1 General device

Main types

Air bubbles contained in the coolant begin to accumulate in certain areas of the heating system and in radiators. The bubble that appears continues to be supplemented with new portions of air and forms a plug that blocks the movement of the coolant in this place. As a result, nearby heating radiators cool down. For air outlet 2 types of drain valves are used:

automatic air relief valve;
Mayevsky's manual crane.

The valves are selected taking into account ease of use, as well as the principle of operation. Install valves in those areas where there is a maximum risk of traffic jams - at the highest point of the heating system and on the upper manifold of all radiators.

Efficient air exhaust device

Mayevsky's manual crane

The device of the Mayevsky valve is very simple to understand. At the ends of the body with ½ ″ or ¾ ″ external threaded connection there is a hole with a diameter of 2 mm. This section is closed by a screw with a taper tip. There is a small hole on the side of the faucet that is designed to release air.

The redesigned air release valve has a rotatable plastic sleeve with an exhaust port inside. Conveniently, the position of the reset hole can be adjusted by turning the plastic sleeve. Mechanical valve for bleeding air from the heating system works according to the following principle:

When the heating is running, the locking screw is screwed in, and the cone reliably closes the hole.
If it is necessary to get rid of the airlock, the screw is unscrewed a few turns. Under the pressure of the water in the thermal system, the plug comes out through the hole, then goes into the drain channel and moves outward along it.
First, clean air comes out, then - together with the coolant. The screw is tightened when clean water starts to come out of the channel.

The mechanical valve is a fail-safe device for venting air from the system. The secret to this reliability is the absence of moving parts that can rust, wear out or clog. Removing the screw for mechanical valves can be done with a wrench, screwdriver or steel handle.

In this video, you will learn the pros and cons of an air valve (air vent):

Automatic air vent

It is easy to understand that this valve works without human intervention. The device has the form of a vertical brass barrel with a G ½ ″ threaded connection, where a plastic float is located, which is connected to a spring-loaded valve for removing an air lock. The principle of operation of the automatic air valve for heating is as follows:

When the heating system is operating, the chamber in the housing is filled with water, which raises the float up. The spring loaded valve is closed.
Due to the accumulation of air at the top of the valve, the water level decreases and the float drops.
When the level drops to maximum values, the mass of the float will fully compress the spring, thereby opening the valve. As a result, air is ejected.
Due to the excessive pressure in the thermal system, the coolant will displace air from the valve, water will take this place and will bring the float back into working condition.

In addition to manual valves, there are automatic
According to their design, automatic valves for venting air from the heating system can be with an angle or direct connection. Some manufacturers make a vent hole from the top, others to the side.For the consumer, these differences do not play a significant role, but they can tell a lot to an experienced plumber. As practice has shown, equipment with a side discharge is more reliable in operation than valves with an upper outlet.

The design of automatic valves is being improved all the time. Leading manufacturers endow these elements with various functions:

Protection against water hammer with a special plate (installed at the entrance to the chamber).
Installing a mini-valve in the radiator plug.
Possibility to unscrew the air vent for repairs without emptying the heating system. This is achieved due to the presence of an automatic spring-loaded shut-off valve installed on the inlet connection. If the plumber unscrews the element, the spring aligns and the sealing washer blocks the passage.

Automatic air vent - operating principle, overview:

Features of the air valve

The aerator balances the internal pressure in the system with the pressure in the environment. Under normal pressure, the valve is closed, odors do not penetrate inside.

When, for example, the water in the bathroom is flushed, the pipeline is discharged, the stem mechanism is displaced, which forces the valve to open.

With the help of the device, oxygen is supplied from the outside, which is able to equalize the pressure inside the pipes. The stem returns to its original position, the valve closes.

Varieties of valve devices. Devices are divided based on the principle of operation of the mechanism:
1.The automatic valve is used in the pipelines of private houses, it can partially cope with the strong pressure, it can allow a small amount of air to pass through. The principle is built by dropping the accumulated air cushion.
2.Kinetic or anti-vacuum valve serves to let in and then release fresh air into the sewer pipe if the pressure is below atmospheric.
3. The combination valve works on the principle of the first two, taking the best qualities from the devices.

