Heating a house can fail at the wrong time. This problem is a lot of trouble, but it needs to be addressed as quickly as possible. Depending on the type of malfunction, there are different ways how to eliminate a leak in the heating system of a house.
What are the types of leaks
- Lack of tightness at the joints.
- The gap in the radiator.
- Corrosion or crack in pipelines.
- Deformation in the cavities from freezing or overheating.
- Cracks in the equipment.
There are general rules regarding how to eliminate leaks in a home heating system:
- disconnect the area with the malfunction and drain the water;
- to clean, dry and degrease the defective place.
Leaking joints
Repair at the junction is simple: it is untwisted, the threads are cleaned and a sealant impregnated with paint, drying oil or sealant is applied to it, and then wrapped again.
How to eliminate a leak in the heating pipe. Cause. What to do?
Cracks in the pipes result from mechanical damage or from corrosion.
It is difficult to weld a rusted metal wall, as it thins out from corrosion.
There are various ways to eliminate a leak in a heating pipe. The leakage of the heating pipe during temporary repairs is eliminated with the help of a “doll” - wrapping with burlap or bandage with impregnation with liquid glass, silicone sealant or waterproof glue.
When it is not possible to dry the pipe, the “doll” is made on a damp surface using a special sealant. The method is used only for weak leaks.
Also apply "cold welding", which is applied to a dry surface. The repair site can be dried with a hairdryer. Hardening of the composition takes time, since epoxy adhesive is used as the basis.
Correction by electric welding can be a crack caused by mechanical deformation or as a result of freezing of the coolant. If damaged by corrosion, a section is cut out and a piece of a new pipe is welded. You can cut new threads and screw in the fitting. The old pipe is completely replaced.
A long-tested method is a rubber pad with a clamp. Although this is considered a temporary measure, but in this way it is possible to eliminate significant leaks for years. Even special pipe clamps are available, which can be purchased at many plumbing stores.
Repairing leaks in heating radiators
How to eliminate the leak of a radiator with your own hands? In modern heating systems, valves are installed on each battery, which are closed before its replacement.
Old heaters should be replaced with new ones. Modern products have greater thermal conductivity and their cost will pay off by saving energy costs.
How to eliminate leakage of a heating radiator? What to do? First you need to determine the location of the leak. Most often, these are the junction with the pipeline or at the joints of the sections.
If a leak is not visually detected, the radiator is immersed in a container of water. Air will start to escape through the hole. A small leak can be eliminated as follows.
- Remove old gasket and paint. Strip the joint to metal with a string. Degrease the area with gasoline or thinner.
- Take a putty, which can be a mixture of epoxy resin with metal powder, polymer sealant, cold welding. Apply the composition to a ribbon of fabric, and then tightly wind 2-3 layers per joint.
- Put a clamp on the putty and tighten it with bolts and nuts.
- After the adhesive composition has hardened, replace the radiator and fill the system with water. At the top of each heater is a faucet for venting air, which is removed when the system is running.
After the heating season ends, the radiator or its damaged sections are replaced with new ones. Sometimes it is enough to replace gaskets between sections.
Leaks are also eliminated by dissolving the sealant in the coolant, which solidifies in place of the leak, creating a seal. Cracks in steel radiators are eliminated by electric welding.
Many of the above methods are temporary. At the first convenient opportunity, replace the faulty heater.
Features of polymer pipes
Inadequately informed user can buy pipes designed for cold water pipelines. Leakage may occur from temperature deformation. Therefore, you should buy pipes in specialized stores where you can get advice from a qualified manager.
Features of underfloor repair
How to eliminate a leak in the heating system at home, if there is installed a "warm floor"? Plastic pipe joints may begin to leak over time. When installing a warm floor, you must always make connections in accessible places. If the place is subsequently hidden, for example, in the wall, then the pipes must be connected by heat welding.
Together with the "warm floor" radiators can be additionally installed. How to eliminate a leak in the heating battery with your own hands in this case? Its repair is carried out in the most usual way. To do this, there is a source of leakage, which is then eliminated by applying a patch impregnated with sealant or special glue. Before this, the metal surface must be adequately prepared.
The coolant passes through the entire system, so with small leaks, you can use a special water-soluble sealant. In a complex system of floor and room heating, it will fall into all the cracks and reliably seal the leaking joints. The method is effective when the loss of coolant is not more than 5-7 liters per day. But first you need to try to find a malfunction and fix it directly on the spot.
Modern sealants may have new properties. They add lubricants and anticorrosive substances, which makes it possible to increase the durability of heating equipment.
The disadvantage of the sealant in the underfloor heating system is the possibility of clogging the passage gaps in thermostats. If they are constantly regulated, then there will be no blockages. In the extreme case, the coolant containing the sealant is drained after a short period of time after eliminating the leaks and replaced with a new one.
Prevention
A mandatory measure for the prevention and verification of leaks is to flush the system once a year and conduct its hydraulic pressure tests. This allows you to detect and eliminate weak spots where cracks or gaps begin to appear.
To protect against corrosion, radiators and metal pipes are painted on the outside. Do not drain the water from the system. It is only necessary to relieve excess pressure for the summer period.
Conclusion
Timely detection and elimination of leaks in the communications of the house allows you to save property from damage and save equipment. The presence of the necessary materials, knowledge and ability to eliminate leaks in the heating system of a house are necessary for surgical intervention in case of a problem.
Replacement and repair of heating appliances is done in more favorable conditions, when they do not work. Simple ways to eliminate leaks are an effective but temporary measure. It is advisable to make the main repairs after the heating period has ended.