Hot water supply system in apartment buildings. What is hot water supply for an apartment building. Features of water supply schemes

For the normal functioning of any construction projects, including an apartment building, it is very important to have a working water supply. Water supply in an apartment building is the central water supply line, as well as intra-house and apartment-based piping.

Issues covered in the article:

What are the features of the water supply system in an apartment building.
What water supply schemes are used in an apartment building.
What types of pipes are suitable for supplying water to apartments.
Whose competence is the replacement of water supply risers in the MKD.
How the hot water supply scheme is built.
How to increase the pressure in the water supply system.

What are the features of the water supply system in an apartment building

It is quite difficult to establish cold and hot water supply in an apartment building, since there are many consumers. Each apartment is a separate object of an apartment building, which must be provided with water supply. At the same time, pipes of different diameters are a single structure with a rather complex wiring system.

The water supply system in an apartment building is a large and unified complex of pumping equipment with filters and meters (metering devices) installed in it, also with shut-off and control valves and apartment piping.

Mandatory elements in the water supply scheme of an apartment building are pressure regulators. The water entering the MKD apartments must go through several preliminary stages of purification from any impurities of mechanical origin. In addition, chlorination is often carried out to disinfect the water.

The most convenient water supply system in an apartment building is the central water supply. That is, high-quality water is supplied for central water supply under the influence of high pressure. At the same time, water circulation is provided with the help of a water supply system located in the territory of all cities and settlements. Most often, water is supplied from surface water bodies located far enough from pollution sources. Such a water supply system in an apartment building consists of three components:

water intake facilities;
cleaning stations;
distribution network.

Thanks to the elements described above, water from the pumping station first enters a reservoir, where it is purified, and then enters the distribution network to supply water to the necessary facilities. Such a water supply system will function well only if there is high-quality and correct piping, as well as if there is good pressure.

Since the water supply in an apartment building must provide water for a sufficiently large number of users, the central water supply can be carried out using a well arranged thanks to a special water intake tower. The best option for a well is artesian, when water is taken from a great depth and therefore is of very high quality and clean. However, this method of water intake is quite expensive and is more often used to provide water supply not in an apartment building, but in a club (cottage house with a small number of apartments).

The water supply system in an apartment building using a water tower consists of several elements:

caisson;
main tank for water intake;
pumping station.

The caisson is a metal container located at a depth of 2-2.5 m above the well itself. A pipe is mounted in the caisson, which removes water from the well. The worst in terms of tightness is considered to be a concrete ring caisson. Violation of the tightness leads to frequent flooding from the rising groundwater.

With the help of a pumping station and a caisson, water is transported to a storage tank, in which an automatic valve on a float is installed, which turns on the pump when the water in the tank falls and does not reach a certain level.

The level of total pressure in such a water supply system in an apartment building depends on the volume of the storage tank or tank. Even if the electrical energy is turned off, water still continues to flow into the apartments until the pressure in the tank decreases due to the lowering of the water level.

Cold water supply scheme in an apartment building: 3 main types

The operation of any household appliance in an apartment that is connected to water depends on the correct installation of the water supply system in an apartment building. Thanks to a competent water supply scheme, all apartments must be provided with water through a central water supply system, while water must flow to all the necessary supply points.

At the moment, there are several ways to provide cold water in an apartment building.

Scheme 1.Scheme of sequential water supply to the apartment.

The simplest and most practical way of apartment water supply in an apartment building is a sequential connection diagram. This option is affordable and affordable. This scheme is common in residential buildings.

With this scheme, main pipelines with hot and cold water are mounted in parallel, and any equipment is connected using tees, and therefore this scheme is sometimes called "tee connection".

Such a water supply scheme in an apartment building implies the presence of a common highway for a large number of users, from which wiring is done using the same tees. The main pipe of large diameter is like an elongated collector.

This water supply scheme is not only very common, but also ideal for water supply for an ordinary apartment, in which there is one bathroom and there is not a large number of household appliances that work with the help of obtaining water resources. Such a water supply scheme in an apartment building has its strengths and weaknesses.

Strengths:

saving pipes to a great extent;
the project is quite simple and easy;
the costs of laying the water supply are reduced.

Weak sides:

in the case of the simultaneous use of several open devices, a sharp drop in pressure at the end points of the water supply is possible;
there is no way to selectively turn off the system, that is, if one pipe breaks, it will be necessary to turn off the water supply in the entire apartment;
it is quite difficult to determine the place of the leak;
no free access to tees;
if an accident occurs, it will be necessary to disturb the finishing layer of the wall or floor.

Only qualified specialists should lay pipes in accordance with a sequential water supply scheme in an apartment building. Only in this case, the pipe will not immediately leak, and the pressure will be normal.

Scheme 2.Collector circuit.

The operation of household appliances that depend on water can be disrupted due to a decrease in pressure in the general water supply scheme of an apartment building. To avoid this situation, a collector circuit is sometimes chosen.

It is quite expensive and difficult to mount this system. Due to the fact that the pressure drop in the collector circuit is excluded, all points of the plumbing equipment can be used simultaneously. This possibility is achieved by the fact that a separate pipe is laid to each such water supply point. If an urgent need arises, then each individual pipe can simply be shut off. In this case, no branches will depart from the main pipe, which makes the collector circuit as safe as possible to ensure water supply in an apartment building. In addition, the likelihood of leakage is reduced due to the fact that the collector pipe is connected to the main pipe only in one place, and in general, the main and collector pipes are located in parallel.

