– starting from solid fuel boilers for home heating and ending with heat pumps. Most homeowners believe that heating a house with a gas boiler is beneficial, but FORUMHOUSE users know that under certain conditions this is far from the most optimal solution.
Due to the constant rise in energy prices and the high cost of connection, many developers are concerned about the following issues.
- Is there an alternative to main gas;
- What features may different heating systems have?
- How to calculate the price of a particular type of fuel;
- Is it profitable to use solid fuel heating systems?
- How to heat your house with electricity and not go broke;
- Can a home heat pump replace traditional heating systems.
And experts and users of our forum will help you find answers to these questions!
Basic criteria for choosing a heating system
Construction experience suggests that autonomous heating of a private home is selected taking into account many factors: the degree of availability of a particular type of fuel, expected monthly heating costs, climatic conditions of residence and heat loss of the building.
Heating a house in a temperate climate is one task, and completely different requirements are placed on the heating system in regions with an even colder climate than in Moscow and a heating season of many months.
The efficiency of a home heating system depends not onlyon the thermal characteristics of the fuel and the efficiency of the boiler, but also on the design features of the house and the degree of its heat loss.
A poorly insulated home will negate the work of the most highly efficient heating system!
Therefore, the choice of heating system and boiler equipment must begin at the design stage of your future home. Any experienced developer will agree with the statement that there are no small details here, and any mistake or omission can lead to expensive alterations.
First of all, let's look at .
Alexander KhadynskyHead of heating systems at the company "My Fireplace"
The choice of heating system, first of all, depends on what communications are connected to the house. If the main gas is already connected, then the choice of fuel usually ends there, because At the moment, heating a house using mains gas is recognized as the best solution.
It is also worth considering the convenience of operating the heating system for different modes of residence: daily, weekend, one-time visits. Only after weighing all the pros and cons can you choose the best option.
In the absence of main gas, it is possible to heat a house using a so-called gas holder - a sealed container buried on the site and requiring periodic refueling.
The advantages of liquefied gas, as well as main gas, are clean exhaust, the ability to install compact chimneys and small boilers for heating the home.
With all its advantages, this autonomous home heating system has a number of disadvantages.
Anatoly Gurin General Director of the company "DoM Engineering Systems"
The main disadvantages of a gas tank include: expensive installation, inconvenient refueling, obtaining permits, and the need for periodic maintenance by highly qualified personnel. In addition, the gas tank takes up a lot of space on the site.
Igor Larin Head of Boiler Equipment Department, WIRBEL
The choice of fuel, and therefore boiler equipment, depends on the degree of its availability in a particular region. If the house has mains natural gas, then the choice is obvious in its favor; if not, then it is necessary to evaluate the cost and availability of other types of heating fuel in the area, and install the equipment based on this.
How to replace gas
The advantages of gas are well known, but all of them are offset by the extremely high price of its supply. Let's consider the alternatives.
Liquid fuel
Diesel heating – requires the installation of expensive and complex equipment.
It is necessary to find a place to install a container for fuel. Diesel fuel has a peculiar and not pleasant smell for everyone. Also, due to the constant rise in prices for hydrocarbon fuels, heating with diesel fuel is one of the most expensive ways to heat a home. Among the main advantages for this type of home heating are the high degree of automation of the boiler operation and the ubiquity of diesel fuel.
Electricity
Electric boilers are easy to use, environmentally friendly, safe and silent.
Alexander Khadynsky
However, with low initial costs for purchasing equipment, heating with electricity is very expensive, and if there is a power outage, you can be left without heating and without hot water. Also, an electric boiler for heating a house will need to be installed with separate wiring, and if its power exceeds 9 kW, a three-phase network of 380 V will be required.
In addition to electric boilers, there are heating devices such as electric convectors and infrared emitters.
The advantages of heating with electric convectors and infrared emitters include minimal initial costs and ease of installation of the equipment. You do not have to arrange a boiler room or install heating pipes. It would seem that you took the device out of the box, plugged it in and use it. But, as practice shows, not everything is so simple.
Oleg Dunaev Civil Engineer
A well-insulated house can be successfully heated with an electric convector only if there is sufficient electrical power.
- high equipment efficiency;
- ease of installation;
- presentable appearance;
- safety of use;
- Possibility of programming energy-saving modes.
The disadvantages include:
- additional costs for high-quality wiring;
- increased requirements for the quality of power supply elements.
Unlike an electric boiler, installing a convector or any model of IR emitter does not require the laying of pipes and the presence of coolant, as a result, ineffective energy costs for heating water (coolant), the boiler and pipes are reduced, and heat loss is reduced.
Here are the main criteria for choosing such a heating system.
Oleg Dunaev
:
– We choose this: the power of one convector is up to 1.5 kW (more - the plugs melt and the relay contacts burn out).
The programmer has its own power supply (the settings are saved when the power is turned off). For 10 sq.m. area requires approximately 1 kW of convector power.
Electricity – 380V, 3 phases, permitted power – minimum 15 kW. Wiring cross-section – 3x2.5 sq. mm. We lay dedicated converter lines and connect no more than three convectors to one line.
It is best to hang a wall-mounted electric convector under a window about 15 cm from the floor.
Electric heating is one of the most expensive ways to heat a home. It would seem that cheap heating with electricity is a myth. However, a user of our forum Alexander Fedortsov(nickname on the forum Skeptic ) using his own example refutes this statement.
Skeptic Forumhouse user
I independently built a well-insulated frame house on a USHP foundation. First, according to the project for heating a house with an area of 186 sq.m. a solid fuel boiler was assumed. After thinking a little, I decided that I didn’t want to become a fireman at all, but rather use the night tariff and heat water in a reliable homemade heat accumulator with a volume of 1.7 cubic meters.
Water heated overnight by electric heating elements to 50 C, allows you to successfully heat a house in the winter months with a water heated floor system. You can monitor the temperature using a homemade regulator.
Alexander Fedortsov
I placed the floor heating unit in the boiler room on a sheet of 35-density foam plastic with a thickness of 10 cm. The heat accumulator is well insulated - 20 cm of stone wool on the tank lid, on the walls - 15 cm. I can say that heating costs for December amounted to 1.5 thousand . rubles. In January, they earned no more than 2 thousand rubles.T
Solid fuel
Firewood, coal, fuel briquettes.
Alexander Khadynsky
A solid fuel boiler (coal, wood) requires constant attention, practically turning its owner into a fireman. Such structures can be used in places where neither gas nor electricity are supplied. They are the most accessible and inexpensive. When using solid fuel boilers, it is especially important to observe fire safety measures.
Igor Larin
The degree of autonomy of solid fuel boilers can be increased by using a buffer tank - a heat accumulator - in the system. Thanks to the TA, heat accumulates and the number of loads in the boiler decreases.
On average, the operating time of a solid fuel boiler on one fill is a minimum of 3 hours, a maximum of 12 hours or more. The thermostat controls the air supply to the combustion chamber, and overheating protection is provided by a special valve and overheat protection heat exchanger.
When using solid fuel, there is no need to communicate with supply companies and obtain permits for installing the boiler. Everything is regulated by SNiPs, which must be adhered to when installing heating equipment. Manufacturers' fire safety recommendations should also be followed.
As a backup heating system in case of a power outage, it makes sense to install a multi-fuel boiler or combine several heating devices.
Alexander Khadynsky
An additional boiler is often used to increase the degree of automation of a solid fuel boiler; an electric boiler or fireplace with a water circuit is connected to the circuit.
