Heating boilers installed in private dwellings also for water heating purposes differ in a number of parameters: type of fuel used, functionality, installation features. In order to choose the right boiler, you need to take into account the power of the unit, necessary for house maintenance, and the ability to provide the required working conditions.
Classification of heating boilers
The devices on sale are sharpened for the use of different types of fuel. They differ in availability, cost and efficiency.
Gas
Gas fired boilers make up the largest market segment. This is due to the low price of this type of fuel in combination with good efficiency. Such a model can serve a large dwelling, in particular, work on two floors.
On sale you can find devices of two types of structures - floor-mounted and designed for wall mounting. Wall-mounted boilers are good in compactness and completeness. In the case of such an assembly, in addition to the heat exchanger and the control unit, additional components are often placed that optimize operation and make it safe. For a boiler placed on the floor, such equipment often has to be purchased separately. In this case, the total cost will be higher than the wall unit.
Both types of devices can have one or two circuits. Boilers of the first type are designed for use only for the purpose of heating the room.
Double-circuit installations are intended for residents with a need for hot water supply for domestic needs. Among such boilers, the best choice is a model equipped with a built-in boiler. It will provide residents with a supply of approximately 50 liters of heated water in case the gas supply is turned off.
Floor-standing appliances can have a cast-iron or steel heat exchanger. Steel products have a lower weight and are not so afraid of shocks during transportation, but are more susceptible to corrosion. One of the subspecies of floor standing devices is a parapet boiler with a closed combustion chamber, the installation of which does not require a conventional chimney. Features of its structure allow placement in a small room. However, the operation of such a device requires gas supply and access to electricity.
Solid fuel
Solid forms of fuel have been used by mankind for many centuries. Firewood, peat briquettes, brown and hard coal fall into this category. The advantage is the ability to create a heating system that is independent of gas and electricity supplies. In areas where it is possible to provide the boiler with sufficient fuel resources, this option will be optimal. Some options have a long burning mode.
The following models are available:
- Standard boilers that do not require an electrical connection. They can be designed to operate a certain type of solid fuel or work with different types of it. Temperature control is implemented by means of sensors.
- Units with pyrolysis burning of wood. They burn not only the material itself, but also the wood gas produced in the process. They have good efficiency and are able to heat a large room, but require electricity.
- Devices that can work not only on solid, but also on other types of fuel.
In the market you can find models of steel and cast iron, with one and two circuits.
The downside of solid fuel boilers is that they require regular loading of new batches of firewood or coal.
Liquid fuel
Most often, such devices operate on diesel fuel. Sometimes fuel oil is also used, as well as technical oil, which has worked out its due date or has become unsuitable for operation for its intended purpose. Such units are powerful and have high efficiency, due to which they are able to serve a spacious cottage building. Another plus is the relative cheapness of solar fuel compared to electricity. The downside is the need to install equipment in a special room equipped with an exhaust mechanism. In addition, the burner is quite noisy. When the fuel cools and its temperature begins to tend to zero, the wire must be artificially heated, otherwise the device will stop due to clogged filters.
Electric
These devices are good in compactness, fully equipped, lack of need for an exhaust hood, burner, and fuel tank. They do not generate emissions, do not require removal of fuel waste. An electric boiler can even be installed in the kitchen. The downside is that not all locations have access to enough electricity.
Combined
These units are able to work with different types of fuel. One option is a combined boiler with a set of burners for gas and liquid. It can be delivered in case of frequent interruptions in the gas main, or in the case when it has not yet been laid, but it is planned to be used in the future. Some of these models are equipped with a heating element, which allows you to work on electricity. This segment of products is naturally the most expensive.
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- Electric
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- Combined
Popular countries manufacturers of boilers
The rating of the best gas boilers for heating a private house demonstrates that the companies from Italy and Germany are the most popular from European manufacturers. In Asia, competitive products are made in South Korea.
