How to turn off the heating in an apartment: is it possible to turn off the radiator during the heating season, how to turn off the radiator

With the beginning of the heating season, our apartments begin to be heated centrally and we are not the ones who determine the temperature of the coolant. Perhaps everyone has faced global climate change. The unusually warm winters of recent years have forced us to think differently about heating costs. Opening windows when the battery is hot becomes unprofitable. On the one hand, we pay for heating, and on the other, we release heat into the atmosphere. Many people wonder: is it possible to shut off heating radiators or how to properly shut off a heating radiator in an apartment. Below we will tell you how to turn off a heating radiator, what you should pay attention to, and when you should not do this.

About turning off batteries for the summer

Any water heating system must be filled with coolant year-round.
Getting air inside as a result of its emptying will not lead to anything good - all steel elements will begin to actively corrode until the moisture leaves. Given the enclosed space, this will not happen soon, and the empty pipes will be covered with a layer of rust from the inside. In centralized systems, it is impossible to understand whether there is water in the batteries in the summer; one can only hope for the integrity of the relevant services. As practice shows, you only need to rely on yourself. Therefore, in order to extend the service life of heating devices and prevent them from emptying, you need to choose the right moment at the very end of the heating season and turn off the valve on the battery installed on the outlet pipe. In the event of some repair work on heating networks, workers can drain water from the riser, but it will not leave the closed radiator.

Advice. You don’t have to worry at all about whether you need to shut off the radiators in the summer when your apartment has heating appliances made of cast iron. Unlike other materials, cast iron is practically not subject to corrosion.

At the time of the autumn start-up of centralized heating, particles of dirt and rust move through the pipelines along with the coolant. Steel, aluminum and bimetallic batteries have small channel widths, which can become clogged quite quickly. So on the first day of launch, when you can hear the murmur of water in the pipes, you should not rush and open the taps. It is better to do this the next day, bleeding the air using the Mayevsky tap.

There is often a warning on the Internet that in the summer only one valve to the battery should be closed, two - under no circumstances. Some say that after cooling, the water will decrease in volume and a vacuum will form in the radiator, causing it to crack (an example is given of a plastic bottle without air). Others say that the rupture will occur due to chemical reactions in aluminum batteries and the release of oxygen in all others. Excessive pressure will appear, which will supposedly rupture the device.

Such statements have no basis. The lowest operating pressure is for cast iron batteries and is 9 Bar, the destruction pressure is even higher. Not a single chemical reaction of the coolant with any metal can create such excess pressure, but for aluminum radiators the limit is even higher - 16 Bar. The example with a vacuum does not stand up to criticism at all; if it suddenly forms, then the force of external influence on the walls of the battery will be 1 Atm, that is, 1 Bar.

Independent shutdown of risers

In small towns, it is quite common to turn off the heating on your own.

The riser is turned off by a valve in the basement, where it connects to the so-called sun lounger. Water valves are usually in plain sight. To find fittings to shut off heating, you must either have technical documentation or an experienced plumber who is familiar with city local communications.

As a rule, the heating system is closed with an old brass Soviet valve or valve.

Heating tap in the basement

How to turn off the radiator in an apartment

Almost all work with elements of the heating system requires turning off the radiators, and sometimes even dismantling them. Even such a relatively simple operation as painting. performed on a cold surface. It is easier to do it after removing the radiator, this ensures full access from all sides. If more complex operations are required, such as replacing or repairing a radiator, then you need to know how to shut off the radiator.

The task of turning off the radiator is complicated by the fact that there is coolant inside it all year round. Draining water from the heating system is carried out only in case of repair, since leaving the radiator without coolant for a long period of time leads to corrosion.

The fluids inside the radiator contain small amounts of dissolved oxygen. After a certain period, all the oxygen contained in the water reacts with the metal elements of the heating system and corrosion stops. After the coolant is drained, air enters the system and, in combination with water vapor, especially hot water, corrosion intensifies. Therefore, it is correct to drain the coolant only in exceptional cases.

Results

To fully monitor heating radiators, the following devices are required:

Ball Valves;
Bypass with tap;
Drain tap or hole;
Thermostat;
Device for removing gases.

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It is quite easy for the owner of a private house to adjust or repair heating radiators, because he has an individual system. It is more difficult for owners of apartments where vertical single-pipe systems are installed and any manipulations with heating devices in winter can affect their neighbors. The purpose of this article is to explain how to properly shut off the battery in an apartment without causing harm to others.

Bypass device and its functions

In winter, it is not allowed to close the common riser, with the exception of emergency situations. The presence of a bypass allows you to carry out repairs without turning off the heating system of your neighbors. The device is made of pipes with a smaller diameter than the supply and discharge lines. Two ball valves allow you to properly shut off the battery even if it’s hot, directing the water circulation through the bypass.

When replacing the radiator, the water is shut off, and after the work is completed, it opens again. If the room is hot, the bypass again allows you to temporarily shut down the system: hot water stops flowing into the battery and the room is cooled. But it is better to install thermostatic valves to regulate the temperature, maintaining a normal temperature in the room.

Using such a device, the radiator can be properly disconnected from the system at any time if it is necessary to perform painting, washing, replacing batteries, as well as when changing gaskets and nipples without blocking the risers.

Correct Bypass Installation

The bypass functions, depending on the type of heating system, are as follows:

Energy carrier adjustment. When the room temperature is higher than normal, the thermostat reduces the supply of hot water, which negatively affects the operation of the entire system. This device is used to return coolant that did not enter the battery into the system.
Emergency adjustment of coolant circulation in a system with an electric pump. When a power failure occurs, a bypass with a valve closes the hot water supply tap to the pump through the bypass pipe, at which time the valve opens and the coolant is directed through the central pipe. In this simple way, the system goes into a state of natural circulation without the participation of a pump.
Reanimation of a single-pipe system. It works quite effectively: apartments are warm, even hot. The bypass also helps out in this situation, allowing you to reduce the supply of hot water, thus acting as a thermostat.