Autonomous heating in a private house through combined boiler rooms is an expensive option. These types of boilers combine three types of boilers - solid fuel, electric with a gas or diesel burner and are the most expensive of household boilers. In the event of a power outage, it is better to connect an uninterruptible power supply, which will allow the equipment to continue operating for up to 48 hours during a power outage.
Igor Larin
It is possible and even necessary to combine different devices for heating a room, especially in regions where fuel shortages are possible.
Practical systems are those that combine solid fuel boilers with wood-burning fireplaces, that is, the system includes an additional heat generator (fireplace) that maintains or accelerates the heating of the system.
The benefit of using multi-fuel boilers is the ability to combine two types of fuel in one equipment. In a boiler with two fireboxes, you can burn solid fuel (wood, coal, briquettes) in one, and install a burner (diesel or pellet) in the other. Thus, the homeowner, depending on the situation, can choose the type of heating that is convenient for him.
Anatoly Gurin :
– The undoubted advantages of pellet heating include: autonomy, its low cost compared to electricity and diesel fuel with propane. Among the disadvantages, it can be noted that it is necessary to find a place to store pellets.
And low-quality pellets due to incomplete combustion reduce the efficiency of the boiler.
The boiler itself requires weekly attention, because... it is necessary to clean the burner and add pellets.
The continuous operation time of the boiler can be significantly increased by installing an additional pellet hopper.
In recent years, they have become increasingly popular alternative heating systems houses built on the basis heat pump etc. (see diagram).
Anatoly Gurin
:
–The principle of operation is simple: a heat pump transfers warm air from the street into the house. The easiest way to think of a heat pump is like a refrigerator: the freezer is in the ground, and the radiator is in the house.
Experience in using such a heating system shows that by spending only 1 kW of electricity, we receive 5 kW of heat.
Despite the fact that such a heating system has been known for decades, many are stopped by the high initial costs required for its installation.
A heating system is a long-term investment in your home, and lower initial costs are offset later by high fuel and boiler maintenance fees.
Benefits of using a heat pump:
- low, 5 times less than when heating a house with electricity;
- when air circulates from the street into the house, there are no exhaust emissions;
- the system does not require maintenance;
- autonomy: the heat pump requires only electricity, and in the event of a power outage, the heat pump can easily be powered from a gas generator.
How to understand what is more profitable to heat a house
The price of heating consists of the cost of fuel. There is no universal fuel that is equally suitable for every region or home. Therefore, it is necessary to make calculations based on the specific situation.
Igor Larin
When choosing fuel, you cannot be guided only by short-term benefits; you must focus on the long term.
There is no gas and there never will be, but there are wood processing enterprises around, and accordingly, pellet manufacturers will appear (or already exist). In this case, an effective solution would be to install a solid fuel boiler, which can later be converted into a pellet one (by installing a pellet burner in the lower door).
A situation may also arise when gas must be supplied in 1-2 years. During this time, you can install a solid fuel boiler and then install a gas burner in it.
Anatoly Gurin
You need to choose the cheapest fuel in the region. It will be most profitable for them to heat the house. For an objective calculation, it is best to create a summary table that displays the types of available heat sources, their costs during construction, operating costs and service life.
In the long term, it is important to take into account such a factor as the convenience of using the heat source. Experience shows that no matter how cheap the fuel is, its low price can be overshadowed by the minimum degree of autonomy of the boiler and the increased degree of attention to the operation of this equipment. 
Alexander Khadynsky
It is necessary to conduct a brief analysis of the most likely methods of heating with one or another type of fuel.
Knowing the power of the boiler, you can calculate the cost of heating costs per month. Approximate calculation - 1 kW is needed to heat 10 sq.m. (provided that the distance from the floor to the ceiling is up to - 3 m), you need to additionally take a reserve of 15-20% necessary for preparing hot water.
On average, boiler equipment operates about 10 hours a day. The heating season in central Russia lasts 7-8 months a year, the rest of the time the boiler works to prepare hot water and maintain a minimum temperature of +8C in the house.
Total:
Electricity: To obtain thermal energy of 1 kW/hour, approximately 1 kW/hour of electricity is consumed.
Solid fuel: To obtain 1 kW/hour of thermal energy, approximately 0.4 kg/hour of firewood is consumed.
Diesel fuel: To obtain 1 kW/hour of thermal energy, approximately 0.1 liter of diesel fuel is consumed.
Gas: To obtain thermal energy of 1 kW/hour, approximately 0.1 kg of liquefied gas is consumed.
In the long term, it is necessary to take into account the increase in fuel prices, based on the trends of recent years, and the payback period for the initial investment.
Thus, the choice of a heating system consists of a whole range of measures and engineering solutions that require a balanced approach and careful analysis of each specific situation.
Watch videos about the unusual layout of the heating system and how to independently organize efficient and cheap heating with electricity in your home.
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There are different types of heating systems for a private home. But all of them can be divided into three types: air, electric and water. Each of them is divided into several types depending on the heater, energy source, and method of coolant supply.
All types of heating systems for a private home have their own characteristics, so before choosing one of them, you need to carefully familiarize yourself with their features. You can see what modern heating systems look like in the photo.
Air heating in a private house
This type includes gas and electric convectors and various types of ovens. There is no coolant in these devices, and the air in the room is heated directly from them.These types of heating systems warm the room through air convection. This happens as follows: cold currents, passing through the blinds and hot plates of the device, heat up and penetrate into the room. The devices may have a fan that forces air into the room and quickly warms up the room.
Gas convectors have similar functions, but their operation requires a gas pipe and chimney to remove combustion products. Devices created using new technologies make it possible not only to heat a house, but also to heat water for domestic needs (more details: " "). There are no electrical devices of this type among air heaters.
Stoves are still very popular. Moreover, modern devices have high efficiency. For example, the Buleryan stove has an efficiency of 95%, and, depending on the modification, is capable of heating a house with an area of 100-1000 square meters. Such devices operate on wood; one load of fuel is enough for 7-10 hours (read: "").
The furnace body is surrounded by pipes covered with a casing. The surface of the device does not heat up much, but the air coming out of the pipes reaches a temperature of 160 degrees. Such stoves are very convenient for heating private houses and country houses, where people visit infrequently, as they allow you to quickly heat the air. At the same time, they do not depend on an energy source other than firewood.
Water heating systems
Despite the fact that there are other types of heating systems that are in many ways more convenient, water ones are still one of the most common in the city. Moreover, they are used both in multi-storey buildings and in private sector houses.For wiring, pipes made of copper, steel, polypropylene, and plastic are used. Sometimes several materials are combined to increase efficiency or improve ease of installation. There are different types of heating in a private house, based on pipe routing. Boilers and radiators, as well as “warm floor” systems are used as the main device.
The main part of the water heating system is a boiler (gas, solid fuel, liquid fuel), stove, electric heater (electrode or heating element). The modification of these devices varies. There are multi-fuel and universal models that can use different types of fuel, for example, gas and diesel or wood and gas.
Recently, a new type of electric heaters has appeared - electrode. In this type of heating system there is no heat exchanger, and the liquid is heated by the movement of electrons at a speed of 50 Hz, which is 50 cycles per second. Such devices can operate without forced circulation, and if necessary, they can be combined with boilers of another type, or installed in one system parallel to each other.
Water circuits can be single-pipe or double-pipe. In two-pipe systems, the coolant is supplied to the heating devices through one pipe and returned through the other. In this case, the water temperature does not depend on the number of radiators and only decreases slightly when passing through the pipe, which has virtually no effect on heating efficiency. In such systems, water supply can be forced or natural.
The efficiency of a single-pipe system depends on the number of radiators, since the coolant is cooled when passing through the pipe, and when it enters other batteries it already has a lower temperature. If the water supply in a single-pipe circuit is arbitrary, then it is better to install no more than three radiators. When using a circulation pump, there should be no more than five batteries per pipe.
