The balcony provides the owners of apartments with great advantages, because it not only expands the free space, but it can also be converted into a full room. However, in order to be comfortable on it, glazing alone is not enough, because in the cold season it will have low air temperature. Therefore, many people think about how to make heating on the balcony. There are many heating methods, each of which has certain features. The most common ones will be discussed in detail in this article.
Legal nuances
If you decide to make heating on the balcony from central heating, then you must adhere to the basic norms of current legislation, because otherwise problems may arise. To perform any construction work and laying communications, it is imperative to obtain a BTI permit.
Extradition may be refused if:
- On the balcony there is floor heating, which in the winter can freeze and burst. In this case, good insulation of the loggia is required.
- Laying pipes can adversely affect the water pressure in the general heating system.
Undoubtedly, it is possible to carry out installation work without permission, however, if the regulatory authorities notice this, then big problems will arise. In addition, selling a house will also be very problematic, since it will be impossible to renew documents without corresponding changes in the technical passport for an apartment. If the heating of the balcony, loggia or any other room is carried out illegally, it means that they were not included in the plan. In the future, you will have to pay a fine or return everything to its original state.
When trying to obtain permission to lay communications, regional authorities may issue a ban. For example, in Moscow it is generally forbidden to install radiators on balconies and loggias.
How to get permission in BTI?
If you want to make a redevelopment in the apartment, then you need to coordinate it with the bureau of technical inventory. If everything is in order with the design estimate, then you will be given permission to carry out the necessary work.
To receive a document, you need:
- Contact the BTI and take a floor plan of the building.
- Go to the capital repair department of the city administration.
- Submit an application to the fire safety and sanitary-epidemiological control.
- Appeal to the department of architecture and housing inspection.
In this case, you need to collect a rather impressive package of documents, which includes:
- passport;
- certificate of ownership of real estate;
- floor plan of the facility;
- housing redevelopment project;
- extract from the house book;
- written consent of all family members;
- document confirming the absence of debts on utility bills.
Only after all this you can get permission and start installing heating on the balcony. The procedure is lengthy and requires a lot of time and effort, however, this way you can avoid many problems in the future.
Heating options
Let's dwell on this in more detail. Deciding to conduct heating on the balcony, first of all, you need to decide what it will be. To avoid legal issues, consider one of the following options:
- electric floor heating;
- fan heater;
- oil or infrared heater;
- gas convector.
Each of the above heating methods does not require intervention in engineering networks, for their implementation it is not necessary to obtain permission in the BTI, so it is better to use them. Heating on the balcony from central heating will not be the best option, since it is very difficult to implement, and there is a high likelihood of flooding of neighbors in the event of a pipe break.
Electric floor heating
What is its feature? Warm floor on the balcony from the central heating is very common in our country, because it has high heating efficiency. But here the choice becomes, whether it will be - water or electric? The second is considered to be the best, since it is very simple to implement, and also does not require permission to perform installation work.
This heating system is a special mesh made of interweaving cables, which is installed under the screed.
Installation of a warm floor is carried out according to the following scheme:
- Remove the flooring and remove all debris.
- In the wall, you need to make a hole through which the cable will be supplied, and in the floor, hollow out a small depression for the thermometer.
- Prime the concrete base.
- Then a heating mat is laid indented 5 centimeters from the supporting structures.
- Install and connect a thermal sensor to the thermostat.
- The groove is covered with a mixture of tiles.
- Lay tile.
After the glue has completely dried, it will be possible to put the system into operation. A good alternative to electric is the infrared floor. It carries out heating with the help of special radiation, therefore it provides an increased level of security, and also consumes much less electricity than electric heating of a balcony with a warm floor, which saves on utility bills.
Water floor heating
Such heating of the balcony in the apartment is also very common, however, for its implementation, BTI permission and accurate calculations, which depend on the method of laying the pipes, are necessary. Today, there are two main ways:
- Snail. Communications are held in a spiral from the center of the room to the supporting elements.
- The snake. Pipes are laid in zigzags from one wall to another. This method is better because it heats the floor more evenly.
