How and at whose expense is the replacement of water pipes in the apartment

If it is necessary to replace hot and cold water pipes in an apartment, the landlord often encounters some difficulties. It is necessary to solve the issue with the riser neighbors, to deal with the sequence of work, coordinate the repair with the management company and find an intelligent master. Or do it yourself. With a competent approach, all the hiccups are solved easily.

The main reasons for replacing water pipes in the apartment

Most often, overhauls in the bathrooms of apartment buildings are carried out for the following reasons:

• A fair amount of wear on old cast-iron or steel pipes. As a rule, they are replete with rust, fistulas, drips.
• Clogged system. Often this happens if the riser is old, overgrown with metal salts from the inside. With mechanical action, pieces of growths overlap the lumen of the pipe. As a result, the water pressure becomes minimal.
• The desire to make a redevelopment in the bathroom.
• Replacing open pipe routing with hidden pipe.

In general, two types of pipelines are distinguished - serial and collector, in which pipes are diverted from a common riser to each plumbing fixture.

Preparatory work

With the independent replacement of pipes and the installation of water meters, you need to thoroughly prepare:

• Coordinate the work with the management company (ZhEKom). If you will replace the risers with water, you must at least invite a full-time plumber to block communication from the first to the last floor. Ideally, it is the employees of the Criminal Code who carry out the repair of common house communications using OSMD.
• Coordinate the execution of noisy work with neighbors or notify them in writing. It is better to carry out repairs on a weekday from 10:00 to 15:00 in order to minimize discomfort for all residents of the riser from the inability to use water.
• Decide on the type of piping layout. Preliminarily draw up a diagram with the necessary measurements.
• Prepare all the necessary tools and materials.
• Provide access to old communications - if necessary, remove the toilet, if it is planned to replace the sewer, sink, washing machine.

At the preparatory stage, it is desirable to determine the type of pipe material. It is better if it is polypropylene. It withstands the effects of temperature extremes, is resistant to aggressive environments, has a perfectly smooth inner surface.

Necessary tools and materials

To perform DIY repair work, you need to prepare;

• pipe cutter;
• grinder;
• hacksaw for metal;
• sledgehammer;
• construction pencil, tape measure;
• hammer drill (for hidden wiring);
• new pipes and all necessary fittings in accordance with the communication plan;
• silicone sealant;
• welding machine for polypropylene.

It is better to buy pipes with a small margin in case of unforeseen situations.

Pipe replacement steps

The work on changing the pipeline to cold and hot water is performed in the following sequence:

• Block the supply of resources on the riser.
• Proceed to dismantle the old communications. Metal pipes are cut at the upper and lower points, departing 15 cm from the ceiling and floor. If the repairs are done and the neighbors above / below, they do the same. Then the remains of the risers in the ceiling are knocked out with a sledgehammer or simply pushed / unscrewed. In the same way, cut off all the old pipes from the riser to the bathroom and toilet.All junk is taken out into the street. The site for the installation of a new communication is freed from garbage.
• It is necessary to mark the walls or floor in accordance with the scheme.
• If hidden wiring is provided, with the help of a punch, strobes are made.
• As soon as everything is ready for the installation of new pipes, installation of risers begins. From the bottom up to a neighbor, a new pipe segment is driven into the ceiling. It is docked at the top with a metal old one using a transition fitting.
• Mount the next segment of the tube so that the riser from the lower neighbor is docked in the master’s apartment at a level of 10 cm from the floor. The same thing is done in the apartment on the floor below.
• After installing the risers, they begin wiring in the bathroom and beyond. To do this, cut a piece of pipe at the desired level and mount a tee (adapter) there. Work is performed using a special soldering iron (welding machine) for polypropylene.
• Immediately at the entrance from the riser, a water meter is mounted. A coarse filter must be placed in front of it. After it is a check valve.
• After the installed nodes, pipe is bred according to the plan to each sanitary point.
• All horizontal and vertical lines should be fixed to the wall using clamps. The step of their location is 70-100 cm.

Before measuring the desired piece of pipe, you need to consider that each fitting will lengthen it by several centimeters. Therefore, the calculations should be adjusted for the length of the connecting elements.

Once the system is fully ready, it is checked for leaks. If there are no leaks anywhere, the repair is carried out correctly.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Often, inexperienced masters make mistakes when installing cold / hot water pipes made of polypropylene or HDPE / PVC. Pay attention to the following points:

• In no case do they make a hidden type of wiring using threaded connections. Such communications need open access. Only welded communications can be built into the screed or concrete.
• All fittings are placed in such a way that in case of emergency get quick access to them and carry out the necessary repairs. That is, do not install couplings, adapters in the corners, etc.
• Do not use PVC or metal pipes for hot water. Constant temperature changes will quickly disable communication. It is better to take products from PP.
• When buying polypropylene pipes for domestic hot water and cold water, it is worth taking products marked PN20. They are universal, while tubes marked PN10 are only suitable for cold water. If reinforced elements are also needed for the heating system, it is better to take tubes marked PN25.
• With a hidden type of wiring, it is advisable to draw up an accurate diagram and save it. Useful in case of emergency or regular repairs.
• When installing new pipes, a coarse filter must be installed. It prevents clogging in household appliances and faucet.

These important points will help to avoid deplorable mistakes when performing repair work.

At whose expense should the water pipes in the apartment be replaced

According to the law of the Russian Federation, all communications to the entrance valve to the apartment are communal. Therefore, the responsibility for their performance, condition lies with the Management Company (OSMD or ZhEK). Repair of these parts of the communication is carried out at the expense of these organizations. In addition, residents of the house make payments for water, and they include “maintenance and repair costs”. A similar column is in every payment.

At his own expense, the owner of the apartment can only replace pipes that are already moving away from the valve to the apartment.

Cost of work

If specialists are invited to perform repairs in the sanitary room, the cost of replacing the water pipes with polypropylene (other plastic) pipes will depend on such factors:

• type of wiring (serial or collector);
• the number of plumbing fixtures (the complexity of the process);
• hidden / open communication.

On average, in the Moscow region, the cost of replacing a pipeline with water starts at 5,000 rubles / apartment. Rates may vary depending on the distance from the center to the periphery of the capital. Changing communications will cost less if teaming up with risers.