Owners of private homes are looking for ways to combine autonomous heating with providing hot water for household needs. One of the solutions to the problem is to install a gas boiler with a boiler. Installation of such a unit is possible in all areas where there is a connection to the main gas supply.
Varieties and principle of operation of a gas boiler with a built-in boiler
Heating units equipped with a water heater differ in a number of characteristics. To successfully select a model, you need to carefully study all the relevant parameters.
Boiler location
Sometimes a water heater is purchased separately and mounted next to the heating unit. In this case, the selection of the optimal volume of capacity for the boiler power is of great importance. If you use too large tanks, the housing will warm up worse.
A boiler with a built-in boiler is a more compact version. Part of the generated heat is spent on heating water in the tank and maintaining its temperature.
Number of circuits
Single-circuit devices are capable of performing only one task - to heat the room. To make such a boiler perform two functions simultaneously, an external boiler equipped with a heat exchanger must be connected to it. Units with two circuits integrate 2 nodes. One of them heats the liquid for supply to the heating system, the other is responsible for hot water supply.
On sale you can find the following types of dual-circuit devices:
- Wall mounted with flow-through heat exchanger. Their advantages are small size, affordable price, ease of management and installation. Such a unit can serve 2 water points and heat the living space to 300 m2.
- With a small (40-60 l) boiler mounted inside. The heated area in this case is equal to the previous option, but it is possible to supply water to 4 points at once.
- With a massive boiler of 80 liters or more.
Some products with a built-in water heater are equipped with all necessary elements - security system, mounting parts. Other equipment has to be purchased separately.
Installation method
Devices with a boiler are suspended and floor. The equipment of the first type is more compact and lighter, it can be placed in a niche in the wall. Steel heat exchanger provides less weight. Floor units are more productive, have a durable cast-iron heat exchanger. It is advisable to install them in a separate room. During installation, you must follow all instructions in the instructions supplied with the unit.
Principle of operation
The liquid for heating the house and domestic needs is heated simultaneously, passing through the pipes. The temperature rises due to the operation of the gas burner. In units, the priority feed mechanism is used: when the water tap opens, the system switches to providing hot water. Since they use it for a short time, serious cooling of the air does not occur.
Criteria for choosing dual-circuit boilers
An important parameter of the device is power - it determines whether the boiler can heat the room and simultaneously supply the heated liquid without interruption. The required indicator is determined by the dimensions of the home - the area and height of the ceilings.If there is a shortage of thermal insulation, power requirements increase.
The type of combustion chamber also matters. If it has an open structure, waste waste is discharged through a simple chimney. With a hermetically sealed chamber, the inlet and outlet of gases from the device are realized through a turbine mechanism. An economical option is to purchase a condensing gas boiler with a boiler. Its design provides more efficient use of fuel and its lower consumption. In addition, air pollution from combustion products is reduced.
The heat exchanger can be mono- and bithermic. The first option is more reliable and has a long service life. But the liquid for water supply and heating of the home in this case is heated separately.
Location of the boiler in the house
Models mounted on the floor are installed in a specially equipped room. You can use a utility room for this. Floors must be non-combustible. If the device is equipped with a built-in burner, replacing it in the event of a breakdown will not work. Blowing configurations are more advantageous - you need to purchase them yourself, but they are easily replaced at home.
A hanging boiler does not require a special room and can be installed, for example, in the kitchen. Compact dimensions allow you to place it in a niche in the wall or in a small cabinet.
Calculation of the required boiler power
Before buying, it is important to calculate the optimal heat output. The roughest way is based on the area of the dwelling: it is assumed that 1 kW of power is required for servicing every 10 m2 (if the room height does not exceed 3 m) and 20-30% of the reserve is added to the resulting result. However, the situation is influenced by a number of factors that are not taken into account in this method: climate, sources of heat loss, the amount of heated water consumed, the forced circulation of air masses.
A more accurate calculation will be obtained if we introduce a specific coefficient determined by climatic conditions: for the south of the CIS it will be 0.7-0.9, for the central region of the European part of Russia - 1-1.1, for the northern regions 1.3- 1.4. Then the formula will take the form: N = S * k / 10where N - power in kW, S - area in m2, k - coefficient. If the boiler is purchased for heating and water supply at the same time, the resulting result is multiplied by 1.25.
Advantages and disadvantages
The most obvious plus of the device with a built-in boiler is the combination in one unit of the functions of heating and hot water. The unit will provide the family with a supply of heated liquid for the duration of the gas supply shutdown. Water is supplied simultaneously to several points. The user can adjust the operating parameters (in particular, temperature) independently. Most devices are equipped with a temperature sensor and other safety features.
The main disadvantage is the need to allocate a separate room for floor boilers for the boiler room. Units with a built-in drive are sensitive to strong drops in the supply voltage.
When buying a boiler with a boiler, it is important to calculate the required power: if it is in short supply, it will not be possible to heat the house qualitatively, and if there is an excess, a lot of fuel will be consumed. The tank used must be proportionate to the unit's heat output.
