Do-it-yourself heating of a private house from a to z

Gone are the days when the only way to heat a private house was a stove. It was precisely because of the lack of full-fledged heating and hot water supply that many did not want to live outside the city, moving to comfortable high-rise buildings. But the benefits of civilization reached the country houses. Modern technologies and materials make it possible to equip the heating of a private house with your own hands, so as not to endure hardships anymore. Now the amenities in a country house will be no worse than city ones. There are several ways to make heating in a private house, which differ in structural elements and energy sources. We will talk about them in the framework of this article.

What can be the heating system of a private house

First of all, heating systems differ in the type of coolant, which directly heats the premises, giving off heat. There are water systems, steam, air, electric and open fire. The latter are implemented in fireplaces, Russian stoves and coarse. In rooms where heating is implemented in this way, heat is distributed unevenly: cold air near the floor, hot near the heat source (stove), and cold air at a distance. In principle, a small house can be heated quite well with a stove, but we will not focus on these systems, but will talk about those that can provide more uniform heating of a large house.

The water heating system is a closed loop through which hot water circulates. The boiler acts as a heating element, pipes diverge from it throughout the house, radiators are installed in each room, through which hot water passes and gives off heat. Having given off heat, the water returns to the boiler, where it heats up, and the cycle repeats.

For a water system, a boiler using any available fuel is suitable. The most common are gas boilers because they are economical. Heating in a private house using natural gas is possible only if a gas main is connected to the house. Another disadvantage is that gas boilers require regular maintenance and control by special services. However, gas heating is in high demand.

If the area is not gasified, you can use solid fuel boiler(coal, firewood, pallets). In this case, the heating will turn out to be completely autonomous and independent of the energy supply. But for the storage of solid fuels, it will be necessary to equip a convenient and dry storage.

Oil boilers, for example, diesel, can also be used for water heating. This method has a number of disadvantages: diesel fuel is very expensive, heating is uneconomical, fuel storage requires a tank buried in the ground, which, despite all the precautions, is a fire hazard.

electric boiler, connected to the central power supply, will also perform its functions well. But if you have already decided to use electricity as an energy carrier, it would be more expedient to install electric radiators in order to directly convert electrical energy into heat without the mediation of water.

To equip fully autonomous heating, you can use alternative electricity, solar and wind converters, mini-hydro stations and more.

The power of the boiler is selected depending on the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe house. Approximate characteristics can be seen in the table.

In a water heating system, both water and antifreeze can circulate. Also, the system may have additional elements for its adjustment. The expansion tank is used to collect excess fluid, thermostats are needed to control the temperature in front of each radiator, a circulation pump for forced water movement is not always used, as well as an automatic air vent, shut-off and safety valves.

If you are interested in how much it costs to heat a private house, then you can calculate it yourself. First you need to decide on the type of energy carrier. We will consider the option with a gas boiler. So, we need to purchase a boiler, pipes, radiators for each room, an expansion tank, taps, fittings, all the necessary related materials. But before you buy all this, you should draw up a heating scheme for a private house, which will accurately indicate the location of the boiler and radiators, the length of the pipeline, and more. Design work "will cost a pretty penny", permits, approvals, plus installation. As a result, heating in a private house will cost about 9000 - 11000 USD.

The cost of equipment for the heating system will largely depend on the materials. For example, radiators are cast iron, steel,aluminum, stainless steel. The cheapest cast iron, they are also the heaviest and short-lived. Stainless steel is the most expensive, few can afford to install them throughout the house. Pipes for laying a heating pipeline also come in various materials: steel(stainless steel, galvanized steel), copper, polymeric(metal-plastic, polypropylene, polyethylene). Copper pipes are considered the most reliable, as they can withstand large temperature changes, and the connection is made by soldering with silver solder. Although polymer pipes are easy to install and are not afraid of corrosion, they have a significant drawback - they are afraid of temperature changes and lose their strength if they are bent. Recently, steel pipes have been used quite rarely, although stainless and galvanized pipes are not afraid of corrosion, are durable and firmly connected.

The cost of materials and work on installing heating in a private house is also affected by the type of water heating system, which can be one-pipe, two-pipe and manifold. We will talk about this below.

The water heating system has several disadvantages: complex and time-consuming installation, regular system maintenance and boiler checks, but it is very popular among country residents compared to other systems.

Steam heating of a private house

The steam heating system is implemented according to the following principle: the boiler heats water under pressure to a boiling state, the resulting steam goes to the radiators through the pipeline, where it gives off its heat, condenses back into water and returns back to the boiler. Air is forced out of the system by hot steam. According to the principle of condensate return in the boiler, two types of systems are distinguished: open (open) and closed (closed). In open systems, there is a tank in which condensate accumulates and then enters the boiler. In closed systems, the condensate returns to the boiler on its own through a wide pipe.

Important! Steam heating is not used in private residential buildings. "Steam" is mistakenly called "water" heating. In fact, a steam heating boiler is a huge unit, the size of a room, it is very difficult to operate, and also dangerous. Such heating is used only in enterprises where steam is needed for production needs. Even in this case, the heat-releasing elements are carefully isolated from the person, since the steam temperature is 115 ° C.

An air heating system can be installed in a house only at the construction stage; this is not possible in a finished residential building.

The principle of operation of this system is as follows: the heat generator heats the air, which then rises through the air ducts into the premises and exits under the ceiling in such a way as to displace the cold air that has accumulated near the window or door. Cold air is forced out into the air ducts leading to the heat generator. This is how circulation occurs, which can be gravitational or forced.

Gravity circulation occurs due to the temperature difference, when the volume of warm air is large enough, it displaces the cold towards the air ducts. The disadvantage of this method is that when windows or doors are open, circulation is disturbed.

