Even if you live in a comfortable apartment, sooner or later you will be faced with the issue of replacing risers. If you encounter such a problem, it is better to change the piping for hot and cold water at the same time. Even when the sewer riser seems whole in appearance, then if you look closely at it, you can understand that it will eventually require replacement.
The consumer of housing services should not carry out such work on their own, because for this there are appropriate services. But in reality, everything turns out differently. You can replace the pipes yourself. The main condition is compliance with the technology. Frightened by problems, do not postpone the need to replace pipes in a long box. This can be fraught with unpleasant consequences in the form of leaks when you are not at home.
How to get started
If your apartment is located in a multi-storey building, then you need to start manipulating with obtaining permission to dismantle the sewer and water supply. To this end, you should contact the housing maintenance service. It is important to warn the tenants that replacement of the risers is coming.
It is necessary to inform the time and date of shutdown of water supply and heating. Activities should be carried out on weekdays. Disconnecting the risers is done by a plumber. It is better to replace the risers with the whole staircase, so it will be not only easier, but also cheaper. If it was not possible to agree with the neighbors, then you will have to install steel pipes, which is not always suitable for everyone. An alternative solution is the installation of transitions from metal to plastic. In this case, you can install polypropylene.
Material selection
Before replacing the risers, it is recommended to choose the material that will underlie the pipe. Relatively cheap are steel structures that can withstand high pressures and temperatures. Among the minuses of such communications should be highlighted the increase in limescale during operation, the complexity of installation, susceptibility to corrosion, as well as high electrical conductivity.
Typically, steel pipes are used to install a water supply system. The risers can be replaced with polypropylene pipes, which are distinguished by elasticity and strength. They can easily withstand changes in temperature and pressure, and the material does not corrode. Parts are lightweight, easy to install, and low cost docking elements are used.
The main disadvantage of polypropylene is the inability to disassemble the finished connection. If necessary, repair will need to be cut. A riser can be made from this material, but it is also ideal for a sewer pipe.
Dismantling and installation of risers
If you decide to replace the risers, you can take advantage of the experience of experts who advise installing shut-off valves at the inlet. This approach is practical and convenient. If the design has a tap, it is cut off to eliminate problems with the flow of water. The new design should be ball. It is positioned as close to the junction as possible.
It is necessary to begin work on the replacement of risers by inspecting structures at the neighbors, where you will perform the joint. The connection to the plastic pipe should not be complicated. It is provided with a polypropylene solder sleeve. If you plan to replace the cold water riser by the interface with steel communications, then a thread is cut into them that will allow you to install the adapter.
The design is inspected for strength. If the pipe is in poor condition, it is better to use the services of a welder who will weld the thread. Otherwise, when cutting, the structure may burst under the influence of the load.
Professionals advise cutting or welding 5 or 6 turns. Alternatively, the use of a collet clutch may be considered during the joining process. When replacing a cold water riser from metal to plastic, an adapter sleeve is used that has an internal thread.
To seal the threaded connection, flax or a special fum tape is used. The coupling is screwed onto a metal pipe. A soldering iron will allow the connection of a plastic element with a butt pipe. As soon as you pass the overlap, you need to solder the tee, from which the wiring to the apartment will be provided.
Preparing tools before replacing sewer pipes
Before dismantling the sewer riser, you must ensure that you have the proper tools. Need equipment for cutting pipes. Typically, a pipe cutter or angle grinder is used for this. The chisel will remove the cut pieces from the system.
To extract small pieces you will need a screwdriver. To loosen the elements when replacing the sewer riser, use a hammer. In the process, you will need a nail clipper or scrap. They help a lot when removing stagnant elements. For grinding cement in those places where the pipes are interconnected, a perforator is usually used. A grinder should be used to prepare pipe sections for installation. The worker must wear personal protective equipment, such as gloves and glasses.
Preparation of tools and materials for mounting the riser
Before installing the sewer riser, prepare plastic pipes. Their diameter is 110 cm. You will need rubber cuffs for fastening between cast iron and plastic. Get a plastic tee with the necessary bends.
For the transition between cast iron and plastic, a compensation pipe is used. For the sewer riser, you will need fastenings. Traditional clamps usually act as them. The entry of the pipe into the connecting elements will facilitate the usual liquid soap. Do not forget to take care of the presence of a vertical level.
Sewer riser replacement
When carrying out such work, you should start by dismantling the old structure. At a meter above the tee, an angle grinder must cut a cast-iron pipe. The upper part of the structure is notched using the same technique. About 8 cm should be retreated from the ceiling. It is not worth cutting the pipe completely. A metal wedge is inserted into the cut, over which it is necessary to hit hard with a hammer several times. This will provoke a crack along the perimeter of the pipe.
The part is removed from the hole, and then a conical chamfer is performed using an angle grinder. It will be arranged in a circle of the remaining part. When replacing a sewer riser, pipes and a tee will remain at the bottom. These fragments are dismantled to release the bell. It is enough to grab the edges of the pipe and swing it, which will allow you to remove the element. If this approach did not allow to achieve a result, then the grinder must cut the tee.
The bell is cleared of dirt. When replacing the sewer riser in the apartment, the assembly must be carried out "in draft". This is required to fit parts to size. A plastic tee is installed in the bell. The diameters must match, otherwise you will need to install the adapter pipe. The design is disassembled, and mounting clamps are installed on the wall for fixing communications. After that, you can proceed with the installation of the system.
The cuffs should be chamfered outward. They are treated with silicone sealant. Chamfers on pipes should also be greased, as well as other parts. The design is assembled in the same sequence as in the fitting process. All connections must be made especially carefully. At the final stage, it is necessary to tighten the screws on the mounting clamps.