The figure of this diagram clearly shows its main principle - each water consumer is connected through a separate pipe directly to the cold and hot water supply collectors. At the same time, the pipe itself along its entire length does not have additional branches and unnecessary connections. These circumstances exclude the possibility of leakage. Both connections (collector-pipe and pipe-water consumer) are always easily accessible for repair.

Strengths:

system reliability due to the small number of connections;
adjustment of the operation of a separate plumbing fixture;
ease of maintenance and repair of the water supply system in an apartment building;
the interior does not deteriorate due to the hidden installation of pipes.

Scheme 3.Mixed scheme.

Such a water supply scheme is often used in an apartment building. Installation work in this case is cheaper, but only specialists can correctly design such a scheme, because the wrong device simply will not give the desired result.

Suppose that a collector water pipe runs through the basement, from which risers rise, while on each floor collectors are connected to the risers that feed the sanitary devices. It so happens that the lower wiring and risers are equipped with a tee system, and a collector water supply system in an apartment building runs along the floors. In its pure form, a collector circuit is one or more collectors installed directly in the basement of an apartment building. From there, the rest of the devices are powered.

Types of pipes used for water supply in an apartment building

There are several types of pipes that are used to organize water supply in apartment buildings.

Steel tubes.

Today, this type of pipes is practically not used when organizing water supply in an apartment building. The fact is that at the moment this material has already used up its resource. Plus, such pipes are not cheap. And the installation itself is a rather expensive and labor-intensive pleasure. The main disadvantage of this type of pipes is the collection of condensate, which destroys the material of the pipeline. The volume of the pipe decreases due to the formation of rust and plaque inside it, which means that the throughput decreases.

Copper pipes.

The main advantage of copper pipes is their long service life (about 50 years). This service life is achieved by the absence of rusty formations, plus copper has bactericidal properties. All this determines the high cost of this type of pipe.

Reinforced-plastic pipes.

Reinforced plastic pipes are quite popular today. Pipes made of this material are practical and reliable, and they are easy to install. To carry out the installation, you will need a special tool, and the joints are made using fittings. The reinforced-plastic pipe is capable of withstanding high loads (both physical and mechanical).

Water supply in an apartment building and sewerage

To ensure a comfortable life, a water supply system in an apartment building is simply necessary. At the same time, only specialists can competently mount such a system. For the installation of equipment, a special scheme must be drawn up, in accordance with which the installation will be carried out. If you install the system correctly, then it will be protected from leaks and deformation of the drainage systems. Quite often, when installing a water supply system in an apartment building, the water supply through the riser is turned off.

If the installation of sewer pipes is carried out in an apartment for the first time, then it would be better not to change the usual location of all plumbing fixtures, that is, you should use the old scheme. For a competent installation, you should measure the exact distance between the sink, toilet, bath and other equipment that works from the water supply and outline an appropriate plan for future work. In addition, you need to correctly determine the location of the clamps and the central sewer pipe. It is believed that a bias is definitely needed when creating a sewerage system. Also, only high quality materials should be used.

Before installing new or replacing old sewer equipment in an apartment of an apartment building, the common sewer riser and its condition should be assessed. If there are no external signs of rust, then replacement can be dispensed with. In cases where replacement is necessary, it is worthwhile to carry out this procedure carefully, since a damaged pipe is subject to deformation and, if handled carelessly, it may be necessary to replace the entire riser.

Sometimes it happens that it becomes necessary to lay new pipes in connection with the emergence of new equipment powered by water supply (washing machine, dishwasher, and so on). Also, a similar need may arise due to the connection of additional plumbing equipment.

To carry out a high-quality installation of the sewage system, you need:

pipes;
accessories;
compositions for fixing and sealing;
instruments;
fitting;
devices.

Water supply in an apartment building and heating

Today, there are many options for heating and water supply systems in an apartment building. Moreover, they are all relatively interdependent. This is especially true for heating. The fact is that the apartment cannot be heated independently of the hot water supply.

Of course, you can carry out the heating system in the apartment yourself, but all your actions must be coordinated with the utilities. It is often necessary to replace old heating pipes with new ones. Previously, heating pipes were made of cast iron. However, cast iron structures are susceptible to the formation of plaque and a decrease in permeability, which leads to the need to arrange an annual blowdown of the pipes. Modern analogues of heating systems do not require such maintenance.

To replace old heating pipes, you must first carefully dismantle them. In this case, dismantling should start from the central riser. Even in modern rooms, such pipes are located in the corner, since it is not customary to hide them in walls. It is important to know that heating equipment can be dismantled and replaced only if there is no hot water in the system, that is, after the end of the heating season.

The water supply system in an apartment building can be installed in different ways. The main difference is always the way of taking cold water, its purification and supply. Particular attention should be paid to the routing of pipes for supplying water in an apartment, and before that it is worth determining the amount of equipment operating from the water supply.

How are the risers of water supply in an apartment building

Risers are vertical pipes in a water supply system. They are divided into three types:

heating;
water supply risers;
sewer.

Special organizations are engaged in the maintenance of such installations (for example, ZhEK, ZhES, and so on).

It is important to know certain legal aspects of this issue:

Serviceable communications, including water supply in an apartment building, must be provided by the management company. That is, the replacement of risers and pipes, the service life of which has ended, should also be carried out at the expense of the management company.
In a municipal building, risers must be replaced by the city or district administration.
If the communication systems are privatized, then the repair work is paid for by the residents themselves.

Sometimes people who are in charge of replacing communications try to avoid doing their duty or charge for their services. In this situation, residents have the right to issue an official application with the requirement to repair or replace pipes. In the absence of any feedback, people living in an apartment building can write a complaint to the housing department. Most often, such steps on the part of tenants lead to the restoration of justice.

