Heating schemes from polypropylene pipes

Do-it-yourself heating installation has always required a large amount of knowledge and practical experience in performing this type of work. However, steel piping and cast-iron radiators have been replaced by other system components. When using polymer pipelines, the installation of heat supply will be much easier. In order to make heating from polypropylene pipes with your own hands, you need to know the installation rules, diagrams, and it is advisable to read the reviews.

Advantages and disadvantages of polypropylene pipes in heating

The choice of this type of material is due to many factors. First of all, this is a relatively simple installation of heating from polypropylene pipes with your own hands. But you should also take into account their technical and operational properties.

Properly designed and implemented heating from polypropylene pipes in a private house has many advantages. These include a low rate of heat loss. Due to the use of polymers in the manufacture, their thermal conductivity is one of the lowest. This is the determining factor why they prefer to make heating from polypropylene pipes with their own hands.

In addition to this advantage, heat supply from polymer mains has the following qualities:

Does not corrode. Over time, polypropylene reinforced heating pipes practically do not change the wall thickness. This increases the durability and reliability of the heat supply;
Unaffected by ultraviolet radiation. This phenomenon can be observed in metal-plastic analogues. But if the manufacturing technology and composition of the material are observed, German polypropylene pipes for heating can last up to 30 years;
Smooth inner surface reduces hydraulic resistance in the system. As a result, this affects the thermal distribution and the inertia of the heating operation;
Easy installation technology. You will need a minimum set of tools and accessories. But before that, you need to learn how to choose polypropylene pipes for heating;
Affordable cost. For autonomous heating systems installed independently, this is the determining factor of choice.

However, even the highest quality Rehau polypropylene pipes for heating have a number of disadvantages. They are characteristic of all products made of this material and are determined by the initial properties. A large coefficient of thermal expansion affects the installation technology and the choice of components. To eliminate it, it is necessary to install compensation loops. It is also possible to destroy the material when oils, paints and other household and building compounds get on its surface.

For a long service life, a heating circuit made of polypropylene pipes should provide for a low-temperature operation. Exposure to high temperatures (from +95°C or more) leads to gradual destruction of the polymer surface.

The choice of polypropylene pipes

The choice of a specific model begins with a study of what the marking of polypropylene pipes for heating means. It will determine the suitability of this material for installation in a heating system with specific technical indicators.

For heating it is necessary to use pipes with a reinforcing layer. It can be made from aluminum foil or fiberglass. The latter is preferred, as Kalde polypropylene heating pipes with fiberglass are easier to install and have a longer service life. In heat supply, the use of pipes made of PP-R copolymer is recommended. It is designed for high temperatures, which is a necessary condition for the maintenance-free functioning of the heating system.

All these data, including the dimensions of polypropylene pipes for heating, can be found from the marking. In addition to these characteristics, it is recommended to pay attention to the following parameters:

Pressure indicator. It can be recognized from the letter designation PN. The following numbers indicate the maximum allowable pressure. For example, the PN15 model is designed for operation in circuits with a maximum pressure of up to 15 atm;
Diameter and wall thickness. All polypropylene pipes for heating Valtec and other manufacturers are characterized by an outer diameter. Therefore, to calculate the internal index, two wall thicknesses should be subtracted;
Operating class. In the marking of polypropylene pipes for heating, this indicator indicates the maximum allowable temperature effect. For autonomous systems, it is recommended to install models with the fifth (up to +90°С) or fourth (up to +70°С) operation class.

Additionally, manufacturers make color coding. So, many models of Rehau polypropylene pipes for heating have blue and red stripes on the surface. This means that they can be used for cold water supply and heating.

The quality of polypropylene products can be determined by their end face. If even a minimal delamination from the reinforcing layer is observed on it, this indicates a marriage.

Heating schemes from polypropylene pipes

Most often, the installation of a heating system with polypropylene pipes is chosen for heat supply with forced circulation. For this, lines of small diameter are used - from 16 to 24 mm. Although installation options are possible in schemes with the gravitational movement of hot water.

The main problem in installing heating from polypropylene pipes with a large diameter with your own hands is the tool. Standard household semi-professional soldering irons are designed for connecting pipes up to 32 mm. In gravitational heat supply, it is recommended to install lines with a diameter of about 40 mm. This will require special equipment, the purchase or rental of which will be inappropriate.

But despite this, reviews of polypropylene pipes for heating indicate good performance in the following schemes:

Closed with forced circulation;
Open with forced circulation;
Two-pipe and one-pipe;
Collector.

For each of them, an individual technology for installing a heating system with polypropylene pipes has been developed. It is important to pre-calculate the optimal dimensions of pipelines, their configuration and wiring diagram. This can be done using software or manually using standard formulas and tabular data.

The life of the maintenance-free heating service from polypropylene pipes in a private house largely depends on the operating conditions. For the above schemes, the use of low-temperature operation is recommended. This will ensure minimal stress on the surface of the highways.

