Why is the heating radiator hot above and cold below

Clogged battery

Due to the poor quality of the heating medium supplied to heating systems, blockages are becoming a very common cause of poor heating. The issue becomes especially relevant during the start of the heating season. In private houses, the system is autonomous, and its clogging can only occur through an open-type expansion tank.

Clogged battery

To clean the battery, disconnect it from the pipes and rinse it. The first time hot water is poured, then special solutions can be used.

Why are the batteries in the apartment not warming up well?

Reason 1: air locks

Often the batteries in the apartment are cold or not warm enough due to air congestion. As a rule, such a problem is relevant for residents of the upper floors, since the air tends upward through the pipes. In order to eliminate air congestion, a Mayevsky crane is used. It allows you to release the collected air and ensure full circulation of the coolant in the pipes.

Reason 2: suboptimal connection of heating batteries

The first sign of improper connection is uneven heating of the battery. The radiator will not heat up strongly enough if the water supply is from the bottom. It is best in this case to change the connection diagram from side or bottom to diagonal.

Reason 3: a large number of radiator sections

Uneven and weak heating of the radiator may be the result of too many sections. It is best to avoid installing the battery in more than 12 sections.

Reason 4: low coolant temperature

Sometimes the batteries remain cold in winter due to the low temperature of the coolant (water) itself. In this case, you must contact the house management.

Air congestion

Air in the system is the main reason the bottom of the battery is cold and the top is hot. Most often, this trouble is observed among residents of apartment buildings on the upper floors. The air in the system tends upward, therefore, living in the upper part of the building, you should install Mayevsky taps or downpipes.

You can read about how to bleed air from a cast iron battery here.

Mayevsky crane

The sequence of actions will be as follows:

Shut off the pipe that supplies hot water to the radiator. In this case, the "return" must remain open.
Open the vent and wait until the air is completely out of the system.
Close the drain and restart the water supply to the radiator.

In a private house, you can use an alternative scheme:

Shut off the heating supply.
Open the drain at the top of the heating system.
Remove trapped air by back pressure.

If these recommendations did not bring the expected result, it is better to call a specialist to diagnose the entire system as a whole.

Air vent in new batteries

Incorrect connection

Incorrect piping is one of the possible reasons for a decrease in the efficiency of the radiator. This is a gross mistake, experienced craftsmen do not allow such oversights, most often they occur after the work is done by amateurs.

Incorrect installation of the radiator

The pipe, which is intended for the return, is connected to the upper branch pipe, the supply to the lower one. As a result, a spectrum of related problems arises:

The circulation of water and the full operation of the heating system are completely disrupted.
The efficiency of the radiator and its heat transfer decrease, and water is unable to completely fill all sections.
The process of draining liquid from the battery is disrupted.

Water enters through the bottom pipe, flows in a circle and leaves the radiator. Its sections do not warm up, the real efficiency is significantly reduced. The upper connection does not allow liquid to be drained from the inside, because the design features of the radiator do not allow creating increased pressure for its output through the upper pipe.

Incorrect and correct connection

Getting inside, hot water tries to immediately rise up, because it has a lower density than cold water. The coolant travels the shortest path, and the liquid does not move in the sections.

When properly connected, water enters from the top and flows through the upper manifold. The radiator has a lower pressure, the liquid flows into the columns and is directed to the lower part. With this scheme, the battery is fully heated.

How to fix the wrong connection:

Completely disconnect the pipes from the connections.
Implement a fundamentally different scheme, taking into account that the supply is carried out through the upper pipe, and it must be connected from the top, and the return flow - from the bottom.
Connect the elements to the battery, open the supply and check the operation of the radiator.

Important! The first step is always to assess whether the battery is properly connected to the system. If it is incorrect, then you will need to make adjustments. In the absence of errors, other reasons should be sought.

Breakage of shut-off valves

Shut-off valves are designed to completely or partially cut off the coolant supply to the batteries. Its main components are:

Ball Valves;
valves;
thermal heads equipped with a mechanical or automatic regulation system.

Ball valve design

The bottom of the battery is cold, and the top is hot due to a malfunction inside the tap. This can be due to a breakaway flap or any other violation of the correct operation of the element, which violates the free circulation of the liquid. Also pay attention to the correct mounting direction of the valve. The manufacturer indicates the direction of movement of water on the body and the installation must be carried out according to it. In case of incorrect installation, water will not move through the pipe even in the open position of the shut-off valve.

Direction of movement of water in the valve

Some cranes require correct positioning in space. For example, strictly horizontal or vertical arrangement.

The heating system is not balanced

With a small amount of water in the system, not all radiators heat up equally. The problem is solved by hydraulic balancing, which will ensure the passage of a different amount of fluid through each device. Adjustment can be done if the system is equipped with bypass and balancing valves and pressure flow regulators.

If the top of the radiator is hot and the bottom is cold, modular balancing is applied. To do this, the network is divided into separate elements (one battery, battery group, riser, etc.) and equipped with a balancing valve. This device allows you to customize each module.

When carrying out repairs, remember that the water in the system is hot and under high pressure. If you are not confident in your own abilities, call a locksmith from the service organization. published

P.S. And remember, just by changing your consumption - together we are changing the world! © econet

Low pressure

The bottom of the battery may be colder than the top due to insufficient pressure in the system. If the main system is designed for cast iron pipes, then the water supply force in it is quite low. The installation of bimetallic batteries leads to the fact that the coolant simply does not push through the narrowed passages inside the radiator.

