How to remove air from a heating system. How to bleed air from a battery - methods for different types of structures How to bleed a heating system

Before launch heating system it is important to prepare it correctly. If a person lives in a city high-rise building, this problem is unlikely to affect him. After all, housing office employees are responsible for carrying out such a procedure. But the owners of the private sector run the heat themselves. But even during the period heating season The batteries may not heat well, and in some places they may even be cold. The system is probably full of air.

In any case, you need to know how to bleed air from a heating radiator in order to avoid situations associated with ineffective operation of the equipment. Why an air lock occurs, its consequences for the operation of the heating device, what methods are available to remove it - you can learn about all this by reading the article.

If there is air in the battery, nothing good will come from it. Excess air is an obstacle to the normal functioning of the system. It can also cause corrosion on the walls of the radiator.

If installed in the circuit, an air lock may also disrupt its operation. When the system is functioning correctly, the plain bearings on the shaft of the pump unit are constantly in the water. And in the presence of air, a “dry friction” effect occurs, which negatively affects the sliding rings and can damage the shaft. Therefore, it is important to know how to remove air from your home heating system. Timely measures will help prevent damage to the heating network.

How can you tell if there is an air lock in the battery?

Before you bleed air from the heating system, you need to figure out why it forms in the circuit and how to understand that there is an air lock in the radiator. Most often, excess air accumulates as a result of improper filling of the system with water. The reason may also be the result of errors made during installation. Low pressure in the circuit, low-quality coolant with the presence of dissolved oxygen can also lead to airing.

An air lock can also occur under the following circumstances:

The following signs may indicate that excess air has accumulated in the system: hissing and gurgling sounds in the battery, the quality of heating decreases, heating becomes uneven, and the radiator may be cold in areas where there is air.

Such situations are not uncommon. Surely every owner of an apartment or private house has encountered a similar problem. Therefore, it is important to understand how to remove air from the heating system at home, especially since doing it yourself is not at all difficult. It should be noted that most often an air lock forms in batteries that are installed on the upper floors of the house.

Important! Sometimes the cause of a plug is a poor quality radiator.

In this case, no matter how much excess air is released, it will form again. And the reason lies in the fact that the material from which the battery is made promotes the formation of gases. There is only one way out of the situation - buy a new radiator. Therefore, it is better to immediately purchase heating devices from reputable manufacturers.

How to remove excess air from a battery?

Before you bleed air from the heating system, you need to thoroughly understand the features of this procedure and prepare everything necessary tools and materials. Let's look at how to remove air from the heating system in more detail. For this work you will need a special key with which you can open air valve on the radiator.

A radiator wrench is best. It is sold at any hardware store. If a modern battery is installed, you can take a simple screwdriver. It is also necessary to prepare a container into which the coolant will be drained. And also have a couple of rags nearby in case of unexpected situations.

The algorithm for how to properly bleed air from the heating system is given below:

In addition to Mayevsky taps, automated air vents are often used for heating systems, which bleed off excess air on their own. Such automatic units are compact and reliable. But at the same time you need to be extremely careful. After all, the valve operates without supervision. And the slightest violation in the process can cause flooding of the attic or riser.

Some nuances

There are situations when craftsmen, when installing a heating system, do not install special valves to release excess air. Let's look at how to bleed air from a heating battery in this case. To work, you will need an adjustable or gas wrench. Use it to unscrew the plug. This needs to be done very slowly. Sometimes the plug won't come off. Most often this happens if. In this case, you need to apply a special lubricant to the threads and try again after some time.

When the plug is unscrewed, the same algorithm of actions is performed as with a regular tap. When the plug is screwed into place, you must remember to wrap either FUM tape or flax around the thread. This will avoid leaks and make the connection tight.

If air has accumulated in the heating system of a private house, the water will have to be drained using an expansion tank.

This container is always located at the highest point of the heating system. When the water is drained, you need to wait a little, and then turn off the tap expansion tank. Usually, when the battery temperature rises, the plug comes out on its own. If such actions are unsuccessful, then the water in the circuit should be brought to a boil. In this case, the plug will definitely come out.

How often should I bleed?

Knowing how to bleed air from a heating system can prevent and solve many problems. But how often should such a procedure be carried out for preventive purposes? As a rule, this should be done at the beginning of the heating season. Twice is enough (the first time for checking, the second for control). Of course, if the system has defects or is faulty, then the number of descents may be greater.

