How to bleed old radiators. How to bleed air from a heating radiator? Step-by-step instruction

Oxygen is dissolved in small quantities in water.

However, over time it can lead to greater difficulties in the heating system.

And if you have at least one radiator in your apartment (or house), you should definitely know how to bleed air from a heating radiator. And you can do without calling a specialist!

Airiness, or air lock, is an accumulation of air in the upper part of the heating device (or pipeline).

In apartment buildings, residents of the top floors suffer especially from the problem.

There can be several reasons for airiness. Let's list the main ones:

Repair work (if the pipeline has been manipulated, this leads to air entering the system).
In city apartments, it is difficult to put the main line into operation without traffic jams, since ideally, the system should be filled with water very slowly, with simultaneous bleeding.
There is a leak somewhere (even a small leak at a joint should be fixed immediately).
Difficulties often arise with a heated floor system if its branches are not laid strictly horizontally and at different heights.
In any water, when the temperature rises, oxygen is released. In private homes, over time, all the air escapes, and if the coolant does not change, you can forget about the problem. But in central heating, portions of liquid are constantly renewed.

If you really can’t do everything yourself, you can leave a request with the house maintenance company to send a professional.

But the implementation of the system usually takes two weeks, so there is no need to rush to complain before this time.

How to determine it?

It is easy to detect a traffic jam; it will make itself known:

Batteries may begin to gurgle;
The temperature in the rooms will drop for no apparent reason;
Part of the radiator will warm up, while another area will remain almost cold.

Lightly tap the top of the radiator with a metal object, and then compare the knocking sound at the bottom of the unit. Where the traffic jam appears, the sound will be louder and higher.

What can airy heating lead to?

The phenomenon paralyzes the operation of the system - circulation is disrupted, which leads to overheating of certain sections of the heating system and insufficient heating of others.

Due to prolonged contact with oxygen, many metals become covered with scale and are subject to destruction. Aluminum radiators are especially sensitive to starting the heating system.

In private houses with forced circulation, the air is in contact with the circulation pump. The service life of the device is reduced.

How to properly bleed air from a battery

In the gravity system of a private house, all bubbles themselves exit through the expansion tank located at the highest point.

In city apartments, an air vent is installed on each radiator:

Manual (Maevsky crane).
Automatic valve.

Depending on what is installed, the operating technology will change.

Aluminum, bimetallic or cast iron

Aluminum- not the most suitable material for heating. It actively enters into chemical reactions and releases hydrogen. But due to its modest price and good thermal conductivity, it is often used. To combat the shortcomings of aluminum, it is coated from the inside with a layer of a special film. But over time, it stops working, and hydrogen inevitably begins to be released.

Bimetallic radiators- another invention that improves the quality of heating devices. Where there is contact with the coolant, a different metal is used. And the fins are made of aluminum.

If a thermostat is installed on the battery, you just need to periodically open it and wait until the air comes out. The process of bleeding air from bimetallic batteries is no different from working with an aluminum radiator.

Video on the topic

If during the autumn - winter season the batteries remain cold or barely warm, then most likely the heating system is airy. In any case, it will be useful for the property owner to know how to bleed air from heating radiators in order to prevent situations where the operation of the equipment is ineffective.

Experts advise: before putting the heating system into operation, it must be properly prepared. If in multi-apartment buildings this procedure is performed by employees of public utilities, then owners of the private sector have to provide themselves with heat themselves.

Danger of air lock in batteries

When air appears in the device, this indicates that there will be problems with the heat supply and you need to immediately solve the problem of how to bleed air from the heating radiator. Its excess presence will become an obstacle to the normal operation of the heating system. In addition, a corrosion process will begin on the walls of the batteries.

When a circulation pump is installed in the heating circuit, an air lock will most likely disrupt its functioning. If the system operates correctly, the sleeve bearings located on the shaft of the pumping equipment will constantly be in the working environment.

When aired, a “dry friction” effect appears, which negatively affects the sliding rings, which will damage the shaft. Therefore, it is so important to have information on how to properly bleed air from the battery. If you take the necessary measures in a timely manner, then you will be able to prevent damage to the heat supply structure.

How to determine if there is an air lock

Before you begin to bleed air from the heating radiator, you first need to understand the reason for its appearance in the circuit.

Typically, aeration occurs:

after incorrectly filling the system with coolant;
when errors were made during installation;
if there is insufficient pressure in the circuit, or the coolant is of poor quality, in which dissolved oxygen is present.

Also, the causes of an air lock may be:

loose connection of system elements, as a result of which the device sucks in air from the outside;
absence of an air vent or it is installed but does not function correctly;
carrying out repair work related to the replacement of radiators, risers, shut-off elements, as a result of which air entered the system.

The presence of aeration is indicated by the following signs:

the presence of gurgling and hissing sounds in the radiator;
reducing the degree of heating;
uneven heating of sections - in areas where air has collected, they may be cold.

The above situations happen quite often and all owners of apartments or private households face similar problems. That’s why it’s so important to figure out how to bleed air from a heating radiator, because you can do it yourself, without the services of a plumber. As practice shows, usually an air lock appears in radiators located on the upper floors of a building.

But sometimes the cause of airing is associated with the installation of a low-quality heating device, and then after bleeding the air, the problem will appear again and again. The fact is that there are battery materials that contribute to the appearance of gases. In this case, the problem can only be solved by purchasing a new radiator.

Bleeding air from heating devices

Before bleeding air from the radiator and from the system, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of this procedure and prepare tools and materials. It is important to understand how to bleed air from a battery correctly. You need to have a special key at your disposal that will help open the air valve on the battery. A radiator wrench is best suited for this type of work - you can buy it at a hardware store.

