Choosing the optimal system for heating a summer cottage

Recommendation points

• The main criteria for choosing heating equipment for a summer residence
• Fuel type
• Autonomy
• Mobility
• Features of the coolant
• Profitability
• Power
• The convenience of use
• We choose heating equipment for a summer residence by the type of energy carrier
• Gas heating
• Electric heating
• Heating for summer cottages on liquid fuel
• Heating with solid fuel

What are the requirements for heating a summer house? What to look for when choosing equipment? How to organize the system? What energy carriers is it better to stake on? How do you calculate your expenses? You will learn about this in this article..

Unlike the residents of apartment buildings, the owners of private cottages have to solve a number of pressing issues related to the organization of efficient heating and saving the generated heat. In a sense, it is even more difficult for summer residents, since the vast majority of suburban settlements do not have a centralized infrastructure. It is considered a great rarity not only a gasified house, in many places there are serious problems with electricity supply, which is extremely unstable, therefore, willy-nilly, Russians have almost alternative sources of heat in favor. The situation is slightly facilitated by the moment that we usually do not live at the dacha all year round, which means that it is only necessary to survive outings in the off-season months, well, and perhaps a couple of days in winter.

If we talk about the implementation of heating a country house, then first you need to decide on some fundamental points. For example, what shall we consider a summer residence? For some it is a small one-story building, not burdened with insulation. For others, a medium-sized full-fledged cottage, perhaps even a real mansion. The second point is how the country house is operated. Practice shows that it is necessary to consider three options, depending on which it will be advisable to choose one or another type of heating:

1. The owners come on weekends and holidays. In winter, the dacha is empty.
2. People regularly visit the house, in winter it is necessary to maintain a positive temperature.
3. The dacha is a place of permanent residence.

The main criteria for choosing heating equipment for a summer residence

To find the most efficient heating method for specific conditions, you need to understand what functional and operational features characterize modern heating equipment. Let’s see what criteria users and manufacturers use to compare boilers, ovens and heaters.

Fuel type

Obviously, this is the main point, since equipment operating on different types of energy carriers differs in many parameters. However, it should be noted that energy efficiency here fades into the background (all types of systems have caught up with their efficiency, confidently strive for one hundred percent), and the first roles are assigned to ease of use and economic benefit. Further in the article, we will not delve into heating based on the energy of the sun or heat from the bowels of the earth, we will focus on real and available options, consider all the pros and cons. This is electricity and “everything that burns”.

So, heating can be:

• electric;
• gas (main gas, imported gas);
• on liquid fuel (fuel oil, diesel fuel, waste engine oil …);
• solid fuel (firewood, flights, coal, peat briquettes, grain waste …);
• combined boilers.

Autonomy

For a dacha village, this can be a vital requirement – as we said, there is simply trouble with engineering communications. In fact, very few heating systems are completely independent of external supply, mainly electricity..

Firstly, most modern boilers are equipped with electrical control / monitoring systems, so if the lights are turned off, they stop working. Some (usually imported ones) are extremely sensitive to voltage and frequency drops, they cannot function without stabilizers.

The second point is the presence of electric blowing fans, which provide air flow into the combustion chambers or transport heated air through channels to various rooms of the building..

The third nuance is circulation pumps, which also require 220 volts. They are installed to forcibly increase the speed of movement of heat transfer fluids through the pipes. This allows you to choose convenient routes for laying pipelines and even optimize the system in terms of heat engineering, but autonomy is completely lost. Meanwhile, there is a completely independent gravitational system tested for decades, which is now considered archaism..

Important. Some electrically dependent boilers, after turning off and turning on the light, resume work automatically, while others need a manual reset.

It turns out that even wood-burning boilers can only be partially autonomous, pay attention to this. The problem of dependence of heating on the availability / stability of electricity can be partially solved by emergency use of generators.

Mobility

If heating is needed sporadically (off-season), then it makes sense to choose equipment that you can bring with you, or dismantle it for the winter and summer. As a rule, it is not tied to chimneys, air duct systems and pipes with radiators. Obviously, modest dimensions and low weight are important here. Truly mobile heaters quickly deploy in any room based on current needs.