If the apartment is installed, then before starting the system it is necessary to drain the water. This will help increase battery life significantly.

Preventive measures

Of course, knowing how to vent a radiator is important and necessary. But it is better that airing of the system occurs as rarely as possible. It is better to prevent this situation and install an air vent.

At the moment, air collectors for heating systems can be of two types: manual (represented by the Mayevsky crane) and float-type (or automatic). Each of the above types can be installed in various places where there is a risk of air pockets. The configuration of the Mayevsky crane is traditional. Automotive air vents can have an angular or straight design.

In order not to rack your brains about how to ventilate the heating system, it is imperative to install an air vent on each radiator.

Manual type air vent

Manual air vents are usually mounted on the front side of the radiator. With their help you can easily bleed off excess air. It is enough to have only a special key. The performance of such devices is low. Therefore, such an air collector for the heating system is installed only for home use.

Automatic air vent type

As for automatic air vents, they operate autonomously. There is no need to unscrew or open anything. The device does everything on its own. They are mounted strictly in a horizontal or vertical position. But it must be said that such a valve for bleeding air from the heating system has one drawback - high sensitivity to various types of contaminants. Therefore, you will need to additionally install a filter that will clean the device from mechanical contaminants.

Important! If air has formed in the heating system, you should find out the cause of this situation. Especially if such problems have not arisen before. It is important not just to remove the airlock, but to take all measures to prevent it from appearing again. Therefore, it is necessary to check the device for leaks. Perhaps somewhere the nuts should be changed or the bolts tightened, or the joints should be sealed better. Or perhaps the air vent is installed incorrectly or the automatic air separator for heating has failed.

Bottom line

To summarize, we can say that the problem of airing the system is quite urgent. It can occur in urban high-rise buildings and in private houses. There can be many factors behind the formation of excess air. It is very important to establish the true cause and know how to bleed air from the heating radiator correctly so that similar situations do not occur in the future.

An important role in the proper and efficient work Installation of special air vents also plays a role in radiators. By installing such a device, the owner of a house or apartment will be able to forget about the problem of air locks, save time and money, and also extend the service life of the entire heating system.

Starting up the heating system is almost always accompanied by air pockets. These microscopic bubbles accompany the coolant during startup and repair of the heating system, but over time, it is possible that these air masses accumulate through loose connections. Methods to combat them are described below.

How does air get into the coolant and what are the consequences?

The operating principle of the heating system is based on circulation hot water along a closed circuit, which transfers part of its heat through radiators into the room. If there are air pockets in the coolant, this leads to obstacles in its path and the general circulation of the heating system is disrupted. This may result in the following problems:
  • Coolant flow noise . This results in vibration, which causes pipe connections to loosen and can affect the condition of welds.
  • Reduced service life metal pipes . Air from inside causes corrosion.
  • Difficulty in coolant flow . Circulation is sluggish and over time it may stop altogether.
Air can enter the system together with the coolant or in a number of cases such as:
  • Incorrectly sloped pipes.
  • Breakdowns in the heating system.
  • Errors when supplying coolant into the pipe.
  • Insufficient sealing of connections.
  • Reduced pressure. This is observed when long-term operation heating systems.
  • Recent renovations.
  • Long heating downtimes. After the spring-summer period, the pipes must be filled with coolant gradually, otherwise it will be impossible to remove the accumulated air pockets and they will remain in the pipeline.

Air locks often form in private homes in which heating operates without forced circulation. When the pressure drops, air fills the free space.

Universal method of bleeding air

An effective and proven method is to install a multi-stage air lock system. It involves the installation of several air separators, which are located in certain places, and when each of them is opened, air is removed from a separate section of the system:
  • Local air separators () are installed on radiators.
  • On risers, air exhaust devices are located at the most extreme points.
  • The boiler is equipped with an automatic air separator.
If you suspect that the system is airy, you first need to determine the location of the plug. This can be recognized by the warmth of the radiators or the sound made by the pipes. Then open the Mayevsky tap near this place and bleed off the air, having previously prepared a small container, which will be useful when the water starts flowing.


If after this the radiator is barely warm, then you need to flush it, since this means that a lot of sediment and rust particles have accumulated in it.

If it comes to a private home, then it is worth introducing a circulation pump into the heating system, which is installed immediately behind the boiler. It helps the coolant circulate efficiently throughout the circuit and creates the required pressure.

Method for removing air without draining water (video)

The video below schematically shows and explains how air can be eliminated from the system if it appears there due to improper installation.


