When is it better to change heating batteries in an apartment

Reasons for replacing batteries and pipes during the heating season

The current legislation does not contain norms prohibiting the replacement of batteries during the heating season. Neither are the grounds given for the action to be taken. The need to replace heating radiators arises from the following reasons:

• there is a leak;
• the apartment is cold;
• a person wants to replace the batteries with new ones.

It is easier if the radiator is separated from the general system by taps, which allow shutting off the water and actually disconnecting the section to be replaced from the heating system. As a result, you can do whatever you want with it.

The situation is more complicated when there is no overlap. We'll have to block the riser. To do this, you will need to obtain permission from the management company.

Important! The organization is obliged to comply with the regulation of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 354. It shows the permissible heating interruption duration.

According to the law, the period for stopping the heating supply is:

• in total, no more than a day within 30 days;
• no more than 16 hours at a time if the air temperature in living quarters is above 12 degrees;
• no more than 8 hours at a time, when the air temperature in the apartment is 10-12 degrees;
• no more than 4 hours at a time if the air temperature is 8-10 degrees.

If the above period is exceeded, the size of the utility bill is reduced by 0.15%.

Management companies are reluctant to give permission to shut off risers. Moreover, institutions approve applications if their plumbers will do the work. Otherwise, the citizen may be asked to collect signatures from tenants, confirming that they are not against the temporary shutdown of heating. It is quite difficult.

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Therefore, if a person wants to replace pipes during the heating season, he must be prepared for additional costs, since plumbers of management companies take an order of magnitude higher than specialists who are not related to the organization.

Is it possible to replace the battery in winter

Those who have come across battery replacement in an apartment know that summer is the most suitable period for this. Despite the fact that water is in the pipes in summer (in order to avoid rusting of the inner surface of the pipes), this procedure is much more difficult in winter due to the fact that in summer people do not physically feel that the water has left the risers, and in winter the water is drained are fraught with a sharp drop in temperature in apartments, and this can cause great inconvenience to you and your neighbors.

However, many people are forced to resort to battery replacement procedures during the winter. ZhEKi and DEZy very willingly agree to be replaced during this period. Some even believe that carrying out work during this period gives more advantages than disadvantages, because to check the quality, you do not need to wait several months before the start of the heating season. On the same day, after the resumption of water supply to the risers, you can check the quality of installation and welding.In addition, in winter, battery replacement services are somewhat lower due to low popularity.

Of the minuses, it can be noted that the replacement procedure during the heating season should be carried out in the shortest possible period of time so that heat losses in your and neighboring apartments are minimal.

As we can see, replacing batteries during the heating season is quite possible and even has some advantages over the summer period.

Step-by-step instruction

If a person wants to replace the battery or pipes of the heating system in the apartment, it is recommended to follow the step-by-step instructions. This will reduce the risk of errors. It is important to follow the scheme:

1. The work is being coordinated with the utilities. It is possible to carry out the procedure without their permission only if there is no interruption in the supply of heating to other apartments.
2. If permission is obtained, a plumber is called. He will dismantle old and then install new radiators.
3. Tests are carried out. If the heating is running, the system is put into operation.
4. It is important to act promptly. Long-term interruptions in the heating supply are unacceptable. The period during which the work must be done varies from 4 to 16 hours and depends on the temperature in the apartments. For a longer period, the management company will not allow the heating to be turned off. It takes about 1-2 hours for a plumber to complete all the work.

When to change radiators

Heading: Plumbing ›Heating› Basics, starting work, preparation, general recommendations Heating in an apartment is one of the main components of a comfortable life. Therefore, the question of replacing heating radiators sooner or later arises before each tenant of both a new building and an old house. But when to change batteries depends on individual circumstances and personal preferences of the owners.

Modern and highly efficient hot water heating convectors have made a real boom among consumers. Perhaps only the lazy one did not abandon the cast-iron fins and did not install new efficient radiators. However, what exactly are the reasons pushing people to replace old batteries in the house? Let's try to figure out how such a need arises and how it is better and more convenient to satisfy it.

Reasons for replacing batteries

Have not passed the test. Every year, before the start of the heating season, a mandatory pressure test is carried out at the entrance. It consists in supplying water to the heating system under high pressure - this procedure allows you to check pipes and radiators that have rested over the summer for leaks. The fact is that the pressure supplied at this moment is much higher than the operating pressure - from the leaks that arise, you can understand the malfunctions and, accordingly, have time to fix everything.

