Modern heating equipment is designed to support autonomous heating of private houses with minimal costs and installation operations. The schemes and methods of organizing this system can be different - depending on the type of unit used, its technical parameters, set of functions, etc. In any case, before heating in a private house, it is necessary to develop a design solution and determine the installation plan . This will allow for the installation of equipment with the laying of networks efficiently and with an optimal reserve of operational parameters for the system.
Key parameters of the heating system
In the process of developing a design solution for the heating system, engineers use the initial information regarding the characteristics of the house and equipment, which in principle will meet the heating requirements. The main descriptive parts of the project include:
- Optimal placement in the house. Taking into account the geographical location and layout of the building, the layout of the equipment or heating circuits is determined. Initially, the needs of the house for thermal energy in the winter are taken into account.
- Equipment Parameters. The optimal temperature indicators of the used units, their structural characteristics and power are determined. How to conduct heating in a private house so that it is as economical and convenient as possible? For this, the whole range of technical and operational properties of the heating source must be taken into account, including manufacturing materials, control system features, and the presence of additional devices like a safety valve, safety valve, and expansion tank.
- For many systems, the parameters of the circulation pump are also fundamentally important, which in principle makes it possible to move hot water from the conventional boiler installation through the heating pipelines of the entire house. Among the main parameters of this part will be the hydraulic resistance of the system, engine power and the maximum value of the supported pressure.
The indicators and coefficients of building materials used in home decoration and load-bearing structures with ceilings deserve special attention. In particular, heat loss depends on the following factors:
- The climatic zone where the house is located.
- The location of the building relative to the cardinal points.
- Characteristics of thermal insulation materials. For energy saving in the part of the roof, the properties of waterproofing with wind protection also matter.
- The purpose of the premises.
In the simplest calculation of the house’s heat demand, the heat transfer of the exterior walls is determined. The higher this value, the higher the building's heat demand. And you should not try to make calculations with the energy reserve, as in the end this will not add comfort to the microclimate, but it can negatively affect the economy of the system.
Which fuel to prefer?
The choice of fuel type directly determines the energy efficiency of the system, its safety and the design parameters of the equipment. In a large private house, it is quite possible to implement a system using gas, liquid, solid-state, biological, water or electric fuel. Moreover, some homeowners also decide to use free energy from the sun and the bowels of the earth (geothermal systems), but due to technological complexity, such solutions are not particularly common.
What should be considered when choosing a fuel consumable? It is worth starting from the availability of raw materials in a particular area of operation. Is there the possibility of regular delivery of the same gas, firewood and does the water supply system work with electricity? For example, it is possible to carry out gas heating in a private house from the central highway, but even in its absence, it will remain possible to ensure the operation of the corresponding boiler with a burner from cylinders or a gas tank.
The nuance of energy saving is also important. The same gas is considered the cheapest source of energy, but it also leads to higher requirements for fire safety. And on the contrary, the electric power will allow to realize the most convenient and safe heating systems in use, but it will cost more than anyone else. As for liquid fuel (diesel), firewood with coal and pellets, they will need a special place for storage, and solid fuel boilers are also the most troublesome in terms of maintenance.
Drawing up a graphic diagram of the project
Regardless of the fuel chosen, the system will require the development of a communications scheme. They are necessary for the distribution of the coolant along the circuits of the network. How to conduct heating in a private house on the water? In this case, a classic set of piping branches with a circulation pump, distribution manifold and shutoff valves will be required, which will mechanically control the flow. What is also important is the contouring of the target zones - since the heating requirements can vary depending on the purpose of the room and its position, it will be possible to vary the parameters of the coolant delivery lines.
For the electrical system, laying heating mats, infrared circuits and cables is used. As a rule, we are talking about systems with floor heating. It is possible to conduct electric heating in a private house of this type in a spiral pattern or "snake" in an underground niche. If in the case of water heating a collector with shut-off valves is used, then the same heating mats require only a connection to the main power supply and installation of an output control channel such as a thermostat. Using this device, the current system operating parameters are tuned or programmed.
Installation of gas heating system
The organization of a gas heating system consists of several stages. The boiler is mounted directly first. It can be installed on a small foundation base or substrate, or on the wall, but this applies to low-power units. For a full heating function, a boiler device with a heat exchanger is required.
Further along the circuits we carry out heating. In a private house, do-it-yourself contours are organized using pipelines through which the water coolant from the heat-exchange tank will move. The piping between the boiler, boiler and circulation pipes with the pump is carried out with the help of complete fittings, including fittings, adapters, fittings and pipe clamps for fixing pipes on the supply nodes. Also, depending on the complexity of the system, a collector may be integrated to distribute flows.
On the other hand, when installing gas equipment, it is necessary to provide for a branch part, along which the products of fuel combustion will go. The location of the chimney made of materials resistant to heat is thought in advance. It can be acid-resistant steel or ceramic. In terms of ventilation, rectangular metal channels will help to conduct a heating system in a private house. They will facilitate the exit of combustion products without turbulence, as is the case with the operation of round ventilation shafts. In any case, the minimum chimney height for a gas boiler should be 4 m.
