Self-regulation of the heating system: a review of devices and methods

During the design of the heating system, measures must be taken to control temperature and pressure. For this, it is necessary to install special fittings and devices. How to adjust the heating system: batteries, pressure and other elements? First you need to understand the principles of organization of these sections of the system.

Heating control methods

Battery temperature controller
Battery temperature controller

During heating, the coolant expands and, as a result, the volume increases. Therefore, before adjusting the heating batteries in the apartment, it is necessary to provide general control over the operation of the system.

For this, several types of devices are intended. They are conditionally divided into regulatory and controlling. The former are intended to change the current characteristics of the system (pressure and temperature) in the direction of decreasing or increasing. They are installed on a specific section of the pipeline or for the entire system as a whole. Monitoring devices include pressure gauges and thermometers mounted together with control devices or separately.

How to adjust the pressure in the heating system when operating a solid fuel and gas boiler? To do this, be guided by the following principles of designing control systems:

  • Installation of pressure gauges (thermometers) before and after the boiler, in distribution manifolds in the highest and lowest parts of the system;
  • If there is a circulation pump, a pressure gauge is installed before it;
  • Mandatory installation of an expansion tank. In closed systems, it can be of the membrane type, in open systems it is leaky;
  • The safety valve and air vent will prevent critical overpressure in the pipes.

The average temperature of the water in the pipes should not exceed 90 degrees. The pressure should be in the range from 1.5 to 3 atm. It is possible to make a system with parameters that exceed the specified ones, but in this case, you will need to select special components.

If it is not possible to adjust the heating batteries in the apartment with the help of a thermostat - most likely an air jam has formed. To eliminate it, a Mayevsky crane is needed.

Regulation of heating a private house

Autonomous heating circuit
Autonomous heating circuit

For owners of private homes, the question is urgent: how to adjust a two-pipe heating system. Unlike central heating, only internal factors affect the parameters of autonomous heating.

The main one is the design of the boiler, the types of fuel used and its thermal power. Also, the ability to adjust the parameters of the coolant directly depends on the following system indicators:

  • Pipe diameter and material. The larger the cross section of the highway, the faster the expansion of water will occur as a result of an increase in temperature;
  • Characteristics of radiators. Before you adjust the heating radiator, you must make it the correct connection to the pipeline. In the future, using special devices, you can reduce or increase the speed and volume of the coolant passing through the heating device;
  • Possibility to install mixing units. They can be mounted for a two-pipe heating system and with their help the water temperature is reduced by mixing hot and cold streams.

In order to learn how to adjust the heating system in a private house, it is recommended to consider all possible options.

The installation of pressure control mechanisms in the heating system must be foreseen at the design stage. Otherwise, even a small installation error can lead to loss of efficiency of the entire system.

Pressure stabilization in the heating system

The expansion of water as a result of heating is a natural process. In this indicator, the pressure can exceed a critical value, which is unacceptable from the point of view of heating operation. In order to stabilize and reduce pressure on the inner surfaces of pipes and radiators, several heating elements must be installed. To adjust the heating system in a private house with their help will be much easier and more efficient.

Expansion tank adjustment

Expansion membrane tank
Expansion membrane tank

It is a steel tank, divided into two chambers. One of them is filled with water from the system, and the second is pumped with air. The pressure value in the air is normal in heating pipes. If this parameter is exceeded, the elastic membrane increases the volume of the water chamber, thereby compensating for the thermal expansion of water.

Before adjusting the pressure drop in the heating system, the condition and setting of the expansion tank must be checked. You can adjust the pressure in the heating system by purchasing a tank model with the ability to change it in the air chamber. As an additional measure, a pressure gauge is installed to visually monitor this value.

However, with a significant jump in pressure, this measure will not be enough. So you can adjust the pressure drop in the heating system in the event that it does not exceed a critical value. Therefore, the installation of additional devices is recommended.

How to adjust a security group

Heating Safety Group
Heating Safety Group

This group of devices includes the following elements:

  • Pressure gauge. Designed for visual control of the heating system;
  • Air vent. If the water temperature exceeds 100 degrees, excess steam acts on the valve seat of the device, releasing air from the pipes;
  • Safety valve. It works in the same way as a water vent, but is needed to drain excess coolant from pipes.

How to adjust the heating radiator using this unit? Alas, it is designed to prevent emergencies throughout the system. For batteries, another device must be installed.

Mayevsky crane

Structurally, it is similar to a safety valve. A feature is the small size and the ability to mount on a radiator nozzle with a small diameter.

