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Heating a country house: options and prices, choosing the best

Tags:Boilers, Stoves and fireplaces, Heating radiators, Warm floor

When planning year-round living in a country house, you need to worry about creating an effective heating systems... Currently, there are a large number of different types of heating devices, which differ not only in their technical characteristics, but also in cost. Therefore, a compromise is needed between the need to obtain the optimal indoor temperature and fuel costs. That is, you need to competently think over and implement the heating of a country house: compare options and prices according to important criteria and make the right choice.

Heating a country house: options and prices

Typical diagram of an autonomous system of life at home

The content of the article

1 Main selection criteria
2 Heating a country house: options and prices of the most popular
- 2.1 Heating system
- 2.2 District heating
3 Water heating
4 Electric heating of a country house: options and prices
5 Gas heating
6 Wood-fired stove heating
7 Comparison of costs of various heating systems
8 Conclusion
9 Video: what is cheaper to heat a country house?

Main selection criteria

When choosing heating systems, one of the important criteria is the availability in a particular region of a certain type of fuel, which has an acceptable cost, which can be supplied centralized gas, the possibility of ordering solid fuel or other options. It is important that a specific type of fuel does not dry out in the next 5-10 years, since otherwise the heating system will not be able to pay off, except for cases of living in the northern regions. Therefore, if it is known in advance that, for example, coal mining may end, then it is worth soberly assessing the prospects for reworking the heating device or taking in advance one that is designed for several types of fuel.

Another criterion is the efficiency of heating devices. In financial terms, this means that when using a device with a higher heat output, it will take less time for the same area and lower fuel consumption, that is, there will be savings in the range of 20-40% of the total estimated costs. In practice, greater efficiency will affect the ability to generate more heat in the room over a certain period of time.

Attention! The amount of heat transfer depends not only on the efficiency, but also on the heat release of a particular type of fuel. Therefore, it is necessary to calculate in advance the total area of the house and make thermal calculations.

Comparison of the efficiency of different heating boilers

The choice of heating system also depends on the temperature difference between the outside and the room. That is, it must develop the required power. First of all, it depends on the material of the housing in which the combustion takes place, the method of heat transfer, the heat carrier used, the radiators used, as well as the effectiveness of the thermal insulation of the house.

Typical Installation Method for Powerful Heating Boiler and Expansion Tank

Heating a country house: options and prices of the most popular

By the method of heating, systems are divided into autonomous and centralized. The choice between them is not so straightforward, since they differ in many parameters, which in specific cases can play a significant role, depending on priorities.

Heating system

Autonomous ones are considered the most reliable, since their performance depends on the quality of maintenance and timely repair of all devices and assemblies. The owner of the house independently monitors the performance and maintains it in proper condition, or invites specialists who are able to provide high-quality service and identify possible breakdowns at an early stage.

Autonomous home heating system

In terms of functionality, autonomous devices are superior to centralized ones, since they can be used not only for heating purposes, but, for example, for obtaining hot water or for cooking, depending on the fuel used. However, the cost of such equipment will cost several times more than for a centralized one. In terms of dimensions, it will occupy a large space and in some cases, to ensure the safety of the house, it will be necessary to allocate a separate roome.

Typical circuit of water autonomous heating

According to the heating method, autonomous sources are divided into the following:

Aquatic.
Electrical.
Solid fuel.

District heating

District heating is the most common in urban areas, but outside the city it is very rare, since most villages used to get by with heating from solid fuel stoves. It can be water or gas. Water heating assumes the presence of a heating source outside the building, to which several more houses or districts are connected. That is, the coolant is supplied through communications directly to the consumer, who independently determines how to dispose of it. A centralized gas system means fuel is piped into a home that has all the necessary heating equipment.

Heating connection diagram to external communications

The main advantage of centralized systems is the absence of problems with finding and supplying fuel to the end consumer. In most cases, the cost of heating turns out to be much cheaper than if you had to independently search for and order a suitable type of fuel. The equipment, in comparison with autonomous heaters, is cheaper, with the exception of gas supply, when it is required to purchase a boiler.

Gas central heating

However, there are also disadvantages:

Complete dependence on the service provider. At any time, the supply of coolant or fuel may stop for various reasons. Technical delivery conditions may not always correspond to those stated, especially during the period of seasonal overloads. For the consumer, this is fraught with insufficient heating of the premises or equipment breakdown.
The need for monthly payment for consumed services, which, as noted above, do not always meet the standards.
There is no way to control the temperature of the coolant or fuel pressure, which can decrease or, on the contrary, be greatly overestimated.

Water heating

When choosing heating a country house, many options and prices stop at the water one. It is a closed system of water circulation through pipes through all rooms of the house from a heating source to heat dissipators (radiators). Heat transfer is carried out by means of a heat carrier.

Typical equipment used for hot water heating

The main role in the water heating system is played by the boiler, which is designed to heat the coolant. It can be gas, solid fuel, electric or diesel. Heating power is determined by the size of the combustion chamber and the type of fuel. The creation of water heating from a wood-burning stove is the cheapest for regions with a large number of forest plantations.

Related article:

Heating in a private house from polypropylene pipes. A separate review provides information on the use of polypropylene pipes, their installation and prices.

Double-circuit water heating, operating on alternative energy sources

According to the method of ensuring the circulation of water in the pipes, the systems are divided into the following:

With natural circulation. The movement of the coolant is created when water is heated by creating a temperature gradient and changing its density. This does not require the installation of additional pumps for pumping. The circulation rate is sufficient for efficient heat transfer to the external environment. However, its efficiency reaches its limit when heating an area close to 100 m² and higher, therefore the scope is limited to small houses. The advantage is the system's economy and ease of implementation. The possibility of creating high-quality heating of a private house without gas and electricity.