If you have to work with a modern battery, then a simple screwdriver will do. You should also prepare a container for draining the coolant and several rags in case of an unforeseen situation.

Instructions for properly bleeding air from the battery look like this:

First, they inspect the battery and find a small valve (Maevsky tap). It is located at the top of the device; sometimes there are several such devices.
Turn off the tap until air hisses. You must act carefully and smoothly.
Place a container under the valve.
You should wait until all the accumulated air comes out. This is evidenced by a thin stream of water that has stopped bubbling. According to some experts, you need to drain approximately 2 - 3 buckets after the coolant begins to drain without gases. This is necessary for reinsurance, so as not to carry out this procedure again.
The valve is screwed back on.

In addition to the Mayevsky tap, you can bleed air from the battery using automated air vents. They are intended for heat supply systems and remove plugs independently.

These devices are compact and reliable, but care must be taken, because the valves are unattended and even a slight disruption of the process can lead to flooding of the basement or attic.

Sometimes situations arise when, during the installation of the heating system, special products designed to eliminate air pollution were not installed. To release excess air from the device, you need a gas or adjustable wrench to unscrew the plug.

This work needs to be done slowly. If the plug does not unscrew, and such situations most often occur with cast iron radiators, a special lubricant should be applied to the threads. After a while the attempt is repeated. After you have managed to unscrew the plug, proceed in exactly the same way as with a regular tap.

At the end of the work, the plug is returned to its place, not forgetting to wrap flax or FUM tape around the thread, which will prevent leaks and ensure the tightness of the connection.

If air has collected in the heating system of a private house, the coolant is drained using an expansion tank. This container is located at the highest point of the heat supply structure. After draining the water, wait a little, then unscrew the tap on the tank.

As a rule, when the temperature in the battery rises, the plug is removed on its own. If the above actions are unsuccessful, then the water in the heating circuit must be brought to a boil and then the air will certainly escape.

Knowing how to bleed air from the radiator and system, you can avoid many problems. For preventive purposes, a similar procedure should be carried out before the start of the heating season. According to experts, two times (for verification and control) will be enough. If defects or breakdowns are found in the structure, then the number of descents may be greater.

When aluminum radiators are installed in an apartment, the water should be drained before starting the heating system, due to which the service life of the devices will increase significantly.

Preventive actions

Of course, it is necessary to know how to properly bleed air from a battery. But it is much better that airing of the system occurs as rarely as possible. To prevent this problem from occurring, you need to install an air vent.

Air collectors for heating systems come in two types:

manual - Mayevsky crane;
float - automatic.

Each of these devices can be installed in any place where there is a risk of air locking. The Mayevsky crane has a traditional configuration, and the air vents can be angled or straight.

In order not to hastily solve the problem of how to bleed air from the radiator and de-air the heating system, it is necessary to install an air vent on each radiator.

A manual device makes it easy to eliminate an air lock; it is usually placed on the end side of the battery. To do this you need to have a special key at your disposal. The performance of a manual air vent is small and therefore it is used for heating systems operated at home.

Air vents of the second type operate in automatic mode. When using them, there is no need to unscrew or open anything, since the device does everything on its own. It should be installed strictly in a vertical or horizontal position.

But the automatic valve, designed to drain excess air from the heating system, has a drawback - it is highly sensitive to various contaminants. Therefore, its high-quality operation can be ensured by an additionally installed filter that will protect the device from them.

If air has collected in the heat supply structure, you should definitely determine the cause of this problem, especially if such situations have not happened before. The main thing is not only to eliminate the airlock, but also to take all necessary measures to prevent it from appearing again.

First of all, you need to check the heater for leaks; you may need to tighten the bolts somewhere, change the nuts, or better treat the joints. There are cases when the air vent is installed incorrectly or the automatic air separator is broken.

Summarizing

It should be noted that the problem associated with airing the heat supply system is quite relevant today. It often occurs both in private households and in urban multi-storey buildings. There are many reasons for the formation of air jams.

As already mentioned, it is very important to figure out why they appeared and know how to properly bleed the battery so that similar situations do not arise in the future. By installing a special device - an air vent, you can forget about this problem and thereby extend the life of the heating system.

How to bleed air from a heating radiator? Every year this question is asked by freezing owners of apartments and private houses. The problem of cold and noisy batteries is typical at the beginning of the heating season, and incidents occur even with perfectly installed systems. We tell you how to eliminate the problem and prevent airing.

Signs of air accumulation in radiators

Identifying airy batteries is quite simple. The following symptoms indicate gas accumulation:

a clear decrease in heat transfer (the risers are hot, but the radiators do not warm up);
crackling, noise, murmur in the system;
reduction of pressure in pipes;
increased fuel consumption (with individual heating);
coolant leak;
cessation of fluid movement in the system (with natural circulation).

Air in the heating radiator threatens not only with a decrease in room temperature, but also with more serious problems. Steel batteries oxidize, become rusty and fail. Pipes and bottlenecks become silted and require flushing or replacement.

Important! In a closed heating system, the role of an automatic air vent is performed by the membrane of the expansion tank. Under pressure, the gas plug escapes into the atmosphere, and the coolant takes its place.

Monitor the pressure in the autonomous heating system

Prevention of aeration

Deaerating the heating system is a last resort method. To prevent it from becoming a habit, it is necessary to take preventive measures:

Bleed air while filling/refilling the line.
During the heating season, regularly check the pressure in the pipes.
Carefully inspect radiators and pipes for leaks several times a year.
Monitor fuel consumption and coolant consumption.
Do not carry out repairs yourself unless you have the necessary skills.