In order to correctly adjust the heating batteries, you need to know in what cases the Mayevsky crane is used:

  • Elimination of air jams in radiators. By opening the valve, air is discharged until the coolant flows;
  • Setting the critical pressure value. When emergency expansion of water occurs, the valve opens and the pressure in the radiator stabilizes.
The construction of the Mayevsky crane
The construction of the Mayevsky crane

The latter function is optional and is most often not used. The security team handles this task best. Proper adjustment of heating in the house should include all of the above elements.

With independent regulation of the two-pipe heating system with the boiler running, you need to constantly monitor the readings of thermometers and manometers.

Heating temperature control

An important parameter of any heating system is the optimal temperature regime of its operation. A suitable ratio of hot to coolant is 75/50 or 80/60. However, this value is not always acceptable for certain sections of the network. How to adjust the heating in the house in this case? It is necessary to install special equipment.Some of them are designed to adjust heating radiators.

Mixing units

Three-way valve
Three-way valve

Their main element is a two or three-way valve. One of the pipes is connected to the heating pipe with hot water, the second to the return. The third is mounted on the main section, where it is necessary to provide a low level of coolant temperature.

As additional mixing units, they are equipped with a temperature sensor and a thermostatic control unit. The sensor receives a signal about the level of heating of the coolant and it opens or closes the mixing valve, thereby regulating the two-pipe heating system. Most often, such mechanisms are installed in the collectors of a water heated floor.

If you need to adjust the heating of a water heated floor in an apartment building, you need to take into account the temperature regime of the pipes. Most often, it does not exceed 45 degrees.

Servos

Servo for radiators
Servo for radiators

How to adjust the heating in an apartment building, if there is no way to independently change the temperature of the water in the pipes? For this, installation of special valves is required. You can restrict yourself to installing simple taps - with their help, the flow of coolant into the radiators is regulated. However, in this case, the adjustment will have to be performed each time independently. The best option would be mounting the servos.

The design of this device includes a thermostat and a servo drive. To work, you must perform the following steps.

  1. Set the desired temperature value on the thermostat.
  2. The servo drive will automatically tear off or close the flow of coolant into the radiator.

In addition to such models, you can purchase an economy option that includes only a thermostat. In this case, the adjustment level will not be so accurate. But how to adjust the heating system in an apartment building if old batteries are installed? There are models of temperature controllers that are designed for installation in cast-iron radiators. Such a measure will make the temperature setting for the apartment more accurate.

To regulate the differential pressure in the heating system, thermostats cannot be used. They will only limit the flow of coolant into the radiator, without affecting the temperature regime of the entire system.

Heating Adjustment Tips

Ways to connect radiators
Ways to connect radiators

All the above devices and appliances are necessary for normal heating operation. But besides them, you need to know the basic rules for installing individual elements, since they directly affect the operation of the entire system. Regulation of heating batteries in the apartment begins at the stage of their installation.

First of all, you need to choose a connection method. The efficiency of the device and the ability to install a thermostat depend on it.

Also consider the piping layout. In a single-pipe, a bypass (jumper) is required to be installed, which is necessary to redirect the heat carrier flow in case of repair or replacement of the radiator. In a two-pipe connection of each heating element occurs in parallel. Therefore, it is easiest to correctly adjust the heating batteries in it.

In this way, you can adjust the heating in an apartment building. But for an autonomous system, it is important to know the correct boiler settings.

Installation of temperature regulators on radiators
Installation of temperature regulators on radiators

The boiler, regardless of the type of energy used, is designed to heat water in pipes. The effectiveness of the entire system will depend on its proper operation. In order to adjust the heating system in a private house, it is necessary to check the following boiler parameters:

  • Rated power. You can take advantage of the ratio that 1 kW of thermal energy is needed per 10 m² of space. But this is only if the heat loss in the house is minimal;
  • The ratio of boiler power to the volume of coolant. On average, it takes 1 kW of energy to heat 15 liters of water;
  • Possibility of smooth adjustment of the boiler. Such a function is inherent only for gas-powered models. For solid fuel, it is difficult to reduce or increase the degree of heat transfer of the energy carrier.

Correct installation of these parameters will affect the accuracy of regulation of heating radiators. Together, this should not only increase the safety of the entire system, but also increase its efficiency. As an additional measure, it is recommended that the outside temperature be taken into account. To do this, mount a remote thermometer connected to a heating boiler or mixing unit. This will help reduce energy costs by optimizing its consumption.

In the video you can see how to independently adjust the operation of the heating radiator:

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