For forced circulation A fan is used to increase air pressure.

The figure shows the heating of a private two-story house with the help of air.

The heat generator can burn natural gas, kerosene or diesel. At the same time, natural gas can be both from the main line and bottled. The products of combustion go into the chimney.

To freshen the air, clean air is mixed into the system, which can be taken from outside the room.

Air ducts can be made of metal, plastic or textile, and also have a round or rectangular shape. According to the structure, air ducts are rigid and flexible. Air ducts adjacent to external walls or unheated rooms must be thermally insulated. In order to correctly calculate how the air heating system of the house should be located, what should be the size of the air ducts, what is the topology of the network, you should contact the experts. The arrangement of such a system for a two-story house can cost 11,000 USD.

Electric heating of a private house

Heating a house with electricity can be implemented in several ways: using electric convectors, underfloor heating systems, infrared long-wave heaters(ceiling).

Heating a house with electricity cannot be called economical. Sometimes they even equip a water heating system and connect it to an electric boiler. This method has a significant drawback: high energy costs and heat loss. Therefore, it is advised to install an electric boiler as a spare in addition to the gas one (subject to the presence of a gas main).

But if there is no other available energy source, you have to use what you have. Then it will be more economical and expedient to use not a boiler, but immediately electric convectors.

To calculate the number of necessary devices, you should know the volume of the room and the degree of its thermal insulation. For example, for heating a house of 100 m2, with a ceiling height of 3 m, the volume is 300 m3, if the room is poorly insulated, its heating demand is 40 W/m3. In total, we multiply the volume of the room by the need, we get 12,000 watts. This need can be met by installing 4 convectors of 2.5 kW each and 1 convector - 2 kW. The cost of equipment is approximately 1300 - 1500 USD. This is much less than the arrangement of water heating with a gas boiler, but it is much less economical when paying for energy.

The disadvantage of using electric convectors is the uneven heating of the room: it is cold near the floor, and hot air accumulates near the ceiling. To evenly warm the room, you can additionally install a "warm floor" system.

Scheme of the heating system of a private house with a liquid coolant

The water heating system can be single-loop or double-circuit. Single-circuit is used only for heating, and double-circuit for heating and heating water for household needs. In practice, in private houses, two single-circuit systems are most often installed: one - purely for heating water, the second - for heating. This is also convenient because the second boiler does not work during the non-heating season.

According to the principle of water movement in the system, one-pipe, two-pipe and collector systems are distinguished.

One-pipe water heating system

In a single-pipe system, water passes sequentially from one radiator to another. At the same time, in each subsequent radiator, the temperature of the coolant will be lower and lower. In the latter, it may not be enough to heat the room. This system is practically not amenable to adjustment, since by blocking access to one radiator, water access to all the others will be blocked. Also, if one radiator fails, you will have to completely turn off the system, bleed water, and only then change it to a new one or repair it.

Two-pipe water heating system

A two-pipe system is able to heat the house more efficiently, since two pipes fit each radiator: one with hot water, and the cooled water leaves through the other. In this case, the hot water pipe is connected to all radiators in parallel. If you install taps in front of each radiator, you can turn off any radiator from the system. The last radiator to which the hot water pipe is connected will have a lower temperature than the first one, but the losses will be negligible compared to a single pipe system.

Collector system of water heating

The collector system implies that pipes go from the collector to each radiator separately: one with hot water, the other cooled water returns. This system allows you to regulate the temperature in any room, as well as easily replace or repair any part of the system without turning off the heating. The collector system is the most progressive. Its only drawback: the additional installation of a collector cabinet and a large consumption of pipes.

Installation of a heating system for a private house

First of all, you should decide which heating system is best done in a particular house. The best solution would be to install the system, the energy carrier for which is more accessible and economical, economical heating of a private house is very important for many. For example, if gas is supplied to the house, then you can install a water heating system with two boilers: one is gas (main), the second is electric (spare) or solid fuel, so that in case of force majeure it is completely energy independent.

At the next stage, you should contact the design bureau, where they will make the appropriate calculations, draw up project documentation and drawings for heating a private house. Only then can you purchase the necessary equipment and materials.

The first step is to install a heating boiler. For any boilers where there will be combustion products, except for electric ones, it is necessary to equip the boiler room. This is a separate room, or a room in the basement, in which good ventilation is made. The boiler is installed at a distance from the walls to provide free access. The floor and walls around the boiler are lined with refractory material. A chimney is taken out from the boiler to the street.

Further installation of heating in a private house consists in installing a circulation pump (if necessary), a distribution manifold (if provided by the system), measuring and control devices near the boiler.

Only then do pipelines lead from the boiler to the installation sites of radiators. To pass the pipes through the walls, you will have to make holes in them, which, after the pipes are stretched, must be covered with cement mortar. The connection of pipes is made based on the material of their manufacture.

The radiators are installed last. They are installed on brackets necessarily under the window opening. If the radiator is not large enough to cover the opening, two radiators should be installed or sections should be added if possible. The distance from the floor should be 10 - 12 cm, from the wall 2 - 5 cm, and from the window sill to the radiator - 10 cm. We install shut-off and control fittings and temperature sensors at the inlet and outlet of the radiator so that you can regulate the temperature and block the movement of water.

After installation of all structural elements, the system is pressure tested. The first start-up of the boiler is possible only in the presence of a representative of the gas organization.

In conclusion, I would like to note that it is better to choose a heating system taking into account two factors: the availability and low cost of an energy carrier and the autonomy of the system in case of force majeure. Installing a heating system in a private house is such a responsible and complicated matter that it is not recommended to do it yourself. At least the most important thing - calculations, diagrams and the project must be performed by professionals. And to save money, you can try to install the elements of the system yourself, but under the strict guidance of the master.