During the installation of the valve mechanism for pipelines of a horizontal or vertical type of system, devices are used that differ in their internal structure:

1. air ball valve. The part that forms the shutter, made in the form of a ball, is attached to the trigger hole by a spring. They are used in places where plumbing fixtures are inserted into sewer pipes laid horizontally and having a small diameter.
2.kind of valve for intake. The device has a filter to retain solid waste elements, preventing them from entering the sewer pipes. The mechanism has a section of twenty centimeters, it is installed before the pump in the horizontal sewer.
3. Wafer type air valve. A small device is placed in a vertical and horizontal sewer. There are body modifications. The straight-through valve allows the transported water to pass through without affecting the direction. The angle cap changes the flow direction by ninety degrees. The device has the shape of a plate, it has a cross section from 1.5 to twenty centimeters. Bivalve models are up to seventy centimeters in diameter.
4.reverse aerator. The device has a petal or rotary mechanism. The shut-off piece is made in the form of a spool, which, if necessary, comes close to the seat. Valves with a large circumference are prone to breakage due to constant bumping of the valve mechanism against the seat. Operating the system with a broken valve will result in water hammer. Dampers are built into larger valves to reduce the force of impact.

How the valve is attached to the sewer:
Welding method is used to install valves used in sewage systems of industrial facilities that work with corrosive liquids.
Coupling method. Repair couplings are used to install the device.
Flanged method. The air valve is installed between two flanges that are attached to each end of the pipe.
Flanged method that uses gaskets to seal.

Valve installation locations

Each circuit of a water heating system contains sections in which the installation of air vents is mandatory. If we consider the Mayevsky valves, then they must be installed on all radiators in order to remove the accumulated air. This must be done in the plug of the upper part of the corner, remote from the junction of the supply line with the battery. Air bubbles are collected here. Automatic air vents must be installed strictly vertically in such places of the heating system:

on all collectors when installing a "warm floor" system;
in the group part of the safety of boiler equipment, which is connected to a closed system;
for an indirect heating water heater and a buffer tank, if the design allows it;
if the highest high point is the pipeline, and not the battery, then a float air vent is installed on it;
on the hydraulic arrow;
on the distributor comb;
to the connection areas of the heated towel rail.

If you do not want to constantly run and twist the valve, set the automatic
Also, air dumpers are installed in problem areas of the heating system, where, for certain reasons, the laying of the pipeline has U-shaped loops turned upwards (for example, the pipeline bypasses a flight of stairs or a doorway from above, and then lowers again). In these expansion joints, the air is collected with a 100% guarantee, therefore an automatic air vent valve is required here.

You never need to embed the Mayevsky tap directly into the heating pipeline, since air bubbles will pass by it simultaneously with the movement of the coolant. The crane in this case will be simply useless. The mechanical drain valve requires an air collection chamber for proper operation (automatic systems have their own). It is best to make a tie-in into the main line with a vertical pipe, which will serve as a chamber for collecting air, and then embed the tap from above.

If a person, while filling the heating system with water, does not want to run between the batteries with a screwdriver, he needs to install angular automatic air dumpers instead of Mayevsky's taps. This option is also suitable for apartments that are heated centrally: air jams very often appear in cast-iron radiators, and there is simply no way to remove them.

To keep the air vent bulb out of sight and cling to the curtains, you can use a mini-model of this device, which is built into the radiator cap.

Quality Low Cost Auto Air Compressor Valve

Air removal methods

The air lock cannot be permanently in an easily accessible place. During installation or design errors, air accumulates in the pipes. Removing it from there is quite difficult. To do this, you first need to identify the location of the cork. At the site of its appearance, the pipes become cold, you can also hear the murmur inside them. If there are no obvious signs, then you can check the sound of the pipes by tapping. In the area of the accumulation of airlock, the sound is louder and more sonorous.
Read the same: how to properly release air from the heating battery.
Thereafter the air must be expelled... If we consider the heating system of a private house, then for this you need to raise the pressure or temperature. To increase the pressure, it is necessary to unscrew the make-up valve and the nearest air release valve. Water will begin to flow into the heating circuit, increasing the pressure, which forces the air to move forward. The plug will come out after it enters the drain valve.When all air masses are completely gone, the air vent will stop hissing.

