Pressure testing pipes in your home
The concept of pressure testing pipes may include the implementation of several, sometimes quite far from each other actions in terms of the technology of their execution. For professionals, this is a check of the heating or sewage system for tightness, but there is also pressure testing during installation of the system, plus work on the arrangement of wells.
Briefly about terminology
In order not to create confusion, we immediately say that the term “pressure testing of pipelines” means precisely the test of the strength and integrity of a certain part or completely of the entire heating system, and in some cases sewage can be checked. But we will tell about it in more detail later.
Modern construction technologies have made great strides and now, most heating systems are mounted on the basis of metal-plastic. Installation can be done by screwing, soldering or using press fittings.
The third option is considered more reliable, this technology is based on the compression fitting coupling around the pipe. In some sources, this process may be referred to as crimping plastic pipes.
There is another option, called crimping drill pipe. The fact is that when setting up wells for water, it is considered that the deeper the well, the cleaner the water in it.
But if it is wrong to mount the barrel, then polluted water from the upper layers can go down and all cleaning efforts will be in vain. In order to avoid this, the pipe is sealed from the outside, this process is called pressure testing.
Check heating or sewage system
As mentioned earlier, the meaning of this action is to check the heating or sewer lines for strength and tightness before putting them into operation, in order to subsequently reduce the likelihood of an accident.
If you do not go into details, the general technology is based on pumping cold water or compressed air into a certain part of the system. The pressure in this case is injected above the worker, after which the system is left for a certain time, from 8 hours to a day.
The calculation is made on the fact that the weak spot should show itself.
Important: there is no fundamental difference between the use of air or water. Just in the winter time there is a risk that water can freeze in the system, plus a lot depends on what kind of pipe crimping tool you have.
When similar work is done
The first thing you can think about is the commissioning of a new facility. The material from which the system is mounted and the principle of connection of parts can be different, But no matter how reliably the docking station looks, this is always a place of potential risk.
Agree that it will be a shame if a warm floor mounted in a screed, the price of which is considerable, will start to make out in a month.
- According to the operational standards, after carrying out repair work or replacing a part of a failed pipeline, pressure testing of pipelines must be carried out.. Most often this is done in the offseason, so as not to cause inconvenience to neighbors.
- Sewerage, of course, belongs to non-pressure systems, but it is an aggressive environment and if a small leak is found at the junction, then an unpleasant smell will live in the house, plus you can ruin the ceiling from below.
- Also, in urban communications there is such a thing as seasonal checking.. Municipal pipelines are usually metallic and they tend to rust. In order to identify weaknesses in time, crimping is performed. City dwellers are well acquainted with the phenomenon of turning off the water in the whole area for a couple of days for preventive maintenance.
Preparatory activities
The complex of preparatory work is the isolation of the test area from the overall system. In some cases, at this stage monitoring gauges are installed to control the pressure in the system.
All plumbing or heating structures are pre-designed in such a way that it is possible to isolate a specific area by shutting off valves and valves. In sewer systems, as a rule, pneumatic pears or other devices are used for blocking.
Water test
Traditionally, this type of testing is considered to be more reliable, since leaks in the pipeline are much easier to spot than leaking air. Initially it is better to fill the system with warm or hot water, the temperature will soften the materials and show problem areas. But after cooling, you may need to pump up a little.
Important: the air from the pipeline must be removed completely, the presence of extraneous noise during pumping indicates the presence of air pockets.
When all the preparatory work is done, a press is pressed into the system to pressurize the water-powered pipe press. This unit is a professional equipment and is equipped with a supercharger and pressure gauge.
Also, in all professional pneumatic and hydro devices, a check valve is built in to eliminate the movement of the filler in the opposite direction.
In metal and metal-plastic systems, pressure is injected for one pumping, after which the test sector is sealed and left for a day. The more difficult question is with polyethylene pipes, they are able to stretch.
Therefore, pressure setting is performed in 3 stages:
- Initially, the pressure is injected 2 times more than the worker and left for half an hour.
- Further, as a result of a slight deformation, the pressure will drop. Therefore, you need to do a swap 2 more times, with an interval of 30 minutes.
- Permissible drop per day, after sealing is 1.5 bar.
Air test
The instructions here are, by and large, practically the same as with water. Only air is forced into the system. In this embodiment, the plus is that this technology can be done by hand. If water is pumped with a working pressure 2 times higher, then it is desirable to pump air 3 times more.
Theoretically, an air pressure pump can be taken for automotive pressure testing, but it will not provide accurate data, plus you will need to take care of the check valve separately. Therefore, experts advise not to take risks and use the services of professionals, especially when it comes to laying the pipeline in a concrete screed.
Important: in order to see the places where the air is poisoned, all the components of the system will need to be periodically lubricated with soap and water. If the work was done qualitatively, the pressure in the pipes will hardly change.
The video in this article shows the details of the crimp.
Conclusion
I would like to repeat once again, although the crimping itself may, at first glance, seem rather simple, but you should not be negligent in this procedure. If you are installing engineering systems for your own home, then saving on testing can cost you a lot (see also the article Finned tubes: features and method of manufacture).