As a rule, when installing a water heated floor, pipes are poured with a concrete screed. In this case, a prerequisite is the presence of a layer of heat and waterproofing, which are laid on a reinforcing mesh. After completion of all work, heating is switched on for a day in order to check the system for leaks.
Fan heaters
If you do not have a balcony that is not too warm, central heating is not provided on it, then it can be heated using special electrical appliances that heat the air by blowing it through the heater through a fan. This option is convenient in that it does not require any installation work, and the device can also be moved from place to place. However, there is one big minus. Fan heaters reduce the humidity in the room too much. In addition, it is necessary to turn off devices periodically, as they can overheat and fail.
Thermal panels
So what is their feature? Convection heaters work on a similar principle with fan heaters, however, the circulation of heated air is carried out in a natural rather than forced way. Their main advantages are:
- Noiselessness.
- Heating efficiency.
- Easy installation.
- Reliability.
- Low cost.
Despite the large number of pluses, convectors also have disadvantages. They strongly dry the air, which can negatively affect the well-being of a person who is on the balcony, and also consume a lot of electricity. When buying a thermal panel, it is very important to choose the right power, which is calculated based on the area of the room.
Oil heaters
With their help, you can make effective heating of the insulated balcony. These devices are a metal case filled with special technical oil, which is heated by PETN. They are very practical in operation, since they do not need to be turned off. When heated to a temperature of 80 degrees, the equipment automatically turns off. When using this kind of heaters, one feature must be taken into account. They heat up for a very long time, but after turning off for several hours they continue to give off heat.
Installing a battery in the loggia
The heating radiator on the balcony is very convenient and practical, therefore it is often used for heating. It has a low cost, and also does not require turning on and off. However, installing them is not so simple. Since the batteries are connected to the central heating system, permission is required for installation work. In addition, one important nuance should be taken into account. At zero degrees, the radiators freeze, as a result of which they can burst. What this is fraught with, everyone knows.
If, nevertheless, you decide to dwell on such a heating system, then it is very important to choose good batteries. Today they are made of aluminum, cast iron and steel. The connection can be done either independently or you can turn to qualified specialists for help. To reduce the risk of flooding the neighbors, it is recommended to call professionals.
Gas heating
Some people install boilers on them to heat balconies, but from the point of view of economic feasibility this option does not make much sense. The only way out is with gas convectors.
They have the following advantages:
- Profitability. Gas consumption is very low, and this type of fuel is much cheaper than electricity.
- High heating efficiency. The balcony will warm up very quickly, especially if it faces the sunny side of the building.
- Easy installation. Gas convectors can be installed either separately or connected to a common gas network. When connecting, you don’t have to hollow the walls too much, but it will be enough just to make one hole through which combustion products will be discharged.
- Security. Most models are equipped with a gas leakage system, so in case of any problems they will automatically turn off.
In addition to all of the above, gas heating on the balcony can be used not only on insulated loggias. They provide a comfortable temperature for living, even in the presence of drafts.
Infrared heaters
Today they are popular. Their operating principle has much in common with IR underfloor heating. During operation, appliances heat the floor and surrounding objects, which subsequently give off heat. Thanks to this, heating efficiency increases significantly and the cost of paying for utility bills is reduced. However, there is one drawback. Infrared heaters emit a lot of light, so they can prevent residents from sleeping during the night. In addition, the lamps are easy to break, and they also heat up to two hundred degrees Celsius, which creates a risk of burns.
If you plan to repair balconies with heating, but for some reason you do not have the ability to install a warm floor or radiator, then infrared heaters will be the best choice for heating. Their efficiency reaches 98 percent, which is the highest rate to date.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it should be noted that, in addition to those discussed in this article, there are other methods of heating balconies and loggias. Which one to choose, everyone decides for himself, however, it is not recommended to rush too much. Everything needs to be well thought out and calculated in order to achieve maximum efficiency and economy, since the high costs of paying for utility bills for heating will cause a significant blow to the family budget. With a serious approach to business, warmth, comfort and well-being will always reign in your home.