Thermostat on the radiator

The bypass must be installed next to the radiator. It is recommended to make the bypass pipe directly on site during installation using a welding machine. You can also use ready-made equipment on threaded connections. The control valve or radiator thermostat must be located between the radiator inlet and the bypass.

The supply side is equipped with a valve with a thermal head.

Installation and connection

After studying the design and purpose of the bypass, it is necessary to find out the features of its installation. When installing a device in a system, certain factors are taken into account, among which the most important are the following:

the bypass diameter is smaller than the diameter of the supply and return pipes (if the liner has a diameter of 3/4″, then the bypass is 1/2″);
the temperature at the bypass installation location is the lowest;
maximum proximity to the radiator and distance from the riser;
installation in a horizontal position, which avoids airing;
the ability to quickly dismantle the radiator requires the installation of shut-off elements, for which ball valves are used.

Connected drain pipe.

Installing a bypass channel for the radiator

When connecting new radiators to an old one-pipe system, it is first necessary to ensure that the coolant is drained. Next, the radiator body kit is assembled. Old cast iron batteries are cut off with a grinder, and unnecessary parts of a pipe with a non-working tap are unscrewed using pipe wrenches. Then the thread is cut and the structure is assembled, the elements of which are a tee, an extension and ball valves with an American connection.

The radiator screens are attached before installing it on the wall. When assembling a heating system with a bypass, you must remember to maintain the required radiator center distance. At the last stage, the pipes are cleaned and painted.

Installation with circulation pump

If it is necessary to install a circulation pump, a cleaning filter is used in the system to protect the expensive blower mechanism from impurities in the coolant. The protective properties of the filter are ensured by a metal mesh that traps large particles of contaminants. The filter has a special container for collecting contaminants, equipped with a hole for cleaning. When installing, it is recommended to place the filter with the drain hole facing down. A cleaning filter is installed directly in front of the pump inlet.

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When using a circulation pump, a check valve is used as a shut-off element, without which the coolant will only flow in a small circle. However, a ball valve is more reliable than a valve, ensuring automatic operation of the system. In old single-pipe circuits, the second option is applicable.

In the first case, the bypass in the heating system is installed on both the return and supply pipelines, and in the second - only on the return pipe.

Possible reasons and procedure for replacing the bypass section

During operation of the heating system, it may be necessary to replace the bypass channel. The need to carry out this operation is due to the failure of the device or the need to install additional components within it. When using modern polypropylene pipelines, the first option is unlikely, so replacement in most cases is carried out to install a check valve or ball valve.

The order of the operation depends on how the bypass section is connected to the circulation pipeline. With a detachable threaded connection, the bypass section is connected to the inlet and outlet pipes through tees. When dismantling, it is necessary to unscrew the nut with a clamp or an American one. If it is planned to replenish the bypass, the length of its pipe must be reduced by the appropriate amount.

If you need to shut off and remove the radiator

It is best to carry out work related to radiator removal after the end of the heating season. If work needs to be carried out during the heating season, you need to take into account a number of nuances. If you have a single-pipe heating system and vertical wiring, you can remove the battery only if there is a bypass.

Such a system can be identified by pipes, one of which comes from the ceiling and connects to the radiator, and the other comes out of the radiator and disappears into the floor. A bypass is a jumper connecting the incoming and outgoing pipes. This is a pipe of approximately the same or slightly smaller diameter than the main pipes. The principle of the bypass is as follows: if the radiator is turned off, water begins to flow through the riser, passing through the bypass, without passing through the battery. In this case, the riser works, the heating in neighboring apartments does not turn off.

If the system is two-pipe, if there are taps, it is enough to close them, after which you can remove the battery.

Three types of bypasses

There are three types of bypasses:

Unregulated - simple pipe;
With manual control – valve with divisions;
Automatic – with sensors;

The latter option is installed in a harness with a pump. Typically, automation is used when circulating a coolant along a circuit. An electrically powered pump allows you to increase the flow rate, which helps reduce heat loss. Most often, such a system is used in private homes or when connecting heated floors to the heating system in apartment buildings. In the event of a power outage, the coolant flow passes through the bypass. The impeller restricts the flow of water. It is supplied to the market in two variations: injection and valve. The biggest disadvantage of an automatic bypass: if the water contains scale, scale, rust and other contaminants, it quickly fails. The bypass must be installed in a single-pipe system; if it is necessary to make a collector wiring, the jumper allows you to divide the flows into two parts, providing both radiators with coolant in equal proportions. With horizontal wiring, the bypass is installed parallel to the main line below the normal wiring. When installing standard three-quarter inch pipes, it is recommended to install a bypass at one-half inch. In this case, the pipes of the incoming and outgoing coolant flow should have a diameter of 1 inch.

How to make a house warmer without heating devices?

This situation, such as the rapid cooling of an apartment due to a decrease in atmospheric air, repeats itself annually. Owners should consider how they can improve the thermal efficiency of their living space. How can you make your apartment cool down more slowly, retaining the heat accumulated over the summer longer?

It is necessary to take care of insulating the house in advance. Experts say that up to 14% of heat evaporates through glass. Another 30 percent of thermal energy escapes through cracks in windows and doors. 15% of warm air leaks out of the house through the entrance opening or a broken window in the entrance.

The heating hasn't been turned on yet, but blankets and rugs no longer help? There are several ways to help solve the problem.

The recommendations are as follows:

Caulk up old window frames. This is one of the main ways to eliminate heat leakage. This kind of work is not difficult, it takes a small amount of time. And its cost is minimal. As a result, drafts in the apartment will disappear.

Seal cracks in door frames. This method will reduce your electricity bill by 15 percent. It is recommended to do the same with the entrance door in the vestibule.

Background information: such measures increase thermal efficiency by 20%!

Finish the external walls of the apartment with foam plastic or mineral wool. If you have enough money, you can think about insulating your apartment in this way, too; this technique gives a noticeable effect. Just don’t forget about sealing the interpanel seams of the building.

