Nowadays, owners of apartments or private houses often install boilers as an additional source of hot water. And after a while, some people think - is it possible to use a water heater as another element of the system. But for this you need to know all the details and the specifics of the operation of the unit. And the owner - to treat the installation of heating equipment with full responsibility.
Heating water
The usual model of a boiler is a cylindrical container, inside which elements that heat the liquid are located. To connect the device to water pipes, two special pipes must be cut. In one, water enters, and from the other it is discharged to the mixer. Therefore, some homeowners are wondering about the possibility of using the scheme to create a kind of heating system.
The parameters that are enough to supply the living space with hot water are not enough. It is almost impossible to organize autonomous heating using this device. In order for a water heater to start heating a private house, it must have a high percentage of power. According to experts, 1 kilowatt of thermal energy is required to heat 10 square meters. If we take as an example a house with an area of 100 sq. m, then to provide heat, you will need a device with a power of at least 10 kW. And you won't find such models anywhere in the daytime with fire.
But it is quite possible to purchase a boiler for equipping a small country house with heat. There are pitfalls here. Typically, users are faced with the following:
- High rate of inertia. With a boiler tank capacity of 100 liters, and heating elements with a capacity of 2 kilowatts, it will take at least one and a half hours to heat water to 80 degrees. Circulation is not possible because it takes even longer (which is a lot of electricity used).
- Tank displacement. Some owners believe that the larger the heater tank, the better: there is a lot of hot water, and it is possible to heat in parallel. But this is not the case. Constant heating will lead to the fact that the coolant will have different temperatures, and the device itself will soon become unusable.
- High power consumption. A boiler that is always on requires a lot of energy. An unpleasant surprise awaits homeowners when taking meter readings. Therefore, the round-the-clock connection of the water heater to the network will require a lot of money.
Recently, the issue of heating a private house with a boiler has become especially acute. The device is present in almost every living space, and not everyone is eager to buy and install a solid fuel boiler. But you can hardly do without it here - together these units create the so-called indirect heating.
The boiler is compatible with an electric boiler (and a water circuit). The fact is that they work on almost the same principles and have almost the same internal structure. Often both the one and the other apparatus are called "boilers".
If they want to install a conventional water heater as the main element for heating, homeowners may face a warranty problem from the manufacturer. This is due to the fact that the device is not used for its intended purpose.
Storage tank and water heater
The devices are similar to each other. The only difference between them is the internal water supply, which is connected directly to the heating system. Here the question arises regarding the place of the boiler in the heating of the premises.
If people approach the arrangement of heating in their homes correctly, they will equip the boiler as a heat accumulator. The carrier inside it will receive energy using a coil that is connected to the heating system. After turning off the electric boiler, the temperature will rise due to the water heater.
With proper equipment of the system, the boiler will give additional bonuses:
- Hot water supply. Since the water from the device has no contact with the coolant, it can be safely used for household needs. Before this, a reasonable solution would be the correct ratio of boiler power to heat the house without disrupting the operation of the entire system.
- Heating water using a built-in heating element. A constant temperature regime reigns inside the device, even when the boiler is disconnected from the mains. That is, for this you need to purchase a heater that works from an outlet.
Before purchasing, you should think about the main purpose of the purchase - it will be an additional source of hot water, a storage battery or two-in-one.
The storage tank can be made by hand. To reduce the percentage of heat losses, it is necessary to carry out procedures for the insulation of the container.
Calculations of the parameters of the tank and heating elements
First of all, you need to calculate the power of the boiler for heating the premises in the house. Experts offer several options for solving this problem. The simplest and most common is to read the recommendations from the manufacturer of the purchased boiler in the instructions.
It is worth remembering that the scheme of the entire heating system depends on this indicator. The first important parameter is power, measured in kWh. For example, it equals one unit. After installing the device, its level remains unchanged for five hours. In this case, the mode is 75/50. Then the volume of the heater is calculated by the formula: V = 5 / (75-50) = 0. 5 m³ or 500 l.
By the same principle, you can choose a unit for heating a summer cottage, slightly reducing the indicators in the formula.
Installation and use for heating
At the end of all calculations and measurements, you can safely begin installing the boiler and introducing it into the heating system of the house. Before that, one question must be resolved - what place will the device take. This is an extremely important point in the modernization of the system. Professionals advise installing the boiler in close proximity to the boiler, then the temperature indicators will be quite optimal for heating the premises. And after that, you should study the instructions for the device, because everything is indicated there - from technical characteristics to recommendations from manufacturers.