The implementation of electric heating
Electrical systems are good because they do not require complex wiring for heating circuits. An exception is perhaps the floor heating already mentioned, but also a little effort is required in its installation compared to water systems. A group of convectors, infrared or thermal panels will allow compact and with minimal installation costs to realize an electric heating system. These are small heaters that may require a maximum electrical installation to the installation site. With our own hands, we conduct heating in a private house with the use of brackets that are installed in the holes on the walls - an electrical wiring is also carried out to the installation site. For it, the wall is gated with the subsequent laying of the wiring. After installing the heater panel, you will not see either the mains supply or the device connection loops.
Installation of a water heating system
A traditional heating system of this type does not require a boiler or boiler installation. Hot flows from the central supply network circulate through previously installed piping circuits, filling the premises with heat. Another thing is that in a private house, water heating can be carried out with the connection of collectors, convectors and the same boilers. Integration of mixing units will allow for complex piping layouts, more efficiently distributing thermal energy and regulating the movement of flows. Water-type convectors act as the end points of consumption of hot water, balancing the distribution of heat in the surrounding air.
Also, do not forget about the sufficient force for the movement of the coolant. How to carry out heating in a private house with support for the optimal speed of movement of hot water along the contours? Again, the circulation function is most easily provided by pumping equipment. It is selected based on the height of the liquid, flow volumes and power load. The circulation pump is integrated directly into the piping circuits at the outlet nodes from the connection pipe to the main line or boiler.
What pipes to conduct heating in a private house?
For ease of installation, low price and aesthetic appearance, plastic pipes are increasingly being chosen today - in particular from polypropylene. But for heating systems this option is not the most suitable. It should be borne in mind that the design will have to cope with temperatures of the order of 100 ° C, withstanding also high pressure loads when delivering water several meters up. Therefore, to conduct heating in a private two-story house, for example, copper and metal-plastic pipes will most likely allow. Connections from the boiler room and the main branches of the heating system are preferably mounted from copper pipes. It is more profitable to use metal-plastic when connecting circuits to direct consumers - heat receivers.
How to conduct heating pipes in a private house with minimal effort? If possible, heat-resistant polypropylene can also be used on the exhaust ducts with low temperatures. But in order to improve the reliability of communications, even in the layout of the pipeline scheme, the number of transitional and connecting nodes - arcs, elbows, strokes, etc. should be minimized.
How to conduct steam heating in a private house?
Typically, steam generators are used in factories, generating energy for technological purposes. But at home, such boilers are also used to generate thermal energy. The heat carrier is steam, which condenses on the walls of household appliances - heaters. The steam boiler itself is small in comparison with water and gas counterparts, so the wall design will take up minimal space and will not require special installation operations. The problem will be the organization of a communication selection and distribution system for steam flows.
How to conduct heating in a private house? This will require the installation of steam turbines associated with the boiler, and a cooling unit that will regulate pressure and temperature. Also, for further delivery of the coolant to the heating devices (special radiators and convectors), a pump and heat-resistant pipes will be required. The fact is that the temperature regime of the steam carrier is about 120-130 ° C, which provides a high load on the communications. Accordingly, without metal heat-resistant circuits can not do.
General tips for implementing a heating system
There are many technical and operational and organizational aspects that affect certain aspects of the selection and installation of the heating system in a private house. Below are some recommendations that can expand the idea of organizing a truly functional, safe and efficient heating system:
- Choosing green electricity. The use of cheap gas, diesel and solid-state fuel materials contributes not only to air pollution, but also to clogging communications and equipment. It is not worth completely abandoning such systems, but it is better to give preference to boilers that provide maximum combustion of combustion products.
- Efficiency assessment. Productivity and energy efficiency of boilers can be both 40% and 150%. How to conduct heating in a private house with the expectation of maximum efficiency? First, take into account the ratio of boiler performance and maintenance costs. Condensing boilers with heat pumps, for example, provide an efficiency of more than 100%. Secondly, do not forget about the rational distribution of thermal circuits throughout the house. Ineffective branches should be optimized.
- Automation Integration. The programming and remote configuration options of the boiler can, in principle, reduce heating costs, as the optimal operating conditions of the equipment are selected.
Conclusion
The whole process of implementing the heating system from the preparation of the plan to the final commissioning operations involves a high responsibility on the part of the contractor, since the operation of the equipment directly affects the safety of the whole house. Is it possible to conduct heating ourselves in a private house without the help of specialists and with ensuring a sufficient degree of reliability of communications? Theoretically, this is possible, but only with simple heating systems - involving a small set of coolant consumption points and delivery lines. At the same time, the practice of using standard heating schemes, in which a boiler with a boiler installation, a circulation pump, a pipeline and several convectors is considered quite successful, is considered.