The main reason for the appearance of air in radiators is errors at the design stage of an autonomous system. When developing a plan, it is necessary to develop a multi-stage scheme, including:

automatic valve on the boiler;
air vent on each manifold and riser;
Mayevsky tap on each radiator.

In order not to urgently resolve the issue with airy batteries, it is worthwhile to take care “on shore” of the correct installation of heating, installation of automatic or manual valves and regular maintenance of the system. Have a warm winter!

Video: how to bleed air from an autonomous system without draining the water

This article is about how to remove air from your heating system and how to prevent it from re-airing. In it I will talk about solutions for different heating schemes and different skill levels of the reader, about the reasons for the appearance of air locks and the prevention of their formation.

Why is this bad?

What is the harm of an air lock in a water heating circuit?

The main danger is that it can completely stop circulation in the entire circuit or in its individual section. The pressure difference in a typical heating system of an apartment building between the mixture after the water jet elevator and the return (that is, at the beginning and end of the heating circuit) does not exceed 0.2 kgf/cm. On a separate riser, it even corresponds to a pressure of a few centimeters of the water column.

This difference is not enough to overcome the difference in density of air and water. As a result, the top of the riser remains airy, and coolant circulation in it is impossible. The consequences are a lack of heating in apartments, and at the very first serious frosts - defrosting of a section of the heating circuit.

Moreover, most Soviet-built apartment buildings still use black steel for heating. Its contact with air in conditions of high humidity sharply reduces the life of the pipeline. Corrosion, you know.

Where does the air come from?

Where do airy batteries come from? Shouldn't the circuit be filled year-round?

Must. There are strict instructions on this subject from Heat Networks, which are responsible for the operation of the central heating system.

Only - that's the problem! - in addition to instructions, there is also a harsh reality:

Summer is the time for inspection and repair of shut-off valves on risers and in elevator units. Filling the circuit and bleeding air from each riser after replacing each valve and flushing the housing organization will simply go broke paying for water consumption if this is done;

Summer is the time to inspect heating shut-off valves.

Residents of apartments during the holidays are often puzzled by replacing and moving radiators. At the same time, they also dump the risers, or even the entire house;
When the valves are closed and the circuit is cooled, the volume of coolant in it decreases. Physics, however. As soon as you open any valve, the riser will noisily suck in air;
Finally, after heating has stopped, cooled cast iron radiators often begin to leak between sections. The reason is the same thermal expansion. After the tenth - fifteenth leak in one entrance, the mechanic is faced with a difficult choice: spend the whole summer rebuilding the batteries and replacing the gaskets, or simply reset the circuit for the couple of months remaining until the fall.

How to play off

The method by which the heating circuit is ventilated predictably depends on two factors:

From its configuration. Bottom and top filling systems are designed differently;
Depending on who you are - a tenant of one of the apartments or a mechanic servicing an apartment building. This determines your goal: should you try to run as many risers as possible without going to the upper floors.

Bottom filling, access level - user

What does it look like to remove an air lock in a house with bottom filling if you are the owner of one of the apartments in an apartment building?

The key feature of the bottom filling is the pairwise connection of heating risers. The supply and return bottlings are located in the basement; The risers are cut off from them by valves, after which there are plugs or taps for discharging water.

All air from the lower filling heating system is forced into the upper part of each pair of risers. In apartments on the top floor or (less often) in the attic there is a jumper between the risers. Directly on it or in the radiator cap of one of the radiators there is a Mayevsky valve - a simple device that allows you to bleed air.

For a resident on the top floor, it is enough to turn the tap half a turn and wait until water flows out of it in a thin stream instead of hissing air. If you live below, pay a visit to your neighbors above at a time convenient for them.

If the residents of the upper floor have not moved in or are away, the problem is solved by the housing organization servicing the house. Your task is to record a request for a lack of heat in the apartment.

If the problem is not resolved as soon as possible, you have the right to demand a recalculation for heating, so housing providers usually try to do everything possible and impossible to start the riser.

Bottom filling, access level - administrator

How to remove air pockets from a bottom-fill heating system if you are on friendly terms with plumbing and have access to the basement?

Bypass the entire heating circuit. To do this, it is enough to close one of the house heating valves and open the discharge into the sewer located in front of it; if the air has not escaped after 5-10 minutes, the system can be bypassed in the opposite direction (from supply to return or from return to supply).

Do not forget, after closing the reset, return the valves to operating mode: the shut-off valves at the inlet and outlet of the heating circuit must be completely open.

If the problem concerns individual risers, in many cases they can also be bypassed from the basement. After closing the valve on one of the paired risers, open the vent on it. If a large amount of air comes out of the tap along with the water, you have a chance of success.

First of all, this concerns a pair of risers, one of which is idle, and the second has heating devices installed. When water is started to be discharged from the working riser into the idle riser, complete removal of air always occurs.

One of the paired risers feeds the radiators, the second - idle.

If there are plugs on the riser instead of vents, don’t despair, we can try to solve the problem in this case too.

Here are two obvious solutions:

Close both risers and, having reset them, install a ball valve with male-female threads instead of one of the plugs. Unplanned expenses (the price of a ball valve size DU15 - DU20 is approximately 100-200 rubles) will hardly seem like a nightmare to you given the lack of heating;

Close both valves on the risers, and then unscrew one of the plugs. Having moved the riser to discharge, stop it and screw the plug back, then start it into operating mode. Water hanging in a relatively thin tube will not allow it to take in a new portion of air.