Why is the water not drained at the end of the heating season?

As you know, water remains in heating networks even in summer. This is explained by the fact that in this way corrosion processes inside radiators and pipelines are reduced. And it is water that will help prevent corrosion, since in this case steel and cast iron will be much less susceptible to rust. No matter how paradoxical it may sound, it really is so. For what reasons does this happen? Everything is quite simple: (See also: How to disassemble a cast iron heating radiator with your own hands)

Water is constantly inside the heating system and does not allow metal to come into contact with air. Corrosion occurs when a metal comes into contact with dissolved oxygen in water;
Due to the isolation of the heating system from the outside world, the water is quickly deprived of dissolved oxygen. Then the oxidation process, which is usually a catalyst for corrosion processes, is completely eliminated.
As a result of all this, the heating network does not rust at all from the inside, which cannot be said about the cold and hot water pipeline system. However, if water is removed from the system, moist air with a high oxygen content will remain. This is precisely why pipes and radiators rust from the inside in the absence of coolant. (See also: How to calculate bimetallic heating radiators)

Before turning off the radiator, you need to study the other side. According to established standards, the heating network must always contain water. At the same time, some management organizations often neglect this requirement in order to save money. Thus, during repairs, it is necessary to drain water from the system, and then refill the network with it, wasting time. If batteries are replaced and repaired in several apartments over the course of one summer, the management company will have to drain and refill the system each time. Therefore, in some cases, pipes are left without water at all during the summer. Due to the closed system, the pipes will not be able to dry from the inside, and moisture will trigger corrosion processes.

Remember that the battery is always filled with water

The battery is filled with liquid throughout the year. Water is drained only for a short time during centralized repair work. Therefore, if you plan to replace the battery, simply disconnecting it is not enough - you need to drain the water. Why is the system constantly filled with coolant? It is highly undesirable for oxygen to enter the heating system. When the water drains, air and water vapor take its place. This leads to active oxidation - that is, the appearance of rust on the surface of steel and bimetallic batteries. Oxygen dissolved in the coolant does not destroy the metal, i.e. does not lead to corrosion. Therefore, in order for the heating system to last a long time, it is always filled.

Why is the water not drained at the end of the heating season?

Water is constantly inside the heating system and does not allow metal to come into contact with air. Corrosion occurs when a metal comes into contact with dissolved oxygen in water;
Due to the isolation of the heating system from the outside world, the water is quickly deprived of dissolved oxygen. Then the oxidation process, which is usually a catalyst for corrosion processes, is completely eliminated.
As a result of all this, the heating network does not rust at all from the inside, which cannot be said about the cold and hot water pipeline system. However, if water is removed from the system, moist air with a high oxygen content will remain. This is precisely why pipes and radiators rust from the inside in the absence of coolant. (See also: How to calculate bimetallic heating radiators)

Do I need to shut off the radiators while cleaning the system?

To ensure radiators have a long service life, when flushing the system by the management company, a number of conditions must be observed. These include:

New batteries should be covered for the first 2 years after installation, as they are still quite clean. In this case, washing can only clog them. It will be possible to open the shut-off valves a couple of days after the completion of the work, after all the precipitation has gone away.
Flush radiators yourself at least once every 2 years. This should be done with running hot water.

Instructions for cleaning batteries yourself:

cover the bathtub with oilcloth;
put a thick cloth on top;
close all shut-off valves;
remove the radiator;
remove all gaskets;
rinse the battery with a strong stream of hot water (you can use a shower hose);
install the radiator, not forgetting to return all gaskets to their place.

Tips and tricks

Experts recommend using the following devices during the heating period to close heating devices:

Ball Valves;
bypass;
drain;
thermostat;
device for eliminating gas residues.

To shut off the radiator in your home and avoid adverse consequences, the best solution is to call emergency services. If an accident occurs, you should not panic; you need to turn off the heating. For these purposes, the design of existing overlapping devices and the location of their installation are being studied.

Knowing how to turn off the heating in an apartment, you can decide how to prepare for the heating period in the summer. The installation of bypass and ball valves is carried out by specialists who will shut off the water inside the riser.

What to do with a stuck ball valve

If ball valves are not rotated for years, they tend to sour and jam. In such a situation, do not try to resolve the issue physically and do not force the “butterfly” with pliers or a gas wrench. It is made of a brittle alloy and will probably break. Proceed like this:

Unscrew the locking nut and remove the butterfly handle from the stem.
On most of these valves, you will find a nut under the handle that clamps the plastic seal. Loosen it by turning the wrench half a turn. If there is no nut, go to the next step.
Take an adjustable wrench or other device that allows you to securely grab the flats on the rod. Without applying much force, turn it as far as possible.
When you feel resistance, turn the rod back all the way and forward again, trying to turn it a few more degrees. Work carefully and without haste!
In this way, rotate the valve 90°, then tighten the gland nut and reinstall the handle.

An adjustable wrench can be used to firmly grasp the edges

Advice. If you have WD-40 spray lubricant in your household, apply it to the stem and wait 5-10 minutes before rotating.

Be doubly careful when turning off radiators with soured taps during the heating season. If you hurry too much and apply too much force, you will break off the metal rod or ball, and in the worst case, the valve body will burst. A stream of hot water can shoot out from the crack, which can burn you. While you go down to the basement and close the heating riser, the coolant will cause damage to the interior of the room, and you can roughly guess how much it costs to renovate the apartment now.

If you are not sure of your actions, call a plumber. More information on how to close a jammed ball valve in order to disconnect the radiators is described in the video:

What else you should know

If you are wondering how to turn off the battery if there is no tap, then there is a solution here too.
True, the option of blocking the riser is inevitable here. In this case, not only the individual battery will be blocked, but also part of the heating system. In small cities, the practice of turning off the heating independently is often used, just by shutting off the riser. It is turned off using a valve in the basement. At that point he approaches the sun lounger. Water valves are usually within sight. You can find out which fittings are suitable for shutting off the heating in the technical documentation. Additionally, this should be known to an experienced plumber who is familiar with local utilities. In most cases, the heating system is shut off using a brass valve or a valve.