Water types of heating of a private house differ in appearance and the material used to make the radiators. They are sectional, columnar and panel. As for the material, radiators can be made of steel, cast iron, aluminum, bimetal. Cast iron batteries are not recommended for use in, since a large amount of coolant is spent on their lower part, and as a result, the consumption of the energy source increases. Heating devices of this type can have bottom and side connections.
Depending on what material the batteries are made of, they have their own characteristics. If you have any doubts about choosing a particular radiator, it is better to choose bimetallic products - they are durable, heat up quickly and just as quickly release heat to the room.
Considering what types of heating there are, one cannot help but pay attention to “warm floor” systems. The water system is laid in a snake or spiral, using metal-plastic or polyethylene pipes. The efficiency of these two materials is almost the same, but metal-plastic is more convenient to install and costs less. After laying the pipes, a concrete screed is poured, and a floor covering, usually ceramic tiles, is installed on top.
Types of electric heating
Air and water types of heating systems for buildings are cheaper than electric ones. Most heaters consume a considerable amount of electricity, so they are generally not used as the main source of heat.Among electrical devices, “warm floor” systems are quite popular. In this case, an infrared film is laid, on top of which the floor covering is mounted. Carpets should not be laid over infrared film, and it should not be placed in places where furniture is located. But “warm floor” systems are not able to effectively heat rooms; they are mainly used as an additional source of heat.
Currently, there are various types of heating schemes, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages. When choosing the appropriate option, you need to take into account a lot of factors: area of the house, financial capabilities, quality of building insulation, availability of energy sources.
Properly organizing home heating is not an easy task. It is clear that specialists - designers and installers - can handle it best. It is possible and necessary to involve them in the process, but in what capacity is up to you, the owner of the house, to determine. There are three options: hired people perform the entire range of activities or part of these works, or act as consultants, and you do the heating yourself.
Regardless of which heating option is chosen, you need to have a good understanding of all stages of the process. This material is a step-by-step guide to action. Its goal is to help you solve the problem of installing heating yourself or competently supervise hired specialists and installers.
Heating system elements
In the vast majority of cases, private residential buildings are heated with water heating systems. This is a traditional approach to solving the issue, which has an undeniable advantage - universality. That is, heat is delivered to all rooms through a coolant, and it can be heated using various energy carriers. We will consider their list further when choosing a boiler.
Water systems also make it possible to organize combined heating using two or even three types of energy carriers.
Any heating system, where the coolant serves as the transfer link, is divided into the following components:
- heat source;
- pipeline network with all additional equipment and fittings;
- heating devices (radiators or underfloor heating circuits).
For the purpose of processing and regulating the coolant, as well as performing maintenance work in heating systems, additional equipment and shut-off and control valves are used. The equipment includes the following items:
- expansion tank;
- circulation pump;
- hydraulic separator (hydraulic arrow);
- buffer capacity;
- distribution manifold;
- indirect heating boiler;
- devices and automation equipment.
Note. A mandatory attribute of a water heating system is an expansion tank, the rest of the equipment is installed as needed.
It is well known that when heated, water expands, and in a confined space there is nowhere for its additional volume to go. To avoid rupture of connections due to increased pressure in the network, an open or membrane type expansion tank is installed. She takes in excess water.
Forced circulation of the coolant is provided by a pump, and if there are several circuits separated by a hydraulic arrow or a buffer tank, 2 or more pumping units are used. As for the buffer tank, it works simultaneously as a hydraulic separator and a heat accumulator. Separating the boiler circulation circuit from all others is practiced in complex systems of cottages with several floors.
Collectors for distributing coolant are installed in heating systems with heated floors or in cases where a radial circuit for connecting batteries is used, we will talk about this in the following sections. An indirect heating boiler is a tank with a coil where water for domestic hot water needs is heated from the coolant. To visually monitor the temperature and pressure of water in the system, thermometers and pressure gauges are installed. Automation tools (sensors, thermostats, controllers, servos) not only control the parameters of the coolant, but also regulate them automatically.
Shut-off valves
In addition to the equipment listed, the water heating of the house is controlled and maintained using shut-off and control valves shown in the table:
Once you have become familiar with what elements the heating system consists of, you can proceed to the first step towards the goal - calculations.
Calculation of the heating system and selection of boiler power
It is impossible to select equipment without knowing the amount of thermal energy required to heat the building. It can be determined in two ways: simple approximate and calculated. All sellers of heating equipment like to use the first method, since it is quite simple and gives a more or less correct result. This is a calculation of thermal power based on the area of heated premises.
They take a separate room, measure its area and multiply the resulting value by 100 W. The energy required for the entire country house is determined by summing up the indicators for all rooms. We suggest a more accurate method:
- by 100 W, multiply the area of those premises where only 1 wall, on which there is 1 window, is in contact with the street;
- if the room is a corner room with one window, then its area must be multiplied by 120 W;
- when a room has 2 external walls with 2 or more windows, its area is multiplied by 130 W.
If we consider power as an approximate method, then residents of the northern regions of the Russian Federation may not receive enough heat, and residents of the south of Ukraine may overpay for equipment that is too powerful. Using the second, calculation method, heating design is carried out by specialists. It is more accurate, as it gives a clear understanding of how much heat is lost through the building structures of any building.
Before you begin the calculations, you need to measure the house, finding out the area of the walls, windows and doors. Then you need to determine the thickness of the layer of each building material from which the walls, floors and roofs are built. For all materials in the reference literature or on the Internet, you should find the value of thermal conductivity λ, expressed in units of W/(m ºС). We substitute it into the formula for calculating the thermal resistance R (m2 ºС / W):
R = δ / λ, here δ is the thickness of the wall material in meters.
Note. When a wall or roof is made of different materials, it is necessary to calculate the R value for each layer and then sum the results.
Now you can find out the amount of heat lost through the external building structure using the formula:
- QTP = 1/R x (tв – tн) x S, where:
- QТП – lost amount of heat, W;
- S is the previously measured area of the building structure, m2;
- tв – here you need to substitute the value of the desired internal temperature, ºС;
- tн – street temperature in the coldest period, ºС.
Important! The calculation should be made for each room separately, alternately substituting into the formula the values of thermal resistance and area for the external wall, window, door, floors and roof. Then all these results must be summed up, this will be the heat loss of the given room. The areas of internal partitions do not need to be taken into account!
Heat consumption for ventilation
To find out how much heat a private house loses as a whole, you need to add up the losses of all its rooms. But that’s not all, because we must also take into account the heating of the ventilation air, which is also provided by the heating system. In order not to go into the jungle of complex calculations, it is proposed to find out this heat consumption using a simple formula:
Qair = cm (tв – tн), where:
- Qair – required amount of heat for ventilation, W;
- m – amount of air by mass, defined as the internal volume of the building multiplied by the density of the air mixture, kg;
- (tв – tн) – as in the previous formula;
- с – heat capacity of air masses, is taken equal to 0.28 W / (kg ºС).
To determine the heat demand for the entire building, it remains to add the value of QTP for the house as a whole with the value of Qair. The boiler power is taken with a reserve for the optimal operating mode, that is, with a coefficient of 1.3. Here you need to take into account an important point: if you plan to use a heat generator not only for heating, but also for heating water for domestic hot water supply, then the power reserve must be increased. The boiler must operate effectively in 2 directions at once, and therefore the safety factor must be taken at least 1.5.