By whom and in what order is the replacement of water supply risers in an apartment building carried out

Overhaul of water supply in an apartment building or overhaul of the entire worn-out housing stock is a rather costly business. Therefore, in cases where the management company skillfully evades the fulfillment of its obligations, the tenants are forced to throw off for repair work. However, in addition to financial and technical problems, there are a large number of organizational issues. It is important to understand that replacement of entire risers can be effective for residents. For example, replacing steel with propylene will improve the quality of the water supply. In addition, due to lower pressure losses in the plastic pipes, the power consumption for pumping to the upper floors will decrease (the pumping pumps are powered through a separate meter and payment for it is scattered to the apartments of the pumped floors). Also, an impressive plus will be the fact that the prices for heating network services with such a replacement of pipes will be reduced by 10-20%.

To make the right decision regarding the emerging organizational issues for the repair and maintenance of water supply systems in an apartment building, you need to know and understand certain technical features.

Replacing the riser in the apartment by itself will not give any result. If you change the riser, then completely, from the basement to the outlet to the ventilation pipe, top plug, inspection hatch or drainage.
Risers are vital elements of the engineering communications system, an accident on which may entail, incl. and human sacrifice.
Housing legislation regarding risers (Articles 36 and 5 of Article 155 of the RF LC, Articles 290, 292 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation) is unambiguous: risers are not the property of residents, even if the apartment is privatized. Their owner is the UK (municipal housing office, departmental DEZ, private operating company).
Risers are replaced as part of a major overhaul, with contributions for major overhaul paid as payment for utility services. If there are many pensioners, beneficiaries, students, unemployed and so on among those living in a particular apartment building, then most likely there will be no free funds on the account of a completely honest management company. On the one hand, this is bad for the tenants (you need to deposit funds), and on the other hand, it is good (there is an opportunity to dictate your own conditions).
Overhaul in a residential building is done every 25 years. The operational period can be extended on the basis of the performed revision, however, the period between repairs cannot be increased.
The management company is not responsible for a scheduled major overhaul every 25 years. This fact also provides tenants with sufficient maneuverability regarding the organizational issues of riser repairs.
The riser where any emergency repairs have been carried out during this 25-year period will be considered emergency until the next major overhaul. This rule applies even if the malfunction was a small fistula, through which a drop of water flowed out per day.
The priority signs of an accident rate when determining its degree are always external manifestations: patches, clamps, weld beads, and traces of caulking.

The regulation states that early repair of engineering systems in a building can be carried out only in case of a proven danger to the life and health of residents. To organize such repairs, representatives of the HOA or the management company must draw up an application and send it to the appropriate executive authority.

The decision to carry out major repairs, including the water supply system in an apartment building, can only be made after several necessary checks, as well as examinations. The application is made in free form, but in accordance with the generally accepted model.

At the beginning of the application, a header is drawn up, where the addressee (position, company name) is indicated, after that the surname, name and patronymic of the head, the applicant's data, address and contact phone number are written. The main text of the statement should reflect the essence of the problem, as well as reflect the last date of the inspection. A description of the state of all engineering systems should be added. The conclusion must be dated and signed by the applicant.

If, after submitting such an application, a refusal was given, then the tenants must require its written registration, then they can apply with this written refusal to the court. However, the court's decision will have to wait for a long time, perhaps even more than one year. Therefore, in this case, there are 2 possible options for action:

You can wait for a serious accident, which will lead to the flooding of the entire entrance. In this case, the workers will simply be forced to carry out repair work. However, sometimes it happens that the housing office employees simply make a patch on the problem area, and do not replace the entire riser as a whole.
You can hold a general meeting of homeowners and raise the issue of a high-quality replacement of pipes at your own expense. In this case, the payment for one apartment will be 3-5 thousand rubles.

Risers are installed in each house:

heating system;
sewer;
for supplying cold and hot water to the apartment.

Replacing any of the above risers for repairing the water supply system in an apartment building is carried out in the following sequence:

Overlapping of the riser being repaired.

If we are talking about hot water supply and cold water supply, then it is worth waiting for a while after the overlap, since the remaining liquid will still drain. If it is planned to replace the sewer riser, then none of the residents should drain the water (its supply should be turned off).

Elimination of old pipes.

It is necessary to invite locksmiths through the management company, since this type of work is quite difficult, especially if the pipes are cast iron.

Installation of new pipes.

Now you should open the water and make sure there are no leaks. The best option would be the simultaneous replacement of communications throughout the house. Then the likelihood of leaks and emergencies is reduced.

Despite the fact that the basic principle of work on replacing communication systems is the same everywhere, there are still some peculiarities.

When replacing a heating riser:

make a statement on the need to turn off the heat supply and send it to the management company, since you cannot turn off the riser yourself without special knowledge;
Consider installing shut-off valves when connecting batteries, this will eliminate the need to shut off heat throughout the house if a leak is detected;
do not use an overly narrowed diameter when installing pipes, otherwise the pipe will burst due to the high pressure in the central heating system.

To replace a plumbing riser, you need to choose the right type of pipe. Cold water and hot water systems are different, since when supplying hot water, plastic reinforced pipes are used that do not deform from high temperatures.

It is better to replace pipes in the whole house at once. However, sometimes it happens that some neighbors are against, then the master simply cuts off the old pipe in the apartment in front of the ceilings (upper and lower) and installs special fittings. It is necessary to dismantle it from the upper floors, but you need to mount a new riser from the first floor.