If, after crimping, you find a puddle under the battery or riser, then this is a clear sign that it is worth calling the masters and, at least, repairing the existing radiators. It is possible that for one reason or another they are no longer able to work for you and repairs will not help here - then you can think about replacing them with new ones.

Old age and deterioration. Perhaps the age of batteries is one of the main reasons for replacing them. And the point is not even that they are morally and physically outdated, but in their impossibility to fulfill the assigned tasks in full.

They may withstand the annual strength test, but their performance tends to zero. If you are dissatisfied with their level of heat transfer, spend the standard high amounts on heating, but do not get the result, then the batteries are probably worn out and clogged so much that they simply cannot heat you further.

New renovation. Some people replace heating batteries solely for aesthetic reasons.Agree, it is not easy to fit a radiator made in the middle of the last century into the design interior, while modern convectors are distinguished by their excellent appearance and the ability to fit into any projects. It should be remembered that in this case, replacing the batteries should be one of the first steps in transforming your home.

When to change radiators

Not everyone knows when it is more convenient and profitable to change heating batteries: in winter or summer? In fact, there is no definite answer to this question, since each season has its own pros and cons.

Replacing batteries in the summer. Since at this time in most regions of Russia the heating season is over, and the heating system is turned off, the work can be performed at any time, without haste and the risk of flooding the neighbors. It is worth noting the economic component: in the summer, both the radiators themselves and the price of installation services are cheaper.

In the hot season, it is much easier to obtain official permission from the management company and do everything according to the law. However, you will have to wait until autumn with crimping - therefore, it will not be possible to check the quality and reliability of the installed batteries before that time. Many do not risk installing new radiators at the end of the heating season, which is precisely why - no one wants to cause flooding of neighbors from below in case of improper installation.

Replacing batteries in winter. During frosts outside the window, many, as a rule, are stopped by the need to turn off the riser and drain water from it. In this case, you will have to remain without heat not only for yourself, but for the entire entrance. By law, all actions must be agreed in advance with the operating organization, since without their approval, no one can turn off the riser.

To do this, you need to write a statement to the Criminal Code and wait for a positive response. In winter, they are very reluctant to give their consent, but you can always negotiate directly with the plumber, who has access to the riser valve. He will also be able to replace the batteries in a short time. If the master will do this, then you should not worry that the neighbors will have time to freeze - a professional will be able to cope with everything in less than an hour.

It is worth knowing that you will need to pay for disconnecting the riser. State prices have not been established here, since everything depends on the area where the house is located, its number of storeys and the price of water. There are also certain restrictions on this procedure: during the heating season, the riser can be turned off for a maximum of three hours. And if the temperature outside the window has reached -30 ° C, turning off the heating system is impossible at all.

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Where to contact

Initially, you need to obtain permission to replace the batteries. For this, a statement is written in the housing office. Additionally, it is necessary to provide certificates of conformity for radiators and accessories.

Note! If batteries are replaced with structures that increase the heating area, representatives of the management company may require an examination to understand how the thermal balance of the building will change.

A similar procedure is carried out in the event that a major overhaul is carried out in an apartment and a change in the configuration of the pipeline is carried out. It is necessary to carry out the work, observing the norms of communal legislation. Otherwise, they may be considered a violation.

The head of the legal support department Ksenia Buslaeva answers:

Formally, the contractor providing utilities (today, in the overwhelming majority of cases, this is the management company, that is, the management company), has the right to suspend the provision of the service (in this case, the heating of an apartment building, that is, MKD), but only for scheduled or emergency repair work. The maximum allowable period of heating off in MKD during the heating season is 24 hours during a month or at a time not more than 16 hours, provided that the temperature in residential premises is not lower than + 12 ° C.

In fact, the owner of the apartment, in which it is planned to repair the heating system during the heating season, applies to the Criminal Code with a request to authorize work that may entail a cessation of heat supply to all or part of the apartment building. The final decision on further actions of the Criminal Code is taken independently - either to authorize and carry out repair work, or not.

Purpose: replacement of radiators

How to reduce heating bills if the batteries are barely warm?

The cost

Replacing batteries in an apartment during the heating season requires significantly higher costs. The cost of the procedure is influenced by:

• the region in which the room is located;
• the institution that will replace the batteries;
• used equipment.

In cities of federal significance, the cost of services is much higher. Plumbers of private companies ask for about 5,000 rubles.

However, the management company will give permission if its specialist is involved in the replacement procedure. Due to the presence of a monopoly on the plumbing service, prices are inflated. As a result, employees of the management company ask for 8,000 rubles.

