Flushing heating radiators without removing them: what and how to properly flush the heating system? Review of effective methods, products and liquids

Which batteries need to be washed?

All types of batteries require cleaning:

Cast iron coolants often become clogged due to infrequent cleaning.
A layer of rust settles in steel batteries, which significantly narrows the clearance for water passage and gradually corrodes the system.
Plastic coolants also need care. The principles of washing plastic are slightly different from cleaning other types of coolants.

It's time to wash the batteries if:

The radiator takes too long to warm up.
The coolant segments are heated unevenly.
Strange sounds during operation.
Cold radiator (compared to the temperature of the central battery).

Poor performance of the coolant may also be caused by the formation of an air lock, to eliminate which it is enough to bleed air through the tap. If these measures are not successful, flushing the radiator of the heating system is required.

Centralized cleaning or individual

Residents of apartment buildings can clean the heating system individually and centrally. Utilities provide such services using primarily hydropneumatic technology. But for this, the procedure must be agreed upon with the neighbors, and certain material costs will also be required. Centralized flushing may take some time. For owners of private houses, only individual cleaning is possible.

Mechanical flushing of coolant

Mechanical flushing is carried out by disassembling the heating elements. Dirt and deposits are effectively removed, but this method will not help against scale and corrosion. To carry out cleaning, the batteries are closed, removed, and the water is drained from the pipes.

The radiator is placed in the bathroom, having previously covered it with a cloth and closed the drain hole. Washing is done under a powerful stream of water.

Efficient devices and special equipment

Special cleaning supplies and household appliances help combat dust in your apartment. Let's list the most effective ones:

Wipes with antistatic effect. First of all, they are designed to eliminate dust and static electricity from screens and various types of equipment. But they can also be used to wipe cabinets, shelves, mirrors and other surfaces.
Microfiber cloths. It is best to collect dust and prevent it from flying around the room.
Vacuum cleaner. A universal device for dust control. Devices with various attachments, washing devices, and a steam generator help eliminate it especially effectively. They are able to clean hard-to-reach places, deep layers of fabric, upholstered furniture, carpets, toys.
Washers and air purifiers. Devices designed to filter air also collect dust. They trap harmful particles inside themselves, as a result of which you have to clean the apartment less often. Some varieties even have a dust sensor, in particular Xiaomi Mi Air Purifier 2.

Chemical battery flush

Chemical washing is carried out by pouring chemical reagents into the coolant. Flushing the heating radiator in an apartment is most often done using special mixtures. The method is effective and inexpensive.

Flushing with a chemical composition is carried out both in summer and winter without stopping the main heating.
Reagents remove rust and salt deposits. The composition of the chemical solution is selected taking into account the category of the radiator.
The technicians shut off the battery, pump the chemical composition into the radiator, wait for the time allotted in the instructions, and then simply drain the liquid through the tap.

If the system is not pressed in, baking soda, whey, phosphoric and acetic acids are used for cleaning. The liquid for flushing heating radiators can be either alkaline or acidic.

When choosing a reagent, it is important to correctly calculate the time it remains inside the coolant to avoid damage to the battery. Chemical flushing is not suitable for aluminum radiators.

Preparing for work

If you don’t want to run through authorities and pay a lot of money for services, you need to know how to clean cast iron batteries yourself. In principle, there is nothing complicated in this process if you devote a little time and effort to it.

As with any other business, preparatory work will be required. They are as follows:

If washing is carried out in an apartment, then it is necessary to prepare the bathroom . To do this, it is better to place a grate on its bottom and cover the walls with a rag. If there is no pallet, then you can use the same rags, only in a thicker layer. This will protect the container from damage and protect the enamel coating. You also need to cover the drain with a fine mesh to prevent debris from getting into the water pipes.
All water must be drained from the heating system, having first been disconnected from the main communication.
The threaded clamps are removed from each battery using an adjustable wrench.
Plugs must be placed in the pipes at the removal site.

When disconnecting the radiator from the heating network pipe, you should substitute a container in advance, since water may remain in it, just like in the heater itself.

The further task is how to rinse the inside of the cast-iron battery under running water in a bathtub. There are both special and “folk” means for this.

Dispersed battery washing

Dispersed washing has a high-molecular effect on rust and other deposits. The solutions are harmless to people and metal elements.

Dirt, crushed into small pieces, is discharged through the drain, so pieces of dirt do not clog the radiator. After completing the treatment of the battery, a film is formed inside the pipes, preventing the accumulation of lime on the walls of the battery.