At the moment, there are various types of heating, characterized by the energy carrier or type of fuel used. Which one to choose is up to you, and we will present all types of boilers with a brief description of their pros and cons. To heat residential buildings, you can purchase the following types of household heat generators:
- solid fuel;
- gas;
- electrical;
- on liquid fuel.
The following video will help you choose an energy carrier, and then a heat source:
Solid fuel boilers
They are divided into 3 types: direct combustion, pyrolysis and pellet. The units are popular due to their low operating costs, because compared to other energy sources, firewood and coal are inexpensive. The exception is natural gas in the Russian Federation, but connecting to it is often more expensive than all the heating equipment including installation. Therefore, wood and coal boilers, which have an acceptable cost, are being purchased by people more and more often.
On the other hand, operating a solid fuel heat source is very similar to simple stove heating. You need to spend time and effort to prepare, carry firewood and load it into the firebox. The unit also requires serious piping to ensure its long-lasting and safe operation. After all, a conventional solid fuel boiler is characterized by inertia, that is, after closing the air damper, the heating of water does not stop immediately. And efficient use of generated energy is possible only if there is a heat accumulator.
Important. Boilers that burn solid fuels generally cannot boast of high efficiency. Traditional direct combustion units have an efficiency of about 75%, pyrolysis units - 80%, and pellet units - no more than 83%.
The best choice in terms of comfort is a pellet heat generator, characterized by a high level of automation and virtually no inertia. It does not require a heat accumulator and frequent trips to the boiler room. But the price of equipment and pellets often makes it inaccessible to a wide range of users.
Gas boilers
An excellent option is to install heating that operates on main gas. In general, hot water gas boilers are very reliable and efficient. The efficiency of the simplest energy-independent unit is at least 87%, and the efficiency of an expensive condensing unit is up to 97%. The heaters are compact, well automated and safe to operate. Maintenance is required no more than once a year, and trips to the boiler room are needed only to monitor or change settings. A budget unit will be much cheaper than a solid fuel unit, so gas boilers can be considered generally available.
Just like solid fuel heat generators, gas boilers require a chimney and supply and exhaust ventilation. As for other countries of the former USSR, the cost of fuel there is much higher than in the Russian Federation, which is why the popularity of gas equipment is steadily declining.
Electric boilers
It must be said that electric heating is the most efficient of all existing ones. Not only are the efficiency of boilers about 99%, but in addition they do not require chimneys or ventilation. There is practically no maintenance of the units as such, except for cleaning once every 2-3 years. And most importantly: equipment and installation are very cheap, and the degree of automation can be any. The boiler simply does not need your attention.
No matter how pleasant the advantages of an electric boiler are, the main disadvantage is just as significant - the price of electricity. Even if you use a multi-tariff electricity meter, you will not be able to beat a wood-burning heat generator in terms of this indicator. This is the price to pay for comfort, reliability and high efficiency. Well, the second disadvantage is the lack of the necessary electrical power on the supply networks. Such an annoying nuisance can immediately cancel out all thoughts about electric heating.
Liquid fuel boilers
In terms of the cost of heating equipment and its installation, heating with waste oil or diesel fuel will cost approximately the same as with natural gas. Their efficiency indicators are also similar, although the processing, for obvious reasons, is somewhat inferior. Another thing is that this type of heating can easily be called the dirtiest. Any visit to the boiler room will end with at least the smell of diesel fuel or dirty hands. And the annual cleaning of the unit is a whole event, after which you will be smeared with soot up to your waist.
Using diesel fuel for heating is not the most profitable solution; the price of fuel can hit your pocket hard. Used oil has also risen in price, unless you have some cheap source. This means that it makes sense to install a diesel boiler when there are no other energy sources or, in the future, a main gas supply. The unit easily switches from diesel fuel to gas, but the exhaust furnace will not be able to burn methane.
Heating system diagrams for a private home
Heating systems sold in private housing construction can be single-pipe or double-pipe. It's easy to distinguish them:
- according to a single-pipe scheme, all radiators are connected to one collector. It is both a supply and a return, passing by all the batteries in the form of a closed ring;
- in a two-pipe scheme, the coolant is supplied to the radiators through one pipe and returned through the other.
Choosing a heating system layout for a private home is not an easy task; consultation with a specialist will certainly not hurt. We will not sin against the truth if we say that the two-pipe scheme is more progressive and reliable than the one-pipe one. Contrary to popular belief about the low installation costs when installing the latter, we note that it is not only more expensive than a two-pipe one, but also more complex. This topic is covered in great detail in the video:
The fact is that in a single-pipe system, the water from radiator to radiator cools more and more, so it is necessary to increase their capacity by adding sections. In addition, the distribution manifold must have a larger diameter than the two-pipe distribution lines. And lastly: automatic control with a single-pipe circuit is difficult due to the mutual influence of the batteries on each other.
In a small house or dacha with up to 5 radiators, you can safely implement a single-pipe horizontal circuit (common name - Leningradka). With a larger number of heating devices, it will not be able to function normally, because the last radiators will be cold.
Another option is to use single-pipe vertical risers in a two-story private house. Such schemes occur quite often and work successfully.
With a two-pipe distribution, the coolant is delivered to all radiators at the same temperature, so there is no need to increase the number of sections. Dividing the lines into supply and return makes it possible to automatically control the operation of the batteries using thermostatic valves.
The diameters of the pipelines are smaller, and the system as a whole is simpler. There are the following types of two-pipe schemes:
dead-end: the pipeline network is divided into branches (arms), through which the coolant moves along the highways towards each other;
associated two-pipe system: here the return manifold is, as it were, a continuation of the supply, and the entire coolant flows in one direction, the circuit forms a ring;
collector (radial). The most expensive wiring method: pipelines from the collector are laid separately to each radiator, the installation method is hidden, in the floor.
If you take horizontal lines of larger diameter and lay them with a slope of 3-5 mm per 1 m, then the system will be able to work due to gravity (by gravity). Then a circulation pump is not needed, the circuit will be non-volatile. To be fair, we note that both single-pipe and two-pipe wiring can function without a pump. If only conditions were created for natural water circulation.
The heating system can be made open by installing an expansion tank at the highest point, communicating with the atmosphere. This solution is used in gravity networks, otherwise it cannot be done there. If you install a membrane-type expansion tank on the return line near the boiler, the system will be closed and operate under excess pressure. This is a more modern option, which finds its application in networks with forced movement of coolant.
It is impossible not to mention the method of heating a house with warm floors. Its disadvantage is that it is expensive, since you will need to lay hundreds of meters of pipes in a screed, resulting in a heating water circuit in each room. The ends of the pipes converge to a distribution manifold with a mixing unit and its own circulation pump. An important advantage is the economical, uniform heating of rooms, which is very comfortable for people. Underfloor heating circuits are clearly recommended for use in any residential buildings.
Advice. The owner of a small house (up to 150 m2) can safely recommend adopting a conventional two-pipe circuit with forced circulation of coolant. Then the diameters of the mains will be no more than 25 mm, the branches - 20 mm, and the connections to the batteries - 15 mm.
Heating system installation
We will begin the description of installation work with the installation and piping of the boiler. In accordance with the rules, units whose power does not exceed 60 kW can be installed in the kitchen. More powerful heat generators should be located in the boiler room. At the same time, for heat sources that burn different types of fuel and have an open combustion chamber, it is necessary to ensure a good air flow. A chimney device is also required to remove combustion products.
For natural water movement, it is recommended to install the boiler in such a way that its return pipe is below the level of the ground floor radiators.