Even with strict adherence to all the tips, the owners often face difficulties in introducing a water heater into the heating system. The situations are as follows:
- Hot water supply. The ideal location for a solid fuel boiler is a boiler room or a room where the main communication mechanisms in the house are concentrated. The problem is that hot water requires the installation of an additional pump and all its accessories.
- A large volume of a water heater in the case when the purchase of a boiler is needed for heating rooms with a large cubic capacity. And to place a dimensional device even in large rooms is still a concern.
- Connecting the electric network of the heating element. In order for the water heater to work without interruption, it must be provided with a separate autonomous energy source.
If the problems are eliminated or they did not arise at all, then you can proceed to installation and commissioning.
The temperature of the water inside the device is monitored and monitored through a mounted thermometer. Usually it is not included as an accessory in the kit, but it can be purchased at any hardware store.
Heating storage tank equipment
To put the heat accumulator in its rightful place, you must first prepare the site. Since the unit is very heavy, the floor covering must be strong and perfectly level to support the weight. In this case, it is equipped with an additional foundation or a new concrete screed.
The ideal option would be to equip a separate area for a weighty device. Thus, the housing does not touch the concrete and does not pressurize it. In addition, it significantly reduces the number of heat losses.
You can buy a model equipped with special legs. Then, instead of a platform, a layer of heat-insulating material should be laid on that area under the floor.
Installation and implementation follow step-by-step instructions:
- 1. First, you should check how evenly the boiler is located in its place. It should be either strictly horizontally or vertically. In no case are even the smallest inclinations allowed.
- 2. Then comes the most crucial moment - connection. For high-quality operation, the pipes of the system and the boiler itself must have the same diameter in order to avoid excessive hydraulic resistance during testing and operation in the future.
- 3. Provided that the room is not equipped with radiators and other heating elements, the body of the water heater should be wrapped with a layer of thermal insulation.
- 4. Now the boiler can be connected to the hot water pipes. Then it will not only heat the room, but also provide water for household and household needs.
The final step is always checking the nodes and connections. The owner should start the whole system. For half a month, you will have to note the temperature regime maintained in the pipes and in the boiler itself, after disconnecting the boiler from the network.
Any electrical equipment requires additional maintenance. With proper operation and testing, the device will provide reliable service for many years. To do this, it is enough to follow all the recommendations that the manufacturers give in the instructions.
The procedures begin immediately from the moment of purchase. And the very first is the purchase of a model with dry heating elements. Their advantages lie in the fact that scale settles inside the elements much more slowly (and in hot water there are much more impurities and salts). An additional measure is the filling of the unit with pre-filtered water into the storage tank.
There are a number of other measures to protect the heater:
- Inspect the integrity of the structure every 30 days.
- Monitor the temperature during working hours. This applies to both the boiler and the boiler, especially in late autumn and winter. Under ideal conditions, the difference between them is no more than 15%.
- Replace gaskets in a timely manner. Then the heating system will work well and heat the house efficiently.
- Pay special attention to the control unit. His life and work depend on fluctuations in the electrical network, which is why it often breaks down. To avoid this, you need to additionally connect a stabilizer.
To clean the heating elements of the boiler, open it and pull it out. But before that, think about whether there will be enough strength and experience to put everything back together, and whether the manufacturer's warranty will remain.
DIY water heater
In plumbing and hardware stores, boilers are quite expensive, and not every family has the opportunity to buy one. Alternatively, it is advised to assemble the device yourself.
First you need to take a large steel container. It is important that its volume corresponds to the calculated one. In order to assemble the circuit, you need to purchase additional elements:
- Tank . It would be wise to buy a stainless steel base and drill holes for the inlet and outlet pipes.
- Coil . The ideal material is copper as it is the best heat conductor among metals.
- Fasteners.
To provide the structure with thermal insulation, experts advise making a two-layer case. And in the space between the layers, the owners will place basalt or glass wool. The optimum thickness is 5 centimeters. Then the self-made construction will be no different from the finished one.
An electric water heater or boiler for heating is an efficient and affordable device for many consumers living in private homes. Of course, the boiler is better adapted for such purposes, but not everyone can afford such a system. For small private and country houses, a simpler and more profitable option is quite suitable. In addition, in some cases, with the correct approach to installation, heating a living space from a water heater can be no less functional than a boiler.