In the event that the window sill blocks the battery, there is no single solution. It all depends on the degree of overlap. So, for example, if the window sill completely blocked the battery, then this is considered unacceptable. This is explained by the concept of convection, in which warm air rises. There it replaces cold air, which goes down, after which it is heated by the battery. Thus, the room is heated. If the window sill completely blocks the radiator, then the convection process is hampered and the room does not warm up well. But there will definitely be a way out of this situation. You can make several rectangular holes in the window sill and cover them with decorative grilles.

So, shutting off the batteries in an apartment is possible and, in some cases, even necessary. This can be most conveniently accomplished with special taps.
After the end of the heating season, it is recommended to close one of them and leave the second open.
On the day of heating, we close both taps for 1-2 days so that rusty water flows and eliminates the possibility of blockages.
If there is no tap, then you will have to shut off the riser using a special valve or valve, which are most often located in the basement of the building, and usually in a visible place.

The main thing is to do everything thoughtfully and strictly in accordance with all standards and requirements. Do not close both taps at the end of the heating season, this may cause deformation and cracks in them. Do not forget about the basic rules that will help you shut off the battery in your apartment safely and correctly.

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DESIGN PLACE FOR PLAY

Create a separate space in the room where the baby will be awake. Let the toys lie there, a place will be “cleared” for rolling cars or building pyramids, and don’t let chairs, a table, or a closet get in the way. The child should play with pleasure, he needs a certain place for this. And at the same time, you should not worry that, having played too much, he will crawl in the wrong direction and hurt himself on the table leg, or turn the chair over on himself.

Very important information

Below we will describe situations when one or another inclusion of the battery may be undesirable, and sometimes unacceptable!

By reading my blog, you are probably making repairs. Bookmark this page. This is where all the useful home improvement stores are located.

4.1.You cannot use the thermostat without a jumper

In point 2 we talked about the thermostat. However, you need to understand that experiments with a temperature controller are only possible with a jumper! If it is not there, and you reduce the diameter of the flow pipe, then the total flow of hot water through your apartment will decrease. Which of course is unacceptable, otherwise your neighbors will come to you!

4.2. The thermostat may become clogged

If you are using a jumper, but for some reason it was turned off for a while and the thermostat was set to position 5, i.e. provided a full flow of hot water only through the battery, as shown in the figure:

then everything seems to be fine. However, we must accept reality as it is. Even if we turned on the central heating radiators correctly for the first time, there is no guarantee that, for example, in a month or two a new mud flow will not pass through the pipes. But then, if the jumper is turned off, then the splash of dirt will go straight to your thermostat, which, in fact, is very sensitive to it. As a result, a blockage forms in the thermostat, and water will not flow into the battery at all. It won’t go into the jumper either, because you closed it. Therefore, in this situation, water will stop flowing through your apartment; in the house, through your heating riser, the water will also stop and begin to cool in the cold. As a result, a squad of evil neighbors, together with the chairman of the HOA or housing cooperative, is guaranteed to enter your apartment.

How to turn on the radiator correctly for the first time

A very important point is to turn on the central heating battery for the first time in your home. When a long period of time has passed, and the thermal power plant begins to supply water to our batteries, then usually the first water flowing through the heating systems is the dirtiest and rustiest. Imagine. You have just installed a brand new battery, one might say, off the assembly line, and suddenly a powerful stream of dirt is thrown in there. It is not surprising that many batteries become clogged precisely from the first such inclusion, and then we are surprised that out of 12 battery bends, only 8 are heated, the rest remain cold. To prevent this from happening, a jumper (bypass) is needed when installing the battery. If you have done the installation correctly, then set the position of the ball valves as shown in the figure:

In this case, the entire flow of dirt when turned on for the first time will go through the jumper, keeping your battery intact and safe. In this option, it is better to keep hot water running for several days. Of course, many are looking forward to when it will be turned on. However, my advice is, if you can’t wait a few days, wait at least one day. By the way, a detailed article on how to turn off the battery.

Heating Systems Basics

In general, according to the regulations of utility services, it is prohibited to interfere with the operation of the central systems of the house. In exceptional cases, when the battery is leaking or has ruptured, emergency intervention is permitted. But if the heating system in your home is connected to the central system correctly, then you can try turning off the heating yourself. There is nothing particularly difficult about this.

Correct connection means that the heating is connected to the general system using two ball valves (Figure 1) and a jumper called a bypass (Figure 2). This connection is called one-pipe. (Figure 3)

Figure 1 – Two taps

Figure 2 – Bypass jumper

Figure 3 – One-pipe system with a jumper. It can be covered

Is water needed in the system in summer?

The main condition for long-term proper operation of radiators is the absence of corrosion, which can appear both in empty batteries and those filled with liquid without air access.

In fact, there should be water in the system at all times, regardless of the season. But many service companies neglect this condition and drain it immediately after the end of the heating period.

Utility services justify this by saying that in the summer they carry out repair work, during which the water in the systems interferes and has to be drained. In addition, many residents change radiators during repairs, which also requires a complete release of the system, especially if the entrance has a common riser. And constant filling and emptying causes loss of time and unnecessary financial costs.

But, since the water does not completely drain from the radiators, a humid environment forms inside, leading to deformation of the metal. Therefore, if the service company drains water immediately after the end of the season, the shut-off valves should be closed the day before.

It will be important to open the air bleed valves, which will help avoid excess pressure in the radiators, which most often occurs when the system cools down. The taps should be opened a few days before the start of the next heating season.

Disabling the heating riser

Problems associated with disconnecting the riser are often the most difficult to solve. When replacing heating batteries, the riser will need to be turned off for at least half a day. According to the law, the riser belongs to joint property.

Access to public property must be provided by the appropriate utility service, which has the necessary permits and is responsible if anything goes wrong.