This technique works only at the beginning of the heating season, when the temperature of the mixture at the elevator exit does not exceed 45 degrees. In cold weather, instead of starting the riser, you will get quite serious burns.

Top filling, access level - administrator

How to remove an air lock from the heating system of a house with top filling?

The peculiarity of this system is that the supply bottling is located in the attic of the house with the return flow located in the basement. Each riser is switched off at two points - at the top and bottom; all risers are equal and on the same floor have the same temperature.

When the circuit starts, air is forced out of the heating battery and then from the riser into the supply bottling, and then into the closed expansion tank located at its upper point. Having opened the house valves, you must go up to the attic and briefly open the tap at the top of the tank. After the air is displaced by the coolant, circulation in all will be restored.

At the top right is a closed expansion tank with an air release valve.

If you are far from the secrets of valves and gate valves, just apply to the service company. In a top-fill house, you won’t be able to bleed air from the battery yourself, but you can easily fill the top floor residents from the attic.

Private house, access level - administrator

What to do in a private house if the heating circuit or part of it does not start?

The bad news is that there are no universal recipes: the heating circuit of a private home is always designed individually.

The good thing is that designers are guided by the same principles:

With forced circulation, automatic air vents in the heating system are installed near the circulation pump (usually in front of it in the direction of flow of the coolant). The air vent can also be located in the boiler body. If there is air in the circuit, perhaps the air valve is simply clogged with debris or scale;

Boiler safety group. In the center there is an automatic air vent.

An air release valve is installed on individual heating appliances only if they are located above the filler. If the bottling takes place under the ceiling or in the attic, look for the air valve for heating in its upper part;

Each bracket (the bend of the filling in the vertical plane) is also always equipped with an air vent. If for some reason they are not there, you can try to distill the bottling for disposal using one of the methods described above.

The reason for the lack of circulation is often not air, but a completely or partially closed throttle on one of the heating devices or sections of the circuit.

The photo shows the throttle on the radiator hose. If it is covered, the battery will be cold.

Safety

What not to do when bleeding air?

Human imagination is truly limitless, so I will give only repeated cases from my practice.

Of course, from the repertoire of apartment residents: plumbers have their own quirks.

Do not completely unscrew the rod from the air vent. It is impossible to wrap it back under the pressure of hot water;
Do not try to unscrew the valve body itself. Even half a turn. If the thread is broken, flooding of the apartment will become inevitable;

An even worse idea would be to partially remove any of the radiator caps to bleed air. There were precedents. In the last case I know of, 6 floors were flooded with boiling water.

Prevention

Is it possible to modify the heating system with your own hands so as not to encounter the problem of airing?

If you live on the top floor or in a private house, you can.

The recipe is extremely simple:

In an autonomous circuit, connect heating devices according to the “bottom-down” scheme. Even if air accumulates inside the radiator, it will not affect the circulation of water through the lower manifold. In this case, the battery will be hot throughout its entire volume due to its own thermal conductivity;

At the top point of the riser or the entire circuit, install automatic air vents. They rarely require maintenance and bleed air locks without your participation.

Conclusion

As you can see, all the problems of heating air are completely solvable. You can learn more about possible solutions from the video in this article. I look forward to your additions and comments. Good luck, comrades!

Cold times have arrived, and every home has been running a heating system for a long time. Modern radiators are so convenient and practical that many have already forgotten how it was possible to heat a house without small, compact and convenient radiators. But even heating has its drawbacks. The first is very dry air, which can be humidified using a special air humidifier for the battery. Secondly, there are many technical issues, one of which we will discuss today.

What is a congested battery and how to determine it?

If you notice that the batteries do not heat up at full capacity, although just yesterday the entire system worked perfectly and the house was warm, the problem is probably that you just need to bleed the air from the battery that is not quite hot. This article will tell you in detail how to bleed air from a battery.

Before bleeding air, you need to make sure that this is really the cause of the system failure.

First, check all the batteries: if they are all too cold or, on the contrary, too hot, the problem may be directly in the heater or perhaps other sediment has accumulated in the batteries. Also check to see if water is dripping from the batteries. There may be a leak in the battery, then you just need to turn off the heating system and.

If the situation does not change as a result of the actions taken, the nut may be corroded and needs to be replaced. There are times when the radiators on the upper floors remain cold, while on the floor below the radiators are very well heated. In such cases, it is advisable to call a master who specializes in this field.

And if, as a result of a detailed examination of the heating system, you have not found any other problems, except that some battery is partially or completely cold, then you just need to understand how to bleed the air from the battery.

What can an airy heating system lead to?

But first, let's figure out what the consequences may be from such a seemingly harmless airiness of one battery.

As it turned out, the fact that the radiator does not heat the room is not the biggest problem. The main problem is that air in the batteries leads to rusting from the inside, and as a result, a decrease in the service life of the heating radiator.

The next nuance is that if you have an autonomous heating system, then the boiler is forced to “drive” air through the system, not liquid. And this leads to premature damage to the bearings on the shaft and, as a result, the pump fails in advance.

How to properly bleed air from a battery?

Useful diagram for work

In order to release air from the heating battery, use a special key that can be used to open the “air valve”.

Most often, in such cases, a special radiator wrench is used, which can be purchased at a hardware store. Modern batteries allow you to use a screwdriver for such purposes.

Now that you have a key or a screwdriver, as well as a container for draining water, at hand, inspect the battery and on any side of it, find a small valve, which is popularly called the Mayevsky tap.

Today you can install several such valves, or you can get by with just one, in the upper part of the radiator. When you have found the valve you need, unscrew it to the side until you hear air hissing.

