Do you know that air is a great insulation? We are sure that this statement is known to everyone who, in one way or another, faced the insulation of their home and the choice of the most effective insulation. Remember that porous materials, which have air bubbles inside, have the best properties to retain heat. In addition, the more air spaces between the layers of insulation, the better.
The thermal curtain clearly shows how air itself, without additional materials and structures, can prevent cold from entering the house, even when the door is open. It is not for nothing that these devices are often called thermal curtains..
The air curtain is a directional fan heater of horizontal or vertical type. The horizontal one is installed on top of the doorway, the vertical one – on the side. The principle of operation is the same – a directed stream of warm air becomes a shield that prevents cold masses from entering the room. As a result, air masses simply do not mix with each other..
The main element of the heat curtain is the air duct, which is responsible for the rapid and even distribution of air in the area of the doorway. The system also includes filters, ventilation, heater.
The heat curtain is able to prevent hot air from entering the house in summer, the flow temperature can be set independently or simply used as a fan. In addition, it protects indoor spaces from unpleasant odors and insects..
When choosing a heat curtain system for your private house, garage, warehouse or commercial space, you should pay attention to the following parameters:
- Appliance dimensions. With this parameter, everything is quite simple – the width of the air curtain should slightly, by about 10 centimeters, exceed the width of the doorway. The air flow should completely, even with a margin, block the doorway. If we are talking about a vertical thermal curtain, then you should focus on the height of the doorway;
- Air power, device performance. The efficiency of the thermal curtain depends on this. Productivity is expressed in m3/ h However, it is important to understand that the airflow rate will decrease as the distance from the device increases. For example, if immediately near the system the flow is blowing at a speed of 8 m / s, then to the floor, after 2 m, the speed will drop to 2 m / s. Minimum performance for a doorway with a height of 2 or 2.5 m – 700 m3/ h, better more – up to 850-1300 m3/ h.
Important! The higher the air capacity of the heat curtain, the higher the cost!
- Thermal performance. The heat curtains can heat the air flow in the range of approx. 12 to 27 ° C. This indicator is not as important as the air power, because the device does not have the task of completely heating the room, the air flow rate and its volume per hour are much more significant parameter. In kilowatts, the heating power can be from 1 to 12;
- The presence of an automatic control system, the ability to connect to the “smart home” system, temperature control;
- The presence of protection against overheating (this will increase the safety of operation), the fan mode for summer time and the noise level during operation are also important (measured in dB, the manufacturer must indicate the sound pressure).
According to the method of installation, thermal curtains, as we have already written, are divided into vertical and horizontal. The following types of devices are distinguished by the type of power source:
- Electrical. The most popular option. They can work on heating elements or spirals. The pluses include low weight, ease of use and installation, and the minuses – electricity costs;
- Aquatic. The most economical option during operation, because the device is connected directly to the centralized heating system. However, the device itself and its connection will cost significantly more than the electrical version;
- Gas. They have been used not so long ago; such air curtains can be called a novelty. They are used where it is not possible to connect an electric or water heat curtain. Minus – you should strictly adhere to safety requirements when connecting and using gas appliances.
As for the price range of thermal curtains, we immediately recognize that the cost of the device can be quite high. For example, a vertical thermal curtain “Teplomash” model KEV-90P6142W in the form of a column, connected to a hot water supply system, will cost about 80 thousand rubles.
For a private house or garage, you can prefer such models as “Tropic M-9” with dimensions of 520x170x170 mm and an effective jet length of up to 3 m at a price of about 15 thousand rubles. Small electric model Ballu BHC-CE-3 made in China with dimensions of 190x505x155 mm, power 3 kW and capacity of only 300 m3/ h can even be bought for 4.2 thousand rubles.
The water thermal curtain “Tropic T212W10” for doorways up to one meter wide costs about 18.5 thousand rubles. But the gas heat curtain “Teplomash” KEV-35P4150G YAC-SP 35 will cost 305 thousand rubles, but it is designed for an opening up to 5 m high, and this is rather an industrial version.
The choice of devices is wide, and for the home, you can find quite affordable options.
Could you please provide more information about heat curtains? How do they work and what are their features? Are they suitable for both residential and commercial use? Also, what is the price range for heat curtains? I’m interested in purchasing one and would like to know more about the options available. Thank you!