Expert opinion

How to share responsibility for water supply with RNO

Elena Sholomova,

lawyer, auditor, chairman of the board of TSN "green, 22"

Where is the border on the cold-water and hot-water supply networks.

The common property of an apartment building includes cold water supply and hot water supply systems, which consist of:

risers, branches from risers to the first disconnecting device located on branches from risers, disconnecting devices;
ODPU of cold and hot water;
the first shut-off and control valves at the outlets of the in-house wiring from the risers;
mechanical, electrical, sanitary and other equipment located on these networks.

The main reason you need to know who is responsible for what is finance. The responsible person must maintain his property and pay for losses on the networks, as well as deal with the elimination of emergency situations. Even the smallest accident on the network "in the ground" will be quite expensive, since it will be necessary to organize excavations, and then new landscaping of the territory. And if a parking lot or some other object is found on the network, then the task may not be feasible at all.

The person in charge of the network section is also responsible for all the consequences of the accident. This person will also be responsible for the claims of consumers.

Owners should not bear the cost of maintaining property that does not belong to them. It cannot be argued that the disputed plot belongs to common property only because it is not on the balance sheet of the NOR. This position was defended by the HOA from Khabarovsk (determination of the Judicial Collegium of the RF Armed Forces of 03/21/2016 No. 303-ES16-917).

Where is the border on heating networks.

According to the law, the common property includes:

risers;
heating elements;
control and shut-off valves;
ODPU of thermal energy;
other equipment located on these networks.

The place of fulfillment of the obligations of the heat supplying organization is the delivery point located on the border of the balance sheet of the heat-consuming installation or the consumer's heating network and the heating network of the heat supplying organization, or at the point of connection to the ownerless heating network.

The position should be defended that the equipment or the disputed section of the network is not part of the common property. It is worth referring to the absence of the minutes of the general meeting and the absence of references to the disputed object in the management agreement for an apartment building. And to transfer the place of demarcation of the balance sheet, the words of the RNO that the section of the network does not belong to it are not enough, the will of the owners of the premises in the MKD is necessary.

Such conclusions are contained in the ruling of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of December 21, 2015 in case No. 305-ES15-11564, A41-22117 / 2014.

Where is the border along the sewer networks.

According to the law, the following constituent parts of an in-house engineering drainage system are considered common property:

sewer outlets;
fittings (including bends, transitions, branch pipes, revisions, crosses, tees);
risers, plugs, exhaust pipes, gutters;
branches from risers to the first butt joints;
other equipment located in this system.

If there is no act of delineation of operational responsibility, then the border of operational responsibility is established along the border of the balance sheet (clause 32 of the Rules for Cold Water Supply and Wastewater Disposal, approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of July 29, 2013 No. 644).

If the water supply to the subscriber is carried out through ownerless networks, which are transferred to the water utility, then the boundary of operational responsibility is established along the border of the ownerless networks.

Often controversial areas are sewer outlets from the wall of an apartment building to the first inspection well. Most often, a controversial issue arises after the completion of the construction of an apartment building, when the developer does not transfer the external sewage networks to municipal property. At the insistence of the water utility in this case, the border of operational responsibility for sewer networks should pass along the point of entry of the outlet into the first inspection well. The fact is that:

Internal sewerage is a system of pipelines and devices within the boundaries of the outer contour of a building and structures, limited by outlets to the first inspection well, which ensures the discharge of waste, rain and melt water into the sewerage network (clause 3.1.6 SP 30.13330.2016 "SNiP 2.04.01– 85 * Internal water supply and sewerage of buildings "). Hence the conclusion that the sewerage system, including sewerage outlets and outlets, branches from risers to the first butt joints, belongs to common property. Therefore, according to the vodokanal, the demarcation should be established at the point where the outlet connects to the sewer well.
The costs of servicing and repairing sewerage sections from the outer border of an apartment building to the first inspection well are not included in the tariff for sewerage services, and only one apartment building is serviced by sewerage outlets.

In connection with the above, the vodokanal insists on servicing only the courtyard canal network, but he attributes the outlets from the outer wall of the house to the wells to the area of responsibility of the management company.

According to judicial practice, sewer outlets of apartment buildings should be divided into:

the inner part of the house, which is located inside the house to the outer border of its wall;
the outer part, which runs from the outer boundary of the house wall to the walls of the sewer wells.

If something else was not established by the general meeting of owners, then sewer outlets are considered common property only in the part that is located inside the apartment building (up to the outer border of its wall). The passage of the external sections of the sewer networks through the adjoining territory does not in itself classify them as common property (decisions of the Arbitration Court of the East Siberian District of 08.24.2016 in case No. No. A56-27226 / 2015, of the Arbitration Court of the Ural District dated 03.10.2016 in case No. A76-4485 / 2015).

The norms of SP 30.13330.2016 are not applied to the relationship between you and the RSO. Any SNiP are applicable in design and construction, but not in determining the composition of common property in an apartment building.

Hot water supply system in an apartment building

DHW is a whole system that consists of pipelines and various devices used to heat cold water and distribute hot water to consumers. Sometimes in the bathroom and toilet special pipes are used that heat these rooms. These pipes are also used as dryers.

The range of the hot water supply system in an apartment building can be:

Local.

Such a water supply system is usually created for a group of small objects or one small building. The consumer heats the water himself in this case thanks to a gas or electric flow-through boiler. Maintenance of local water supply systems must be regular, and their use is usually due to the lack of the possibility of using a centralized hot water supply.

Strengths of the local hot water system in an apartment building:

it works autonomously;
the repair of such a system is quite simple;
heat loss is small.