Like all similar equipment, boilers, depending on the source of energy, are gas and electric... The second option is in the greatest demand, since the installation of such equipment does not require obtaining special permits, and the cost of such devices will be lower.
As for the choice between flowing and storage, experts recommend purchasing and installing storage tanks to perform such tasks. Despite the fact that hot water can be obtained through flowing devices in a short period of time, such options are rarely used to organize heating. Perhaps only in small country houses. It is noted that the consumed electricity is not used rationally. In addition, for a large living area, a high-power device will be required, which not every wiring can withstand.
The device and technical characteristics of the boiler for heating
Like a domestic water heater, it consists of outer case which protects the inner tank from mechanical damage. It houses a mechanical or electronic control system for the device and pressure sensor. Inside is storage tank in which water is stored and heated. The volume can vary from 10 to 500 liters. Small-displacement options are not suitable for heating: 200-300 liter devices are considered the best option for a small area.
There is an insulating layer between the tank and the outer casing, which minimizes heat loss.
An electric heating element is responsible for heating the water in the tank. Unlike household models, where the heating element has a power of 1 to 3 kW, for appliances installed on the heating system, this figure should be in the region of 8-12 kW. When choosing a suitable model, power must be taken into account. Otherwise, the performance may not be enough to heat even a small room. This will lead to the need for round-the-clock operation of electrical equipment, which will affect both the load on the power grid and the service life of the heating system. At power selection of the boiler, the characteristics of the heated space should also be taken into account: the quality of thermal insulation, the height of the ceilings, the type of glazing, etc.
How the device works simple: cold and hot water have different densities. Entering the tank with a working heating element, cold water displaces hot water. The coolant first rises into the top of the tank, then through the nozzles it enters the pipes of the system.
To set up heating in your home through a boiler, you need to select and install a model that matches the parameters. A device correctly selected according to its technical characteristics, even when it is turned on, will periodically go into standby mode and save energy. All heating elements are equipped with thermal sensors... They turn off the heating element when the water temperature reaches a user-set level. After it cools down, the temperature sensor will again give a signal to the heating elements for heating. This means that the heating system works in automatic mode, it does not need to be constantly switched on and off.
Features of a water heater for heating
Special attention should be paid to the design features of the water heater, which is planned to be used for heating. In conventional storage devices for heating water, cold and hot water pipes are located either at the bottom of the device (if it is a wall-mounted model), or on top (if the tank is installed under the sink). Since the temperature of the water leaving the tap or shower is controlled by the user through the mixer, this arrangement is very convenient and simplifies installation. In models designed for heating, the inlet for cold water is located at the bottom, and the outlet for hot water is at the top. This design allows you to make the device as efficient as possible. Hot water must enter the heating circuit at a certain temperature. And when heated, the coolant in the upper part of the tank just has the maximum temperature mark.
Also, the holes for the nozzles are large in diameter, and are about 4.8 cm each. This is important for the pressure and circulation of the coolant.
Installation of a boiler for heating
The installation of such equipment must be carried out in parallel, observing the following conditions.
- To minimize heat losses, in the room in which the heating equipment is directly installed, the optimum humidity and temperature must be maintained.
- It is better to use as a heat carrier distilled water, and not antifreeze and similar solutions, since water has a higher thermal conductivity.
- A working electrical network in the room, capable of withstanding prolonged overloads.
You can do the installation of a water heater for such purposes with your own hands. Each device comes with an instruction, which contains explanations and information regarding the nuances of installing the purchased model. Before performing work, it should be carefully studied.
There are two options for water circulation in the pipeline:
- increase in pipe diameters;
- use of the pump.
For electric boilers, the second option is the most optimal, since the diameters of the hot water outlet pipe are limited. Circulation pump allows you to evenly distribute the coolant along the equipped line.
For more efficient operation of the devices, turns and branches should be minimized, which contribute to a decrease in pressure, and, therefore, affect the quality of the heating system.
System maintenance
To maintain the functionality and increase the efficiency of the appliances, the heating system must be subjected to systematic maintenance. The list of compulsory works includes:
- cleaning the storage tank - during operation, sedimentary dirt accumulates in it;
- cleaning the heating elements from the formed scale;
- cleaning or replacing the magnesium anode - this metal rod protects the inner tank lining from deterioration and corrosive attack.