Wood heating with natural circulation of the heat carrier

With forced circulation. Unlike the previous case, in this situation the circulation pump is connected. Its task is to ensure a sufficient circulation rate of the coolant to heat houses with large areas (more than 100 m²) or buildings with more than two floors.

Forced circulation water system

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Any water heating has the following disadvantages:

Due to the passage of the coolant through the pipes, it loses its temperature and, as a result, a significant temperature gradient can occur. That is, the rooms closest to the boiler will be warmed up more than the remote ones.
The inertia of the system. After turning on or off the heating, depending on the size of the communications, it takes some time to reach the desired temperature.
The need to lay pipes on the inner or outer surface of the walls. The first option can be implemented only until the moment the rooms are redecorated, and the second can worsen the design of the premises due to the type of external communications.
The coolant must be constantly heated.
Noise during operation of systems with forced circulation.

Helpful information! Water heating allows you to provide a house with hot water for domestic and household needs. In addition, it becomes possible to install water heated floors, in addition to standard heating radiators, and to obtain the required temperature distribution in the room.

Electric heating of a country house: options and prices

Electric heating systems are one of the most popular in country houses, as they are easy to install (with the exception of warm electric floors), provide almost instant heating and are completely silent during operation.A huge variety of devices allows you to choose the most optimal not only in terms of technical characteristics, but also in terms of installation method. Choosing electric heating of a country house, options and prices can differ significantly and depend not only on technical characteristics, but also on the decorative external design. Device types are of the following types:

Floor standing or wall convectors.

Electric convector

Fan heaters.

Fan heater

Ceiling heaters with infrared emitters.

Ceiling IR Heater

Underfloor heating cable or foil systems.

Underfloor heating cable mat

The main requirement for the stable operation of electric heating is the availability of an uninterrupted supply of electric current. In addition, for a certain power of the heating elements, there must be calculated wiringa. Therefore, it is necessary in advance to find out the maximum permissible load on the network from household appliances and what the wires are designed for. If the load power is at the limit, then it is recommended to lay a separate wire from the electricity meter to heater with the installation of a circuit breaker, which will protect the main network from overloads and emergency situations.

The advantage of electric heating is high efficiency, relative cheapness of electricity and equipment, low maintenance requirements, compact size of devices, and no noise during operation. The disadvantages include increased wiring requirements, as well as the need for stable parameters for current and voltage in the network.

Gas heating

Gas heating is one of the most economical, which allows you to recoup the cost of all purchased equipment in the shortest possible time, depending on the intensity of its use. The system includes a boiler, pipe communications, radiators, a circulation pump, a heat exchanger, an expansion tank, as well as control and safety devices. The boiler provides heating of the coolant through a heat exchanger that circulates in a closed system. To prevent emergencies in the event of overheating of the coolant, an expansion tank is used. Heat is transferred to the premises through radiators.

Combined gas-wood water heating scheme

Depending on the area of the house, it is necessary to select the number of heating circuits. This will ensure uniform heating of the premises and minimize heat loss by reducing the length of communications. Gas heating for a country house with a large area shows itself as the most effective and demanded, and the options and prices of equipment are quite flexible.

Boiler for heating gas system

The advantages of such systems are: efficiency, ease of use, low cost of fuel. The disadvantage is the danger of using gas equipment with improper control, the need to organize high-quality ventilation.

Important! Gas boilers are devices with increased explosion and fire hazard. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure appropriate protective measures and observe the installation rules in accordance with the current rules and regulations.

Mobile gas tank for organizing an autonomous heating system

Related article:

Floor gas boilers for home heating. A separate publication provides valuable information on the selection and installation of floor standing units.

Wood-fired stove heating

When choosing heating a country house, it is necessary to consider options and prices that meet all the criteria and are fully justified from a financial point of view.This means that one should not forget about stove heating with wood, the use of which can be justified by the impossibility or high cost of laying centralized communications or the cheapness of fuel.

Wood burning stove for home air heating and cooking

A feature of such structures is their massiveness. Due to thick walls or large volumes, they can provide long-term temperature retention or instant heating. Can be made by hand from metal or bricks... This makes such stoves quite a budget option, which is suitable for houses with a small area. If it is necessary to expand the heating area, a boiler is installed on top of the furnace and connected to a water heating system.

Stove with a heat exchanger for water heating at home

Helpful information! It is quite difficult for an average person to calculate the technical characteristics of a homemade stove, as a result of which the heating system may be ineffective. Therefore, it is recommended when choosing to pay attention to mass-produced models from well-known manufacturers. Acceptable price solid fuel boilers for heating a private house customer reviews are only positive, since they receive guaranteed quality and can accurately plan the costs of purchasing additional equipment.

Comparison of costs of various heating systems

To understand the costs and expenses, it is necessary to study the data in Table 1, which shows the various heating systems for a country house, indicating the approximate installation costs and thermal characteristics.

Table 1. Estimated cost of equipment and thermal characteristics of various heating systems

Fuel type	Calorific value, thousand kJ / m3	Average efficiency,%	Estimated cost, rub.	Heating type
Gas (centralized)	36	70-80	340 000	water
Gas (autonomous, gas tank)	36	70-80	120 000	water
Coal	20-30	50-70	5 000 - 25 000	water
Firewood	10-20	50-80	5 000 - 25 000	air, water
Diesel fuel	42	70-80	5 000 - 50 000	air, water
Electricity	3.6 (at 1 kW of heater power)	90-100	1 000 - 20 000	air, water

As can be seen from Table 1, the situation is rather ambiguous, since it is not always possible to obtain a simultaneous benefit in the cost of fuel and equipment. Therefore, we have to look for a compromise and ways to adapt to specific operating conditions. The most important thing is to draw up the basic requirements for the system and choose the most suitable option.