Basement with taps

What does this mean in practice? It is necessary to write an application to the operational office. Based on this document, utility services are required to turn off the riser at the time specified in the application. By law, this is a paid service. This pleasure costs 15 – 20 US dollars.

You can negotiate cheaper with the chief engineer, foreman or one of the foremen. Local plumbers will turn off the risers. It will cost ten dollars.

What is required to shut off heating appliances?

If it’s hot in the apartment or you need to disconnect the radiator without calling a plumber to shut off the entire heating riser in the entrance, it is important that:

Between the supply pipe and the return pipe there was a vertical jumper - a bypass; it is through it that the coolant flow will pass without entering the installed battery after you turn it off. The absence of a bypass automatically means that you are cutting off the flow to the entire riser.
American ball valves must be installed on the supply and return pipes between the bypass and the heating radiator. They are the ones who make it possible to disconnect.
Ideally, an air valve is installed at the radiator inlet.

Attention! Ball valves cannot be used to regulate the flow of coolant if you want to reduce the heating of the batteries! This valve is a shut-off valve; its use for other purposes leads to destruction of the valve and leaks. Based on the above, if there is no bypass, but ball valves are installed, the battery can be dismantled independently for repair or replacement, but not during the heating season. Based on the above, if there is no bypass, but ball valves are installed, the battery can be dismantled independently for repair or replacement, but not during the heating season

Based on the above, if there is no bypass, but ball valves are installed, the battery can be dismantled independently for repair or replacement, but not during the heating season.

The bypass (jumper) is mounted parallel to the radiator and is usually a pipe whose diameter is equal to the diameter of the supply pipes or one step smaller. If you plan to shut off the radiators after the heating season or install a radiator with a thermostat, be sure to take care of installing a bypass. Otherwise, your actions will lower the temperature of the coolant and your neighbors.

Is it possible to shut off by closing both taps?

Let's imagine that you closed both taps while the coolant in the system is still hot.

Knowing the elementary laws of physics, you can easily understand that

As the water in the battery cools, its volume will decrease;
This will lead to the formation of a vacuum in the enclosed space of the radiator;
As a result of the resulting pressure, the battery will become deformed or lose its seal and will need to be replaced.

So, in search of an answer to the question of how to turn off the battery if it gets hot in the apartment, you already know that this should under no circumstances be done by closing both taps! Now it remains to figure out whether it is worth using both taps after the heating season, when the coolant has already cooled down.

As we already know, the central heating system stays full all year round. In some areas, the coolant is drained if repair work is required, and then refilled. So there is liquid inside your radiator.

If you turn off both the upper and lower valves, the following happens:

Various chemical processes take place in the liquid inside the battery, since the coolant cannot be chemically pure;
As a result of these processes, gas formation occurs;
Since the gases have no way to escape, the increased pressure may cause the radiator to depressurize.

Thus, if an air vent (Mayevsky tap) is not installed on the battery, it is strictly not recommended to close both shut-off valves, even if the coolant temperature is room temperature.

Examples of using bypass

Example #1 - adjusting the coolant

The functional purpose of the bypass is to return excess coolant from the heating battery to the riser when its quantity changes using a manual or automatic thermostat. In other words, the coolant is transported through the bypass parallel to the shut-off and control valves. Without this element, it is impossible to repair the battery when the heating system is in working order. The bypass also speeds up the process of filling or emptying the system.

This is how a bypass can be introduced into a heating system

Example #2 - system operation without electricity

Installing a bypass in a heating system is especially important when installing modern heating systems that involve the use of circulation pumps. People who are faced with heating installation for the first time often ask the craftsmen or consultants in stores: “How will the system work if the electricity goes out?” After all, everyone is accustomed to the fact that the standard floor-standing boiler used in the past was not connected to electricity. And equipping the heating system with a circulation pump makes it energy-dependent.

That's exactly where the bypass comes to the rescue in such situations. Its role in this case is very simple - at the moment of a power outage in the network, the consumer must turn off the coolant supply taps to the pump and open the tap on the central pipe. By the way, this can happen automatically if a bypass with a valve is used. These simple manipulations switch the heating system to natural circulation mode.

Installation of devices on the bypass should be carried out towards the coolant in the following sequence:

filter;
check valve;
circulation pump.

It is important to note that the introduction of a bypass into the riser near the circulation pump must be carried out using shut-off valves. It is better to install the element itself horizontally. In this case, the system will be protected from air accumulation

In this case, the system will be protected from air accumulation.

Schematic representation of a bypass pipe built into the heating system

Example #3 - resuscitation of single-pipe heating

Yes, the single-pipe heating system is obsolete today, but it can still be found quite often in Soviet-built buildings. Moreover, there are such miracles when such heating functions very efficiently even in apartments in winter, it’s simply hot. Installing a bypass will also help correct the situation. In principle, there is nothing complicated in this work, but it is still worth meeting some conditions:

The bypass should be located at the maximum distance from the vertical section of the pipe, that is, as close to the battery as possible.
The bypass pipe can be made directly at the installation site - a pipe, a tee and welding work will be required. Or you can purchase such an element ready-made and install it on threaded connections.
The radiator inlet and bypass must be separated by a control valve or radiator thermostat.

By installing such a device, you will get a banal “temperature regulator in the house.”

Battery adjustment process

Often, at the beginning of construction, the heating system is adjusted by simply routing pipes of various thicknesses from the boiler to the radiators. However, this approach is not enough to effectively control the heating system.

Even if the boiler is programmed to a certain temperature, the radiators may be colder than required. This occurs because there is a large amount of air in the pipes. By lowering it, water can flow more freely through the pipes. Consequently, the room will begin to warm up more quickly and with increased efficiency. Therefore, when adjusting the batteries, you should first bleed the air from the radiators. (See also: Piping heating radiators)

Directly for these purposes, absolutely on one side of each battery there is a special tap, by turning which you can release unnecessary air. However, be careful when opening it slowly to avoid a sudden release of hot steam, as it is under high pressure.