Washing is carried out as follows:

Calculation of reagents is carried out.
The radiator is being prepared.
The coolant is connected to a pump, which will help introduce liquid into the system.
Wait time (depending on the degree of clogging of the system and the choice of reagent).
The waste liquid is drained into the sewer.
Cleaning takes place in several stages.

What to wash first?

Many people are wondering whether it is necessary to wash the battery from the outside first, or is it better to clean it from the inside first? We recommend starting with external cleaning: remove all dust from the radiator, and if it is in the kitchen, then perhaps also the grease film.

Special brush

After you remove the battery, you need to clean the wall, floor, fasteners - everything that was hidden from you by the radiator - from dirt and dust. And after that, with a calm soul, proceed to internal cleansing.

Hydrodynamic battery cleaning

Thin streams of water under pressure of several atmospheres are supplied to the system using a pump and hose nozzles. It is impossible to carry out hydrodynamic cleaning of batteries without special equipment: the help of specialists is required.

However, this method is the most environmentally friendly and most effective for cast iron.

The price for flushing heating radiators is very high, since at the initial stage the deposits are softened with a chemical composition, and only then the pipes are cleaned with a pump.

How to wash cast iron radiators and chemistry will help us again

What is the cause of battery contamination? Over time, the quality of water leads to a lot of mechanical particles settling in heating systems. A very small wire, etc., moves along the heating risers simultaneously with the water. During the non-heating season, water is drained in most cases. This leads to pockets of rust appearing in the pipes.

Supplying hot water under pressure exfoliates rust particles, and they also settle on the batteries. And the water itself, released into the heating system, is very often not considered clean. This accumulation of very different debris in cast iron heating systems leads to the fact that for years they eat up the rust waste circulating through the system and the battery becomes clogged.

Over time, this affects the quality of heating. Even with very good heating of cast iron pipes, they can only be warm or slightly warm, although the riser itself is hot. If this happens, it is a sure sign that the heating system is clogged and needs to be cleaned.

Do-it-yourself cleaning, cleaning, and flushing of cast iron batteries and radiators

Since this difficulty does not bypass any person, let’s look at how to clean cast iron radiators

If you don't take into account the weight of the object, the cleaning job is far from difficult. There are several options for cleaning heating systems. You can choose the ideal option from the following:

From the following you can choose the ideal option for yourself.

You can clean the battery from debris using soda ash, car heater cleaners, whey, vinegar essence and many other options.

Cleaning cast iron batteries begins with dismantling them. However, if they do not have many layers of paint, they can be disassembled into very small parts to make them easier to handle. This procedure should be done during the season when the apartment is not heated.

One option is to pour ordinary soda ash into hot water and pour it into the heating system. In this case, plugs should be installed at both ends of the heating system. The battery can be shaken and after a short time, approximately one hour, knocked around the perimeter with a wood hammer so that the corrosion adhering to the walls is released.

Next, open one plug and connect the hose, previously combined with the water meter unit. Open the second plug and open the tap. We immediately apply high pressure so that under pressure more rust comes out of the battery. If you have an air blower at your disposal, you can use it to create more pressure.

Washing cast iron batteries can be done with a product prepared for washing a car heater. Before pouring the product into the heating system, read the instructions for the dosage for a specific volume and follow it.

So, the product is poured in and hot water is added, but the battery is not completely filled. For 2 hours, parts of the battery must be moved at intervals of 10 minutes. At the end of this time, the heating device is washed with strong water and in large quantities so that no corrosive particles remain.

How to clean a cast iron battery with whey? The serum is poured into the battery and, as with soda ash cleaning, the heating system is tapped and turned over to agitate the serum. The acid contained in the serum will eat away the rust and cleanse your heating system of it.

In order to reduce the amount of rust on batteries in the future, you can remove a small tip of the pipe with a plug in front of the inlet hole and attach magnets to it. The magnet will attract rust, and all that remains is to occasionally open the plug at the end of the pipe to remove corrosive particles.

Hydropneumatic battery cleaning

The heating circuit is purged by a powerful compressor. Build-ups and deposits under the influence of high pressure are torn off the walls of the battery and washed out through a hose lowered into the sewer.

Flushing a heating radiator without removing it is a convenient and effective way to clean the coolant. Washing takes only a few minutes. Pulse impacts are carried out in several stages with short intervals, destroying deposits and bringing them out.

Electrohydropulse technique for washing batteries

During flushing, electrical pulse energy is used to destroy salts and rust inside the pipes.