A number of organizations offer to carry out the replacement procedure without disconnecting the entire staircase from the heating. For this, a pipe freezing unit is used. This is a rather massive and expensive tool. It will lead to an increase in cost by at least 1000 rubles. At the same time, there is a risk that the riser will freeze in the neighboring apartment. This may be the reason for filing a complaint and subsequent proceedings.

Important! Disconnecting and draining the riser also requires a fee. The price depends on the region and varies from 300 to 3000 rubles. for 1 hour of shutdown. The work is carried out by several employees at once.

In the "off-season"

As a rule, radiators are replaced after the end of the heating season. However, situations are not always ideal: after crimping, it may turn out that the battery is leaking, and accidents may occur.

Therefore, replacing heating batteries in winter is, in general, a common thing. However, there are several nuances in this. Firstly, for the installation of radiators, you need to turn off the riser - they also agree with the housing office to shut off the water.

A short-term disconnection for a period of not more than three hours is a paid service for which a motivational explanation (reasons) is written.

Secondly, the replacement of the heating battery is not allowed during the period of maintenance work and test runs of the system, at a temperature of -10С, and therefore it is better to choose a warmer day. In the winter season, all work is done quickly.

There are pluses in this.

Such a replacement of the heating battery has its pluses and minuses. The most negative factor is the human one: it is difficult to agree on the system shutdown, since employees of service companies often try to take advantage of the ignorance of their users and make a refusal.

It must be remembered that the refusal and the accrual of any fine is illegal, shutting down the riser even in winter does not affect the rest of the system in any way. But it is really impossible to change batteries on your own, without obtaining permits, with the consequences - this will already entail legal penalties.

All work is carried out quickly so that the room does not cool down and cold masses are not transferred to neighboring apartments. The second disadvantage is that the cost of shutdown services increases and the terms of work for the master are reduced, which has already been mentioned above.

But, oddly enough, the winter replacement of heating radiators has positive aspects. Indeed, with a working diagram, it is easier to check the quality of the installation, which is not the case in summer, when the system is idle: you can immediately see if the radiator is leaking, whether the water circulates well. This gives certain guarantees for correct installation of the batteries.

If the need to replace the battery finds you in the midst of the heating season, do not despair. You can change the battery in winter! Moreover, in some cases you don't even have to turn off the heating. Below we will look at where to start, where to call and what to do if you need to replace the battery in winter.

Samples of documents

As mentioned earlier, a citizen will have to write a statement to the housing office. The form of the document is not established in the current legislation. Therefore, it is permissible to write an application arbitrarily. However, it is important to adhere to generally accepted principles of office work. Experts advise to reflect the following information in the document:

• information about the organization to which the appeal is sent;
• the applicant's personal data and address of residence;
• document's name;
• a statement of the specifics of the situation;
• a request made to the institution;
• date of preparation of the document and signature.

Handwriting is acceptable. The signature is affixed by hand. Having received the appeal, the representatives of the authorized body are obliged to give an answer. If the decision is positive, it is permissible to turn off the heating.

Can I replace it myself

While figuring out how to change the heating battery himself, a person will find out that there is no prohibition on taking action in the current legislation. If it is not necessary to block the riser for all apartments, the person has the right to perform the procedure without contacting the authorized bodies. The situation changes when, in order to replace the batteries, it is necessary to deprive the inhabitants of other premises of heat.

Only representatives of the management company have the right to overlap the risers. It is better to use the services of the organization's specialists. The plumbers of the management company know better the features of utilities in the house, the location of the taps. As a result, technicians will be able to replace them faster. Moreover, sometimes the application is approved only if the replacement will be made by the plumber of the management company.

Procedure

It is not possible to change radiators for any models - the option chosen must strictly comply with GOST, and the battery passport will need to be provided to the management company. Then the following works are performed:

• The riser pipe is cut at the top and bottom. Then the radiator can be detached from the joints and removed from the hooks;
• Marking of the future new battery is applied. It is important to comply with the conditions for the size of the gap between the radiator and the wall, as well as the free distance between the pipes;
• The riser pipe and the radiator pipe are adjusted to the required dimensions using special scissors, and then fastened with a welding machine;
• After bonding, you can supply water to the riser. If everything went well, a representative of the management company carries out the procedure for pressing the radiator.

To prevent air from accumulating inside the radiator, it is installed at a slight angle, inclined towards the riser.

If the management company refuses to turn off the riser or tries to impose any fine, you can contact the local council or the housing inspectorate - such actions are illegal. Disconnecting the riser for no more than 3 hours is a regular paid service, which they have no right to refuse. The entire heating system of the house does not suffer from the disconnection of one riser.