According to the proposed scenario, the radiator farthest from the boiler does not heat. Air has accumulated between it and the previous battery. To eliminate it, you need to prepare a little fulenta and a self-tapping screw with a press washer.

Air removal is carried out step by step:

  1. Prepare a self-tapping screw. Wrap the end of the fumlenta and roll it under the head of the self-tapping screw;
  2. Screw in a self-tapping screw using a screwdriver at the expected location of air accumulation on the pipe;
  3. Tighten the self-tapping screw tightly to the pipe wall. Then twist it a little to let the air out. As soon as water comes out of the hole, you need to immediately tighten the screw until it stops.
After such actions, the radiator will begin to heat up.

Even new system A heating system installed according to all the rules may, over time, stop working fully due to accumulated air. Periodically it is necessary to prevent this problem and bleed the air, this is especially true before supplying the coolant to the autumn period. The method for eliminating an air lock is selected depending on the reason that led to its formation.

The appearance of air inside the heating system leads to the formation of an air lock, which does not allow the batteries to function normally. Residents of both private property and apartment buildings face this problem almost every year.

As a rule, an air lock forms at the beginning of the heating season, which may be evidenced by the appearance of extraneous noise in the heating system and incomplete or completely absent heating of the batteries.

Removing air from the heating system can be done in several ways, but in order not to do this constantly, you should find out the reason for its appearance inside the system.

It must be located significantly higher than all other elements of the heating system, and then the air will independently strive to get into it.

When lowering pipes in the heating of a private house, you should use the same methods as for de-airing a heating system with forced circulation.

1.3 System with forced circulation of coolant

It is easy to remove air from such a system using a pre-installed air collector, which should be located at the highest point. In order for the process to occur independently, pipes must be inclined in the opposite direction from its location.

Due to the buoyant force of the liquid, the air will move in the right direction, and the heating of the house will return to order without third-party intervention. It will be enough to turn the tap on the air collector to expel it completely.

In any case, the return pipeline should be laid with an inclination in the direction of drainage of the coolant. This is necessary so that if the system is repaired, it can be completely freed from liquid.

Types of air vents

There are two of them:

  • manual;
  • auto.

The manual air vent (Maevsky tap) is small in size and it is installed at the end of the heating battery. Due to small sizes, such a device can only be used locally - one tap per battery. At the same time, it is very simple to use, and its adjustment can be done using a wrench or a screwdriver, or simply by hand.

Automatic air vent works without third-party intervention. It can be installed both vertically and horizontally on heat inlet and outlet pipes. Having a high sensitivity to contaminated coolants, it is best to install it together with a filter, since otherwise you may end up with a dirt plug in the system rather than an air plug.

Installing such a device allows you to completely expel air from the system in the case of a multi-stage installation, when each heating group has different levels there is an outlet for air.

For any types of air vents, it is very important that there is no pressure drop in the system and there are no leaks. Besides, correct installation and the presence of the required slope of the pipes will greatly facilitate the operation of these devices.

2 Method for determining an air lock

Quite primitive, but quite effective. An air lock can be detected by simply tapping it with a hammer. various areas batteries. Where it is, the sound from the metal will be much louder and louder, which will indicate the presence of air voids that need to be expelled.

Due to the accumulation of oxygen and carbon dioxide in heating systems, air jams appear. Most often, this problem occurs after a long period of inactivity, for example, after summer season before its first start, after repair or replacement of any parts. Therefore, in order for the heating of the room to be complete and not cause discomfort, you need to know how to remove air from the heating system in a private house.

This is what airing the system looks like on a thermal imager

Causes and consequences

The reasons for the occurrence of air jams are the following factors:

  1. Errors were made during installation, including incorrectly placed bends or incorrectly calculated slope and direction of pipes.
  2. Filling the system with coolant too quickly.
  3. Incorrect installation of air vent valves or their absence.
  4. Insufficient amount of coolant in the network.
  5. Loose connections between pipes and radiators and other parts, which allows air from outside to enter the system.
  6. The first start and excessive heating of the coolant, from which, under the influence high temperature Oxygen is removed more actively.

Air can cause the greatest harm to systems with forced circulation. At normal operation bearings circulation pump are in the water all the time. When air passes through them, they are deprived of lubrication, which leads to damage to the sliding rings due to friction and heat or completely damages the shaft.

