Crosslinked polyethylene

Docking PEX pipe

PEX pipe or cross-linked polyethylene has great strength and excellently withstands pressure drops and high temperature of the heat carrier. PEX is used for do-it-yourself installation of cold and hot water supply and underfloor heating - such a circuit feels great under a layer of concrete. However, cross-linked polyethylene is used quite rarely and is to blame for its high cost, besides fittings for it are also very expensive.

Metalloplast

Metalloplast in section

Metal-plastic pipes are much more popular - they, in fact, are also made of polyethylene, but there, in the middle of the walls, there is a reinforcement of aluminum foil, as you see in the upper image and their cost is much lower than cross-linked polyethylene.

Metal-based laminate is usually used for cold and hot water supply, as well as for floor heating systems, and repair of heating pipes in such cases is practically not needed - a quality material allows you to compare the life of the metal-based laminate with the life of the building itself.

PPR polypropylene reinforced with fiberglass

And, finally, the currently most popular material for the installation of heating circuits is polypropylene (PPR), sometimes also called ecoplast. Of course, if someone in our time has a question about how to heat, then 99% of plumbers will advise this person to use polypropylene.

The outage can be divided into two types - cold and hot, but in this case we are interested in the second option, which, in turn, can also be different. This difference lies in the reinforcement, which can be fiberglass, but it can also be aluminum foil, while fiberglass is considered to be more heat-resistant and stronger than foil, but this material is more expensive.

Despite the increased technical characteristics of polypropylene pipes, reinforced with fiberglass, still, in most cases, for the installation of heating using PPR with aluminum foil.

Such a pipe is marked PPR PN25 and can withstand pressures up to 2.5 MPa (25.49 kg / cm2), and the temperature jumps of the coolant can be up to 95? C, which practically does not occur in autonomous systems. Some are interested in the slope of the heating pipelines - if the system works without a circulation pump, then this indicator will be about 10 mm per linear meter, but since modern systems are equipped with pumps, there is no need for a slope.

Soldering Aid

The advantage of the CPD is not only low cost, but also in the absence of metal fittings - all joints are made using fittings from the same polypropylene and even threaded fittings are packed in a PPR layer. This allows you to hide the contour under the finishing material without fear - there will be no leakage.

Fastening pipelines from PPR

During installation, the fastening of the heating pipes to the wall can be done differently - either in the grooves, as shown in the top photo, or with the help of brackets or clips (clips). As a rule, preference is given to the second option, as modern repairs imply a good design, and pipes will be a hindrance.

Conclusion

What pipes you choose, of course, depends on you, but, as we have already mentioned above, polypropylene is in the first place in terms of popularity, cheapness and even quality. In addition to these advantages, PPR pipes create minimal heat losses, since their thermal conductivity is the lowest among all other materials.