Currently, natural gas is the most optimal fuel for heating a home. The only negative is that it is not always possible to connect the heating system to the main gas pipeline. In this case, you can pay attention to an alternative in the form of liquefied gas - boilers using bottled gas are not uncommon in our country.
Classification
Boilers operating on liquefied gas are single-circuit and double-circuit. A single-circuit boiler is intended only for heating, while a double-circuit boiler is capable of both heating a house and providing hot water supply.
Consumers are offered wall, floor gas boilers with open and closed cameras combustion. In addition, you should pay attention to the power of this heating device. The variety of modifications often makes it difficult for the user to choose, so it’s worth taking a closer look at the most important characteristics.
For boilers operating on liquefied gas, the ability to operate at low pressure is fundamentally important.
A constant supply of bottled gas will be carried out at a pressure of 3-4 Mbar. Therefore, when selecting a boiler, you should pay attention to this parameter.
Efficiency
Efficiency is one of the most important parameters heating system. Liquefied gas is more expensive than main gas, and transportation costs must be added to its cost.
The efficiency of modern, working equipment can reach 90-95%. To calculate gas consumption for heating, you need to know the total area of the room: approximately 1 kW of power is consumed per 10 sq.m.
Heating and water heating in a country house of 100 sq.m will require about 2 cylinders per week and 8-9 cylinders per month. You can connect cylinders into a group: according to the rules, the use of a cylinder system of up to 15 pieces is allowed. In this case, gas containers must be located in a closed metal cabinet.
Installation equipment
To install the heating system you will need:
- a gas boiler;
- burner for liquefied (cylinder) gas and the gas cylinders themselves;
- shut-off valves and gearboxes.
Burners for bottled gas differ in their configuration from conventional ones, and are usually included in standard equipment gas boilers. If necessary, they can be purchased separately. Shut-off valves and the necessary gearboxes can be purchased from the company or directly at cylinder refilling stations.
Connection
A cylinder or group of cylinders is connected to the boiler through a reducer with a throughput capacity of about 2 m3 / hour. Gearboxes for home stoves are designed for less throughput– they are not suitable for the heating system. The gas tank system may have one common reducer or a separate regulator for each cylinder. The second option is more expensive, but this is what the experts recommend - separate gearboxes provide maximum safety.
Liquefied gas cylinders cannot be installed outdoors: the cold will cause a decrease in pressure, and the heating pad may refuse to work. The ideal installation location is a warm, ventilated area. It is important to remember that bottled gas is heavier than air, and if it leaks, it will pool at the bottom, increasing the likelihood of an explosion. Therefore, the premises should be chosen separately from living rooms. There should be no basements or subfloors in it!
Gas cylinders are connected to the boiler burner using a metal corrugated pipe - this reduces the likelihood of gas leaks due to system vibrations.
Using automatic sensors and correct settings you can reduce propane consumption rates by 3-4 times. If we are talking about country house, then gas consumption will be even lower: during the period of absence of people, the automation will maintain the temperature at 6-9 ° C, which will reduce propane consumption to 0.7-0.8 cylinders per week. Heating a building with liquefied gas is not the best cheap option, but in some cases it is the most optimal if there is no problem with the delivery of cylinders.
The gas boiler performs its functions perfectly even when connected to the main gas pipeline. In this case, it is quite easy to switch the equipment to a constant source of fuel supply - just change the burner.
But if there are no prospects for connecting the building to the gas pipeline, you should once again calculate the feasibility of installing gas boiler. For home with total area more than 100 m2 and maintaining a temperature of about 25 ° C, it is worth considering the possibility of installing solid fuel boiler or another heat generator and water heating.
Refueling
Cylinders undergo mandatory certification once every 3 years - this is necessary for the user’s own safety. Such containers can serve for about 10 years. Standard house consumes about 10-12 cylinders per month, so they will have to be refilled weekly - transport more than 3 cylinders at a time without special permission it is forbidden.
Before filling, the vessels need to be prepared. To do this, you need to remove condensation, which artificially reduces the useful volume and harms the steel walls. Removing condensate is the prerogative of specialists; doing such work yourself is always a risk. If for some reason it is difficult to find a specialist, you will have to carry out the procedure yourself. The cylinder is taken out to an open space without sources of fire, grounded and then the reducer is removed. Leave for 2 hours to allow any remaining gas to evaporate. After two hours of inactivity, the vessel turns over and the water flows into the ground. You can take it to a gas station.
It is worth choosing a gas station that organizes both transportation and a guarantee for the work. It is better not to contact car stations, because their equipment does not have a special cut-off valve that regulates gas filling household cylinders. They also do not have a special connector for connecting the cylinder to station equipment.
At the moment, the most commonly used method and type of heating country houses, suburban villages - is gas heating of a private house with cylinders. This method is very interesting and promising for heating country cottages, large estates and simple dachas.
But this method of heating a room has disadvantages, as well as advantages. To better understand the process, it is necessary to understand gas heating in theory, what the equipment looks like and how it is used.
Where to start studying the issue?
The heating process is performed using butane or propane.
In production, gas is liquefied, then it is forced into cylinders. This is how delivery occurs to the place of consumption - be it individuals or commercial organizations.
In its normal state, gas needs to occupy a significant volume, so it is transferred to liquid form. This treatment allows a much larger volume of gas to be pumped into the tanks. Next, the gas cylinder should be connected to the boiler using a reducer (a device for reducing pressure). The gas returns to its original gaseous state. Next, the gas is burned in the boiler, ultimately releasing the required heat.
The advantages of this type of heating
- Fuel purity.
- System autonomy.
- High stability
- Ease of use and management.
- Low fuel costs.
House heating gas cylinders is becoming much more popular nowadays, so it is important to think about how the entire system will be installed, no matter whether it is a new construction or a reconstruction of an old house or building.
It is also necessary to keep in mind that from such a system it is possible to create a supply for a house or cottage hot water. Such a system will come in handy if there is no option to connect to the highway. This heating system has a fairly good coefficient useful action, due to the fact that natural gas changes from liquid to gas in a fraction of seconds.
If desired, gas cylinders are used almost everywhere, even in a simple hut, so heating a cottage or house with gas cylinders should be called truly autonomous. You can easily warm up any rooms and premises, use the heated water in the system as you please, these are undoubtedly excellent opportunities.
Today, propane-butane is popular among consumers. It has many advantages, which is why it is so in demand.
- high availability;
- generated heat;
- stability, security and simplicity;
- autonomy.
Thanks to these advantages, we end up with: inexpensive, profitable and reliable equipment, which provides heating for the house. Huge advantage– you can turn off and turn on the heating system with liquefied gas, whether it is day or night. Even when the cottage or house is still under construction or has already been put into operation. Autonomous heating of the house using gas cylinders can be used when it is unprofitable to use other fuel. Any fuel can become more expensive, as is the case with diesel fuel or firewood.
Try to listen to all possible suggestions from professionals and ordinary consumers who use gas cylinder heating. Not only for safety reasons, but also to save money.
Important information!
To ensure the safety of your home and its occupants, you can reduce the gas supply at night while sleeping.
You should buy a burner from hardware stores and many hardware stores and supermarkets. There are, of course, many options, but you should take a closer look at the 10-20 kW options, you need to take into account the volume of rooms and premises. The purchased burner is connected to a gas cylinder using a reducer; it uses fuel from one eighth to two cubic meters per square meter. When operating a burner that is powered by central highway– valve adjustment will be required, since the main hole in the valve is slightly larger, and the pressure is also lower.
Carefully read the instructions supplied with all burners. To save money, you can connect, for example, an old Soviet gas stove, but you will have to change the nozzle in it. We'll talk about installation next time.
Sometimes sellers in stores may offer more expensive options, saying that the stove will not operate on liquefied gas, but at the same time the instructions said something else! Read the instructions.
How does refueling happen?
This type of heating involves constant delivery of new gas to the point of consumption. In some villages there are special workers with a truck to transport fuel. The following have gas (propane) stations. But not everyone and not always manage it the way it should.
Filling only half, some stations say that the rest must be filled with condensate, because the gas can boil at forty degrees. And the condensate itself will save you from an inevitable explosion.
According to information from various sites, you can find out that 1 cylinder with a capacity of fifty liters can provide good functionality with a power of ten to twenty kW. Autonomous system operates for approximately 1/3 of the day, taking into account both the burner and the time it takes to cool down to desired temperature, which you can choose yourself. As a result, we have - at a temperature of twenty degrees, the heating system uses five kW.
Cons of the system
When located on the street, and also when low temperatures outside in the cold - the system will not be able to function normally, or will shut down completely, due to the fact that the condensate has frozen and does not provide room for gas to escape.
Useful advice!
Place the cylinders in a warm place, preferably not in a residential area. For many country houses and cottages this is not a problem; there are premises or even separate buildings there.
If this is not the case, there is no need to be upset. Quickly making a ventilated insulated box yourself should not be a problem. The box itself can be made of metal, insulated with five layers of polystyrene foam from the inside and holes drilled for ventilation.
Do not forget about the importance of ventilation; place cylinders in ventilated buildings or rooms. Remember, gas is heavier than air. If there is a leak, it can lead to disaster.
Paradoxical as it may seem, but in modern world There is not yet a central gas pipeline everywhere. And to heat their rooms, people have to use wood or electricity. But there is another way - heating the house with gas cylinders. This good alternative solid fuel and electric heating if it is impossible to connect a private home to the central gas pipeline.
Although heating with liquefied petroleum gas propane or propane-butane is somewhat more expensive, in terms of its characteristics such fuel is practically no different from gas passing through the main line. A gas stove for heating a house from a cylinder is often used in a private house or country house, where the heated area does not exceed 100 sq.m. Let's consider the main features of balloon heating.
When Do you use liquefied gas for heating?
There are no direct prohibitions or restrictive measures on autonomous heating of a private home with gas cylinders. However, heating a home with liquefied gas from a cylinder is not always rational, since obtaining thermal energy in this way requires significant expenses.
Heating a house from a gas cylinder is beneficial only if:
- heated room area up to 100 m2;
- organizing good thermal insulation of the home;
- minimizing heat loss.
The arrangement of heating a private house with gas is carried out using ordinary 50-liter cylinders with propane or butane, which are compressed to a liquid state.
Used in summer and winter different mixtures flammable substances:
- SPBTL (flight combination);
- SPBTZ (winter mixture).
In winter, the tanks must be constantly monitored, as interruptions in the fuel supply are possible due to the difference in boiling temperatures of the mixture components (propane -40°C, butane 0°C). As a result, at a temperature of, for example, -10°C, the pressure in the vessel will drop below the level required for the normal functioning of the system. Then the cylinder will have to be heated to at least 0°C so that the butane begins to evaporate.
Attention! It is strictly forbidden to heat cylinders that are located in a private house at subzero temperatures with heating elements or heating cables.
Advantages and disadvantages of balloon heating
Heating a private home with bottled gas has both advantages and disadvantages over other heating options.
First, we present the undeniable advantages of heating with liquefied gas:
- high efficiency with significantly lower labor costs compared to solid fuel heating;
- the ability to convert a gas boiler from a conventional cylinder to mainline equipment;
- absolute autonomy and independence of the functioning of the balloon system;
- long service life of equipment (15-25 years);
- presence of demand for cylinders on the secondary market - containers are easy to sell if they are not needed.
In addition, cylinder heating allows you to heat water in a private house for domestic needs.
We also list the main disadvantages of such a heating system:
- cylinders must be refilled regularly, approximately every 2-3 weeks, which is inconvenient and costly;
- if the system is not organized correctly, gas consumption increases significantly;
- the need to create suitable conditions for storing containers.
Thus, organizing a heating system on cylinders can be very dangerous if certain operating conditions of the equipment are not followed. Therefore, vessels can only be stored in a ventilated area with no basement underneath. It is best to place the cylinders in a separate building.
How to connect the cylinder to the boiler?
To assemble a heating system on gas cylinders, the following equipment is required:
- gas boiler with a special burner for liquefied fuel;
- gas cylinders;
- gearboxes;
- ramp for connecting several containers;
- shut-off valves;
- pipes and hoses for connecting the system.
As a rule, a gas boiler with a water circuit is used as a heat generator. Moreover, a special boiler model is not required; you can simply replace the burner or nozzles. The power of the heating device is selected in accordance with the area of the room, but the efficiency of the device should be as high as possible. An excellent choice would be a gas condensing boiler.
Attention! It is prohibited to install cylinders in a basement or basement. It is better to place them in a metal box with holes for ventilation.
Vessels can only be placed in a horizontal position. It is better to place a metal box on the north side of the site in a shaded place.
For the boiler to function correctly and efficiently, it must be connected to 4-5 cylinders at the same time. To equip a gas pipeline, you will need a pipe with a wall thickness of 2 mm. At the place where it is installed, a sleeve is installed in the wall, the diameter of which is 20-30 mm larger than the cross-section of the tube. The space between the sleeve and the pipe is filled with polyurethane foam.
The cylinders are connected to the system through a reducer, which converts the liquid back into a gaseous state. This can be done in two ways: one reducer for all vessels or one pressure regulator for each cylinder. The second option ensures complete safety, although it is more expensive.
To increase the interval for refilling containers, it is better to connect several vessels to the boiler at once through a ramp, which divides the cylinders into a main bundle and a spare one. First, gas will come from the main group of tanks, and when the fuel runs out, the boiler will switch to the reserve group. When the main link is updated, the heater will reconnect to the main group.
Attention! Observe most important rule safety: it is prohibited to fill the cylinder more than 80% of the volume, since the mixture of propane and butane has high percentage expansion, and when the volume is filled to more than 85%, there is a high probability of the vessel exploding.
When assembling and installing equipment, pipes and hoses, all connections, connectors and fittings must be checked for gas leaks using normal soaping.
Can the cylinder be replaced with a gas holder?
Instead of conventional 50-liter cylinders, it is allowed to use a more capacious steel container for storing liquefied gas - a gas holder. The volume of some of these tanks is often enough for the entire heating season.
However, heating a home with liquid gas cylinders is considered more convenient, since it is much easier to deliver fuel in more compact vessels. In addition, for a gas tank it is necessary to carry out a large amount of work on digging the site, which will result in additional financial investments.
At the same time, the use of a gas holder eliminates the need to simultaneously connect several containers at once, since one cylinder cannot provide sufficient evaporation for normal operation boiler
Pressure control reducer
The pressure in the cylinders is constantly changing, and its value depends on many factors:
- number of cylinders;
- composition and temperature of the mixture;
- remaining liquefied gas;
- distance of a group of vessels to the boiler.
The reducer is used to convert and maintain stable gas pressure in a vapor state.
You need to select a gearbox for a heating system based on two main characteristics:
- performance;
- operating pressure.
The rationality of heating a private house with gas cylinders depends on the fuel consumption of the boiler. Therefore, the performance of the gearbox should not be less than the pickup capacity of the heating device.
The operating pressure of the reducer is also selected in accordance with the characteristics of the boiler equipment. If the pressure produced by the reducer is too high, the operation of the heater will be disrupted. The pressure regulator is made for 20, 30, 37, 42, 50 and 60 mbar.
When connecting vessels using flexible hoses, you will need a reducer with a herringbone fitting. And when connecting cylinders using combs and rigid pipes, you will need fittings with threaded outlets.
In addition to their main purpose, automatic devices are equipped with protective elements that are triggered if the pressure rises to a critical level. Then the relief valve opens.
How much fuel is burned?
Heating a house whose area is approximately 100 m2 with liquefied gas can be done using a boiler with a power of 10 kW. In order to obtain 1 kW of thermal energy, it is necessary to consume 100-120 g/min of liquefied gas at 100% boiler load. If the cold period extends to 7 months, then the approximate estimated fuel consumption for the entire season will be about 5 tons.
But in reality, the volume of expenses will be almost 2 times less, thanks to the automation, which switches the equipment to economy mode when the air temperature in the premises has reached the set value or guided by the timer settings.
If we compare the costs of heating a summer house or private house from a main gas pipeline, then heating with liquefied gas is about 5-6 times more expensive. But nevertheless, in the long run, it is cheaper than heating from electricity.
If we take into account prices for liquefied gas, then heating country house or summer cottages using cylinders is not the worst alternative to electric and liquid fuel systems. Especially in cases where there are problems with solid fuel in the region or it is quite expensive.
Heating with liquefied gas is the most rational decision in the event that there are plans for gasification soon settlement, due to the fact that then there is no need to purchase a boiler. In addition, there is an opportunity to practice using a gas boiler.
How to store gas cylinders in winter?
In the case where the cylinders are located outside the house, then winter time at negative temperature the liquefied gas pressure drops and the boiler may simply turn off. In order to avoid this, the cylinders must be installed in a special cabinet that is insulated with non-flammable materials and equipped with good ventilation.
Detached non-residential buildings with a minimum level of heating are also well suited for this purpose. During the operation of cylinders, it is necessary to observe following rules safety precautions:
- Gas containers must not be heated with open fire;
- There should not be a cellar or basement near the cylinders, because during a leak the liquefied gas sinks down, it has no odor and can accumulate to an explosive concentration;
- It is highly recommended to install a gas leak detector;
- storage of full cylinders is permitted at a distance of at least 10 meters from residential premises;
- It is prohibited to store empty cylinders in the house;
- Once every 4 years, cylinders must be checked for leaks and integrity.
Thus, heating a house with gas cylinders is not in a profitable way heating However this perfect solution as a temporary measure until it becomes possible to connect to the central gas main.
When installing an autonomous gas supply at home, you have to take into account many nuances related to maintenance and precise calculation heating equipment power. To ensure maximum heat transfer and efficiency, it is necessary to correctly select and connect a gas boiler using bottled gas.
Is it possible to connect a gas boiler to a cylinder?
A gas boiler for heating a house from a cylinder is offered by many European and domestic producers. German Buderus, Viessmann and some others European models, are universal and can operate on both main and bottled gas.But, basically, consumers are offered boilers designed to operate exclusively on mains gas. In this case, you will need to re-equip the system: replace the nozzles or completely change the burner to make possible use liquefied gas.
Cylinders as the main source of propane
An autonomous gas boiler using gas cylinders is quite easy to install. The connection diagram is the same as in the case of the main pipe. The only thing you need to consider during installation is the rules fire safety, which are somewhat different from those provided for in the exploitation of natural gas.A significant disadvantage of using household cylinders is the need to refill them regularly. On average, the container lasts no more than two days, after which it needs to be disconnected and taken to a gas station for refueling. You can reduce the frequency of trips by connecting several cylinders to a single network. Modern boilers allow connecting from two to six containers simultaneously.
The cylinders are not connected directly, but through a special reducer, which allows maintaining a stable pressure sufficient for the uninterrupted operation of gas heating boilers running on bottled gas.
The propane cylinder mating ramp allows you to increase the simultaneous number of connected containers to 10 pcs.
Connecting cylinders to reserve
Another disadvantage of a heating system running on liquefied gas is the need to constantly monitor the fullness of the cylinders. There are situations when the gas runs out right at night, the heating system quickly cools down, which causes inconvenience to the owners of the house.
To prevent this from happening, the boiler is powered from a propane cylinder through a special ramp, which allows you to install 1-10 cylinders in reserve. The operation scheme of the node is as follows:
- The ramp is a two-arm collector dividing the containers into two groups.
- The initial gas intake comes from the main group.
- After the end of propane, the ramp automatically switches the boiler operation to reserve tanks and issues a mechanical signal.
- After filling and connecting the containers to the manifold, the main working group of cylinders is automatically turned on.
An in-line gas cylinder installation is quite convenient to use and allows you to automate the boiler operation process as much as possible, increasing its battery life.
How to connect a gas boiler to a propane tank
Install a gas boiler for autonomous heating using bottled gas is much easier than using mains fuel. There are several rules regarding fire safety, equipment reconfiguration and power calculations that require strict compliance.Is it possible to install gas cylinders in the boiler room?
The norms and rules for installing a cylinder are regulated by industrial safety requirements. In particular, it states that containers with liquefied gas cannot be located in the same room as heating appliances.- Cylinders should be taken to an adjacent room or outside, installed in a special cabinet.
- Empty gas cylinders should be stored outside the building. It is optimal if the containers are refilled immediately.
- If cylinders installed in a cabinet outside freeze, you should insulate the storage walls using non-combustible thermal insulation. Warm containers or cabinets using open fire is strictly prohibited.
- The gas cylinder can be installed at a distance of at least 2 m from the heating boiler.
- It is prohibited to store compressed gas cylinders near the boiler room. Containers can only be stored in a specially equipped room located no closer than 10 meters, equipped with ventilation and without pits, and basement. This requirement is due to the fact that propane is heavier than air and, when leaking, accumulates at floor level. If there are pits or a basement, the gas concentration will become critical, which is enough to cause an explosion.
- Operation of cylinders - complete exhaustion of LPG from the container is not allowed. Every 4 years it is required to carry out certification of the tightness of cylinders and the integrity of their walls.
Do I need to reconfigure the boiler for propane?
A conventional gas cylinder boiler only works if the following conditions are met: certain conditions and refurbishment was carried out. There is no need to reconfigure the equipment, but you will need to install additional fittings to stabilize the gas pressure.Not every boiler is able to operate on LPG. You should pay attention to the technical documentation. An essential requirement is the ability of the unit to operate at a reduced gas pressure of 3-4 mBar.
What is required to switch the boiler to gas from a cylinder
For normal operation of the LPG boiler, several important conditions will need to be met:- Replacing nozzles or burners. Gas-cylinder water heating equipment designed to operate exclusively on LPG is not produced. Some manufacturers make universal units equipped with an electronic processor.
To switch from mains gas to cylinders, you simply need to change the cartridge. But more often, conversion will require replacing the nozzles or the entire burner. - Gearbox installation. Liquefied gas is pumped into cylinders under pressure, resulting in a transformation from a gaseous to a liquid state. To transform it back, you will need to lower the pressure. The gearbox is designed for this purpose.
- Gas valve - in some models, connection and operation of a domestic gas boiler using bottled gas is possible only by replacing this unit.
Ordinary gas reducer not suitable for conversion. A gas heating boiler can operate from conventional bottled gas only when a unit is installed with a flow rate of 1.8-2 m³/hour.
How to calculate the volume and number of cylinders for a boiler
As practice shows, for a house of 100 m², gas consumption will be approximately 2 cylinders per week. Accordingly, for a house of 200 m², consumption will increase to 4 units. A gas heating boiler consumes 9 (100 m²) -18 (200 m²) propane cylinders per month, depending on the total heated area. Calculation required quantity containers are made taking into account this coefficient.Thus, installing a gas boiler room in a house using propane cylinders for 100 m² will require simultaneously connecting at least 4 cylinders (2 working and 2 reserve), for 200 m² 8-10. To ensure maximum ease of use, the connection equipment set must include a ramp.
You can accurately calculate the need for a boiler running on bottled gas using technical documentation provided by the manufacturer. At least, European concerns indicate in the equipment instructions the consumption of LPG after the unit has been re-equipped.
Gas cylinders must be refilled with propane after the container is 90% empty. Gas production is completely prohibited.
Which boiler is better to choose when heating with propane cylinders?
Experience in using boilers from gas cylinders has shown that not all equipment operates equally successfully on LPG after conversion. Increasing efficiency during operation is quite problematic. Therefore, it is necessary to choose the right heating equipment.- The principle of operation is that condensation equipment is the most economical and adapted for operation on LPG. The boiler operating time from the cylinder increases by an average of 15-20%. Condensing equipment is designed to operate at low gas pressure and often does not require replacement of the burner and nozzle.
- Number of circuits - you should choose a single-circuit boiler exclusively for heating rooms, and a double-circuit boiler for heating water.
- Purpose - the best option is equipment whose operating instructions contain permission to connect the boiler to the cylinder. Re-equipment of conventional water heating units, as a rule, leads to excessive fuel consumption and is not economically profitable. Boiler manufacturers offer all the necessary fittings for connecting cylinders; they are included in the kit or purchased separately.
Conversion of the boiler from natural to bottled gas should only be carried out by a specialist. Independent re-equipment leads to rapid breakdown of equipment and increases the likelihood of fire and explosion hazards.
Pros and cons of running a boiler using propane cylinders
The main advantage of connecting to LPG is the speed of installation and the absence of strict regulations related to operation. There is no need to obtain an operating permit, as well as to complete design documentation, which is required for a trunk connection.Judging by consumer reviews, heating with liquefied gas also has its disadvantages:
- The need to control the fullness of cylinders. For normal operation of a gas boiler you need 3-4 gas cylinders. Monitor exactly when the gas will run out, without additional equipment quite problematic. If you plan to constantly operate the system, it is better to spend money and connect the boiler to several cylinders through a ramp and reducer.
- Gas cost - compared to the main connection, LPG heating costs are slightly higher, but less than when using an electric boiler.
- Features when connecting to a propane tank. According to the PB, you will need to take the containers to another ventilated room or outside, which is not always convenient. It is necessary to separately purchase a device for connecting at least four gas cylinders to the boiler, as well as control and control valves.
- Conversion - not all boilers can be converted to LPG with the same efficiency. Replacing the burner will cost approximately 30-40% of the total cost of the boiler.
- The need to attract qualified specialists. Only a licensed specialist can connect several propane cylinders into a single network, change the burner and make the connection correctly.
Stoves are no longer often used as a home heating system. They are losing ground not only in small towns and villages, but even in dacha cooperatives. The stove becomes more of an attribute, a beautiful piece of furniture. In its place came gas heating of a private house. Purchasing all the equipment today no longer requires exorbitant sums as, for example, 15-20 years ago. In addition to gas, heating with solid fuel, waste, gas cylinders and electricity is becoming popular. Each of these systems has the right to exist. One owner needs complete autonomy, another needs a minimal heating bill, a third needs comfort, and still others need environmental friendliness.
Heating with bottled gas
Mains gas remains a dream for many residents of country houses. A container for storing gas is a very expensive pleasure, as is a pellet boiler. It is also not always possible to connect an electric heating system. Several years ago it was profitable to heat a house with diesel fuel, but prices for it have increased significantly and the savings have disappeared. What remains is an economical waste boiler, but you can’t leave it unattended. Here are almost all the options heating systems. You don’t have to take the stove into account; a priori it cannot be autonomous. , Heat pump, solar panels- These are expensive and difficult to maintain and install systems.
By method of elimination we arrive at heating with gas cylinders. Such a system is autonomous to some extent: it all depends on the time the owners are away from home. In principle, the issue can be solved by connecting several cylinders. But in winter you can leave it unattended for a week or two.
It costs approximately 6-8 thousand rubles per month to heat a house with an area of 120 m2. The initial costs for the entire system (boiler, gearboxes, hoses, combs and cylinders) are forty to sixty thousand rubles.
We heat the house with convectors
The heating system can be based not only on boilers, but also on convectors. Most often they are selected depending on the area of the room at the rate of 1.0 kW of power per 10 m 2. True, if you heat the house not in winter, but from early spring to late autumn, you can get by with a lower value. But, if the house is intended for permanent residence, it is better to calculate heat loss for each room. Then, even in severe frost, the system will cope with the work.
A metal cabinet for storing cylinders can be installed in the house, but for safety reasons it is better to place it near outer wall
The convector is installed permanently on the wall of a room or other room. In addition to this, you will need fittings for wiring, a reducer, at least two cylinders with a valve for propane and a metal cabinet to store them. For gas storage, containers with a volume of five to fifty liters are produced. The latter, naturally, are most suitable for heating a house. The gearbox must be of high quality and operate stably in the operating pressure range at external temperatures down to minus twenty-five degrees Celsius.
You will find information about the operating principle and design of gas convectors in our material:.
A cabinet with cylinders can be placed near the outer wall of the house, in the kitchen or on the terrace. The first option is preferable both from a safety point of view and to save space. The wiring from the convector to the cylinder is carried out using solidly curved steel pipes (½" or ¾"). They shouldn't have any threaded connections, no corners. At branching points, pipe fragments are welded.
The cabinet with cylinders cannot be installed in rooms with underground floors or cavities. Propane is heavier than air and will accumulate if it leaks. Explosive concentrations may be reached within a few days.
A cabinet for storing gas cylinders is a mandatory safety requirement. It is better to install it either near the outer wall of the house or in a warm boiler room with a concrete floor and thick walls
Experts advise placing cylinders in special rooms - boiler rooms. They should have a concrete floor and thick walls. This ensures the safety of residents. And in order for the efficiency of using this fuel to be higher, the temperature in the boiler room should be +20 C.
What type of boiler is needed and how long does one cylinder last?
Most boilers can operate on both main and liquefied gas. Depending on the type of fuel, one of the two burners that come included is installed.
When choosing a boiler, it is better to give preference to those with a lower threshold for operating gas pressure. This will allow you to get the most out of the cylinder. With the correct settings, the heating system consumes one in three to four days.
To heat an insulated house with an area of 130 m2 and provide hot water, 3-4 cylinders are consumed per week. At the same time, the temperature in the house is maintained around the clock at +21 ... + 23 ° C, and outside from minus 18 ° C to minus 23 ° C. This is about 9,000 rubles per month.
How to reduce gas consumption?
Fuel consumption can be reduced using the same techniques as in any other:
- install automation;
- install propane sensors in the room with cylinders, which will allow timely detection of leaks;
- insulate the house if this has not been done;
- observe temperature regime in a room with cylinders, because at minus 25 °C and below the system can have;
- purchase gas from trusted suppliers, since low-quality fuel simply will not ignite at low temperatures.
If the above measures are followed, it decreases by 20-40%, therefore, the cylinder will last for four days.
Example of programmer settings: in an insulated frame house (135 m2) from 23:00 to 6:00 the temperature is maintained at +14 °C, from 6:00 to 9:00 it increases to +21 °C, from 9:00 to 16:00 while everything at work and school drops to +12, and from 16:00 to 23:00 in the house +23 °C. On weekends from 23:00 to 8:00 - +14 °C, from 8:00 to 23:00 again +23 °C. With these settings, about 6-7 cylinders are used per month. However, holidays and holidays significantly increase consumption in December-January. On average per month for the heating season (including hot water supply and gas stove) you need 9-11 cylinders.
Two or more cylinders can be connected to the system at the same time, but it must be taken into account that the pressure in the cylinders is high. Safety first
We heat a country house with natural gas
Natural gas is a leader among other types of fuel. With a modern, efficient boiler, a well-insulated house is heated with minimal costs. Of course, there are cheaper energy sources, but they are not autonomous: solid fuel you need to constantly refill, the electricity may be turned off, and the gas in the cylinders periodically runs out.
Features of using gas boilers
When choosing a boiler, you need to proceed from the area of the house and hydraulic calculations. A wall-mounted convection boiler copes with heating a three-hundred-meter house. Condensing equipment can be installed. It is suitable for houses up to 400 m2. Such boilers use not only the energy of fuel, but also steam condensate. Their energy efficiency is much higher. If suddenly the equipment performance is not enough, you can use the “cascade connection” function.
Several years ago, the cost of a heating boiler was very high. But now that this equipment has become quite affordable, using natural gas to heat a home and organize hot water supply is more profitable than any other type of fuel
Hot water supply can be provided by an electric boiler, but if the heating of a private house is based on the use of natural gas, it is more economical to use it to heat water. To do this, you need to purchase either a double-circuit gas boiler or supplement the existing one with a tank. You can choose the volume based on your household needs. Boiler columns maintain a supply of water at the required temperature. A flow-through gas boiler heats the water at the moment of supply. After opening the tap, it will first go down cold water, and only then will it get hot.
Diagram of the design of such a system
System diagram gas heating a private house includes a heat source from which the coolant first disperses through the collector through pipes to the radiators, and then, when cooled, returns to the boiler. The liquid is under pressure. The circulation in this case is forced. Additionally, air vents, shut-off valves, flow and temperature sensors, and thermal heads can be installed. Automation helps regulate the temperature.
The system can be developed under natural circulation, then the circuit includes expansion tank at the highest point of the house. Here you can save on temperature sensors, air vents and expensive pumps.
Heating distribution can be radial or tee. The first is more expensive due to the larger pipeline footage, but it is more efficient and mobile, it is easier to repair during heating season. The second one is cheaper due to fewer pipes, but it does not provide such wide possibilities for regulating the temperature in individual rooms, such as radial distribution.
The number of radiators in the system is determined based on calculations. This is the most correct option both from a technical and economic point of view.
You should not rely on the advice of unqualified sellers and outside people: you should not select based only on the area of the room.
Natural gas heating equipment requires a minimum after-sales service, which, by the way, can be done on your own. The fuel burns without forming a solid residue. In order not to install a chimney, you can purchase a boiler with closed system combustion.
If by the end of the construction of the house there is no gas main, you can purchase a boiler using two types of fuel. After gasification, the transition to economical and efficient natural gas will not require significant material costs. At most, you will need to call a specialist from a service company.