Central.

This type of system appeared in connection with the liquidation of district and local boiler houses, as well as heat supply systems. These systems are much more practical to use, since there is no need to install special equipment for heating cold water and no additional wiring is needed. However, the central hot water system in an apartment building has its drawbacks:

frequent repairs and regular maintenance of pipes;
slow execution of requests for repairs by utilities;
sudden pressure drops;
not high enough temperature.

The local hot water supply system does not have such disadvantages.

Within the framework of centralized water heating and water supply systems, both open (network water is mixed with heated water) and closed (water heats up through surfaces without contacting the heat carrier) heating networks can be used.

The most rational in the use of open heating systems, although the quality of the supplied water in the context of the temperature regime can significantly deteriorate. Today, such systems are quite rare.

A closed hot water supply system in an apartment building has become more popular recently, since it is based on the use of a heating main with a completely separate, autonomous circuit (a tank for pumping cold water). Cold water is pumped into this autonomous circuit, which then passes through the heat exchange elements. In this case, the heat exchange elements take heat from the main water, which is heated in the CHP. There may also be other sources of heat, but the most widespread is direct heat transfer using an open hot water supply system.

In this situation, the quality of the hot water supplied to the house does not depend on the condition of the pipes located in the central heating system. If a closed system is used, then there are heat exchangers and additional pumping units.

A closed hot water supply system in an apartment building has certain advantages against the background of an open system, namely, qualitative and bacteriological properties.

The closed circuit of hot water supply in an apartment building provides a stable temperature regime regardless of the air temperature in winter.

Today, engineers often use a closed hot water system in an apartment building. The scheme of such a plan is considered to be more reliable.

DHW in an apartment can be done in several ways:

water is heated in the boiler room, and then supplied to the consumer;
water is heated in a special point located in a block or district;
water is heated using special equipment installed in the basement of an apartment building;
water heating takes place in the consumer's apartment.

DHW can be circulated. With such a device, the movement of water constantly occurs through the pipes and thereby ensures not only the supply of hot water, but also heating.

They also distinguish a dead-end DHW system. In this situation, the water is not used immediately, but over time it can cool down. In this regard, a special container is often installed in an apartment, where the water is heated and its temperature is maintained.

It would be more rational to use an individual DHW system, since a monthly fee must be paid for using a centralized system.

The most economical option for providing hot water in an apartment can be considered a boiler, since you will only have to pay for cold water, and hot water is provided by the user himself.

The scheme of increasing pressure and solving the problem of insufficient pressure

Quite often, the problem of unstable water pressure in the pipeline arises. At the same time, this problem is familiar to both the owners of private houses and residents of multi-apartment high-rises. However, in a private house, the pressure in the water supply system can drop due to a minor malfunction in the pumping equipment, which can easily be eliminated on its own. But problems with central water supply in an apartment building arise for reasons beyond the control of users.

In any building, the water supply system has two networks: external and internal. The border between them is the valve flange, which is located immediately at the inlet after the pipeline crosses the wall.

In addition, the water supply system consists of two units: an inlet and a water meter, as well as risers with connections and from distribution branches. Also, one of the elements of the internal network can be a water pressure device.

Depending on what kind of circuit is used, such a device can be a pump or a storage tank, such an element, due to the water supply, can regulate the stability of the water supply with an increase in its consumption.

The main task of the internal water supply network in an apartment building is to distribute water to distribution points or between consumers. The main role in this distribution is assigned to water intake valves. The control valve only controls the water flow.

It is the type of water supply system that determines the location and total number of the above-described elements, as well as the ratio of the pressure characteristics of the internal and external networks.

By appointment, the water supply is:

household and drinking (usually provided in buildings up to 12 floors);
household and drinking water, combined with a fire-fighting water supply (buildings from 12 to 16 floors);
separated drinking and fire-fighting and household with the supply of water of different quality (for high-rise buildings).

Of course, under different circumstances and in different cases, the pressure in the water supply system in an apartment building will vary significantly.

The simplest version of the water supply system is provided by a building with a height of up to 6 floors. In this situation, at the entrance to the building, the pressure required for the operation of the internal line is provided by the external network. In this case, there is no need to install any additional devices to increase the pressure.

If the external network cannot cope with the task at hand and there is a need to increase the pressure, then the following schemes can be used:

Scheme 1.Scheme with the introduction of a regulating capacity.

If there is not enough pressure to supply water to a far or high point, and you need to increase the pressure for several hours, then this water supply scheme in an apartment building will be the most optimal. It is based on a fairly simple principle of operation: during a period of decline in consumption (most often at night), the tank is filled, and with an increase in consumption (in the daytime), this water supply ensures the normal functioning of the network.

Such tanks can be used not only to provide water supply in an apartment building with a large number of floors, but also to regulate the water supply of a private house.

This tank can be placed on the piping to plumbing equipment that needs a higher pressure (laundry, shower, and so on).

Scheme 2.Scheme with regular pumping of water with a pump.

If an insufficient pressure level is constantly present, then, in order not to depend on the time of day, it is better to use a circuit with a booster pump. Such a pump is suitable for use in an apartment or a private house, which is connected to a central water supply with a low pressure. The main disadvantage of this scheme is the asthmatic activation of the pump every time the tap is opened, which leads to a fairly rapid wear of the equipment.

Scheme 3.A diagram in which there is both a booster pump and a regulating tank.

This scheme combines the advantages of both schemes described above and protects the pump from rapid wear. If the system has a hydraulic accumulator, that is, a tank for storing water, then the pump will turn on only when the water level in such a tank drops to a certain level. This is due to a signal from a special sensor in the form of a float, which is installed on the tank.

