Most owners of private homes when organizing heating and hot water in the house prefer to use modern gas boilers. This approach eliminates dependence on many external factors, including disruptions in the utilities. Before installing equipment of this class, it is important to correctly calculate the power of the gas boiler, which will not be mistaken when choosing the right sample.
Calculation of boiler capacity by area
To calculate the thermal power of a gas boiler in a wall or floor version, a standard formula is used that takes into account that for every 100 m2 of living space in the house, at least 10 kW is needed. The resulting figure is usually adjusted by 15-20 percent upward, which eliminates factors that are not accountable.
As an example, the calculation of the thermal power required to heat a building with a living area of 80 m2 is considered. In accordance with the above ratio, it is as follows:
P = 10x80 / 100x1.2 = 9.6 kW (1.2 is a factor that takes into account a margin of 20 percent).
When choosing a unit that is suitable for this indicator, they acquire the model in which the declared power is closest to the calculated value. The proposed calculation method is suitable for single-circuit devices installed in modern suburban housing. It does not take into account the load on the hot water supply and is often used as the basis for calculating gas consumption for the heating season.
Among the factors affecting the accuracy of this indicator include:
- climatic zone in which the building heated by the boiler is located;
- the height of the ceilings in the premises of each particular building;
- Efficiency of the used heating equipment.
Another calculation option, along with the building area P, takes into account the specific power coefficient of this model (K). The latter depends on the climatic region and varies in the following ranges:
- from 0.7 to 0.9 kW for the southern regions of the Russian Federation;
- from 1.0 to 1.2 for the center;
- from 1.5 to 2.0 in the northern regions of Russia.
In essence, K is the same amendment that was introduced in the previous ratio as a percentage. The formula for calculation in this case takes the following form: P = PhC / 10. According to it, for the central regions, the power of the heating source for a house with a total area of 80 m2 should be at least 8.0-9.6 kW.
What capacity do boilers for a home need?
There is no universal method for calculating thermal power in relation to products of one or another category. Each of the possible options is subject to separate consideration. In most cases, an approximate calculation is used, based on taking into account the area of the rooms in a country house or in a country house. In this case, a stepwise approach to the evaluation of the indicator is used, in which the footage is divided into the following three categories:
- the total area of the house is up to 60 square meters. meters;
- its value is limited to 100 square meters. meters and above;
- parameter exceeds 200 sq. meters.
In the first case, the value P = 8 kW is considered sufficient, for the second option it is 15 kW, and for the third - 20 kW.
The need to calculate the power of the boiler
The need for a calculation justification for the choice of boiler equipment is explained by the following reasons:
- the acquisition of a unit with more than necessary power will lead to unjustified costs associated with excessive gas consumption;
- its insufficient value will not allow to obtain the required heat output;
- with an erroneously determined indicator P (for loads exceeding the calculated ones), violations in the operation mode of the equipment, as well as its failure, are possible.
The correct approach to calculating the total boiler power required for space heating is not possible without first familiarizing yourself with individual equipment models.
Popular models
The samples of gas boilers that are in high demand are represented by single-circuit models in wall and floor versions. Their advantages include compactness and ease of maintenance, and disadvantages include limited functionality.
Wall models
Wall-mounted products are represented by the Viessmann Vitopend 100-W A1HB003 model, which includes three models with the declared power of 24, 30 and 34 kW. They are manufactured on a single modular platform, which greatly simplifies their on-site installation and warranty service. The advantages of these products include:
- low gas flow not exceeding 3.5 m3 / hour;
- automatic power adjustment depending on the ambient temperature;
- high efficiency reaching 93%;
- the presence in the kit of a coaxial chimney equipped with frost protection;
- universality (products can work on liquefied gas).
A relative disadvantage of these models is the lack of an external control panel.
The Eco Four model, well known to users, is relatively inexpensive in comparison with other samples. The boiler has a flat housing of small dimensions, which allows it to be mounted in line with kitchen cabinets. When operating in the northern regions, it can be used to heat the living area to 150 square meters.
Floor units
Outdoor devices are not limited in their functionality. They are mounted in accordance with the requirements of TB and need a separate room. Bosch GAZ 2500 F is the first product in this design, developed by German engineers exclusively for the needs of the Russian user.
This unit perfectly copes with the instability of the operating voltage in the mains and the low level of gas pressure in the system. Thanks to a steel heat exchanger from sheet blanks with a thickness of 3 mm, the GAZ 2500 is able to last without breakdown for almost 20 years. The series presented by the manufacturer from Germany includes four models with thermal power from 22 to 42 kW.
Despite the fact that these products are assembled within Russia, they cannot be called cheap. But they have built-in automation, as well as the ability to connect an indirect heating boiler. The advantages of these models include:
- availability of a reliable steel heat exchanger of increased capacity;
- the ability to adjust power in the range from 60 to 100%;
- permissibility of setting operating modes selected using the built-in automation;
- the presence of a control panel;
- the possibility of reorienting to bottled gas.
The disadvantages of German floor units include their high cost.
Inexpensive units
Relatively inexpensive models of single-circuit gas boilers include products under the brand name Protherm Bear 40 KLOM, designed for a power of at least 35 kW. Units with such indicators are optimally suited to economical homeowners who need to heat up living areas of no more than 250 m2 with warm air. The functionality of this sample is not too large, but everything necessary for its safe operation is optional.
The manufacturer abandoned the built-in electronics, which turned the model into a completely non-volatile device. To start the equipment in operation, it is enough to connect a gas supply to it. Given the low cost of this sample, no serious shortcomings were found in its operation.