To properly regulate heating batteries, just opening and closing the special control valve on the battery is, of course, not enough. Depending on how many batteries are connected to the boiler, open them a certain number of turns. For example, you have three radiators connected to a boiler. To ensure that the pressure is evenly distributed throughout the heating system, open the first radiator a couple of turns, the second by three, and the third by four. This adjustment of the heating radiators in the apartment will allow you to heat the premises in a shorter time.

If your system has a forced water pumping function, it becomes possible to install so-called three-way valves on each radiator. If the boiler has sufficient power, adjusting the temperature of the heating battery will not be difficult. In general, to simplify the process of setting the required temperature, each radiator must have special valves. (See also: Connection diagram for heating batteries)

Their presence will allow you to control the flow of heat and rational consumption of heating equipment. For example, if the room has become too hot, or it is not in use and is closed, then the flow of hot water into the radiator can be reduced or completely shut off using such a tap.

The principle of adjusting the temperature of heating radiators

It is directly related to the design features of this element and its installation. The valve is a ball with a through hole.

The operation of the crane is controlled using a handle fixed to the ball by a rod.

Important! To install the device, you need to choose the location wisely so that turning the handle in the future does not interfere with other devices of the heating system. The diameters of the tap and pipe must be identical.

The diameters of the tap and pipe must be identical.

The device must be fixed in parallel

as it is twisted using tow or special tape. They provide the mechanism with additional protection against leaks. The correct installation is further verified by applying water pressure.

Photo 1. Ball valve device for adjusting the temperature in a heating radiator. Arrows indicate parts of the product.

Activating the handle promotes the movement of the mechanism around its own axis. Rotating the ball hole to the nozzles and pipeline inlets makes it possible to circulate coolant through it

, otherwise the fluid flow will be blocked.

The ball in such mechanisms can be fixed and movable. In the first case, it is attached to the rod so that it remains completely static. The tightness of such a connection is ensured by bolts or disc springs.

The movable ball is capable of moving depending on the degree of water pressure on it

. Due to this possibility, this type of mechanism is more widespread than the first.

How to open a tap

This is done to supply the maximum possible amount of coolant in order to provide the room with heat. To adjust the mechanism, you need to turn the handle parallel to its own axis and the pipe.

For convenience, there are protrusions on the faucet body indicating restrictions on the degree of its opening. This is done counterclockwise.

How to close

With this action, the circulation of the coolant completely stops. This needs to be done when there is a need to reduce the radiator temperature to a minimum, for example, in the summer.

The handle of the device in the “closed” position should form an angle of 90 degrees with its axis and the pipeline.

According to the protrusions, the movement of the handle to stop the fluid circulation should be done
clockwise.
Reference.

In both situations, in the absence of a handle, it is possible to determine the position of the tap
by the groove
. If it is aligned with the pipeline and the mechanism itself, then its position is “open”, otherwise the fluid flow is blocked.

How to turn a jammed tap on a battery and adjust it

Often this situation arises if the position of the mechanism is not periodically changed and developed as a preventive measure.

Before taking directed steps to repair the device,
it is worth trying to do it yourself.

Disabling radiators without fittings

It is no secret that in most apartments to this day there are old cast iron radiators or steel convectors without any shut-off fittings, which makes it impossible to shut them off during the heating season. Moreover, according to the old heating scheme, convectors in high-rise buildings are connected to risers without straight sections - bypasses. Therefore, if an accident occurs with a coolant leak, you must act as follows:

Try to provide some kind of container to collect hot water. If the stream flows to the side, wrap a thick cloth over the break site so that the water flows along it into a bucket.
Call the dispatch service of your heating energy supply company and report the accident.
While the service personnel are getting there, provide them with access to the basement, find the keys, open the door, and so on.
Try to block the riser yourself.

While your water is flowing onto the floor, your neighbors’ suspended ceiling turns into a bubble

A few words about how to properly turn off the heating riser. Find in the basement the heating point of your entrance and vertical pipes embedded in a large-diameter main or into a common collector. Follow where they go to determine the emergency riser, and turn it off with a tap. Contact by cell phone someone in the household who can confirm that the geyser eruption in the apartment has stopped. If you couldn’t find your pipe, close all the valves one by one until you find the one you need.

Attention! Don't try to force yourself on basement valves that are stuck due to rust. When they cannot be closed manually, it is better to wait for a team of plumbers; they will find a way to stop the flow of coolant. Otherwise, a very awkward situation will arise when you also break the main fittings, leaving the apartment building without heat during repairs

Otherwise, a very awkward situation will arise when you also break the main fittings, leaving the apartment building without heat during repairs.

Example of an access heating point and riser connection

It is also worth considering the question of how to shut off the battery if it is hot in the apartment due to the service provider’s failure to comply with the temperature schedule of the boiler room. It would seem that if there are shut-off valves, the problem is solved by manually closing the taps. But after the temperature in the rooms drops, the valves will have to be opened again. This way you will get tired of turning the taps long before the end of the heating season, so you need to think about how you can adjust the heat output of the radiators. The options are:

if possible, install a thermostatic valve on each radiator, limiting the flow of coolant and automatically maintaining the set temperature in the room;
It is nice to cover the heating device with a blank screen with small holes if there are no shut-off valves on the connections.

Important. The ball valve is not a means of adjustment; it is intended only to completely cut off or open the passage of the coolant. In the “half closed” mode it will not give the desired effect and will fail much earlier

In the “half closed” mode it will not give the desired effect and will fail much earlier.

Thanks to worn-out pipelines, district heating systems are notorious for dirty water that quickly clogs small passages. Therefore, ordinary valves with thermal heads will not last long here; you need to buy special valves with increased capacity, which are produced by the well-known brands Danfoss and Herz. How to install them on the connection to the radiator is shown below in the diagram and described in this material.