You can pick up a pump separately from the tank and vice versa, but there is an excellent alternative: a special water supply station that is installed on the pipeline. Such a station already includes both a container for collecting water and the pump itself. This unit allows not only to optimize the pressure, but also provides the ability to supply water from a water intake (well, reservoir, water tower). In addition, this system is quite easy to use and can be installed independently.

If the building has more than 16 floors, then parallel (separate) water supply systems are more often used. In each such water supply network in an apartment building, water is supplied with the help of booster pumps located together on the technical floor or in the basement. As a rule, such networks are powered by cold and hot water from water tanks.

Often, these networks are divided into zones: the required pressure for the lower floors is created using the pressure of the external pipeline, and for the upper floors, using booster pumps.

The constant supply of hot water to an apartment building can be carried out in two methods using different principles of operation:

In the first case, the hot water supply of an apartment building takes water from the cold water supply (cold water supply) pipeline, then the water is heated by an autonomous heat generator: an apartment boiler, a gas water heater or a boiler, a heat exchanger using the heat of a local stoker or CHP;
In the second case, the hot water supply scheme for an apartment building takes hot water directly from the heating main, and this principle is used in the residential sector much more often - in 90% of cases of organizing hot water supply in the housing stock.

Important: the advantage of the second version of the water supply system for a residential building is the best water quality, which is regulated by GOST R 51232-98. Also, when hot water is drawn from a centralized heating main, the temperature and pressure of the liquid are quite stable and do not deviate from the set parameters: the pressure in the pipeline of the hot water supply system is maintained at the level of cold water supply, and the temperature is stabilized in the general heat generator.

Let us consider the water supply of an apartment building according to the second option in more detail, since it is this scheme that is most often used both in urban areas and in country houses, including country or garden houses.

What elements does the water supply scheme for an apartment building include?

The water meter unit, which organizes the supply of water to the house, is responsible for the operation of several functions:

It takes into account the consumption of cold water supply, that is, it performs the function of a water meter;
Can shut off the cold water supply to the house in case of emergency or if it is necessary to repair units and parts, as well as to eliminate leaks;
Serves as a coarse water filter: such a mud filter should contain any scheme for hot water supply in an apartment building.

The device itself consists of the following components:

A set of shut-off valves (taps, gate valves and valves) at the inlet and outlet of the device. As a standard, these are gate valves, ball valves, valves;
Mechanical water meter, which is installed on one of the risers;
Dirt filter (filter for coarse water purification from large solid particles). This can be a metal mesh in the case, or a container in which solid debris settles to the bottom;
Pressure gauge or adapter for inserting the pressure gauge into the water supply circuit;
Bypass (bypass from a pipe segment), which serves to turn off the water meter during repairs or reconciliation of data. The bypass is supplied with shut-off valves in the form of a ball valve or a valve.

It is also an elevator unit that performs the following functions:

Provides full and continuous operation of the heating system in an apartment building, and also regulates its parameters;
Delivers hot water to the house, that is, provides hot water supply (hot water supply operation). The coolant itself in the heating system enters the hot water supply system of an apartment building directly from the centralized heating main;
The substation can switch the hot water supply between return and supply. This is sometimes necessary in severe frosts, since at this time the temperature of the coolant in the supply pipe can rise to 130-150 0 С, and this despite the fact that the standard indicator of the supply temperature should not exceed 750С.

The main element of the substation is a water-jet elevator, where hot water from the working fluid supply pipeline in the house is mixed in a mixing chamber with a return coolant by injection through a special nozzle. Thus, the elevator allows a larger volume of coolant with a low temperature to pass through the heating circuit, and, since the injection is carried out through the nozzle, the supply volume is small.

It is possible to embed adapters for connecting hot water supply between the valves at the inlet of the route and the heating point - this is the most common connection scheme. The number of inserts is two or four (one or two at the supply and return). Two inserts are typical for old houses; in new buildings, four adapters are used.

On the cold-water supply line, a dead-end tie-in scheme with two connections is usually used: the water meter unit is connected to the filling, and the filling itself is connected to the risers through which the pipes are routed to the apartments. Water will move in such a cold water circuit only when parsing, that is, when opening any mixers, taps, valves or gates.

Disadvantages of this connection:

With a prolonged absence of water intake for a specific riser, the water will be cold for a long time when draining;
Heated towel rails embedded in hot water supplies from boilers, which simultaneously heat a bathroom or a toilet, will be hot only when hot water is drawn from a particular riser of the apartment. That is, they will almost always be cold, which will cause the appearance of moisture on the walls, mold or fungal diseases of the building materials of the room.

A heating station with four hot water connections in the house makes hot water circulation continuous, and this happens through two filling and risers connected to each other by jumpers.

Important: if mechanical water meters are installed on the DHW sidebars, then the water supply consumption will be taken into account without taking into account the water temperature, which is wrong, since you will have to overpay for hot water that was not in use.

Hot water supply can function in three ways:

From the supply pipe to the return pipe to the boiler room. Such a DHW system is effective only in the warm season when the heating system is off;
From the supply pipe to the supply pipe. Such a connection will bring maximum returns in the demi-season - in autumn and spring, when the coolant temperature is low and far from maximum;
From the return pipe to the return pipe. This DHW scheme is most efficient in large cold weather, with an increase in the temperature on the supply pipe ≥ 75 0 С.