The location where the heat generator will be located must be selected taking into account the minimum permissible distances to walls or other equipment. Typically these intervals are specified in the manual supplied with the product. If this data is not available, then we adhere to the following rules:
- passage width on the front side of the boiler is 1 m;
- if there is no need to service the unit from the side or rear, then leave a gap of 0.7 m, otherwise - 1.5 m;
- distance to the nearest equipment – 0.7 m;
- when placing two boilers next to each other, a passage of 1 m is maintained between them, and opposite each other - 2 m.
Note. When installing wall-mounted heat sources, side passages are not needed; you only need to maintain clearance in front of the unit for ease of maintenance.
Boiler connection
It should be noted that the wiring of gas, diesel and electric heat generators is almost the same. Here we must take into account that the vast majority of wall-mounted boilers are equipped with a built-in circulation pump, and many models are equipped with an expansion tank. First, let's look at the connection diagram for a simple gas or diesel unit:
The figure shows a diagram of a closed system with a membrane expansion tank and forced circulation. This tying method is the most common. The pump with a bypass line and a sump tank is located on the return line, and there is also an expansion tank there. The pressure is controlled using pressure gauges, and air is removed from the boiler circuit through an automatic air vent.
Note. Piping an electric boiler that is not equipped with a pump is carried out according to the same principle.
When the heat generator is equipped with its own pump, as well as a circuit for heating water for domestic hot water needs, the pipe layout and installation of elements is as follows:
Shown here is a wall-mounted boiler with forced air injection into a closed combustion chamber. To remove flue gases, a double-walled coaxial flue is used, which is led out horizontally through the wall. If the firebox of the unit is open, then you need a traditional chimney with good natural draft. How to properly install a chimney pipe made of sandwich modules is shown in the figure:
In country houses with a large area, it is often necessary to connect a boiler with several heating circuits - a radiator, heated floors and an indirect heating boiler for DHW needs. In such a situation, the optimal solution would be to use a hydraulic separator. It will allow you to organize independent circulation of coolant in the boiler circuit and at the same time serve as a distribution comb for the remaining branches. Then the basic heating diagram for a two-story house will look like this:
According to this scheme, each heating circuit has its own pump, thanks to which it operates independently of the others. Since coolant with a temperature of no more than 45 ° C should be supplied to heated floors, three-way valves are used on these branches. They add hot water from the main line when the temperature of the coolant in the heated floor circuits drops.
With solid fuel heat generators the situation is more complicated. Their strapping should take into account 2 points:
- possible overheating due to the inertia of the unit; the firewood cannot be extinguished quickly;
- formation of condensation when cold water enters the boiler tank from the network.
To avoid overheating and possible boiling, the circulation pump is always placed on the return side, and on the supply side there should be a safety group located immediately behind the heat generator. It consists of three elements: a pressure gauge, an automatic air vent and a safety valve. The presence of the latter is crucial; it is the valve that will relieve excess pressure when the coolant overheats. If you decide to organize, then the following strapping diagram is required:
Here, a bypass and a three-way valve protect the furnace of the unit from condensation. The valve will not allow water from the system into the small circuit until the temperature in it reaches 55 °C. Detailed information on this issue can be obtained by watching the video:
Advice. Due to the nature of their operation, solid fuel boilers are recommended to be used in conjunction with a buffer tank - a heat accumulator, as shown in the diagram:
Many homeowners install two different heat sources in the furnace room. They must be properly tied and connected to the system. For this case, we offer 2 schemes, one of them is for a solid fuel and an electric boiler working together with radiator heating.
The second scheme combines a gas and wood heat generator, supplying heat to heat the house and prepare water for hot water supply:
To install the heating of a private house with your own hands, you first need to decide which pipes to choose for this. The modern market offers several types of metal and polymer pipes suitable for heating private homes:
- steel;
- copper;
- stainless steel;
- polypropylene (PPR);
- polyethylene (PEX, PE-RT);
- metal-plastic.
Heating lines made of ordinary “ferrous” metal are considered a relic of the past, since they are most susceptible to corrosion and “overgrowth” of the flow area. In addition, it is not easy to independently install such pipes: you need good welding skills to make a hermetically sealed joint. However, some homeowners still use steel pipes to this day when they install autonomous heating at home.
Copper or stainless steel pipes are an excellent choice, but they are too expensive. These are reliable and durable materials that are not afraid of high pressure and temperature, so if you have the means, these products are definitely recommended for use. Copper is joined by soldering, which also requires some skills, and stainless steel is joined using dismountable or press fittings. Preference should be given to the latter, especially when the installation is hidden.
Advice. For piping boilers and laying pipelines within the boiler room, it is best to use any type of metal pipes.
Heating made from polypropylene will cost you the cheapest. Of all types of PPR pipes, you need to choose those that are reinforced with aluminum foil or fiberglass. The low price of the material is their only advantage, since installing heating from polypropylene pipes is quite a complex and responsible task. And in appearance, polypropylene is inferior to other plastic products.
The joints of PPR pipelines with fittings are made by soldering, and it is not possible to check their quality. When the heating was insufficient during soldering, the connection will certainly leak later, but if it is overheated, the melted polymer will half block the flow area. Moreover, you won’t be able to see this during assembly; flaws will make themselves known later, during operation. The second significant drawback is the large elongation of the material during heating. To avoid “saber” bends, the pipe must be mounted on movable supports, and a gap must be left between the ends of the line and the wall.
It is much easier to make your own heating from polyethylene or metal-plastic pipes. Although the price of these materials is higher than polypropylene. For a beginner, they are the most convenient, since the joints here are made quite simply. Pipelines can be laid in a screed or wall, but with one condition: connections must be made using press fittings, not collapsible ones.
Metal-plastic and polyethylene are used both for open laying of highways and hidden behind any screens, as well as for the installation of water-heated floors. The disadvantage of PEX pipes is that it tends to return to its original state, which can cause the installed heating manifold to appear slightly wavy. PE-RT polyethylene and metal-plastic do not have such a “memory” and easily bend as you need. More information about choosing pipes is described in the video:
An ordinary homeowner, going to a heating equipment store and seeing a wide selection of different radiators there, can conclude that choosing batteries for his home is not so easy. But this is the first impression; in fact, there are not so many varieties of them:
- aluminum;
- bimetallic;
- steel panel and tubular;
- cast iron.
Note. There are also designer water heating devices of a wide variety of types, but they are expensive and deserve a separate detailed description.
Sectional batteries made of aluminum alloy have the best heat transfer rates; bimetallic heaters are not far behind them. The difference between the two is that the former are made entirely of alloy, while the latter have a tubular steel frame inside. This was done for the purpose of using the devices in centralized heat supply systems of high-rise buildings, where the pressure can be quite high. Therefore, installing bimetallic radiators in a private cottage makes no sense at all.
It should be noted that heating installation in a private home will be cheaper if you purchase steel panel radiators. Yes, their heat transfer rates are lower than those of aluminum ones, but in practice you are unlikely to feel the difference. As for reliability and durability, the devices will successfully serve you for at least 20 years, or even more. In turn, tubular batteries are much more expensive, in this respect they are closer to designer ones.
Steel and aluminum heating devices have one useful quality in common: they lend themselves well to automatic control using thermostatic valves. The same cannot be said about massive cast iron batteries, on which it is pointless to install such valves. This is due to the ability of cast iron to heat up for a long time and then retain heat for some time. Also because of this, the rate of heating of the premises is reduced.
If we touch on the issue of appearance aesthetics, then the cast-iron retro radiators currently offered are much more beautiful than any other batteries. But they also cost incredible amounts of money, and inexpensive Soviet-style accordions MS-140 are only suitable for a one-story country house. From the above, the conclusion suggests itself:
For a private home, buy those heating devices that you like best and are comfortable with in terms of cost. Just take into account their features and choose the right size and thermal power.