Radiator thermostat installation diagram

When it’s hot in an apartment in the middle of winter and there are no control valves, residents have no choice but to cover the radiator in the room with a decorative screen. The principle is simple: the radiator will heat the air inside the box, after which the intensity of heat transfer will sharply decrease due to the small difference in the temperatures of the air and the surface. That is, the coolant will give off less energy, and the amount of hot air coming out from under the screen will be limited by the size of the decorative openings. How to assemble and install a nice MDF box on a heating device is shown in the video:

When to turn off radiators

There are several situations when you need to turn off the water in the battery:

in the event of an emergency that threatens to flood your own and neighbors’ homes with hot coolant;
if you decide to paint the radiator during the heating season;
when you need to change or wash the battery without blocking the riser;
you need to limit the flow of heat into a room that is hot in winter.

Radiators that are too hot are the cause of heat and stuffiness in the apartment

Note. Some apartment owners practice shutting off heating radiators for the summer while preserving the coolant. The goal is to protect heating devices from clogging during the autumn start-up of the system, when a lot of rust flows through the pipes. Below we will explain how to do this correctly.

Now the main point: you will never have problems with how to disconnect a radiator from a centralized system if it is connected according to the correct circuit using shut-off valves (ball valves). You will be able to shut off the coolant flow at any time if such a need arises, without disturbing the thermal conditions of adjacent apartments. The shutdown algorithm is simple:

Close the lower and then the upper valve on the battery.
If you plan to paint the heating device, then the previous step is sufficient. Wait until the radiator is cold and paint.
When it is necessary to replace batteries in the middle of winter, before removing each heater, release the pressure through the Mayevsky valve. Then unscrew the bottom plug and carefully drain the water, then unscrew the joints and dismantle the device.

Correct connection of the heating device to the central heating risers
A separate question is how to properly turn on the heating radiator so that there is no air pocket left in it, which prevents maximum heating of the surface and air in the apartment. Here the algorithm is similar: you need to open the lower valve, then the upper one, and at the end release the remaining air using the Mayevsky tap.

The handle stands along the axis of the pipe - the valve is open, across it - closed

Note. If you do the opposite and open the top valve first, you risk leaving some air inside the sections of the device. This is not critical, but the de-airing procedure will have to be repeated several times.

Location of the Mayevsky tap on the heating device

How to quickly heat a room in an emergency?

There are several effective methods:

Use a portable gas stove or a homemade stove made from a barrel. Choose gas, wood, gasoline as fuel.
If you don’t have such a device, the following will do: alcohol lamps, smokers, and other devices.
You can heat metal objects (cuts of pipes, rails) on the stove. Gradually cooling, they will warm the air in the room.

Attention! If you light an open fire in a room, there is a danger of burning or causing a fire. For reference: if the flames have blue tongues, it means carbon monoxide, which is hazardous to health, is being released.

For reference: if the flames have blue tongues, it means that carbon monoxide, which is hazardous to health, is being released.
Date: September 25, 2022

Selection of material

If we consider the most popular material, it turns out that nothing is used more often than reinforced polypropylene and metal-plastic pipes.

What is the rationale for this choice?

Replacing the heating riser in an apartment is quick, since there is no need to weld the pipes to one another.
Pipes made from these materials are easy to bend, so they can be easily integrated into any corners and rooms.
The components are relatively light in weight, so there is no problem of transportation even to the highest floors.

From all sides, the selected materials look almost ideal, but they react poorly to changes in pressure in the pipes. So, if it jumps sharply from the standard 5 atmospheres to 10, then the pipes may not be able to withstand it, which will lead to a small flood and an urgent call to a mechanic.

In addition, these materials do not withstand the coldest times of the year, when the batteries have to be heated to the maximum. The plastic may begin to crack and leak, so installing galvanized pipes is the best option.

Safety

What not to do when working with heating and water supply and how to ensure maximum safety of all work:

Never try to fix a leak under pressure (except for bandaging small fistulas). An attempt to rewind the lock nut on a battery or connection may result in a rotten connection torn off along the thread, an attempt to tighten a dripping Mayevsky faucet may result in the thread on it breaking;

Mayevsky tap in the radiator plug

If you turn off the water for minor repairs in your own apartment, be sure to notify your neighbors on the riser about this. Otherwise, the emergency service arriving at their request may turn on the water at the moment when your water supply is dismantled;
After turning off the water or heating, hang a sign on the valve or valve indicating the reason for the shutdown, the apartment number and your telephone number. This simple measure will again save you from flooding when working in the apartment or conflict with emergency service representatives;

An emergency crew that arrives on call can turn on the water at the most inopportune moment.

Never turn off the heating during the heating season unless there is an emergency. All work on replacing radiators, moving them, etc. are held in the summer. The lack of heating for several hours is a reason for recalculating the payment for this service by the end consumers - your neighbors.

All heating modernization work is carried out outside the heating season

Where to turn the battery valve?

This is done counterclockwise.

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Who has the right to turn off the risers?

If you plan to replace the heating risers, or simply decide to change the batteries, you need to turn off the heating.
When the heating system is equipped with ball valves or other shut-off valves, it is quite simple to solve the problem of how to shut off the heating battery in an apartment and shut off the flow of liquid to the radiator. At the height of the heating season, it will be more difficult to remove the battery. A bypass helps solve the problem and not disrupt the functioning of a single-pipe heating system. This is a kind of jumper installed in front of the heating device and connected parallel to the battery. The bypass diameter should be equal to or slightly smaller than the diameter of the main circuit pipes. Of course, it is better to do all this when the heating season ends and the heating supply is turned off.

A tap is installed on the bypass, with which you can change the direction of fluid flow in the heating circuit. In the normal bypass state, the coolant flows through the heating device. If there is a need to shut off the water supply to the coolant, the bypass valve should be opened. In this case, the water moves through the main pipeline without capturing the radiator.

To analyze the procedure for disconnecting water supply risers, it is first necessary to recall that these risers belong to the common property (hereinafter referred to as the OP) of an apartment building (hereinafter referred to as the MKD).

Part 1 of Article 36 of the RF Housing Code establishes: “1. The owners of premises in an apartment building own, by the right of common shared ownership, the common property in the apartment building, namely: ... 3) roofs enclosing load-bearing and non-load-bearing structures of a given house, mechanical, electrical, sanitary and other equipment located outside of the given house or indoors and serving more than one premises.”

