Is it as cold in the apartment as it is outside? Cold radiators in the apartment: what to do
In the cold season, the most important thing is good heating. Unfortunately, not all houses have a comfortable temperature in winter.
This applies to both multi-apartment housing and the private sector. Why does this situation arise and what to do?
Content
Causes of low temperature
According to localization, they are divided into three categories of possible problems, leading to low temperatures in radiators and in the room:
- Accidents at the boiler room and insufficient heating of the coolant entering the house system.
- Malfunctions with radiators and pipes in the apartment.
- Poor thermal insulation.
Important! Please note that the temperature of heating radiators is not regulated in any way; only the air temperature in the room plays a role (+18 for the central zone, +20 for the north). If it is normal, then there is no reason to worry, even when the radiators are practically cold.
Accidents are rare and they are dealt with promptly. A prolonged absence of heating at sub-zero temperatures is very dangerous, so the system is closely monitored for serviceability. Heat losses are more common due to poor insulation of main pipes — as a result, the temperature of the water reaching the consumer is lower than the calculated one, hence the cold heating radiators in the apartments.
Reference. Resource supplying organizations (or heat energy suppliers), which include thermal power plants and boiler houses, draw up a table that determines the heating level of the coolant depending on the temperature outside. Their work is carried out in accordance with it.
The temperature of the water entering the home's system drops by approximately by 20-30% after passing through all pipes and radiators.
The wear of the central heating system is uneven — this introduces additional error into the operation of boiler houses, hence the difference in temperature in houses even in the same area. The distance from the boiler house is also important.
Problems with radiators and pipes directly in apartments one of the most common causes of poor heating. This issue is worth considering in more detail.
Cold radiators after starting the heat due to clogging or airiness
If the radiator is cold or heated unevenly, this indicates a blockage or an air lock. Causes of air locks:
- Air is naturally released from the water gradually.
- Repair - when replacing pipes or installing equipment, air gets into the system.
- Pressure drops in the pipeline.
- Breach of tightness - air enters through the resulting gaps.
- Failure to comply with the rules for filling the system - the higher the rate of water inflow, the more likely it is that air locks will form.
Helps remove accumulated air expansion tanks and special air vents. They are installed at the highest points of the system - on the top floors or attics. Air vents can operate automatically or be activated manually.
An example of a manual air vent is Mayevsky crane — most modern radiators are equipped with it. This is a valve that opens by turning a special key — then excess air begins to come out of the radiator, sometimes with a slight hiss. The appearance of water indicates that air has been removed; you need to prepare a container for it. The procedure is simple, you can do it yourself.
If after this the radiator temperature does not increase, then the problem is more serious - Most likely, there is a blockage. The formation of blockages is a natural process, their cause is scale and rust, which appears in the off-season, when the water is drained. This is typical for radiators that have served more than ten years.
Photo 1. Dirty cast iron heating radiator. The dirt disrupts the circulation of the coolant.
Old radiators can be restored to working condition by flushing. The radiator is dismantled and washed with acid, alkali or a special agent, sometimes with the use of professional equipment (powerful pumps). It is difficult to do everything yourself, as you need tools and reagents. You can order the procedure from professionals, but the prices are high, so old radiators are often thrown away or handed over for scrap metal.
Mistakes when replacing radiators. Why are they hot at the top and cold at the bottom
The first mistake is incorrectly selected heat transfer level.
Reference. The required heat output of the radiator is calculated based on the volume of the room. The generally accepted consumption is: for brick Houses - 34 watts per cubic meter, for panel — 41 W. These figures are multiplied by the volume and the required thermal power of the radiator is obtained.
The second common mistake is the properties of the coolant, the type of heating system and the number of floors are not taken into account Home. Radiators by material of manufacture are divided into: aluminum, bimetallic, steel and cast iron. Steel and aluminum are more demanding on the quality of the coolant and withstand lower operating pressure than cast iron and bimetallic. The higher the number of floors in the building, the greater the operating pressure.
An aggressive coolant can destroy a steel or aluminum radiator in a few years and cause a leak. Therefore, it is better to buy a cast iron, bimetallic or corrosion-resistant one, as well as set filters.
Another mistake - incorrect choice of connection diagram. In houses with vertical risers - supply from top to bottom (upper input, lower output on one side). If the battery is incorrectly connected (for example, the input and output of the coolant on top), it will heat up unevenly (hot at the top, cold at the bottom).
To correct this deficiency, it is necessary to connect the radiators. in a diagonal pattern (upper inlet on one side, lower outlet on the other), then there will be more uniform heating.