Before removing air, carefully read the nuances of this action.

However, not all air pockets can be removed this way. In certain cases, it is necessary to simultaneously increase both pressure and temperature. These indicators need to be raised to values that are close to critical, but they cannot be exceeded. If after the procedure the air does not come out, you can try to open an additional drain and make-up valve. Perhaps this will move the air lock.

If the problem appears regularly in one section, then the fault is in the wrong piping or a mistake in the project. In order not to suffer all the time during the heating season, a release valve is cut into the problem area. You can install a tee in the pipeline and put a valve on the free entrance. In this case, the problem is solved very simply in the future.

Automatic valve for supply ventilation AERECO:

Scope of application

Sewers not equipped with a ventilation system. If it is not possible to equip the pipeline network with ventilation, valves are installed. Suitable for protection against odors from pipes of sinks, toilets, where a large pressure of water can cause imbalance in the pressure in the pipes and the suction of liquid from the water seal.

Long sections of the sewer line, located horizontally, and having many plumbing cut-outs, are more often subjected to powerful water drainage. For example, toilets in public areas. In order not to disable the operation of the hydraulic seal, valves are mounted after several points with plumbing fixtures.

In the case when the pipes are located at a distance from the riser, the angle of inclination of the central pipe exceeds the value of the height of the hydraulic lock mechanism.

The air valve facilitates the installation work during the laying of the sewer network in your own homes, saving time and effort on equipping the ventilation system.

In multi-apartment buildings, aerators are used as additional equipment for the pipeline system to ensure optimal operation.

What the aerator consists of. The aerator device consists of:

- from a plastic case with a hole on the side.
- from the cover, easily removable if necessary.
- from a stem or a rubber membrane.
- from a gasket, which serves as a joint sealant, serves to ensure tightness and prevents the stem from shifting.

Specialist recommendations

The first and most important recommendation is not to purchase Chinese-made automatic air valves. The consequences of this savings are well known to experienced plumbers:

the insides of the device break down very quickly under the pressure of the coolant;
a poor-quality air vent can jam, as a result of which it will not work;
simultaneously with the air flow, the valve passes the coolant, from this drips appear on the radiator and the floor, and the pressure in the heating system decreases.

There are several tips when choosing a valve, for example, if the family is large, a mechanical valve is your option.
With Mayevsky's crane, everything is much simpler - there is nothing to break in this device. At the same time, the valve is not a complex heating device and its cost is available even from famous brands. For example, manufacturers Valtec, Caleffi and Icma offer excellent budget products. Valves from the Spirotech company have also proven themselves well. Tips for choosing air vents:

It is advisable to choose a Mayevsky crane with a handle so as not to suffer with the keys. It is convenient to use the handle even in hard-to-reach places if the heating battery is in a niche.
Additional functions that improve the performance of the heating system are welcome. If funds permit, it is advisable to install an air vent that traps small bubbles.
The anodized coating of the trigger mechanism does not play a big role during operation. The coating only protects the metal from corrosion.
It must not be forgotten that air release float products are designed to operate at specific water temperatures and pressures.
It is best to choose an automatic valve with a shut-off valve. This will make it possible to unscrew the part for repair at any time.
If there are small children in the house, it is best to install a mechanical valve under a screwdriver. The child can accidentally turn the handle, open the tap and get burned by the coolant.

There are combination devices on the market that are equipped with a relief valve. These are various taps, balancing valves and circulation pumps. You do not need to focus on such products; it is better to install all the details of the circuit separately.

It is not difficult to choose such a simple, but rather important device like an air vent, especially if it is included with the rest of the equipment: a heating radiator, a manifold or a security group. If you need to choose this device separately, then you need to remember the quality of the material from which it is made. You should beware of various silumin fakes that imitate brass products.