Place a container under the tap and wait until all the excess air comes out and water begins to drip. Wait until the water stops bubbling and runs in a thin stream. Now all the air in the batteries has been drained, and the tap can be screwed back to its original position.

In addition to the above-mentioned Mayevsky tap, an automated air bleeder or a regular valve can be installed on the heating radiator, which is simply screwed into one of the upper radiator plugs. The automated bleeder will spontaneously perform all actions to bleed excess air from the battery.

Little things and nuances

If, when installing the heating system, the craftsmen were lazy and did not install a special valve on the heating radiator, then you yourself will have to carry out the simple procedure of bleeding air from the battery, but in a slightly different way.

To do this, you need to have a gas or adjustable wrench with you, with which you begin to very slowly unscrew the plug. If the screw cap on a cast iron battery does not come off, apply thread lubricant directly to the thread itself and try again after a certain time.

In private houses with an autonomous heating system, it is sometimes necessary to drain the water using an expansion tank, which is always located at the highest point of the heating system.

After the water has been drained, wait a while and then unscrew the tap on the expansion tank. Almost always the plug comes out on its own when the radiator temperature rises. If these actions do not lead to the desired result, bring the water in the heating system to a boil and then the air lock will definitely come out.

Also keep in mind that an air lock can form in places where the pipeline is bent; for this reason, when installing a heating system, it is necessary to maintain the optimal distance for the direction of slopes when laying out the pipeline.

If the actual slope of the pipe differs from the designed one or the pipeline makes a loop, then it is necessary to install additional air bleed valves.

Modern manufacturers of heating radiators are sometimes not very conscientious in their production, and as a result, we receive a low-quality radiator, which can cause additional headaches. And all because, no matter how much you bleed the air from a battery that is not made according to standards, the air in it will be endless. Because the radiator material itself promotes the formation of gases. There is only one solution to this problem - buy a new high-quality battery.

If you prefer the video instruction format, watch the video below. Everything is shown there step by step.

We hope that the material was useful to you. Please click on the social media buttons below.

I wish you a warm home and no air-filled radiators!

In this article we will try to figure out how to bleed air from a heating radiator with different heating circuit configurations. We will study solutions for apartments in apartment buildings and for cottages with water heating. So let's get started.

Why is this necessary?

A typical heating system operates with a minimum pressure difference between supply and return. Usually the difference is only 2 - 3 meters (0.2-0.3 kgf/cm2); When this value is exceeded, the increased circulation rate of the coolant generates hydraulic noise.

The downside of a small difference is the sensitivity of the circuit to air pockets. With a difference of 2 meters, an airy riser or an entire circuit simply will not be able to work: the coolant pressure is not enough to push the air, overcoming the difference in density between it and the water.

However: systems with forced circulation and a simple circuit structure (without several paired risers) are quite capable of operating partially aired.
The pump creates significant pressure with limited performance, eliminating the appearance of noise.

A special case

When radiators are located above the bottlings and their connection diagram is “bottom-down”, air will be forced out into the sections; in this case, the coolant will circulate through the lower collectors of the heating devices. The presence of air pockets will not interfere with the operation of the circuit, but will somewhat reduce the heat transfer of the batteries.

Central heating

The reset heating system of an apartment building is started as follows:

A reset to the circuit opens.
Slowly (to avoid water hammer) the valve or valve on the supply line opens. In this case, a significant part of the air is expelled from the circuit.
After water without air bubbles flows into the discharge, the discharge is closed, and the valve or valve is not switched to the open state.

In houses with top filling (the supply is in the attic or in apartments on the top floor), air is bleed from the expansion tank.

In lower bottling houses (supply and return in the basement), some of the risers will inevitably become airy. To bleed air, you need to gain access to Mayevsky's taps. They are always located at the top point of each pair of heating risers.

Possible options for placing cranes:

In the plug of the end section of the radiator on the top floor;

The photo shows a Mayevsky tap in the end section of a cast iron battery.

In the lintel under the ceiling of the upper floor, connecting radiators in adjacent rooms or apartments;
In the attic lintel.

Please note: the last scenario is the most unfavorable.
In the absence of circulation in severe frosts, the lintel freezes in half an hour to an hour, and thermal insulation can only slightly increase this period.

What to do if the heating system is running, but your radiator remains cold?

You don't know how to use the Mayevsky crane? Then the next section is for you.

Standard procedure

Let's assume that you have access to the air vent. How to bleed air from a heating radiator using it?

The instructions are ridiculously simple:

Unscrew the valve stem one or two turns. Depending on the type of faucet, this can be done with a special wrench, a screwdriver, pliers, or even with your own hands, without tools. At the same time, the air coming out of the batteries should hiss.
Wait until water comes out of the tap instead of air.
Close the tap - carefully, without excessive force.

What should you not do when bleeding air?

Unscrew the stem completely. Screwing it in, overcoming the resistance of the water, is not easy; overcoming the resistance of hot water is impossible.
Unscrew the radiator cap completely or partially. Alas, there were precedents.

If the tap does not close, try to tighten it by force. You will simply break the rod and flood the apartment. The price of a new Mayevsky crane does not exceed 100 - 120 rubles; The emergency team of locksmiths carries out replacement free of charge.

Emergency procedure

If the vent is not accessible, some heating system configurations can bleed air from the basement.

Please note: this is possible in houses where plate radiators or convectors are used as heating devices; as an option, a riser with sectional radiators is paired with an idle riser.
When paired risers are bypassed, the air plug flies out at the front of the water flow.