Features of the coolant

In principle, several approaches can be distinguished.

Aggregates that heat fluids transported through pipelines. Heat exchangers are located on the walls (radiators) or in the floor (pipe underfloor heating), such systems are perfect for even distribution of heat between all rooms of large houses, including two-storey ones, and can also heat detached buildings. Water heating by a system of taps and thermal heads is well regulated, does not burn oxygen, works quietly, due to its heat capacity, it maintains the operating temperature for a long time. The disadvantages of this type of heating are: inertness (heats up for a long time), additional costs for pipelines, complexity of installation, stationarity. Also, in the event of an accident in winter, water can freeze in the pipes and damage them. For the winter, the water must be drained, and also prepared when filling the system. The problem of defrosting pipelines is partially solved by using antifreeze instead of water as a heat carrier.

Air heating. Heat can be transferred directly with the help of heated air, if it is forcibly distilled through insulated ducts to various rooms of the house. The main advantage of this method is the even distribution of heat. Many heating systems do not have air ducts, they heat the masses in their immediate vicinity, and they are already mixed with cold air by convective movement. Sometimes this process can be enhanced by fans (various convectors). In any case, the air increases its temperature from contact with a heated surface, it does not matter that it is a rough stone, a red-hot spiral, a hot boiler shell, a floor covering lying on top of a heated film floor.

This also includes long-wave infrared units that heat the surfaces to be treated, and the air is heated from them. Air heating works quickly (we can create comfortable conditions in the shortest possible time), it is the least material-intensive (therefore, economical), as a rule – mobile, can be integrated with the ventilation and air conditioning system. The disadvantage of channelless air heating is one unpleasant effect – the farther the room is from the stove, the colder it is. Such systems work well in relatively small houses with a minimum of partitions – this is, in fact, what the average dacha looks like..

Now, peculiar hybrids have become quite widespread: these are furnaces and boilers, which, in addition to a water jacket or a built-in coil, have well-developed air intakes or non-insulated bodies. This also includes all heating units with a hob – it heats up well, and the room where the boiler is located no longer needs to install radiators.

Profitability

Furnaces and boilers are best compared for this characteristic, taking into account the cost of the consumed energy carrier to achieve the same power per unit of time. It turns out that we need to know how much the heating unit “burns” fuel in kilograms (liters, cubes) in order to produce one kilowatt of heat energy. Knowing the power of the boiler, we get the exact figures for heating costs, for example, per day.

First of all, the cost of operating heating depends on the type (read, cost) of the consumed energy carrier – the price of a kilowatt of heat can differ significantly. The second is the efficiency of the boiler, it depends on the type of construction: how much heat is removed from the carrier, and how much is lost. Note that the efficiency of the equipment decreases sharply if poorly prepared fuel is used. For example, in gas it can be ballast impurities, for firewood – heat release reduces excessive moisture. Below we will provide approximate calculations for the main types of systems..

There is also such a concept as efficiency, in fact, telling about the gluttony of the unit (like the consumption of gasoline per 100 kilometers for a car). The higher the efficiency, the cheaper it will cost us to own the boiler. Its calculation is confusing and incomprehensible for a simple user; foreign and domestic manufacturers are calculated using various methods. Very often, sky-high efficiency indicators of “innovative” boilers exist only on paper, so let’s leave it for consideration by professionals.

Do not forget about the initial cost of heating equipment and all other elements of the system (pipelines, radiators, air ducts, chimneys …). Not all know-how can be affordable for a simple gardener. Not all units, even the most economical ones, will be able to pay off when used in a summer cottage – you will have to find a middle ground.

Power

The power of the heating boiler is selected depending on the size of the cottage. A too powerful boiler will cause energy overruns, in addition, equipment for large premises is more expensive. A too weak boiler may not cope with heating. The general formula for selecting the power is quite simple: for every 10 m² at home (with a ceiling height of no more than 3 meters), you must have 1 kW of equipment power. This is for normally insulated buildings in the climatic zone of Moscow. And, for example, for the northern regions, a power-increasing factor of 1.8-2 is used. Poorly insulated or summer cottages during winter operation require a significant correction for heat loss – you will have to use equipment twice or even three times more powerful.