Selection by power and methods of connecting radiators
The number of sections or the size of a panel radiator is selected based on the amount of heat required to heat the room. We have already determined this value at the very beginning; it remains to reveal a couple of nuances. The fact is that the manufacturer indicates the heat transfer of the section for a temperature difference between the coolant and the air in the room equal to 70 °C. To do this, the water in the battery must warm up to at least 90 ° C, which happens very rarely.
It turns out that the real thermal power of the device will be significantly lower than that indicated in the passport, because usually the temperature in the boiler is maintained at 60-70 ° C on the coldest days. Accordingly, for proper heating of the premises, the installation of radiators with at least one and a half heat transfer margin is required. For example, when a room needs 2 kW of heat, you must take heating devices with a capacity of at least 2 x 1.5 = 3 kW.
Indoors, batteries are placed in places of greatest heat loss - under windows or near blank external walls. In this case, connection to highways can be done in several ways:
- lateral one-sided;
- diagonal scalene;
- lower - if the radiator has appropriate pipes.
The lateral connection of the device on one side is most often used when connecting it to risers, and the diagonal connection to horizontally laid highways. These 2 methods allow you to effectively use the entire surface of the battery, which will heat evenly.
When a single-pipe heating system is installed, the lower versatile connection is also used. But then the efficiency of the device decreases, and hence the heat transfer. The difference in surface heating is illustrated in the figure:
There are models of radiators where the design provides for connection of pipes from below. Such devices have internal wiring and, in fact, they have a one-sided side circuit. This can be clearly seen in the figure, where the battery is shown in section.
A lot of useful information on the issue of choosing heating devices can be found by watching the video:
5 common mistakes during installation
Of course, when installing a heating system, you can make many more than five mistakes, but we will highlight the 5 most egregious ones that can lead to disastrous consequences. Here they are:
- incorrect choice of heat source;
- errors in heat generator piping;
- incorrectly selected heating system;
- careless installation of the pipelines and fittings themselves;
- improper installation and connection of heating devices.
A boiler with insufficient power is one of the typical mistakes. It is allowed when selecting a unit designed not only to heat rooms, but also to prepare water for domestic hot water needs. If you do not take into account the additional power required to heat water, the heat generator will not cope with its functions. As a result, the coolant in the batteries and the water in the hot water system will not heat up to the required temperature.
Parts play not only a functional role, but also serve safety purposes. For example, it is recommended to install the pump on the return pipeline just before the heat generator, in addition to the bypass line. Moreover, the pump shaft must be in a horizontal position. Another mistake is installing a tap in the area between the boiler and the safety group; this is absolutely unacceptable.
Important. When connecting a solid fuel boiler, you cannot place the pump in front of the three-way valve, but only after it (along the coolant flow).
The expansion tank is taken with a volume of 10% of the total amount of water in the system. With an open circuit, it is placed at the highest point; with a closed circuit, it is placed on the return pipeline, in front of the pump. Between them there should be a mud trap mounted in a horizontal position with the plug down. The wall-mounted boiler is connected to the pipelines using American connections.
When the heating system is chosen incorrectly, you risk overpaying for materials and installation, and then incurring additional costs to bring it to fruition. Most often, errors occur when installing single-pipe systems, when they try to “hang” more than 5 radiators on one branch, which then do not heat up. Flaws during the installation of the system include failure to comply with slopes, poor-quality connections and installation of the wrong fittings.
For example, a thermostatic valve or a regular ball valve is placed at the inlet of the radiator, and a balancing valve is installed at the outlet to adjust the heating system. If pipes are installed to radiators in the floor or walls, then they must be insulated so that the coolant does not cool down along the way. When joining polypropylene pipes, you must scrupulously adhere to the heating time with a soldering iron so that the connection is reliable.
Choosing a coolant
It is well known that filtered and, if possible, desalted water is most often used for this purpose. But under certain conditions, for example, periodic heating, water can freeze and destroy the system. Then the latter is filled with a non-freezing liquid - antifreeze. But you should take into account the properties of this liquid and do not forget to remove all regular rubber gaskets from the system. Antifreeze quickly causes them to become limp and leaks occur.
Attention! Not every boiler can work with non-freezing liquid, which is shown in its technical data sheet. This must be checked when purchasing it.
As a rule, the system is filled with coolant directly from the water supply through a make-up valve and a check valve. During the filling process, air is removed from it through automatic air vents and manual Mayevsky taps. In a closed circuit, pressure is monitored using a pressure gauge. Usually when cold it is in the range of 1.2-1.5 Bar, and during operation it does not exceed 3 Bar. In an open circuit, it is necessary to monitor the water level in the tank and turn off the replenishment when it flows out of the overflow pipe.
Antifreeze is pumped into a closed heating system using a special manual or automatic pump equipped with a pressure gauge. To ensure that the process is not interrupted, the liquid must be prepared in advance in a container of appropriate capacity, from where it must be pumped into the pipeline network. Filling an open system is easier: antifreeze can simply be poured or pumped into the expansion tank.
Conclusion
If you carefully understand all the nuances, it becomes clear that installing a heating system in a private house on your own is quite possible. But you must understand that this will require a lot of time and effort from you, including monitoring the installation if you decide to hire specialists for this.
Autonomous heating systems in private houses perform one of the main functions in their arrangement. Not only the comfort of living depends on the correct distribution of heat in the premises. Heating also carries a structural load: it prevents the occurrence and spread of dampness, mildew and mold. With the constant rise in prices and expensive connection costs, the question of which heating is better in a private home is becoming increasingly relevant.
Autonomous heating has a number of advantages, but you still need to choose the right system Source 999.md
Heating systems: their selection and requirements applied to them
Today, various heating system design diagrams and equipment models for them are presented. There is no ideal option when choosing them. But there are basic rules that need to be followed - to achieve proper regulation, distribution and transfer of heat throughout all rooms of the building.
Video description
In our video we’ll talk about heating in a private country house. Our guest is the author and presenter of the Teplo-Voda channel Vladimir Sukhorukov:
Main criteria when choosing heating systems:
Minimum expenses with high heat transfer. Providing housing with the required amount of heat and low installation, operation and maintenance costs.
Maximum automation. To ensure safety, heating systems must be operated with the least possible human intervention in their operation.
High wear resistance of all elements. The necessary equipment must be selected taking into account its operational reliability.
In some cases, you can use the formula: “the simpler, the more reliable” Source promogaz.ru
Types of autonomous heating systems
All heating systems without exception are classified according to the type of fuel needed for their operation. If you need to constantly save on system energy consumption, and it is possible to use several types of fuel for heating, then the best solution would be to purchase combined equipment. These models have all the advantages of standard types of heating boilers and can operate on several types of fuel. For the purpose of familiarization, different types of installation are presented so that the developer can choose for himself which heating is best for a private home.
The boiler for the heating system can operate from any type of fuel Source nehomesdeaf.org
Water heating
One of the most recognized devices for individual heating systems in your home. The coolant here is a closed circuit pipeline with wiring, with water heated from the boiler circulating through it. Heating is installed in several ways: single or two-pipe, with batteries (cast iron, steel, bimetallic) or convector-type radiators. The heating boiler model is set taking into account the type of fuel.
Schemes of an autonomous water heating system
There are several options for installing such systems. When designing a private house, you need to carefully consider their choice.
For the purpose of familiarization, different types of installation are presented so that the developer can choose for himself which heating is best for a private home.
Wiring with separation according to the type of circulation system
assembly with natural circulation due to pressure difference;
installation with forced type of circulation.
At the location where the supply line is laid
installation with top wiring;
installation with bottom wiring.