Photo 2. Diagonal diagram of the heating radiator connection. The hot coolant is marked in red, the cold one in blue.
When connecting pipes built into the floor, use horizontal scheme (entrance and exit from below on different sides).
The quality of pipes and radiators also plays a role, saving here is a big mistake - in case of a breakthrough, you will have to do repairs (and if there are neighbors below, then theirs too) and there is a risk of getting burned (the water in severe frosts is almost boiling water, and also under pressure). Ask for certificates and passports for radiators and other necessary equipment from sellers. Check what working pressure and temperature it can withstand.
The last (but not the least common) mistake made by those who install batteries themselves is overestimating their capabilities. Consult a specialist. If you have any doubts, hire a professional; his work will cost less than a major overhaul.
Poor water circulation in the heating system
Reduces temperature and increases the likelihood of air locks. The first reason is reduction of the internal diameter of pipes and fittings, the second one is installation of equipment not provided for in the project.
The diameter may be smaller, firstly, due to the formation of rust and scale, secondly, due to errors during installation and configuration of equipment. The first reason is hard to deal with, you have to change the pipes. But equipment errors are quite fixable, the main thing is to detect them in time.
The inspection begins with recently used and installed equipment.. Usually the problem is a poorly adjusted valve or an accidentally closed valve.
A clear example: the radiator temperature is low, and the supply pipes are hot. But no blockage or plug is detected.
Means, the control valves are to blame or pipes and other elements with a diameter smaller than required are installed.
The insertion of additional radiators increases the volume of circulating water, which leads to a decrease in the speed of its circulation in the system, since the pressure remains the same. Correction and balancing of the system is necessary. Therefore The installation of any additional equipment must be agreed upon with specialists.
What to do if the radiators in your apartment are cold
So, you measured the temperature according to all the rules and it turned out to be below normal. If the cold in the apartment continues more than 16 hours, then yours the order of actions as the level of authority increases:
- Call (or come in person) to the management company, housing cooperative, or another organization that services your home and report poor heating. Inspectors are required to show up within two days and take measurements.
- The next instance is heat supplierWrite a statement addressed to your boss.
- Housing Inspection — write a complaint describing the problem, indicate that you have contacted previous authorities and the issue has not been resolved.
- Rospotrebnadzor — similar to the previous point.
Attention! Measurements are taken twice, with an interval in 10 minutes, the thermometer is located one and a half meters away from the floor and one meter from the outer wall.
As a rule, by the time the Rospotrebnadzor is contacted, enough officials have already been notified of the problem and there is a high probability of its resolution. within the next month. No result — go to the prosecutor's office with a statement and then to the courtIn the application, indicate the temperature below the standard, the date of measurement, attach the measurement results and copies of appeals to previous authorities with their responses.
Application for recalculation
The fact of low temperature has been established and recorded in the relevant acts, which means that you you have the right to a recalculation of the fee for heating.
Write about this in your application to the management company - indicate the period and attach the measurement results.
The decision will be made within 10 days.
Why the heating system in a private house does not work well
There are several reasons why the heating system in a private house does not work well, not warming up enough premises.
The electric boiler heats poorly
This usually happens due to insufficient boiler power. Its approximate calculation is made based on the norm in one kilowatt for every 10 square meters of area. The resulting value is increased by a quarter, if the boiler is used to heat hot water and also by ten percent as a power reserve. There are correction factors that allow you to adjust the final figure in accordance with the climate zone. For the south, this is 0.7-0.9, for the middle zone 1-1.5, for the north up to 2.
Photo 3. Example of calculating the power of an electric boiler for private houses and apartments of various types.
Problems in radiators in which the coolant circulates
Next two problems - radiators and disruption of coolant circulation. In the private sector, purified water is not always used for heating, therefore higher probability of blockages and corrosionAlthough the pressure allows the installation of aluminum and steel radiators, they must be protected from debris by filters and from wear by an anti-corrosion coating on the inside.
The second reason for poor water flow is Error in system settings. To make adjustments, the pressure is calculated based on the volume of the system, and pipes of the appropriate diameter are selected, and the boiler is adjusted.
Useful video
Watch a video that talks about errors in connecting a heating radiator, due to which it does not heat well.
Demand what you paid for
Heating of apartment buildings is a service provided by heat suppliers and each the consumer has the right to demand its high-quality execution. If you silently wait out the frosts with the heaters on, then you pay twice - for heating and for the electricity used for heating. Therefore, do not waste your money - in case of violation, seek recalculation and normal temperature in the apartment.