When replacing risers in an apartment building, a tee tie is sometimes required. To carry out such work, the section of the riser must be cut and deburred using a file. The outside of the pipe is sealed. This is where the compensator will be located.
A pipe is put on the pipe so that there is room for a tee. The pipe is treated with sealant, and then a tee is put on it. The narrow side of the compensator should be lubricated with sealant and ensure tight shrinkage of the element in the tee socket. The latter is ready for operation at this stage. This suggests the possibility of further assembly of the drainage system.
Additional nuances for assembling a sewer riser
Disassembly and replacement of the riser is carried out in the reverse order after dismantling. It is necessary to insert rubber cuffs into the cast-iron bell and the end of the pipe. A tee is connected from below, while an adapter will be located at the top. The joints should be as tight as possible, otherwise you may encounter leaks.
If the tee moves freely, the joint must be sealed with silicone or regular flax. The plastic sewer riser must be firmly fixed. Pipe clamps are installed in the next step. If the ceilings in the room are standard, then three clamps will be enough, which are located in the central, upper and lower parts of the pipeline. For higher ceilings, install the system using additional fixtures.
Next, you can proceed to the preliminary assembly and fitting of the system. The expansion joint lowers into the tee. It is necessary when connecting between cast iron and plastic. Pipes are connected in the right places and finally mounted. Next, you can begin to mount the riser to the wall. The disconnected riser is then started and checked for leaks. Particular attention should be paid to pipe joints. If you did everything according to the instructions, then the sewer riser will have to last a long time.
Heating riser: the formal side of the issue of replacement
Replacing heating pipes is a rather difficult task, which is especially true for unscheduled work. In such cases, there is usually no problem with neighbors, because pipes with regular thermal deformations do not stick to the ceilings, and damage to the ceiling and floor during the dismantling of old communications is minimal. It will be more difficult to understand the documentation.
It is also worth remembering that in new homes the heating system is leakproof. Usually it is filled with antifreeze all year round, so replacement of risers is not necessary. If the pipes burst in the old house, then one section of the entrance will unfreeze, which will cause great damage.
After major repairs, heat supply systems are usually pressurized under high pressure. Replacement of risers in the apartment is carried out in a certain sequence. Before the start of the heating season, an application is submitted to the housing office in which the request for repair is indicated . The reason must be mentioned in the document. Based on this, the specialists of the Criminal Code apply to the heating system.
During the heating season, an inspection of the riser should be carried out and the validity of the application determined. If you want to reduce heat loss by replacing steel pipes with polypropylene pipes, then this justification is good. Before the end of the heating season, specialists of the relevant organizations should develop technical conditions for the replacement of risers and present them to the applicant. Then the latter will be able to prepare, for example, temporarily remove the suspended ceilings.
Sometimes a request for replacement of risers is assigned to familiarize residents of the applicant’s house. By a certain date, the written consent of the neighbors to carry out the work must be obtained. If everything is framed correctly, then at the end of summer or the beginning of autumn, the procedure itself is carried out .
When self-replacement is possible
Replacement of risers in the apartment can be carried out independently. At the first stage, the old risers are dismantled, and then new ones are installed. The final step is to connect to the wiring and control the correctness of the work. First you have to block the risers and drain the water. For this, sometimes you have to contact the Housing Office.
Old pipes are cut by a grinder. They are dismantled by pulling from floor slabs. Next, you can mark the places for the installation of heating radiators. With the punch and level you can install the battery. The latter is equipped with shut-off cranes. This area can be blocked if a leak occurs. Such an outcome of events will not affect the operation of the heating system.
Then you can start connecting the pipes. Their diameter should not be narrowed. The lower and upper sections of the battery are connected to neighbors. You will need to install a jumper if the taps are blocked. Without this element, the heating pipe will not work. Once all work has been completed, you can start the water.
How to write a statement
If you are faced with the problem of decaying risers of hot or cold water supply, as well as sewage, and water oozes or sprinkles from the pipe, you should start repair. However, it will not work on their own to do this, because it is necessary to shut off the feed. All riser valves are controlled by the managing organization. She will repair the risers.
If you are looking for a sample of the replacement of risers, then you can get it in the Housing Office, however, you can draw up such a document yourself. The right or left upper part of the sheet should reflect who you are contacting with the letter. Next, indicate your last name and address. In the central part below write the word "Statement", then state the essence of the issue.
The text should provide information on why the replacement of risers is required. Do not forget to mention how events developed. Perhaps you have addressed this issue repeatedly to the appropriate authorities. If replacement of the risers is necessary, you must indicate the location of the leak, the cause of the accident and the riser material.
It is necessary to describe the work that you want to get during the repair. Indicate that you pay utility bills, and the management company must provide them in a timely manner. The application must be in duplicate. On one should put a mark on receipt with the signature of the secretary. It is not superfluous to mention that the replacement of risers is the preferred repair.
In case of refusal, you must ask to justify the reason and give an answer within a certain period. If representatives of the organization refuse to carry out work, justifying this with the fact that the pipes are in good condition, an act drawn up in the appropriate form should be requested. If you need to replace the sewer riser or any other communications in the apartment, you should know: if the organization’s specialists do not accept the document, you can send it by registered mail. A copy should be kept at home.
A few words in conclusion
Replacing risers is an inevitable problem that sooner or later every owner of a house or apartment will face. These manipulations are part of a major overhaul, but such a need may arise suddenly. This is because the state of pipelines in old buildings that were erected in Soviet times is very difficult to call brilliant.
Over the years, pipes have been subject to corrosion. This caused leaks. Inside communications, over time, a precipitate inevitably accumulates, which makes the lumen smaller and smaller. Water quality decreases, and its quantity becomes insufficient over time. Quite an expensive solution to the problem, although adequate, is the complete replacement of risers.