It is possible to carry out electrohydropulse cleaning of batteries without removing the elements.
At the end of the process, the coolant is washed with ordinary water for final cleaning of contaminants.

The method is suitable for batteries of any configuration. The system allows the batteries to return to the factory pipe cross-section, since all deposits are removed almost completely.

Self-flushing of coolant

Experts recommend washing the batteries in the house before the start of the heating season, but after purging the circuit. Otherwise, dirt from other radiators will quickly enter the battery from other apartments. It is enough to clean radiators once every 3 years.

It is recommended to clean cast iron batteries only after the end of the heating season, since the material is very sensitive to temperature changes.

In a private house where water for heating is taken from wells, it is necessary to clean the circuit. It is enough to turn off the boiler and bleed air from the system. A radiator flushing method is selected that is suitable for the type of battery, and the entire heating system is cleaned.

At home, to increase efficiency, it is recommended to use special reagents. The battery is removed, placed in the bathroom, washed with running water, shaking and tapping the walls.

The largest particles of deposits come out after the first wash. Then, for several hours, chemicals are poured into the heating element, which can almost always be found in the house:

Hydrogen peroxide (cleans and disinfects pipes). To clean, peroxide is poured directly into the pipe;
Citric acid (eliminates odors). Prepare a solution of 3 tsp. per glass of water;
Baking soda (2 tbsp per 3 liters of water).

Flushing heating radiators is a technically simple process that can be done at home. However, you can always turn to specialists.

Basic methods

There are many ways to remove dust from a battery. You do not need to purchase any special tools; most devices are publicly available. Cleaning can be done using electrical appliances, improvised means, with or without the use of chemicals.

Electrical appliances

Thorough cleaning of the battery can be done using electrical appliances. It is important to take precautions.

Vacuum cleaner

You can use a vacuum cleaner for cleaning. It is advisable to use a narrow nozzle, this will allow you to penetrate hard-to-reach places. First you need to remove all dust and debris from the inside, then treat the outside. When finished, you can wipe the radiator with a damp cloth.

Hairdryer

To use a hair dryer, you must first place a towel or any thick cloth soaked in water under the radiator. Direct a stream of hot air onto the radiator. The dust will move from the battery to the damp cloth. Not the most effective way: dirt can remain between the sections, get into the air or walls, floor.

Steam generator

A steam generator will do an excellent job of removing contamination (especially accordion-type radiators). To clean, you will need to direct a stream of hot steam to the radiator. Such heat treatment will not only effectively remove even old dirt, but will also disinfect the surface. Under pressure, steam penetrates into narrow, hard-to-reach parts. To protect surrounding surfaces from exposure to steam, you can cover them with cloth or oilcloth. It is also important to know that the high temperature of the steam can negatively affect the coating: damage the paint.

Washing vacuum cleaner

A good alternative to a regular vacuum cleaner. It will cope perfectly even with serious dirt. Cleaning should begin from the inside, and then proceed to the outer surface. A washing vacuum cleaner, thanks to an aqua filter, can prevent the spread of dust throughout the room.

Available means

You can thoroughly clean the inside of the battery from dust using improvised means that are found in every home. The most popular means are presented below.

Spray

Before using a spray bottle or country sprayer, it is necessary to place a basin or any container under the battery where the water will drain. Dissolve a few drops of any detergent in the liquid and spray the contaminated areas. Hold for a few minutes. Wipe with a clean cloth.

Brushes for painting windows

Small brushes that will certainly be able to penetrate between the sections and remove dirt from hard-to-reach places. You can use a device for painting radiators, which has an elongated handle and curved bristles. A regular tassel can also be extended using a stick and electrical tape.

Toothbrush

The main difficulty in high-quality cleaning of heating appliances is inaccessibility. A toothbrush will perfectly remove dirt in hard-to-reach conditions. You can soak the bristles in detergent and wrap them with a cloth for more thorough cleaning.

Boiling water

You must first place some kind of container under the battery, for example, a baking tray or a basin, to avoid contamination of surrounding surfaces. Pour water previously brought to a boil onto the top of the battery, not forgetting the side parts. Water and dust will fall into the prepared container. In the same way, you can clean out internal contaminants.

Watering with a hose

This method will effectively remove different types of contaminants. The hose is connected to the tap. It is important to adjust the pressure - the higher the pressure, the more effective the cleaning. Place a large container under the radiator to allow water to drain there. The method requires accuracy and attentiveness.

Foam sponge

A foam sponge will effectively remove dust and dirt. You can add detergents. The sponge can be attached to a stick or brush to increase the degree of penetration inside the radiator.