Water contains dissolved oxygen, carbon dioxide, magnesium and calcium, which, when the temperature rises, begin to disintegrate and settle on the walls of the pipes in the form limescale. Places of pipes and radiators filled with air are more susceptible to corrosion than others.

Signs by which you can determine whether there are air pockets in pipes and radiators

Due to air in the heating system, the radiators heat up unevenly. When checking them by touch top part, compared to the bottom, has a noticeably lower temperature. The voids do not allow them to warm up properly, so the room is less heated. Due to the presence of air in the heating system, when the water is very heated, a noise appears in the pipes and radiators, similar to clicks and water flowing.

You can determine the place where the air is located by ordinary tapping. Where there is no coolant, the sound will be louder.

Note! Before removing air from the network, you should find the cause of its appearance and eliminate it.

Check the network especially carefully for leaks. When the heating is running, it is extremely difficult to identify leaky connections, since hot surface the water evaporates quickly.

Air removal methods

There are heating systems with forced and natural circulation coolant. In the first case, the liquid flows using a circulation pump, and in the second, due to a certain inclination of the pipes and the pressure in them.

Natural circulation systems

To remove air from this type of system, use expansion tank. It is installed at its highest point. Most of the air is independently removed through it when the coolant is heated. If air pockets still remain, many experts recommend increasing the amount of fluid in the system by opening the air vents. Thus, the coolant itself will displace the air from the network with movement and pressure.

Forced circulation systems


In systems with a circulation pump, pipes and radiators are located level and without slope. Air vents are used to remove air from them. They are always mounted at the bends and at its highest points, since this is where the accumulation of gases occurs.

Note! If it is not possible to remove air from the system using air vents, then it is necessary to drain all the coolant and refill it.

It is necessary to pour coolant into the system slowly, as due to quick filling air bubbles form. At the same time, you need to remove air from radiators and other elements. The longer the system, the longer it takes to fill it with coolant. If a heated floor is connected to the heating network, then the installation of air vents is mandatory, since the pipes are often located at different heights. You also need to constantly monitor the amount of coolant in the system to exclude the possibility of air getting into it.

Types of air vents

Valves for removing air locks are automatic and manual. The second type of air vents includes Mayevsky taps. They are used not only to remove air, but also to start it up in order to drain the coolant from the system.

Mayevsky crane


This device is made of brass and has a simple but reliable design. The main parts of the Mayevsky crane are the body and the screw. All valve parts are located as closely as possible to each other, so that the coolant cannot escape outside. Open the tap using a special key, screwdriver or hand.

Before removing air from the heating system, it is necessary to prepare a container for the coolant and tools. Step-by-step instruction removing air pockets using a Mayevsky crane:

  1. If the heating system operates using a circulation pump, it should be turned off while the air is being vented.
  2. Using a wrench, screwdriver or hand, turn the tap 1 turn counterclockwise. You will immediately hear the hiss of air escaping from the radiator.
  3. As soon as the coolant begins to flow out, it means that the air lock has been removed, the Mayevsky valve is closed back.
Automatic air vent VALTEC VT.502

This device independently removes air from the heating system. Installs either vertically or horizontally. Consists of a brass body, float, release valve and articulated arm. To prevent coolant from leaking through it, the air vent is equipped with a protective cap.

Note! Automatic devices sensitive to impurities contained in water. For long-term operation, cleaning filters are additionally installed in the heating system.

The operating principle is as follows: if there is no air in the chamber, then Exhaust valve closed. As it moves in, the float lowers. Once the chamber is completely filled, the exhaust valve opens and the air is discharged outside. The float then closes the outlet valve again.

Air separator


This device consists of a metal body, an air vent, a drain valve and a tube with a mesh. Unlike conventional air vents, the separator itself removes air from the water. As the coolant passes through the mesh, it swirls, causing air bubbles to form. As a result, they rise to the top, and the gases are removed through the air vent. In addition to air, the separator separates sand, rust and other impurities. Remove sludge through a drain valve located outside at the bottom of the housing.

Prevention

To avoid problems with air locks, it is necessary to install air vents at each group of heating elements. So, for example, to remove air from the boiler, an automatic valve for removing gases is mounted directly on it. All collectors are also equipped with it. Mayevsky taps are installed on the radiators at the end.

If, after bleeding the air, the radiators still do not heat up well, the coolant should be completely drained. Since it is possible that there is too much dirt in the network, and it significantly reduces the circulation of fluid in the batteries.



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