For the continuous movement of water, a pressure difference is required between the start and end points of the injection into one circuit, and this difference is ensured by the restriction of the flow. Such a limiter is a special retaining washer - a steel pancake with a hole in the middle. Thus, the water that is transported from the inlet to the elevator encounters an obstacle in the form of a washer body, and this obstacle is regulated by a rotation that opens or closes the retaining hole.

But too much restriction of the movement of water in the pipeline route will disrupt the operation of the heating point, therefore, the retaining washer must have a diameter 1 mm larger than the diameter of the heating point nozzle. This size is calculated by the representatives of the heat supplier so that the temperature on the heating return pipe of the elevator unit lies within the standard limits of the temperature schedule.

What is pipe filling and riser

These are pipes laid horizontally and running along the basement of a residential building, which connect the risers with a heat supply point and a water meter. The filling of cold water supply is done in one piece, the filling of hot water supply is done in two copies.

The diameter of the pipes for hot water or cold water filling can be 32-100 mm, and depends on the number of connected consumers. For any water supply scheme, ø 100 mm is too large, but this size is taken taking into account not only the actual state of the route, but also taking into account the size of salt deposits and rust on the inner walls of metal pipes.

The vertical pipe riser conducts water distribution to the apartments located above it. The standard scheme of such a wiring includes several risers - for cold and hot water supply, sometimes - separately for heated towel rails. More wiring options:

Several groups of risers passing through one apartment and providing water to the water intake points located at a great distance from each other;
A group of risers in one apartment, which provides water to a neighboring apartment or several apartments;
When organizing hot water supply with pipe bridges, it is possible to combine up to seven groups of risers per apartment. The bulkheads are equipped with Mayevsky cranes. This is called the circulation pipeline, or ctp.

The standard diameter of pipes for cold and hot water supply for risers is 25-40 mm. Risers for heated towel rails and idle risers are mounted from pipes ø 20 mm. Such risers provide both one-pipe and two-pipe heating systems for the house.

Closed hot water system

Constant circulation of water in a closed hot water supply system is based on the principle of taking cold water from a pipeline and supplying it to a heat exchanger. After heating, water is supplied to the wiring system around the apartment. The working fluid in the heating system and hot water for the technical needs of consumers are separated, since the coolant can have toxic inclusions to improve its heat exchange properties. In addition, hot water pipes rust faster. Such a scheme is called closed due to the fact that the consumer uses heat, and not the heat carrier itself.

Pipe connection

The main function of the connections is to distribute water to the draw-off points in the apartment. The standard diameter of the supply pipes is 15 mm, the pipe grade is DU15, the material is steel. For PVC or multilayer pipes, the diameter should be the same. When repairing or replacing the liner, it is not recommended to use a smaller diameter, so as not to change the design pressure parameters that the hot or cold water circulation system must observe.

Tees are most often used to organize the correct wiring, with a more complex wiring diagram - collectors. The collector line requires concealed installation, therefore, the collector should be installed when servicing a large number of rooms in the house. In 10-15 years, metal pipes are overgrown from the inside with salt mineral deposits and rust, therefore, preventive work to restore the system's performance consists in cleaning the pipes with steel wire, or replacing old pipes with new ones.

With the apparent functionality and durability of PVC or metal-plastic pipes, it is recommended to use steel products for the liner - they hold water shocks and temperature drops well. Such deviations in the DHW operating mode can often be observed when the heating system is turned on or off. Laying the pipe material in the plan of the water supply scheme for a residential building should be at the stage of drawing up a project and an estimate.

Galvanized metal pipes - they have been used for many decades, and they have proven themselves from the very best side. A zinc layer on the metal does not allow corrosion to develop, and salt deposits are not retained on it. When purchasing galvanized products, it should be remembered that welding work on such a surface is not performed, since the weld will remain unprotected by zinc - all connections must be made on the thread;
Pipes on brazed copper fittings last much longer than steel and even galvanized pipes. Such connections with a soldering connection do not need to be serviced, and they can be laid both in an open and in a hidden way;
Corrugated pipes for cold or hot water supply from stainless steel. These products can be easily and quickly mounted on threaded connections or compression fittings. No special equipment, except for two adjustable wrenches, is required for this. The guaranteed lifetime of stainless steel is not limited by the manufacturer. The only thing that will have to be changed over time is the silicone seals.

Features of hot water supply and calculation of the amount of hot water

The calculation of the amount of hot water in the system depends on technical and operational factors:

Estimated hot water temperature;
The number of residents in an apartment building;
The parameters that plumbing fixtures withstand, and the frequency of their operation in the general water supply scheme;
the number of plumbing fixtures that are connected to the hot water supply.

Calculation example:

A family of four uses a 140 liter bathroom. The bathtub fills up in 10 minutes, the bathroom has a shower with a water consumption of 30 liters.
Within 10 minutes, the device for heating water must heat it up to the design temperature in the amount of 170 liters.

These theoretical calculations work assuming residents' average water consumption.

Breakdowns in the hot or cold water supply system

You can fix the following emergency situations with your own hands:

Leaking valve or faucet. This happens most often due to wear on the stuffing box or seal. To eliminate the malfunction, it is necessary to open the valve fully and with force so that the raised gland closes the leak. This technique will help for a while, in the future, the valve must be sorted out and replaced with worn parts.

Noise and vibration of a valve or tap when opening in a hot water supply system (less often cold water). The most common cause of noise is wear, deformation or crushing of the gasket in the crane box of the mechanism. Noises appear if the tap does not open completely. This malfunction can cause a series of water hammers in the pipes, so its elimination is of paramount importance. In a few milliseconds, the valve of the crane trailers is able to close the valve seat in the valve body or valve, if it is not a ball valve, but a screw. Why is the risk of water hammer higher in DHW? Because in pipes with hot water, the working pressure is higher.