According to paragraph 5 of the Rules for the maintenance of common property in apartment buildings, approved by the RF PP dated August 13, 2006 No. 491 (hereinafter referred to as Rules 491) “The common property includes in-house engineering cold and hot water supply systems, consisting of risers, branches from the risers to the first disconnecting device , located on the branches from the risers, the specified shutdown devices, collective (common house) cold and hot water metering devices, the first shut-off and control valves on the branches of the intra-apartment wiring from the risers, as well as mechanical, electrical, sanitary and other equipment located on these networks."

Part 1 of Article 161 of the RF Housing Code establishes: “The management of an apartment building must ensure favorable and safe living conditions for citizens, proper maintenance of common property in an apartment building, resolving issues regarding the use of said property, as well as the provision of utilities to citizens living in such a building. The Government of the Russian Federation establishes standards and rules for the management of apartment buildings.”

1) Management of the management organization (hereinafter - MA); 2) Management of homeowners associations/housing cooperatives; 3) Direct control. Thus, the legislation gives the right to regulate the use of public property specifically to the person managing the apartment building, and not to the individual owner of a specific premises, who needs to use the common property at his own discretion - including, for example, turning off the water supply riser, which ensures the possibility of consuming utility services to consumers in several premises.

Despite the fact that the owner of each premises owns a share in the common property, the disposal of this common property is limited - this is directly established by part 2 of Article 36 of the RF Housing Code (“Owners of premises in an apartment building own, use and, within the limits established by this Code and civil legislation, dispose of the common property in an apartment building").

Clause 10 of Rule 491 states: “10. The common property must be maintained in accordance with the requirements of the legislation of the Russian Federation (including on the sanitary and epidemiological welfare of the population, technical regulation, protection of consumer rights) in a condition that ensures:...e) constant readiness of utilities, metering devices and other equipment included in composition of common property for the provision of utilities (supply of utility resources) to citizens living in an apartment building, in accordance with the Rules for the provision of utility services.”

...4) compliance with the rights and legitimate interests of the owners of premises in an apartment building, as well as other persons; 5) constant readiness of engineering communications, metering devices and other equipment that are part of the common property of the owners of premises in an apartment building, to supply the resources necessary for provision of utility services to citizens living in an apartment building, in accordance with the rules for the provision, suspension and limitation of the provision of utility services to owners and users of premises in apartment buildings and residential buildings, established by the Government of the Russian Federation.”

Both paragraph 5 of part 1.1 of Article 161 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation and paragraph 10 of Rules 491 refer to the Rules for the provision of utility services (such Rules were approved by the RF GD dated May 6, 2011 No. 354, hereinafter referred to as Rules 354), which provide for the possibility of interruptions in the provision of utility services, and these breaks are limited.

From the totality of the above rules it follows that for the proper maintenance of common property, compliance with the rights and legitimate interests of the owners of apartment building premises and other persons, in order to comply with the requirements of Rule 354 on limiting interruptions in the provision of utility services, the disconnection of water supply risers must be carried out by the person managing the apartment building, and not a separate owner of a specific MKD premises at his own discretion.

We cooperate with housing and communal services

Turning off the heating system riser in an apartment building is quite a troublesome task. Particular difficulties may arise during the heating season. Disabling the riser will cut off heat from all apartments through which it passes. Therefore, all work must be carried out in a very short time.

If there is a need to turn off the riser, you must contact the management company. Applications are written asking for this work to be done. If the company refuses to satisfy the request for any reason, a written refusal must be obtained. You can go to court with this document.

As a rule, management companies always cooperate and do not bring the matter to trial. Together with the tenant, the time when it is necessary to disconnect and the duration of repair work is agreed upon. Then the locksmith of the management company goes to the basement and carries out all the necessary operations.

It is worth remembering that you will need to pay for the work done. How much this service costs is decided by the management company itself. In different cities or areas of the same settlement, prices can vary greatly. These tariffs are not established by law. As a rule, in the Russian Federation the cost of services for disconnecting the riser can range from 500 to 1000 rubles.

Removing the old riser

The easiest way is to remove the old riser by cutting off their liner with a turbine. After this, you should tighten the locknuts and unscrew the remaining lines from the radiator.

In order to determine where to cut the riser, several facts should be taken into account:

if you have good relations with your floor neighbors, you can come to their apartments and remove part of the pipe in the concrete gap, since usually all leaks occur in this area;
for ease of work, it is better to cut the pipe above the floor and below the ceiling, as this will leave more space for maneuver. In addition, this will make it easier to replace the tubes later if necessary.

Recommendations for installing devices

To be able to regulate the temperature of the battery in the apartment, consider any type of valve: they can be straight or angular. The installation principle of such a device is simple; the main thing is to correctly determine its position. Thus, the direction of coolant flow is indicated on the valve body. It must correspond to the direction of water movement inside the battery.

Place valves/thermostats at the inlet of the heating device; if necessary, install a tap at the outlet as well. This is done so that in the future it will be possible to independently drain the coolant. Regulating devices are installed on heating radiators, provided that the user knows exactly which pipe is the supply pipe, since a tap is made into it. In this case, the direction of movement of hot water in the riser is taken into account: from top to bottom or from bottom to top.

Compression fittings are more reliable, which is why they are used more often. The connection to the pipes is threaded. Thermostats can be equipped with a union nut. To seal the threaded connection, use FUM tape or flax.

Happy owners of new apartments, residents of housing who have made major repairs and decided to abandon the services of centralized heating, are awaiting the arrival of cold weather with some caution and apprehension. Many people ask one question

How to turn on the heating in your apartment if you do all the necessary work to install autonomous heating yourself? Are the radiators connected correctly, will the new, independent heating system in the apartment work normally in the future?

Your comfort and living conditions in the apartment depend on how correctly the new heating system is installed in the apartment and how the heating equipment is installed.