Also, during the installation of heating from polypropylene pipes with your own hands, you must follow all the installation rules. Otherwise, there will be a possibility of hidden defects that will provoke a breakdown or failure of the heat supply.

For a medium-sized private house, a two-pipe heating scheme made of polypropylene pipes with a lower wiring is most often used. It is easy to install and has good thermal distribution performance.

Installation of heating from polypropylene pipes

The determining factor in the quality of heat supply is compliance with the installation technology. Even the most expensive polypropylene reinforced heating pipes can not last long enough if the rules were violated during their installation. The minimum set for connecting polypropylene pipes includes a soldering iron with a set of heads, scissors and a device for end processing. The latter is an indispensable component, since in order to form a reliable welded joint, it is necessary to remove part of the reinforcing layer at the end of the pipe.

The sequence of installation of German polypropylene pipes for heating:

After purchase, they should lie for some time in a room with a temperature of + 15 ° C to + 20 ° C.
According to the drawn up scheme, pipes of a certain length are cut.
Before soldering, it is necessary to degrease the ends. Short-term exposure to Kalde polypropylene heating pipes with acetone or technical alcohol is allowed.
After heating the mirror of the welding machine to the required temperature, the ends of the fitting and the pipe are inserted into the nozzles. At this stage, it is important that the dimensions of the polypropylene pipes for heating match the nozzles. Temperature exposure is also required for a strictly defined time.
When the polymer surface softens, you can install the pipe into the fitting. It is important not to rotate the junction until the final cooling.

You can determine the optimal welding time for Valtec polypropylene pipes for heating according to the manufacturer's recommendations. It depends on the diameter of the product, as well as the wall thickness. If it is difficult to find out this information, you can use the data from the table.

The step of their fastening depends on the choice of polypropylene pipes for heating. For products with a diameter of 16 to 25 mm, it can be 60 cm. If 40 mm pipes are used in heat supply, the recommended step is 110 cm. On straight sections with a length of more than 1.5 m. compensation loops are installed. They are necessary to relieve surface stress after installing heat supply from polypropylene pipes with your own hands during the operation of the system.

Manufacturers of polypropylene heating pipes

One of the indicators of the quality of heat supply from polypropylene pipes in a private house is the manufacturer. The manufacturing technology of this product is quite laborious. But the appearance of a large number of low-quality pipes indicates the expansion of the "gray" production market.

When choosing, you should pay attention to several details. First of all, this is the presence of marking polypropylene pipes for heat supply. In addition to the technical parameters, the manufacturer must be indicated on it, as well as the regulatory document according to which the product was manufactured. But experienced craftsmen first of all recognize the trademark, and then check whether the polypropylene reinforced pipes for heat supply are fake.

Currently, there are several manufacturers whose products are completely trustworthy and differ from the rest in quality. Despite the fact that this is more typical of German polypropylene pipes for heating, there are high-quality products of domestic manufacturers on the market.

Rehau polypropylene pipes

Currently, Rehau polypropylene pipes for heat supply are the sales leader. The German company has been earning the image of a reliable manufacturer for a long time, whose products meet modern quality standards. Therefore, when planning the installation of heating from polypropylene pipes with their own hands, they most often opt for this brand.

For heat supply, the company offers the following models of polymer pipes:

Rautitan Pink. Universal option for heating of any type. Distinctive feature - pink color;
Flex. This model is adapted for the selection of polypropylene pipes in heating with maximum pressure values up to 10 atm;
His. Pipes can be used for heat supply with water temperature up to +70°C, as well as for hot water supply.

In addition, Rehau manufactures a series of professional assembly tools.

Polypropylene pipes from Kalde

The Turkish company Kalde has recently appeared on the domestic market. But a responsible attitude to quality and a fairly large range of products allowed her to gain confidence. For the organization of heating, you can purchase the following models of Kalde polypropylene pipes for heating:

Reinforced with aluminum foil. They belong to the economy category. But despite the more than democratic cost, marriage volume is low;
fiberglass reinforced. Designed for use in high temperature systems.

A distinctive feature is the use of PP-b grade polypropylene in the manufacture. In reviews of polypropylene pipes for heating from this manufacturer, it was indicated that integrity was maintained even when water freezes.

Polypropylene pipes for heating Valtec

From the very beginning of its production activities, the Italian company Valtec has placed emphasis on the versatility of its products. But this was done taking into account world requirements for quality and operating conditions. Thanks to this, Valtec polypropylene pipes for heating supply have a seven-year warranty.

The main models for installation in a heating system:

PP-FIBER PN 20. Designed for operation in systems with nominal pressure up to 6 bar. The maximum hot water temperature can be +90°C;
PP-FIBER PN 25. It differs from the one described above only by a higher maximum pressure - 9 bar at the same coolant temperature.

Pipes from this company can be used for heating in production. Their surface has increased protection against the influence of many chemical components.