How the malfunction is eliminated:

Shut off the inlet water;
Unscrew the crane box of the noisy crane;
Replace the gasket, but chamfer the new gasket before installing so that the valve does not vibrate when opened at high pressure.

The heated towel rail does not heat up. The cause of a breakdown may be the presence of air in the water supply system with constant circulation of the coolant. Usually, air accumulates in the bulkhead, which is installed between adjacent risers, after an emergency or planned drainage of water. The problem is eliminated by bleeding air plugs. This requires:

Bleed air at the highest point of the system - on the last floor;
Shut off the hot water riser, which is located in the apartment (the riser is blocked in the basement of the house);
Open all DHW taps in the apartment;
After bleeding air through the taps and mixers, close them. And on the riser, open the shut-off valve.

Hidden faults

At the end of the heating season, the pressure difference between the pipes of the heating main may not be observed, and because of this, heated towel rails connected directly to the hot water supply will be cold. This is not a cause for concern - you need to bleed the air that equalizes the pressure, and the heating will be restored.

To provide a multi-storey building with hot water, it will be necessary to create increased pressure and a given water temperature in the system, as well as create a whole system of pipelines and equipment. The hot water supply of an apartment building can be connected according to different schemes: the upper wiring and the lower wiring diagram.

Hot water supply scheme for an apartment building

Hot water comes from the boiler room with the help of pumps along the heating main, which are underground or above ground. They are insulated to reduce heat loss. The pipeline runs into the basement of the house, where it branches out to consumers. In addition, a return route is created, along which unused water is fed back to the basement and goes to the boiler room. The water is circulated.

Water temperature

There are certain standards for the temperature of the supplied water, which should be in the range of 65-75 degrees. This temperature is set for the following reasons:

the higher the temperature, the faster bacteria die;
the upper limit is limited due to the possibility of burns.

There are dead-end hot water schemes. At the same time, water does not circulate, and if it is not used, it will cool down.

Piping in the apartment

The pipelines are laid next to cold water. Hot water pipes are laid at the top, and cold water pipes at the bottom. Laying pipes can be hidden in the wall, or open, laid on the floor or wall.

Imagine an ordinary morning in one of the high-rise buildings in the sleeping area of our beloved city: toilet, shower, shave, tea, brush your teeth, water for a cat (or in any other order) - and go to work ... All on the machine and without hesitation. As long as cold water flows from the cold water tap, and hot water flows from the hot water. And sometimes you open a cold one, and from there - boiling water !! 11 # ^ * ¿>.

Let's figure it out.

Cold water supply or cold water supply

A local pumping station supplies water to the mainline from the water utility network. A large supply pipe enters the house and ends with a valve, after which there is a water meter assembly.

In short, the water meter unit consists of two valves, a strainer and a meter.

Some have an additional check valve

and the bypass of the water meter.

The bypass of the water meter is an additional meter with valves that can power the system if the main water meter is being serviced. After the meters, water is supplied to the house main

where it is distributed along the risers that lead water to the apartments by floors.

What is the pressure in the system?

9 floors

Houses up to 9 storeys high have a bottom filling from bottom to top. Those. from the water meter through a large pipe, water goes through risers to the 9th floor. If the water utility is in a good mood, then at the inlet of the lower zone there should be about 4 kg / cm2. Taking into account a pressure drop of one kilogram for every 10 meters of water column, residents of the 9th floor will receive approximately 1 kg of pressure, which is considered normal. In practice, in old houses, the input pressure is only 3.6 kg. And residents of the 9th floor are content with even less pressure than 1kg / cm2

12-20 floors

If the house is higher than 9 floors, for example 16 floors, then such a system is divided into 2 zones. Top and bottom. Where for the lower zone the same conditions remain, and for the upper zone, the pressure is raised to about 6 kg. In order to raise the water to the very top into the supply line, and with it the water flows up to the 10th floor with risers. In houses above 20 floors, the water supply can be divided into 3 zones. With this flow scheme, the water does not circulate in the system, it is supported. In a high-rise apartment, on average, we get a pressure of 1 to 4 kg. There are other meanings, but we will not consider them now.

Hot water supply or DHW

In some low-rise buildings, hot water is connected according to the same scheme, it stands on a backwater without circulation, this explains the fact that when you open a tap with hot water, cold, cooled water flows for a while. If you take the same house with 16 floors, then in such a house the DHW system is arranged differently. Hot water, like cold water, is also supplied to the house through a large pipe, and after the meter it goes into the house main

which raises water to the attic where it is distributed along the risers and lowers to the very bottom in the return line. By the way, DHW meters count not only the amount of lost (consumed) water in the house. These counters also count temperature losses (gigocolories)

Temperature is lost when water passes through apartment heated towel rails, which play the role of risers.

With this arrangement, hot water always circulates. As soon as you turn on the tap, the hot water is already here. The pressure in such a system is about 6-7 kg. at the flow and slightly lower at the return to ensure circulation.

Due to the circulation, we get the pressure in the riser, in the apartment 5-6 kg. and immediately we see the difference in pressure between cold and hot water, from 2 kg. This is precisely the essence of squeezing hot water into cold water in case of malfunctioning plumbing fixtures. If you noticed that you still have more pressure on hot water than on cold water, then be sure to install a check valve at the cold inlet, and at the hot inlet, you can include control valves in the system, which will help equalize the pressure by about one digit with cold water. Installation example of a pressure regulator