The procedure looks like this:

Paired risers overlap.
The plug on the idle riser, riser with plates or convectors is replaced with a vent of the same diameter.

The riser is bypassed until the air is completely released and switched to circulation mode.

Heating system

The use of Mayevsky cranes is no different from a similar operation in central heating systems. However, this annual procedure can be avoided.

How to bleed air from an aluminum radiator automatically? An automatic radiator air vent will do this job for you. It is installed at the top point of the circuit or its section and releases air pockets without any participation from the owner immediately after they form.

Conclusion

Residents of private houses and residents of city apartments regularly face the problem of airy batteries. This phenomenon occurs especially often at the beginning of the heating season or during repair work. Of course, you can call a plumber from the management company, but you may have to wait quite a long time for him. How to bleed the air from the battery yourself and restore the functionality of the heating system?

Signs of an air lock

You can tell that air has accumulated in the battery by several signs:

. This may concern a separate battery or the entire heating system of the apartment. In the first case, the aired part of the radiator will not heat up. In the second, the plug will interfere with the normal circulation of the coolant through the system, causing some batteries to be hot, while others will be significantly colder.
Hissing or gurgling in radiators is a clear sign of the presence of excess air in them.

Why is the air in the battery dangerous?

Before you figure out how to bleed the air out of the battery, you should understand how it got there and why it is dangerous.

In addition to reducing heating efficiency, the presence of air in the radiators can lead to the following problems:

The metal from which radiators are made is more susceptible to corrosion when in contact with air. Therefore, the service life of heating system elements is significantly reduced.
Differences in the temperature of various pipeline elements can lead to its destruction.
The service life of the circulating sediment is significantly reduced. Under normal conditions, its bearings are in water; when air enters, it significantly increases friction, leading to damage to the device.

Causes of airy batteries

There may be several reasons for air getting into the system:

In an apartment building, this most often happens when the system is filled with coolant. According to the rules, the process should be carried out quite slowly, with constant bleeding of air, but in reality this is not always the case.
Incomplete tightness of the heating system. In this case, you will have to bleed the air constantly until the deficiencies are eliminated.
Carrying out various types of repair work. If at least partial disassembly of the pipes was carried out, some amount of air will inevitably get inside. Therefore, after such measures, you should definitely bleed the air from the heating battery.
Poor coolant quality: an increased content of air dissolved in water can lead to the formation of an air lock over time.

Removing air lock

A special valve, usually located at its end, will help bleed air from the battery. Older models will require a radiator key. Modern models are equipped with a Mayevsky tap, which can be operated with a simple screwdriver or a special small metal or plastic wrench, which can be bought at a hardware or hardware store.

The sequence of actions is as follows:

You need to place a sufficiently capacious container near the radiator. When bleeding air from the battery, some amount of water will certainly be released. It is better not to let it get on the floor.
In films and in real life, you can see plumbers draining water, wet from head to toe. Indeed, this operation may be accompanied by splashing of water under pressure in the system. This is not only unpleasant, but can also damage the finish of walls or furniture. Solving the problem is quite simple: you need to hang a cloth on the valve, which will hold back all the splashes, and the water will calmly flow into a bucket or basin.
Use a wrench or screwdriver to carefully unscrew the valve until you hear a clear hiss of escaping air.

As it bleeds, water will begin to drip. We must wait until it flows in a thin stream. The tap can be closed as soon as air stops bubbling in this stream. This operation usually takes 5–7 minutes.

Advice. If you do not want to repeat the bleeding procedure too often, then follow the advice of professionals and drain at least 2-3 buckets of water. This will ensure that the air from the radiator is completely removed.

The video will help you visualize this operation.

A very convenient device is an automatic air vent. Here the procedure takes place without any human intervention: when air accumulates, a float is lowered, closing the drain hole. After de-airing, the float returns to its place. A significant drawback of such devices is the increased requirements for the quality of the coolant. Therefore, they are rarely installed in apartment buildings with centralized heating, since they fail quite quickly.

What if there is no bleed valve?

Sometimes there is no bleed valve on the radiator. This usually applies to old ones, where its role is played by a stub. In this case, the work becomes more complicated, but not so much that it is impossible to do it yourself.

You need to stock up on a gas or adjustable wrench with which you can unscrew the plug.

Important! It is imperative to block the access of coolant to the radiator from the riser. This is done in case the plug comes out completely. The water pressure will then simply not allow it to be inserted into place, and this will result in flooding of the neighbors.

The main problem is that usually the plug is prevented from unscrewing by a thick layer of paint and hardened tow. You can solve this with kerosene or thread lubricant. Apply it to the connection and wait 15–20 minutes.
Carefully turn the plug and bleed the air in the same way as in the case of the Mayevsky tap. Don't forget about a container for water and a cloth to prevent splashing.
When screwing the plug back in, do not forget to apply a sealant, such as FUM tape, to the threads to prevent battery leakage in the future.

The presence of air in the heating system interferes with its normal operation. The heating season is beginning, and many have to face this problem both in private homes and in high-rise buildings. Cold batteries, loud noise inside them, and corrosion on the surface occur when air pockets appear. The problem can be resolved by bleeding the air from the radiator.

In order for the heating to work as it should, you need to bleed off excess air in the radiator

Causes

Residents of high-rise buildings had to deal with an unpleasant situation when the heat on the top floors did not reach them at the start of the heating season . There are several reasons for air congestion:

repair work, such as pipeline dismantling;
during installation, the slope directions and dimensions of the pipelines were not observed;
low pressure;
error when filling the heating system;
poor sealing of joints - coolant leaks through them;
connection to underfloor heating;
malfunction of air intake devices.