All maintenance work must be carried out on equipment disconnected from the network.
A boiler for heating can work and cope with its tasks as efficiently as a boiler. The main advantage of water heaters as a heating source is a reasonable price.... If you competently approach the choice of a suitable model and correctly install the equipment, then in terms of the quality of work it will not be inferior to a gas boiler.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The arrangement of heating a private house requires considerable financial investments, and the cost of paying for energy resources seriously reduces the family budget. In order to significantly increase the efficiency of any heating boiler, heating can be started through an indirect heating boiler. This device is designed to provide an uninterrupted supply of large volumes of water, including for multiple consumers.
The device of the indirect heating unit
The indirect heating boiler shown in the photo consists of a number of elements, including:- thermostat with external control unit and control indicator;
- enameled stainless steel tank;
- thermostat sleeves;
- polyurethane insulation without freon, having a thickness of 42 millimeters;
- a casing for a water heater;
- tubular heat exchanger;
- drain hole;
- inlet for cold heat carrier;
- outlet for heated water;
- circulation;
- magnesium anode;
- covers for electrical connection.
Connecting boilers
When purchasing a boiler for heating a house, it must be borne in mind that all these devices have the same connectors, but not all of them are combined with water heaters of the same type, if they are made by different manufacturers. The reason is that the device has a temperature sensor that must be connected either directly to the boiler or to the module - with its help the temperature of the water in the tank is determined.
After the coolant reaches the set temperature parameters, the relay turns off the heating of the circuit in the water heater, and then directs it to heating. In the event that it is absent, then the device turns off. Read also: "".
The boiler for indirect heating should spend no more than half of all the energy it generates. In the case when the boiler for heating consumes more than 50% of the heat for indirect heating, the temperature decreases in the entire heating system.
This means that the boiler is not able to provide the required heating of the heater. The efficiency of the system also depends on the normal organization of water circulation along the working circuit, for which a circulation pump is additionally installed.
Installation of a gas boiler with a boiler
- The installation instructions for the boiler say that when the boiler is used to heat a private house with indirect heating, the temperature in its heat exchanger rises from the boiler, the coolant heats up and enters the piping and radiators (read: ""). Thus, recirculation or, in other words, partial return of thermal energy occurs, since the liquid in the heat exchanger heats up the heat carrier coming from the boiler. Then the water, having passed through the heating system, returns to.
- In order to provide boiler heating of a private house for the purpose of normal circulation of the coolant in the system circuit, a circulation pump operating in automatic mode is used. Pumping is turned on when the water temperature drops to the level set by the program. Usually, manufacturers install heating elements for additional heating.
- The boiler in the heating system is completed with a gas heating device or another boiler that runs on any fuel, which can be coal, firewood, electricity, diesel fuel (read: ""). It is also allowed to use solar energy to heat the device, and then the amount of heated water can be unlimited.In addition, the boiler heating system provides the ability to provide heating with two energy sources, however, this will require another heat exchanger.
Advantages of indirect heating boilers
Gas and electric boilers for heating are a good alternative to double-circuit heating boilers. According to a number of parameters, boilers with indirect heating, complete with a single-circuit heating generator, are more convenient.When a hot coolant is disassembled simultaneously from several taps (for example, in a bathroom), the pressure in the system decreases, as a result of which temperature surges and changes in the boiler operating mode cannot be avoided. At the same time, an electric boiler for heating a house provides several points of water parsing, the temperature of which remains unchanged.
At its core, a gas and electric boiler for heating is nothing more than a large thermos. In the summer, it allows you to provide hot water throughout the day without frequent switching on the boiler. Additional ease of use is provided by connecting a recirculation system. Read also: "".
Thus, the combined indirect heating boiler has the following advantages:
- long service life;
- there is no need to buy additional fuel;
- high power of boilers, which will provide heating of the coolant in the shortest possible time;
- uninterrupted operation of equipment with several points of water intake, and without reducing the level of productivity.
Disadvantages of indirect heating boilers
Indirect heating boilers, in addition to their advantages, have a number of disadvantages:- high cost of a set of equipment. It is required to install not only a gas or electric boiler for heating, but also a heating boiler;
- dependence of the operation of the water heater on the heater;
- gas boiler for heating can only be used if there is a main gas pipeline (read also: "");
- the need to install additional devices, for example, a circulation pump, which requires new financial costs;
- the whole structure takes up a lot of space.
