When building a private house, you have to solve a lot of problems, serious and not so. One of them is the organization of the heating system.
As practice shows, homeowners think about what liquid should be poured into the heating system at the very last turn. The question of the coolant is postponed until later, but it is very important what should be in the batteries - water or antifreeze? If water, then what quality should it be, and if antifreeze, then what brand of this chemical is needed?
Liquids used as heat carriers in private homes
There are two types of fluids that are used in heating systems. It:
- water. It is the most common heat transfer fluid used by 75% of homeowners. By the way, it is the most budget. This option is good if the house is constantly heated, and people live in it all the time. In order to convey heat to the radiators from the boiler, the thermal properties of water are quite sufficient. Although we must remember that the water in the radiators can present unpleasant surprises to the owners of the house;
- antifreeze, they are anti-freeze. Before pouring them into the system, antifreeze is diluted with distilled water. Types of antifreeze differ from each other in the base substances on which they are based. The most available are ethylene glycol. They do not freeze even at a temperature of -65 ° C, but at the same time they are toxic, therefore they are not recommended for use in residential premises. But propylene glycol products are safe for humans and animals, so they can be used without problems. They withstand frost down to -35°C.
What you need to know about the water that you are going to pour into the heating system? Can I just take it from the tap or should I use spring or distilled water?
The requirements for water are as follows:
- amount of oxygen, which is dissolved in water, should not exceed 0.06 mg / cu. m;
- acidity should be between 8.5 and 10. These restrictions are necessary to ensure that the pipes do not corrode;
- hardness of water should not exceed 10 mg equiv / l. Rigidity is the most important indicator. With increased water hardness, limestone deposits form in the pipes, which will quickly block the flow of water. Therefore, it is not recommended to pour water into the heating system directly from an artesian well. Natural water must be softened, passed through a special filter (with reverse osmosis). If this is not possible, then the water must be thoroughly boiled, which will lead to the precipitation of salt.
Terms of operation of antifreeze and water in heating systems
Water can stay in the system for up to 7 years without any problems. By the way, the color of the water over time can change to brown or just dark. It does not matter, since the water has already been prepared for use in the heating system. In case you use water, as a rule, the system has the ability to top up the coolant. The possibility of a complete replacement of the carrier is provided much less frequently.
Antifreezes contain special additives, due to which the system works up to 10 years. Additives guarantee protection against fungi, mold and other harmful bacteria. They also allow you to heat antifreeze to ultra-high temperatures. For country houses, it is better to use antifreeze with organic additives.
Restrictions on the use of antifreeze in heating systems
Heating experts recommend not using antifreeze if you have steel pipes and radiators. Steel is damaged by components included in antifreeze. Such coolants cannot be poured into open-type systems, since the liquid comes into contact with atmospheric air in them. And yet, antifreeze cannot be used in systems with vintage seals, such as tow and oil paint. Antifreeze will simply corrode this seal, and quickly enough.
So, for residential buildings, you can use propylene glycol, which is safe and does not affect even allergy sufferers. In the event of a leak, there will be no health problems for people and animals. Therefore, the use of this substance is also permissible in double-circuit boilers.
When using water, care must be taken to ensure that it does not freeze and damage the system.
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