In this video you will learn how to remove air from a radiator:

If you live in a private house, you shouldn’t worry too much about a little airiness in the system. The coolant in it is rarely changed, therefore, the air bleeds out on its own after one or two days.

Types of circulation

There are several ways to bleed air from a heating radiator. Much depends on circulation, which is divided into two types:

forced;
natural.

For example, with natural circulation it is quite easy to bleed air from the battery through the expansion tank. It is located at the highest point. The supply pipe is laid with a rise to this tank. Typically, such a system is installed in private homes. After draining the water, wait a little and unscrew the tap on the tank - the plug should come out on its own due to the rise in temperature.

There are several types of wiring in which air is vented in different ways

If the wiring in the apartment is lower, then it is correct to bleed air from the battery in the same way as with a system with a circulation pump. Removing the plug in forced mode is quite simple: an air collector is installed at the highest point, which is specifically designed for bleeding air. In such cases, the pipeline is initially laid with a rise as it moves - air bubbles move along the riser, removal is carried out through air valves (they are located at the highest points for convenience).

The return pipeline is always laid with a slope in the direction of the drain, so that accelerated emptying can be carried out during repair work.

It is enough to carry out the air bleed procedure twice at the beginning of starting the heating - for checking and control. The number of descents may be increased if the system is faulty or has some defects. In the case of aluminum radiators, water is drained first - this increases their service life.

Types of air vents

The air vents themselves are divided into automatic and manual. In the case of tame ones, they are also called Mayevsky. They have small dimensions and are placed on the end parts of the heating system. The tap is adjusted using a key, while others do it manually. Of course, small size affects performance. The Mayevsky crane is suitable only for local removal of air jams.

Automatic options work without human intervention. They can be installed horizontally or vertically. The performance is quite high, but there is also a significant drawback - increased sensitivity to pollution. In this regard, their installation is carried out immediately with filters for reliability.

Automatic air vents are installed according to a certain pattern: along a line of pipes at several different points. It turns out that air is released separately from each group. This multi-stage deaeration system is called the most effective. If the pipes are laid correctly, there will be no problems with air removal.

Places of formation and elimination

It is necessary to bleed air from the battery if there is no doubt about its presence. Gasping is indicated by unexpected gurgling sounds. In addition, the owner begins to notice that the heating is uneven. To restore radiator circulation, air must be removed.

If the system is completely aired, first determine where the plugs are forming by tapping the pipes with a hammer. The sound is stronger and more sonorous in the places where the traffic jam occurs; the areas will also have a lower temperature. Having found a place with air, you need to do the following:

Prepare a key or screwdriver, as well as a basin for water. The thermostat is opened to the maximum level, then the container is placed.
Open the valve, making sure that all the water from the inside will flow into the substituted container. You can additionally place rags around.
The valve must be kept open until all the liquid has drained. A slight hiss indicates air escaping. This means that the manipulations are performed correctly.
If after the procedure the pipes still do not heat up well, then they need to be blown out and washed - the accumulation of rust inside can also cause air to appear.

In addition to mechanical air removal, there is automatic

If such manipulations do not improve the situation, then check the filling level of the system. Often, plugs occur in the bending area of pipes, so during installation, their dimensions and direction are usually observed. If in some place the slope differs from the planned project, additional drain valves must be installed.

More often, plugs appear in aluminum radiators, since this material is not of particular quality. Aluminum reacts with the coolant, resulting in the formation of gases that need to be permanently removed from the system. Here it is usually advised to replace aluminum options with higher quality ones with an anti-corrosion coating, and also not to forget about air vents.

Cast iron batteries

The Mayevsky crane simplifies the work, but not all batteries have such a convenient device. For example, on cast iron versions you can often find a regular plug screwed onto tow and coated with paint. Removing it is problematic. Of course, you can visit the neighbors below or above, who have a Mayevsky tap on the radiator - this way you can gain access to the coolant. But this is not always possible.

We'll have to resort to the "old-fashioned" method. You will need a basin, a bucket and a lot of unnecessary rags. You don’t even have to try to unscrew the plug with your bare hands; you need to take an adjustable wrench. A paint thinner will also come in handy; the plug must have dried firmly over a long period of time. Then follow the instructions:

Apply solvent to the plug and wait twenty minutes.
Run along the thread with an adjustable wrench until the plug gives way. You should hear the sound of air escaping.
When the sound dies down, you need to wrap a new layer of “fumka” around the plug and insert it in its original place. If necessary, touch up the joint.

In order not to worry about heating the room in winter, you just need to promptly remove air pockets that interfere with the normal movement of the coolant. The result will be a warm, cozy atmosphere in the house even in the most severe frosts.

Signs of air accumulation in radiators

Identifying airy batteries is quite simple. The following symptoms indicate gas accumulation:

a clear decrease in heat transfer (the risers are hot, but the radiators do not warm up);
crackling, noise, murmur in the system;
reduction of pressure in pipes;
increased fuel consumption (with individual heating);
coolant leak;
cessation of fluid movement in the system (with natural circulation).

Air lock is a common reason for cooling radiators

Air in the heating system can lead to breakdown of the circulation pump. Under normal conditions, plain bearings are constantly exposed to water. When gas plugs form, they are subject to “dry friction”, which provokes the release of a large amount of heat. Excessive heat can damage the sliding rings and damage the shaft.