Good heating is one of the most important factors that distinguish a comfortable home from a home in which a person cannot feel comfortable. Today there are many traditional heating systems with which you can heat a country house of any size. One of the most popular systems is gas heating. Natural gas is considered one of the cheapest heat carriers in our country. But, unfortunately, gas pipelines are far from being stretched everywhere. Therefore, heating systems that use a different heat carrier, for example, hot water, are very popular. And the basis of such a system can be an ordinary boiler.
Distinctive features of the boiler for the heating system
As you know, a boiler is a closed vessel that has two openings. The first hole serves as an inlet for cold water, the second as an outlet for hot water. The boiler is powered by the electrical network. All boilers are divided into two groups - flow-through and storage. In the storage boiler, a certain amount of water is heated (the amount of water depends on the displacement of the boiler), in a flow-through boiler, you can heat any amount of water, but this requires more electricity.
It must be said that it is quite possible to use a boiler for heating; moreover, today manufacturers produce boilers specially designed for heating water in the system. These boilers have two significant differences from those designed exclusively for heating water for domestic purposes - for example, for bathing or washing dishes.
- Firstly, in such boilers, the cold water inlet is located at the bottom, and the hot water outlet is at the top. This arrangement of holes is explained by the fact that when the water heats up, it rises, and therefore, the hottest water is located in the upper part of the boiler, and it is the use of such water that will make the heating system as efficient as possible.
- Secondly, a boiler designed to heat water in a heating system has a large hole diameter. If you look at factory-made boilers, you can see that both the cold water inlet and the hot water outlet are never less than 2 inches in diameter (about 4.8 cm).
If the boiler has both of these distinctive features, then it can be safely used as the basis for the heating system - it is designed for this. And the movement of water through the heating system itself is here due to the fact that cold and hot water have different densities, and cold water, entering the boiler, displaces hot water first upward, and then through a hole in the pipes of the system.
Using a boiler for a water supply system to heat a house
One of the frequently asked questions regarding the use of a boiler in a heating system is the following: is it possible to use a boiler, which is designed to simply heat domestic water, in the heating system. There is no unequivocal answer to this question - it all depends on how branched the heating system itself is and what additional equipment is used in this case.
A boiler for a water system differs in that it has both holes (both the cold water inlet and the hot outlet) located at the bottom, and both of these holes are small in diameter (most often they are 0.5 inches or about 1.2 cm ).
This arrangement of holes excludes the possibility of water movement through the heating system on its own, since here cold water will not constantly "expel" hot water from the tank and force it to move through the pipes. But, in general, such a boiler can also be used in the heating system, if we supplement it with a circulation pump, which will be "responsible" for the movement of water through the heating system. The effectiveness of such a system depends on several factors:
- on how powerful the boiler itself is. The suitable power is usually determined at the rate of 1 kW per 10 square meters of heated area.
- on what power the circulation pump has
- on how branched the heating system of the house is. It is best if it does not have many branches.
As for the type of boiler, here you can use both an instantaneous and a storage water heater.
So, heating a house with a boiler is not at all a fantasy, but a completely viable option for a heating system. The main thing when creating such a system is to accurately calculate the required boiler power, based on the size of the house. In some cases (for example, if the area of the house is large enough), the efficiency of the system can be increased by expanding the inlet and outlet for water, as well as by upgrading the boiler itself, allowing it to increase its capacity.
The presence of a hot water supply system is part of the usual comfort for a modern home. However, it is not always possible to solve the problem of supplying centralized communications to suburban real estate.
Therefore, the owners of private households arrange an autonomous supply of hot water, using the heating circuit as a heating source. To solve the problem, you just need to build an indirect heating boiler with your own hands.
We will tell you how to make a device that is useful in everyday life. The article describes in detail the rules for installing and connecting equipment supplying sanitary water to the points of water sampling. You will learn how to prepare the boiler for start-up and how to put it into operation.
In fact, the apparatus is a conventional heat exchanger.
True, heat exchangers are traditionally built according to the "pipe in pipe" principle, and in this case, a vessel and a tubular coil are the elements of heat exchange. The storage vessel plays the role of an external "pipe", inside which an internal "pipe" or coil is located.
Image gallery