In a private house with a membrane expansion tank, the pressure in the system can be raised manually. Residents of apartment buildings will have to contact a service provider to resolve the issue. Also, repair work can be carried out on the central highway, after which everything will return to normal.

Pressure gauge showing system pressure

Often, the bottom of the battery is cold, and the top is hot. illegal actions of neighbors of an apartment building:

Installation of water-type underfloor heating.
The bypass was installed on a common heating supply pipe.
The volume of radiators has been increased without agreement with the technicians.

Possible reasons

Why is the bottom of the radiator cold? It should be said that in almost all battery models, the temperature at the bottom is slightly lower than at the inlet. This is due to the high level of heat transfer, the water has time to cool down significantly before leaving the device. There is a temperature difference, which somewhat scares the owners. So, with small differences, you should not worry, this is a completely normal situation.

But if the difference increases significantly, the lower part is slightly warm or almost cold, then this fact indicates serious problems. The efficiency of the system is significantly reduced, and the battery is unable to provide sufficient heat. This negatively affects the room temperature, so urgent action is needed.

The most common reasons are:

During installation, the supply and return pipes were mixed up.
Low fluid circulation rate.

The first case is quite common, such situations can arise when you independently connect or use the services of unqualified craftsmen. Any violations of the circuit lead to the impossibility of full further operation of the radiator.

In the second case, the water flow rate inside the radiator is rather low, which negatively affects its operation. The liquid has time to cool completely until it leaves the battery. The slowdown in the flow rate can be affected by many reasons, each of which requires prompt elimination.

Low speed of movement of the coolant

If hot water moves through the pipes quickly enough, then it will give off heat more evenly along the entire length of the system. Otherwise, the radiators at the end of the line will be much colder than at the beginning.

Concerning high-rise buildings: The problem can be solved by connecting the battery diagonally. This will ensure an even flow of fluid throughout the radiator.

Diagonal battery connection

In a private house a malfunction of such a plan may arise due to a breakdown or absence of a circulation pump. You should check its correct operation. If the system is built on the gravitational principle of fluid movement, then it is recommended to install an additional pump. This will ensure that the radiators warm up evenly throughout the house.

Circulation pump in the heating system

Another reason that the bottom of the battery is cold and the top is hot can be a narrowing of the pipeline. This also leads to a low speed of movement of the coolant. The pipeline is narrowed if:

The plastic pipes were poorly welded and part of the passage is obstructed by the molten structural element.

Bad soldering of plastic pipes
Too much deposits have formed on old iron pipes.

The bottom of the battery is cold and the top is hot due to deposits
The control valve has a narrowed inner section.

The article covered the main problems that lead to insufficient heating of the bottom of the battery. Most of the problems are solved on their own and require little effort. However, some system deficiencies, such as pipe build-up, may require replacement of the entire pipeline.

(1 estimates, average: 5,00 out of 5)

Solving Key Heatsink Difficulties - How to Deal with Problems?

If you started asking the question: "Why is the heating radiator in the room hot above and cold below?", Then it is time to take the necessary measures without delay.

Correctly connected battery

To determine the cause, proceed according to the following algorithm:

it is necessary to check the accuracy of the pipe connection;
view the radiator itself;
release the air and clean the device;
it is necessary to check the condition of the valves for adjustment;
look through the pipes;
it is necessary to check the pump.

Cold batteries, possible reasons why the heating radiator does not heat

The initial stage requires a verification of the literacy of the connection. First, estimate the temperature of the pipe section at the bottom of the radiator. If the fixture was connected incorrectly, then the lower section of the pipe will be hot. To solve the problem, it is necessary to turn off all pipes and reconnect them according to the above principle. If you do everything right, the bottom of the pipe will be lukewarm.

Very often an air lock will appear in the radiator, which interferes with the normal heating process of the element. In order to solve the problem, there must be an air vent or a separate air vent seal in the device. For purging, you need to close the air supply, fully open the drain and release all the air. After the tap, it is necessary to return to its original position and turn the valves of the system. In most cases, this procedure gives the desired result.

If the system is equipped with a control valve, then the problem may lie in it. Remove the faucet and inspect it carefully. If you see a narrowing of its end, then you will need to return the parts to their original diameter using pliers. Most experts advise replacing the crane immediately in order to increase the life of the system.

If there is no tap, then, most quickly, the problem is hiding in the pipes. We recommend removing the channels with a specialized removable wrench, cleaning them from corrosion damage and other contamination. If the pipes are no longer suitable for use, replace them with new ones.

Often, there is no great pressure in the system due to its design properties. You should find out about this when you buy a living space or a private house. To increase this indicator, change the outdated pump or purchase it if the pump is not available as such. This will increase the speed of movement of the heat carrier and provide more efficient operation of the entire system.

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Claim what you paid for

Heating of apartment buildings is a service provided by heat suppliers and each the consumer has the right to demand its high-quality performance... If you silently wait out the frost with the heaters turned on, then pay twice - for heating and for the electricity consumed for heating. Therefore, do not waste your money - in case of violation, seek recalculation and normal temperature in the apartment.

Quite often, in apartment buildings during the heating season, you can face the following problem: the riser is hot, and the batteries are cold. This applies to both new buildings and old houses. In most cases, residents do not know how to cope with such a situation. That is why their attempts to repair the heating system on their own do not lead to the desired result. In this matter, you definitely need help or expert advice. After all, only a person with the necessary knowledge and experience can solve the problem of why the pipes are hot and the batteries are cold.