It makes sense to consider such schemes only when building a two or three-story house Source pinterest.com
By number of risers
single-pipe installation diagram;
two-pipe scheme.
By location of risers
vertical connection diagram;
horizontal connection diagram.
According to the highway laying diagram
decoupling diagram with incidental highways;
decoupling diagram with dead-end highways.
A dead-end circuit is used with a small number of radiators Source dvamolotka.ru
Heating scheme "Leningradka"
The Leningradka scheme simplifies the process of adjusting the temperature for each individual room in the house.
pros:
constant volume liquids in coolants;
saving on fuel;
noiselessness at work;
simplicity in installation, maintenance and repair;
big term operation.
Minuses:
slow heating;
frequent cleaning radiators to increase heat transfer;
high possibility of leakage pipes in case of metal corrosion;
mandatory deletion fluids from the system before its conservation;
need for permanent job, to prevent liquid freezing during the cold season;
labor intensity during assembly.
Diagram of the Leningradka heating system Source promogaz.ru
Air heating
Heating of the home is carried out directly with air, which is heated by a gas air heater, water heat exchanger or electric heater and is distributed through the supply air ducts through the fan into the heated rooms of the house. Cooled air is taken from the premises through return air ducts, fresh air from the street is mixed with it, this mixture is cleaned of dust by a filter, and again supplied to the air heater for heating. And so on in a “circle” until the temperature in the house reaches the value set on the thermostat and the system turns off. When the temperature in the house drops by 1 degree, the thermostat will turn the system on again and so on.
Video description
In this video we will discuss whether it is possible to install air heating yourself:
Instead of heating the air in winter, in summer the air in such a system can be cooled by installing an air conditioner evaporator or a water cooler in the duct next to the air heater. The evaporator can be used to heat the air if the external unit of the air conditioner has a heat pump function.
If necessary, you can add a humidifier, air sterilizer, or additional HEPA filter to the channel.
pros:
- High levels of comfort due to a combination of heating, ventilation and air filtration in the basic version.
- Energy savings of up to 30% compared to other types of heating due to controlled ventilation.
- High reliability, long service life and no threat of system defrosting.
- Possibility of adjusting temperature conditions using a thermostat according to the program and via the Internet.
- Opportunity to work in air conditioner and heat pump mode.
- All types of air treatment in the house at “one point” (humidification, sterilization, additional filtration).
- Ease of maintenance (replacement of filters and other replaceable system elements).
- Air ducts occupy some part of the internal volume of the house.
- Air ducts must be integrated into the structure and interior of the house at the design stage.
Steam heating
Heating installations with steam systems still remain in demand. The system works normally with various types of fuel - wood, gas, coal, electricity. When installing it, priority is given to combined heating methods (gas + electricity, solid fuel). The correct choice of fuel combination will significantly reduce the cost of heating a home.
Installation diagram of an autonomous steam heating system Source kevuza.recalobip.ru.net
Operating principle
In a steam boiler, the liquid is heated to the boiling point, and the resulting steam enters radiators or pipes. Gradually cooling, it condenses and flows back into the boiler. Operational reliability directly depends on the model of the steam boiler. It must be selected taking into account the area and engineering features of the building.
Pros of the system:
environmental purity;
fast heating houses regardless of their area;
cyclicality;
good heat transfer;
low probability b freezing of the system.
In general, the steam heating scheme does not differ from conventional water heating Source promogaz.ru
Minuses:
heat inside the coolant negatively affects the operational capabilities of the system;
availability required permitting documentation for commissioning;
there is no way to support a certain temperature regime inside the building;
noise when filling with steam;
need for constant monitoring due to the explosion hazard of steam boilers;
big price equipment;
complexity installation
Gas heating
If in the area where a private house is located there is no main line with gas, a system with liquefied gas heating is assembled. For this purpose, a gas holder is installed on a personal plot - a sealed container, which is periodically filled with propane butane.
A gas holder is essentially a large gas cylinder that is buried next to the house Source shumcity.ru
pros:
ecologically pure heat source;
increase service life equipment;
full autonomy.
Minuses:
labor intensity installation;
inconvenience refueling;
problems with receiving permitting documents;
high cost installations;
constant control from service departments;
if there is no connection to the gas main, then it is necessary availability of special installations for fuel storage.
design of country houses and turnkey heating and insulation systems for houses. You can communicate directly with representatives by visiting the “Low-Rise Country” exhibition of houses.
Heating with electric installations
Rising energy prices have significantly affected the popularity of installing heating systems using electricity. This approach is economically justified only in the absence of other alternative options. Electric fireplaces, convectors, infrared heaters, and heated floors act as coolants in electrical systems.
Advantages of heating with energy carriers:
relatively small cost of equipment for installation;
it is possible to use electric boilers to obtain hot water supply;
environmental friendliness;
possibility of automation to maintain optimal temperature conditions in the building;
not necessary in expensive maintenance;
possibility of rearrangement heating device from one room to another.
Minuses:
high power consumption (up to 24 kW/hour) and considerable cost of electronic media;
need to install additional multiphase distributors;
if possible power outages the entire circuit fails.
Geothermal installation to create a heating circuit
Choose to heat a private home, using the earth's energy resources for this purpose - to obtain an environmentally friendly and economical source of heat for heating private housing. 98% of the sun's energy is accumulated in the soil layers, which is the basis for fuel production. Regardless of the time of year and temperature on the surface, heat is retained in the deep layers of the soil.
Scheme of arrangement of a geothermal heating system Source promogaz.ru
A geothermal installation consists of external and internal circuits. The external circuit (heat exchanger) is located below ground level. The internal circuit is a conventional system located in the house and assembled from pipes and heating radiators. The coolant is water or other liquid containing antifreeze.
pros:
possibility of setting up and starting up the system in different climatic conditions;
environmental safety;
permanent obtaining the required amount of thermal energy;
small expenses for operation.
Video description
Minuses:
high cost purchasing the necessary equipment;
payback installation is possible only after 7-8 years;
labor intensity installation;
need for construction collector.
Heating with solar panels
An alternative and environmentally friendly way to obtain heat is to install heating using solar collectors. In regions with low solar activity, this method is used as a backup or additional option.
For the greatest efficiency of the system, it is necessary to correctly position the batteries on the roof Source finetodesign.com
pros:
big service life;
fast payback;
availability installation equipment;
the best option for heat generation from electric heaters and when installing heated floors;
environmental safety;
simplicity in operation;
no costs for the purchase of fuel.
Video description
Minuses:
need for constant sunlight;
necessity in complex calculations for correct installation of photocells;
roof installation at a 30 degree angle;
preferably have a spare source of heat available.
Stove heating
The use of fireplaces and stoves is advisable only as a source of additional or temporary heat energy when installing heating systems in individual construction. Mainly used for heating country houses. In private houses with a large area, with permanent residence of people, they have no efficiency, since they are not able to ensure uniformity in the supply of heat throughout all rooms. Or you will have to additionally install a water heating system, and use the stove itself as a beautiful wood-burning boiler
The stove is more suitable for a small house Source chrome-effect.ru
On our website you can find contacts of construction companies that offer turnkey installation of stoves and fireplaces. You can communicate directly with representatives by visiting the “Low-Rise Country” exhibition of houses.
Conclusion
In order to decide on the optimal option for arranging autonomous heating systems and finally figure out which heating system to choose for a private home, it is advisable, first of all, to analyze which type of fuel is most available in a given area. The decision in favor of installing a suitable heating system depends on this.
Proximity to a pond and forest, clean air, silence - this is the biggest advantage for a country house to become the main place of residence. It is also much better for children to grow up not on the noisy streets of the city, but to spend their free time fearlessly riding bicycles and rollerblades. The only reason why not everyone would like to live in a private country house is the lack of normal heating.