The convenience of use

Most of all, users are interested in whether the boiler can work in automatic mode, how often prevention is done and how much it costs. For solid fuel systems, it is important how often it is necessary to load a new portion of fuel, and how often ash will have to be removed. Do not forget that many energy resources require preparation and special storage containers / areas. Not the last question: a specific sample of heating equipment is installed in any room, or it can only be located in a utility room.

We choose heating equipment for a summer residence by the type of energy carrier

Gas heating

The use of boilers operating on natural gas mains is the most successful solution for heating any private houses. The undoubted advantages of gas boilers can be considered:

• low cost of energy carrier;
• the ability to operate the system in automatic mode;
• cleanliness of the process (no: waste, odors, harmful emissions, hazardous combustion products).

Let’s also denote the cons:

• not all settlements are gasified;
• the cost of connecting to the gas main can cost several hundred thousand rubles, 15-25 thousand is the installation and commissioning of the boiler;
• strict installation requirements (obligatory chimney, minimum dimensions of the room are indicated, etc.);
• almost all modern gas boilers depend on electricity;
• once a year, it is necessary to carry out preventive maintenance of the equipment, check the meter.

Gas boilers can operate both on regular gas and on liquefied gas – they only need to be slightly modified. Some models (usually low power) may include special additional parts in the kit. The use of liquefied gas makes it possible to operate gas installations in an autonomous mode. For this, imported cylinders or gas tanks (large steel tanks for gas injection) are used. The cost of equipment for heating using a gas holder will be up to 300-400 thousand, but the cost of gas will be less than if you bring it in cylinders.

For the calculation we take a house 150 m² Is a boiler with a thermal power of 15-16 kW. Liquefied gas needs about 1.3 kg per hour of work – at a price of 30 rubles per kilogram, this is almost 40 rubles per hour – 960 rubles per day.

Main gas consumption is up to 1.6 cubic meters per hour. At a price of about 5 rubles per cubic meter, this is 8 rubles per hour, or up to 200 rubles per day.

The cost of imported gas boilers starts at $ 750. That is, Russian counterparts are about 30 percent cheaper.

Electric heating

Heating using electricity can be carried out by boilers that heat a liquid heat carrier, or locally – convectors, oil heaters, underfloor heating, heat guns, infrared devices such as UFO. Electric heating is in any case the most compact and convenient. For its implementation, a chimney is not needed, the equipment can be installed anywhere. Such systems lend themselves well to automation and precise power control, they practically do not require maintenance.

Electric heating also has disadvantages. Firstly, problems may arise when the power supply is turned off or unstable. Secondly, the energy consumption limit may be limited, which is very important for summer cottages. As a rule, approval is required for the installation of equipment with a capacity of more than 10 kW, and a three-phase power supply is also required. The most important thing is the high cost of energy. A boiler with a capacity of 14-15 kW “will consume” about 350 kW per day, with a price of a kilowatt of 4 rubles – 1400 rubles.

The cost of the electric boiler is quite moderate, for example, the Stealth-14L model from the Galan company has a price of about 600 USD. e. Approximately the same price is the Skat model from Proterm. But branded equipment of the same power will be twice as expensive (Bosch Tronic PTE 14).

Mobile electric heating has the same advantages as stationary (boiler), but in this case, piping can be dispensed with – one convector or oil heater with a capacity of 1.5–2 kW is installed in each room. Electricity costs will be similar, but if necessary, you can quickly change the configuration of the entire system, at the end of the heating season, you can take out all the equipment. For comparison: a good quality one-and-a-half kilovat convector of European companies (Electrolux ECH / AG-1500 EF or UFO ECH / 15) costs about 100–120 cu. e.

Heating for summer cottages on liquid fuel

Diesel boilers are not widespread, but for a country house this is a completely acceptable option in terms of practicality. Oil-fired boilers are made in floor-standing design, they always depend on electricity, since they use blower fans in their design. Fuel enters the combustion chamber from a special container with a volume of 1.5–5 tons. The obvious advantages of diesel systems are:

• good work automation;
• fine adjustment is available;
• the possibility of converting equipment to natural gas (for example, if gasification of the village is planned).

The cons of diesel boilers are also known:

• electrical dependence;
• the need for regular maintenance;
• stationarity (boiler room, chimney, pipelines, large containers, access roads are required …);
• low quality of domestic diesel fuel;
• high price of heat received.

A diesel boiler to obtain a kilowatt of heat energy consumes about 0.08 liters of diesel fuel per hour. We remind you that we are counting a house of 150 m², this is 15-16 kWh of heat – 1.28 liters of fuel per hour. In monetary terms, this is about 40 rubles per hour, or 960 rubles per day, which is comparable to the prices for liquefied gas.

The cost of a diesel fuel boiler is in the region of 1000-1500 cu. e. (KITURAMI STSO-13R, Buderus Logano G125 SE, Navien LST-17K).

Buderus Logano G125 SE

A type of liquid fuel boilers is equipment capable of operating on waste engine oil, some types of vegetable oil. The performance of these units is almost the same as that of diesel engines. As for operating costs, for clarity, we will give the following figures: the fuel consumption of the 30-kilowatt model DanVex B30 (Finland) is about 3.3 liters per hour – that is, about a liter per kW. The cost of the Finnish miracle is about $ 10,000. That is, there are also simpler cars, for example, De Dietrich (France) with a price of $ 4,000. e.

Heating with solid fuel

Solid fuel heating systems use coal, firewood, pellets, and various agricultural waste as an energy carrier. They can heat the coolant, or give off heat directly to the air..

The main attraction of boilers that run on wood, peat briquettes and coal is the availability of fuel and its low cost. In addition, the equipment is relatively inexpensive. Most of these units are independent of electricity. The disadvantages of such units can be considered the need to produce several fuel fillings per day – there is no automation of the process. The organization of a chimney is mandatory. The efficiency of the equipment directly depends on the calorific value of the fuel and the degree of its preparation – the wood must be dried (ideally, about a year). We have to organize covered areas for storing firewood / coal / pellets.

The approximate consumption of coal for a 15 kW boiler is about 3 kg / hour, firewood will be needed up to 7 kg per hour, and pellets – 3.5. Depending on the prices in a particular area (they vary greatly), you can calculate the operating costs.

Among solid fuel units, several groups of equipment can be distinguished:

Conventional boilers,using a heat transfer fluid, which can be supplemented with electric shades. For example, Dakon DOR F at a price of 800 USD. e., or ATMOS D 15 – from 1000 USD e.

Dakon DOR F

Pyrolysis boilers(boilers for long burning without oxygen access) – Buderus Logano S121–2 WT, Bosch Solid 5000 W-2 – at a price of about 2500 USD. e.

Pellet boilers(they work on special granules that are automatically fed from the hopper) – Galmet Expert GT-KWP M, Altep KT-2E-SH (up to 3000 USD).

Galmet Expert GT-KWP M

Fireplace stoves,including those with cooking rings – OLYMP (Serbia) or Wamsler Cliff (Hungary) at a price of about 800 USD. e.

Buleryany(a modern analogue of a potbelly stove, a heater-heater with two working chambers) of various manufacturers, the average price for a 15 kW unit is about 450 cu. e.

When choosing equipment for heating a summer cottage, it is necessary to be guided by the peculiarities of operating the house and the availability of one or another coolant. Practice shows that hybrid units are the most successful for a country house – for example, firewood is used during the day, and electricity is used at night (you can even get night billing from the authorities). As for the performance of a furnace or boiler, it makes sense to have a small, up to 20%, power reserve. However, do not forget that you can seriously save money on heating if you insulate your home well. Yes, and do not write off the good old stone stove, if you put it in order and learn how to heat, then boilers and fireplaces will not be needed.