Italy
The best reliability indicators among Italian boilers are demonstrated by Baxi brand products. It is represented by different types of models - suspended condensing and floor-mounted. In quality, they are comparable to German units. A distinctive feature is the high automation of control. The first years after the appearance on the Russian market, Beretta and Ariston also enjoyed popularity, but over time they lost ground - users began to complain about the quality of parts.
Korea
Among Korean boilers, Kiturami's products are reliable and high-tech. In terms of functionality, they withstand competition with boilers from Germany. Due to the relatively high price and less hype compared to European brands, users do not often prefer this brand. Navien wall constructions, which received excellent reviews from consumers, have a more affordable price.
Germany
German gas boilers are known for their reliability, wide functionality, high level of automation. The efficiency of these units can reach 97%. Wall mounted German boilers from Bosch and Vaillant are also available in a version equipped with a water boiler. Models for installation on the floor are manufactured by Viessmann, whose products, having excellent operational characteristics, are also one of the most expensive in the already expensive product segment.
Among domestic manufacturers, the Gradient brand can be noted. A wide range of heating equipment for various types of installation is produced by Protherm from Slovenia.Products of these brands are not as high-tech as German ones, but they are reliable, affordable and suitable for use in the Russian climate.
Rules for calculating boiler power
The simplest and roughest calculation method is based on the area of the rooms served. The assumption is used that 100 W of heat is consumed for heating 1 m2. Then, to find the required boiler capacity in kilowatts, the total area of the rooms is divided by 10. The formula is suitable for rooms 2.5-3 m high and climatic conditions in the middle zone of the European part of Russia. When used in the southern regions, the resulting result is multiplied by 0.8, in the northern - by 1.6.
Calculation based on volume is built on a similar principle, only the height of the premises is also taken into account. The standardized costs for heating a cubic meter are taken depending on the material the house is made of: in case of panel buildings it is 41 W, for brick dwellings - 34. There are also complex types of calculation that take into account different categories of heat loss.
Selection of the number of circuits
Most consumers who choose heating with a boiler would like to get enough hot water. In this case, you must either mount a dual-circuit system, or use an indirect water boiler, connecting it to a single-circuit floor boiler.
Hot water can be prepared in the system in two ways. The flow method is suitable if needs are limited to small volumes. Using a boiler will always have sufficient reserves of heated water, including surviving periods of blackout or gas outages.
Advantages and disadvantages of heating boilers
The advantage of using this type of heating is the sufficient power of the boiler. Even low-power models are able to serve several rooms, powerful ones are able to cope with a spacious dwelling. A number of units need little to be supplied with external resources, have compactness and completeness. With the correct selection of the components of the system, the consumer will also receive a supply of heated water.
The disadvantages are the high cost of the boilers and the need for the supply of resources (electricity, gas, solid or liquid fuel). The transition to work from another source when the main feed is cut is not possible for all models.
In addition to the number of circuits, type of installation and fuel used, heat generators differ in a number of other parameters. The user needs to pay attention to fuel consumption and the availability of energy-saving mode. Also, the devices differ in terms of the nature of the smoke and the combustion chamber device (closed or open). It is important to have mechanisms to ensure safe operation. They can be mounted in the unit, or must be purchased separately.
Site selection and operation
The most compact are models designed for wall mounting. In this design, electric and gas units are produced. They are perfect for small dwellings, the power of such a device is enough for high-quality house maintenance. Installation does not require the allocation of a special non-residential room. You can hang the boiler in the kitchen, and electric even in the living room.
The most powerful devices are classified as floor standing. Install such a heat generator in a separate room. Fire safety rules prescribe that there should be some distance between the boiler and the walls. Often, such models require the presence of an exhaust device in the room.
To work in areas where electricity is often turned off, it is advisable to purchase an electric generator.This will constantly maintain the device in working condition. When the priority is given to the possibility of autonomous operation (without power supply), it is better to give preference to a solid fuel unit.
When equipping the boiler room, it is also important to correctly organize the chimney and take care of the means to ensure the safe operation of the equipment. These include traction control devices, flame detection, mechanisms that turn off the unit when the pressure in the gas pipeline is too low, and a temperature control unit.