Reasons for airing the heating system

Before figuring out how to remove an air lock from a heating system, it is worth determining the reason for its formation. The most common factors include:

carrying out installation or repair work;
incorrect direction or slope angle of the highway;
low pressure, as a result of which the voids are filled with air;
natural gas formation when water is strongly heated;
improper filling of the system after installation or downtime;
violation of the tightness of joints;
connection of a water heated floor system located below the level of radiators;
internal corrosion of pipes;
coolant speed too high;
malfunction of air intake devices.

Important! In aluminum radiators installed in multi-storey buildings, air locks are more common. The material enters into a chemical reaction with the coolant, resulting in the formation of many gases. In this case, it is better to replace the batteries with bimetallic, steel or cast iron. A temporary measure could be the installation of automatic air vents.

The Mayevsky tap is included in installation kits for radiators

Types of air vents

To control gas contamination of radiators in apartments and private houses, manual or automatic valves for releasing air from the heating system are used. Let's look at each of them in detail.

The needle radiator air valve consists of a body and a cone-shaped screw. All parts are tightly fitted to each other, which prevents coolant leakage. Air from the heating radiator is bleed through a small hole in the side area. The Mayevsky tap can be opened with a special key (included) or a screwdriver. Some models are unscrewed by hand.

Modern bimetallic, steel and aluminum radiators have holes for mounting valves. Mayevsky taps are installed so that the air outlet tube is on the side opposite the wall and looks down.

Removing air using a Mayevsky tap

Important! In a system with cast iron radiators, it is advisable to use automatic air vents that correspond to the characteristics of the material.

To bleed air from the radiator, follow the following sequence:

Prepare a wrench (screwdriver), a container for water and a dry cloth.
If the system has a pump, turn it off while you work.
Place a container under the faucet and carefully turn it counterclockwise.
A stream of air will begin to escape from the radiator; it may be mixed with dirt or rust.
Wait until water flows from the hole and turn off the tap.

Important! If the quality of the coolant leaves much to be desired, it is recommended to install additional shut-off valves. They are mounted up to the Mayevsky tap and protect it from blockages.

Automatic air vent

The automatic air valve for heating independently releases the gas accumulated in the radiator. The air vent consists of a brass body, a float, an articulated lever and the valve itself. The locking cap protects against water leakage, and the spring-loaded protection protects against external contamination.

The system works as follows:

In the absence of air, the float holds the outlet valve closed.
As gas accumulates, the float lowers, opening the valve.
The air leaves the chamber and the system returns to its original form.

Important! Automatic models are equipped with connectors for an octagonal wrench or screwdriver. These forms allow you to open the valve manually if the automation fails.

Air separator

Separators are complex devices designed for autonomous heating systems. The principle of their operation is to take air from the water, convert it into bubbles and then remove it. Most often, the device is combined with a sludge separator, which captures impurities of dirt, rust and sand.

Structurally, the system is a metal cylinder with an air outlet at the top and a valve for discharging sludge at the bottom. A metal mesh is installed inside the structure, creating vortex flows. When passing through the tube, bubbles form in the coolant, which rise up and exit through the air vent. The settled dirt is removed through the lower drain valve.

Air and sludge separator device

Removing an air lock in a private home

Getting an air lock out of an autonomous heating system is a little more difficult:

Determine its location. The problem area is indicated by bubbling noises and cold sections of the highway.
Work your way up the pipe to the nearest valve.
Open the feed tap slightly and gradually bleed the air.

If the standard method does not help, you can increase the pressure and temperature of the coolant. In most cases, the plug moves and it can be released through the detachable connection. You need to work carefully in such conditions - there is a high risk of getting burned by hot water or steam.

Important! If the system does not have detachable joints, you will have to drain the water or part of it and refill the line.

A water floor fed from a radiator can lead to airing of the entire system

Natural circulation system

With top piping, air can be removed from the heating system through the expansion tank:

Attach a long hose to the overflow pipe and lead it outside.
Disable the boiler safety group (if present).
Open the feed tap approximately 1/3 – the pressure should be low.
Wait until water flows from the hose and turn off the feed tap.
Go around all the radiators and bleed air from them using Mayevsky taps.
Slowly open the boiler shut-off valve. The safety group valve will automatically emit a hissing sound while the boiler is filling.
Add water to the system - the level in the tank should be 2/3 of the total volume.
Turn on the boiler and check the degree of heating of the radiators.
If necessary, repeat deaerating the batteries.
Monitor the heating operation and the water level in the expansion tank for a week.

Important! If you open the water supply valve to full capacity, the high water pressure will bring in a lot of dissolved oxygen. This will only increase the airing of the heating system.

Forced circulation system

To remove an air lock from a heating system with bottom wiring or forced circulation, two people will be required. One will fill the pipeline and monitor the pressure gauge readings, the second will bleed air from the radiators when the pressure rises to 2 bar. When this mark is reached, the water supply must be stopped. When bleeding air through the Mayevsky taps, the pressure in the system will drop; at these moments you need to open the water tap.

Important! In a closed heating system, the role of an automatic air vent is performed by the membrane of the expansion tank. Under pressure, the gas plug escapes into the atmosphere, and the coolant takes its place.

Monitor the pressure in the autonomous heating system

Prevention of aeration

Deaerating the heating system is a last resort method. To prevent it from becoming a habit, it is necessary to take preventive measures:

Bleed air while filling/refilling the line.
During the heating season, regularly check the pressure in the pipes.
Carefully inspect radiators and pipes for leaks several times a year.
Monitor fuel consumption and coolant consumption.
Do not carry out repairs yourself unless you have the necessary skills.

The main reason for the appearance of air in radiators is errors at the design stage of an autonomous system. When developing a plan, it is necessary to develop a multi-stage scheme, including: