Construction - Heating installations

Building a house; Heating installations; Heating installation; GAS BOILERS; Single-function boiler; Double-function boiler; OIL BOILERS; BOILERS FOR SOLID FUEL; Boilers for wood; Construction - Heating installations; Coal boilers; Pellet boilers;Biomass boilers; FIREPLACE HEATING; DGP fireplace with a water jacket; WATER HEATING; automation for controlling the heating installation; HEATING ELEMENTS; Cast iron radiators; Convector heaters; Bathroom radiators; HEAT PUMPS;Ground heat pumps; Water heat pumps; Air heat pumps; SOLAR PANELS ; Flat collectors; Vacuum collectors

Requirements for today

Lower heating costs. As fuel prices continue to rise, energy-saving heating devices are increasingly appreciated. They require more financial resources at the start, but in the long term allow you to reduce costs without sacrificing thermal comfort. The second direction is the use of cheap fuels. Heating systems based on increasingly cheaper solid fuels are also developing. Coal boilers, wood, pellets are more efficient.

Environmentally friendly. The environmental requirement meets not only the economical consumption of traditional fuels, but also the use of energy sources that save the environment by emitting minimal amounts of CO2. Although thermal energy obtained from renewable sources is still expensive, it becomes a requirement resulting from the assumptions of the so-called EU climate policy. There are more and more heating devices that use natural energy, such as heat pumps, to choose from. Today, the heat necessary to heat the rooms can also be obtained from ventilation, eg supply and exhaust with a recuperator.

Tailored individually. Today there is no single method of heating and one fuel that would be just as good for heating all buildings.The choice of a heating system is influenced by many factors: fuel availability, storage space, thermal insulation of the building, climatic conditions and household needs. There are more and more installations using two or more fuels and mixed heating systems. Specialists advise to use several heating devices at home. Recommended solutions include combining the functions of a heat pump with air conditioning, gas heating and a solar collector, electric heating and a fireplace or a biomass boiler.

A new standard of service. The task of modern heating installations is also to ensure comfortable operation of the devices included in them. The installation produces and transfers heat to the rooms without constant supervision of its operation - including automatically adjusting the temperature in the interiors to the current needs.

Heating installations

HEATING SYSTEMS

When planning a heating installation at home, you can choose one of two solutions - a traditional or modern heating system. The choice of a specific solution will not only determine the purchase costs of individual heating devices and the installation, but will also affect the subsequent costs of home maintenance and the comfort of operating the heating installation. A traditional heating installation powered by, for example, a coal boiler at the execution stage is one of the cheaper solutions, however, it will require from the family to supervise the operation of the equipment, and its operation will have a negative impact on the natural environment. In addition, a house equipped with such a heating installation will not be attractive on the real estate market, where one of the key assessment criteria is the energy certificate granted to newly constructed buildings.

Modern, fully automated heating installations using traditional or unconventional energy sources are not only energy-efficient and comfortable in operation, but also ecological. Although you have to pay more for the purchase and installation of energy-saving heating devices than for a traditional boiler, they will make it possible to forget about heating the house and, most importantly, will significantly reduce the heating bills.

GAS BOILERS

These boilers enjoy great popularity among investors. They can be supplied with natural gas from the network or liquid (then the fuel is delivered from a gas tank installed near the house).

The installation of a gas boiler is particularly cost-effective if the house is or can be connected to the gas network, because natural gas heating is relatively inexpensive - among energy carriers enabling the use of maintenance-free heating devices (LPG, heating oil or electricity), natural gas is the cheapest.

Modern gas boilers are safe. They have a closed combustion chamber, which means that the air needed for combustion

fuel is sucked in from the outside with a special cable. In turn, the flue gases are removed from the building by a flue pipe, and their flow forces the fan. Poor chimney draft in the house or its absence does not threaten the safety of the household. Isolating the combustion chamber from the utility rooms eliminates the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. When deciding to install a gas boiler, it is worth choosing a condensing device. Condensing boilers can significantly reduce fuel consumption, and thus reduce the amount of heating bills. They are characterized by greater efficiency than conventional gas boilers. This means that with the same amount of fuel they are able to get more heat. This is possible thanks to the condensation technique of steam. In traditional boilers, the steam contained in the exhaust gases evaporates with them through the chimney. The condensing unit is equipped with a heat exchanger which first cools the flue gas and condenses the water vapor contained therein, thanks to which it recovers heat, which is then transmitted to the heating water circulating in the installation. Condensing boilers are therefore much more economical than traditional ones.

Modern gas boilers are practically maintenance-free - they are fully automated. They can also cooperate with solar collectors.Thanks to such cooperation, you can count on significant savings on the cost of heating utility water. From among gas boilers, we can choose between single-function or two-function devices.

# The single-function boiler heats both the water directed to the heating system and the usable water, stored in a separate container (a storage heater). The boiler heats the water stored in the container to the set temperature, thanks to which constant access to it is ensured. The choice of a single-function boiler is a good solution in a home where the consumption of hot water is quite large - with at least two bathrooms, inhabited by a minimum of four household members.

# A two-function boiler is a device that will work better in small homes with one bathroom. In a two-function boiler, the hot water is heated in a flow - i.e. at the time of its collection. This means that the cold water is heated by the boiler only when you unscrew the tap. Such a boiler works well when the water collection points in the house are not too far from the boiler.

Exploitation of gas boilers is relatively harmless to the environment. The flue gas produced during gas combustion is the cleanest of all traditional fuel combustion products.

OIL BOILERS

Heating equipment powered by fuel oil is a good alternative for homes that do not have access to the gas network. Oil boilers are fully automated and maintenance-free. Their construction is similar to gas boilers - however they differ from them with a burner. The supply of heating oil for this type of boilers is stored in a special tank in the boiler room - near the heating device.Oil boilers are also available in an energy-saving condensation version. However, they are characterized by slightly lower efficiency than condensing gas boilers. Condensing oil boilers also have a closed combustion chamber, so they are safe to use.In modern oil boilers, combustion is complete, so the fumes they produce are relatively clean and harmless to the natural environment. Oil boilers as well as gas boilers can be single or double function. It is not possible to use the full priority of hot water in them, therefore, for installation with a oil boiler, a contribution with partial or full heat accumulation should be added.After replacing the burner, the oil boiler can be operated as gas. On the market you will also find two-fuel devices that allow you to use both types of fuel without the need to replace the burner. However, they are expensive.

The latest solid fuel boilers are designed to burn many types of fuel

The latest solid fuel boilers are designed to burn many types of fuel

BOILERS FOR SOLID FUEL

There are many devices among the solid fuel boilers popular in our country. Choosing a solid fuel boiler depends mainly on the type of fuel the house is to be heated. Although the operation of such boilers is rather arduous, they are eagerly used heating devices, mainly due to low operating costs.

Wood boilers. They are intended for burning the most popular renewable fuel, i.e. wood. During its combustion, much less harmful to the environment are emitted into the environment than in the case of coal combustion. Modern wood boilers are devices with lower combustion - with two or three exhaust lines. They obtain more heat thanks to afterburning. The gasifying boilers are characterized by even higher efficiency. Wood in the combustion chamber of such a boiler is dried and degassed.The resulting wood gas is burned, so that more heat is obtained from the fuel.

Coal boilers. They are used for burning coal of various sizes. Unfortunately, this involves the emission of many pollutants into the environment. In addition, coal is one of the most exploited fuels in our country, whose stocks are running out, so its prices will continue to grow. Deciding to heat the house with coal, it is worth choosing a device with lower combustion, which allows you to control the combustion process and efficiency of boiler operation. Thanks to this, it consumes less fuel than a coal boiler with upper combustion. A boiler equipped with an automatic fuel feeder is used for burning coal of a small range (eg eco-pea coal).Coal is automatically delivered to the boiler from a special container. The container can be filled with fuel even once every few days - thanks to this the boiler's operation is less burdensome.

Pellet boilers. These are devices powered by pellets, i.e. small granules made of wood waste. Most pellet boilers are maintenance-free - with an automatic fuel feeder. However, their exploitation is slightly more expensive than wood boilers. Just like wood, they emit little pollution into the environment.

INFLATABLE HEATING

Air heating is not a popular way of heating single-family houses in our country. Such a heating installation consists primarily of an electric or water heater (supplied with hot water from a gas, oil or heat pump boiler). Warm air is distributed to individual rooms through ducts mounted at the ceiling or in the floor and flows into the interior with grates or anemostats. Air heating is characterized by low thermal inertia. This means that when the blow is turned on, the air in the room heats up quickly, but when it is turned off, it also cools down quickly. This solution is not recommended especially for brick buildings with massive barriers whose heating time is long. Blast heating works better in houses with skeletal structure, where thermal comfort feels almost immediately after starting the blowing of warm air.

The advantage of blower heating is that the air blown into the rooms can be immediately filtered and properly moistened. Its proper humidity can be ensured, for example by placing a special humidifier in the main duct. It will increase the humidity of the air flowing through the channel, which is then distributed throughout the entire building. In order to improve the quality of the air flowing into the house, in modern blowing installations also filters (eg ionizing), and even bactericidal and fungicidal UVC lamps are used.

FIREPLACE HEATING

The fireplace can be not only an impressive interior decoration, but also an efficient heating device. Powered by ecological and inexpensive fuel, i.e. wood, it will reduce the cost of heating the house. According to the regulations, it can not be the only source of heat in the home, but it works great in the role of an additional heating device that will allow you to warm up with inexpensive heat during transitional periods, i.e. in autumn and spring. when starting the boiler is not yet profitable.

In order for the fireplace to be an effective heating device, it should have a closed cartridge. By adjusting the amount of air entering the furnace, it enables fuel combustion control and acquires more heat from it. Fireplaces with a closed insert are therefore more economical - they consume up to two and a half times as much fuel as the open fireplaces to obtain the same amount of heat.

Secluded bathroom radiators are used not only for thermal comfort, but also for functionality, e.g. by combining the heating function with a towel rail

Secluded bathroom radiators are used not only for thermal comfort, but also for functionality, e.g. by combining the heating function with a towel rail

WATER HEATING

Central heating is still the most popular way of heating homes. In such a system, heat is distributed from one common source of heat for each building to individual rooms. In single-family houses, the most commonly used heat carrier is water, which is used in installations with radiators, underfloor heating and wall heating. It is heated by a heating device - usually a boiler, though more often also a fireplace with a water jacket and a heat pump. The hot water is distributed throughout the installation with radiator tubes or surface heating cables (floor, wall). The pressure required to force the water movement is generated by the circulating pump. The installation of central heating in a gravity system is rare. New central heating installations are also equipped with a closed diaphragm expansion vessel.

The pipes of the central heating system are usually laid in the floor (in the screed layer), less often in the wall furrows. They should be run in a conduit with a pipe type or thermal insulation, which will minimize heat loss in the installation. The pipes are run from the heat source to the individual floors of the house, and then to each radiator or surface heating installation. They can be carried out using the three-way or distributor method.

Tee system. In such a system, tees are installed on the supply pipe - that is, the one that flows water from the boiler. The wire sections for each radiator are spread from them.

Distribution system. In this case, special distributors (supply and return) are installed on each floor of the house and the conductors leading to them from the heat source and to it are connected to them. Next, the pipes (supply and return) are led from the manifolds separately to each radiator. One distributor can power up to 12 radiators. The distributor system is very popular mainly due to the small number of connections and the possibility of disconnecting a single heater in the event of a breakdown.

Currently, in single-family houses, for the implementation of central heating installations, most often plastic or copper pipes are used. Nowadays, the installation of steel pipes is less and less often made. Although they are cheap, they quickly corrode.

# Copper. Copper pipes are very durable and resistant to the corrosive effect of hot and cold water, non-oxidizing acids, UV rays and temperature changes. Laying such pipes should, however, be avoided in homes located in mountainous areas where the water is usually soft and sour. Its operation can lead to the dissolution of copper ions and reduce the durability of the installation made of copper pipes. In domestic installations, plastic pipes are also used.

# Cross-linked polyethylene (PE-X). Made of PE-X of the pipe can withstand a temperature of from -110 ° C to 110 ° C , and the maximum permissible working temperature is 95 ° C . They are resistant to most acids.

# Polypropylene (PP). PP pipes are also resistant to strong acids, alkalis and organic salts. Pipes for water and heating installations are made of a PP-R copolymer also designated PP-3 - they are characterized by good flexibility. They are designed to operate at temperatures up to 90 ° C . They are often used in installations with a tee system.

# Polybutylene (PB). PB pipes are resistant to many acids, bases and solvents with low concentration. Withstand temperatures up to 90 ° C . They are flexible, making them easy to assemble. The PB pipes are also distinguished by their resistance to impact, cracking and abrasion. They are run in furrows or in the screed - they can not be exposed to UV rays.

# Multi-layer pipes. They have a layered structure - a base pipe made of PE-X, an aluminum insert and a PE protective tube.

HEATING ELEMENTS

Heaters are one of the most important elements of central heating. The thermal comfort at home depends on their selection. The choice of radiators should be decided by the information contained in the design of the heating installation. There are many types of radiators on the market, which differ not only in shape but, above all, in the material from which they are made and in the properties. Steel radiators. They are very popular. Among them, plate models are the most frequently chosen. Such radiators can be made of one, two or three plates. Panel steel radiators are a good solution when you need to increase the heating power while maintaining small dimensions of the radiator - then it is enough to choose a device with more plates. Panel radiators react quickly to signals from automatic control devices, which makes it easy to control their operation. The disadvantage of steel radiators is their sensitivity to water quality in the installation. It causes that the durability of heaters decreases when oxygen gets into the water in the installation. Another variant of steel radiators are unit devices. They consist of ribs, thanks to which they can be produced, among others in the version intended for installation on arched walls or in wall corners. Aluminum radiators. They usually have a fiber structure, are light and have high thermal conductivity, so they heat up quickly. You can easily control their work. However, they are made of a rather soft material, which makes them more vulnerable to mechanical damage than other heaters. Aluminum radiators are better not to be used in heating installations made of copper pipes, as this may lead to their excessive corrosion.

# Cast iron radiators. They are heavy, massive radiators with high resistance to corrosion and mechanical damage. They are also characterized by high thermal inertia - they slowly heat up and cool down. This makes it harder to control their work, so they are not recommended for installation with automation. They perform well in installations with a solid fuel boiler, where their high inertia is treated as an advantage.

# Convector heaters. They are usually characterized by small dimensions. They are usually mounted on legs with large, unopened glazings reaching the floor. In this case, convector heaters - duct heaters are also well-suited for installation in a specially prepared channel in the floor. As a result, they remain completely invisible and provide free access to the window.Convector heaters have a small heat capacity (they contain little water), thanks to which they heat up quickly after switching on the boiler.

# Bathroom radiators. These are most often ladder devices - also used for drying towels. For this reason, their power is increased by a minimum of 20%. Ladder radiators are made of vertical collectors and horizontal collectors placed between them. They are made of steel, copper or aluminum pipes covered with a special anti-corrosive varnish.

HEAT PUMPS

These modern heating devices are a great way to reduce home heating costs. They are energy-saving and ecological - for heating the house they use free renewable energy stored in the ground, water or air, and do not produce any harmful gases or other pollutants. Heat pumps are maintenance-free and therefore very comfortable in operation. They are used for both home heating and hot water preparation. For this purpose, they collect heat from the environment, i.e. the so-called bottom source (it may be water, air or ground), and transmit it to the upper source, i.e. the heating installation.

# Ground heat pumps. In our conditions, heat pumps that extract energy from the ground (ground heat pumps) work best. In order for them to use ground energy, it is necessary to make an appropriate collector, i.e. a heat exchanger. It can be levels - it's a solution for people with a large, extensive plot (at least 1.5-2 times larger than the house), or vertical - recommended for plots of small size and low groundwater level.

# Water heat pumps. The use of a water pump at home, that is, using energy stored in water, requires access to a high-efficiency aquifer and a suitable quality (eg a large pond). Such pumps work well for houses with a high heat demand.

# Air heat pumps. The air heat pumps are very popular, mainly due to the low price compared to other devices of this type. In contrast to water and ground pumps, they do not require a lower-source project, because it is air. Such a device can be installed on any plot. However, air heat pumps are not as efficient (especially in winter) as other devices of this type. Their effectiveness depends on atmospheric conditions. For this reason, air heat pumps are often used as an additional heating device at home.

You can choose between heat pumps designed for heating the house with the possibility of heating utility water and devices used exclusively for preparing hot water. They can have a hot water container integrated in the housing. Thanks to the heat pump working for the needs of hot tap water, the boiler can be turned off during the off-season, which reduces heating costs.

Heat pumps can successfully cooperate with condensing boilers, solar collectors and underfloor heating. This last solution is especially recommended for houses heated by a heat pump, because it allows to maximally use its efficiency.

SOLAR PANELS

These are devices that allow the use of free, renewable energy, which is solar energy. In our country, due to atmospheric conditions, solar collectors are mainly used for heating utility water. They can also be used to heat the house, but to make their work efficient, solar collectors would have to occupy a very large area, which in the case of a single-family house would be quite expensive and so far not a very profitable solution.

Solar collectors are ecological and energy-saving devices - they do not produce environmentally harmful exhaust gases, a small amount of electricity is needed for the solar installation, and thanks to the use of solar energy, for which you do not have to pay, relieve your home budget. Performing a solar installation at home is most profitable when the household uses a lot of hot water.It also works well in homes where collectors will be used to heat pool water. Solar installation is usually designed so that solar collectors can cover 50-60% of the annual demand for hot water. Then, in the hottest months, the demand for hot water can be satisfied by 80-100% collectors. Because in the winter months they are not able to provide an adequate amount of hot water, solar collectors are treated as an additional source of heat. They can cooperate with gas boilers, oil boilers, heat pumps, fireplaces and even solid fuel boilers. The surface of the collectors is selected individually for the demand for hot water in a particular house. It is estimated that there should be 1-1.5 collector per one inhabitant. In addition to solar collectors, the solar installation includes a reservoir in which a store of hot, heated by water collectors is collected. For cooperation with solar collectors, bivalent storage tanks are used - with two heat exchangers. Water in such a storage tank can be heated from two heat sources - from collectors and a basic heating device, eg from a boiler. If the work of the collectors is not efficient enough to prepare an adequate supply of hot water, then it is heated by the boiler.

Solar collectors are available in two versions - as flat or vacuum (tubular) devices.

# Flat collectors. These are relatively inexpensive collectors built of thermally insulated housing and absorber, which absorbs the sun's rays. Flat collectors are less efficient than vacuum devices, but for domestic water heating purposes, they are sufficient in the home.

# Vacuum collectors. They are distinguished by higher efficiency than flat collectors, however they are more expensive than them. They are made of glass pipes in which there is a cable with an absorber. Due to their construction, they can catch sun rays falling under a flat angle unfavorable for collectors. Vacuum collectors should be used when there is not enough space on the roof for the assembly of flat collectors with a suitable surface. Because they are more efficient, they can take up less space.They are also used for assembly in places where the efficient operation of flat collectors would be difficult, eg on the facade of the house.