Sometimes the only source of heat in the house is a stove, which needs to be lit every day, the chimney cleaned, accumulated ash removed, wood chopped, wood chips bought, and the like. This prospect does not add enthusiasm, so the creation of a modern home heating system will be a decisive factor for relocating the entire family outside the city.
The basic principle of operation: the boiler heats water, which then flows through pipes into the batteries and returns to the boiler again. A water heating system is a closed chain of boiler-pipeline-battery-pipeline-boiler. There is a water heating system with natural circulation of the medium and with a forced system. The first system operates due to the driving force resulting from the difference in the densities of hot and cold water in the supply and return pipes.
When heated in a boiler, less dense hot water is forced upward by denser cold water. Then it goes through the pipes to the radiators, gives off heat and, when cooled, returns to the boiler. With such a system, the important parameters are pipe diameter and angle of inclination. There is also a system of “forced” media circulation. The driving force in it is the circulation pump. In addition to this circuit, the water heating system includes an expansion tank for excess water during heating, a circulation pump, a thermostat, a pressure gauge, air vents, and safety valves.
Advantages of water heating:
- practicality, because a water boiler does not require a separate room. It can be placed in the kitchen, basement or bathroom.
- efficiency. Compared to stove heating, fuel savings reach 20%.
- natural circulation water does not require a pump
- water heating system is considered the most reliable and simple
Disadvantages of water heating:
- labor-intensive and expensive installation
- necessity preventative work
- change antifreeze every five years
Stages of preparation for installing water heating:
1st stage: First you need to make calculations of the heated area in order to buy a boiler of the required power. If the area of the house does not exceed 200 m2, then it is enough to purchase a boiler with a capacity of 25 kW. A room of 200−300 m2 is heated by a 35 kW boiler, an area of 300−600 m2 will be well heated by a 60 kW boiler, and if the room area is more than 600 m2, then you need to buy a 100 kW boiler.
2nd stage: we buy pipes for heating. Steel pipes have low corrosion resistance. Stainless steel and galvanized pipes must have threaded connections. Copper pipes can withstand both high pressure and high temperatures, but they are very expensive. Polymer pipes are easy to install, inexpensive, but have a large coefficient of thermal expansion. In the event of an accident in winter, after standing for some time without hot water, when restarted, strong expansion occurs and the pipes may leak. Therefore, polymer pipes are used more in apartment buildings.
3rd stage: choose a water heating system. A single-circuit system is intended for heating only. With a dual-circuit system, in addition to heating, hot water is also supplied for domestic needs. Sometimes used two single-circuit systems, one of which is turned off in the summer, and the other works to supply hot water to the taps.
4th stage: We choose the option of installing pipes indoors. For a private house, a two-pipe “cluster” system will be optimal. It got its name from the peculiarity of the location of the pipes in relation to the heating device. With this system Each heating device is connected to two pipes: with hot and cold water.
5th stage: Now you have to choose what fuel the boiler will run on. If natural gas is supplied to the house, then the best option would be a gas boiler. It, of course, requires regular maintenance and monitoring by special services.
Attention: the gas boiler is being installed EXCLUSIVELY specialist. If the area is not gasified, then you need to choose a boiler using solid fuels (coal, firewood, etc.). In this case, care must be taken to create a warm, dry room for storing fuel. Liquid fuel boilers, such as diesel, are fire hazards. In addition, such heating will be very expensive.
6th stage: on a piece of paper we draw the exact system for laying pipes and installing radiators in each room (it must be said that companies selling boilers, pipes, pumps and components provide calculations and selection for free). We install batteries with sections of at least 7 pieces under each window. On every floor batteries are located one below the other. We mark where taps and fittings need to be installed (taps are needed in front of each radiator to regulate the water supply). At the bottom of the system you need a tap to drain water from the circuit. Based on the diagram, you need to calculate the length and number of pipes, taps, fittings and other components.
For installation two-pipe water heating system with your own hands you need to purchase:
- expansion barrel
- metal-plastic pipes of the required size
- boiler
- radiator
- valves, valves, plugs, taps
- press fitting
- compression fitting
- calibrator
- roulette
- spanners
- crimp couplings
- pipe cutting knife
- press jaws
Installation Features water heating systems:
- In private homes, preference is given to metal-plastic pipes. Markings are made in places where pipes should pass through walls and ceilings. Then holes of the appropriate diameter are drilled at the markings.
- at the highest point of the heating system of the house, an open-type expansion tank is installed at a height at least 3 meters vertically from the boiler level. A closed expansion tank can be installed in the same room where the boiler itself is located.
- After installing the tank, you can install the pipes. The installation procedure is as follows: the pipeline from the boiler is brought to the first radiator and connected to it. Radiator outlet connects to the return line. There is also a connection and outlet to each radiator.
- the most difficult step will be connecting the return line to the boiler. Thus, it is created closed heating system. That's it, the water heating of the house is ready.
Steam heating
The essence of the operation of a steam heating system is as follows: The boiler heats the water to the temperature where the water turns into steam. It goes through the pipes, turns back into water and returns to the boiler again. Steam heating can also be either single-circuit, i.e. for heating only, or double-circuit, when hot water is supplied for domestic needs. When using a steam heating system, pipes and radiators can heat up to 100 0 C. Steam systems can be collective and direct. In the first case, steam is collected in a special tank, from which it goes back into the boiler. In another option, the steam is returned through a special outlet pipe.
Advantages of steam heating:
- inexpensive installation and compact dimensions
- no heat loss in heat exchangers
- high heat transfer
- steam, unlike water, does not freeze in pipes
- efficiency
Disadvantages of steam heating:
- steam gradually destroys pipes
- it is impossible to smoothly regulate the temperature during a visit
- the surface of the radiators heats up to a high temperature, and if you accidentally touch it you can get burned
Stages of preparation for installing steam heating:
1st stage: choose a steam boiler. Its power is similar to that of a water boiler. It also runs on natural gas, solid and liquid fuels.
We use a cable
If there is a warm floor in the room main source of heating, then it is better to use a cable as a heating element. At the same time, laying the cable will take much more time, and the floor height will increase by 10-15 cm.
1st stage: Before laying the heat insulator, the floor is cleared of old tiles or other material. All debris is swept out and dust is removed.
2nd stage: Sheets of heat insulation are laid out on the cleaned surface. The joints between the sheets are taped.
3rd stage: A reinforcing mesh is laid on top of the thermal insulator and an intermediate screed no thicker than 3 cm is poured. Wait 3-5 days until it dries completely.
4th stage: After the screed has completely dried, mounting tape is applied to it.
5th stage: A detailed cable laying diagram is drawn up. You need to start laying from the bridge connecting the wiring to the thermostat. It is necessary to take into account the cable manufacturer's recommendations regarding the minimum bending radius of the cable and the minimum distance between the cable threads. Do not run the cable under areas where plumbing fixtures and furniture will subsequently be installed.
6th stage: The thermostat is installed inside a corrugated tube. All components of the electrical system are connected.
Attention! It is best to entrust such an important undertaking to a specialist. He will also check the proper functioning of the entire system. It is advisable to take a photograph of the entire system so that in the event of a breakdown, specialists can see what the system looks like under the floor.
7th stage: After checking the operation of the heating system, a second screed with a height of 3-10 cm is laid. You must wait a month until it dries completely.
8th stage: Now you can lay any floor covering.
The cost of electric heated floors in a room of 15 sq. m is 600−1000 USD. depending on the materials used.
Video of heated floor installation
