Heating in the apartment: performance criteria and equipment

Its heating in the apartment is an opportunity not to depend on the quality of work of the CHP, heating main and utilities. Agree, often the heating of apartments does not meet any standards, but the payment is charged at the standard rate. If you do not want to put up with such an injustice, read the article about how an autonomous apartment heating system is arranged.

Heating system

When it makes sense

Heating of the apartment in most cases is centralized, and this is due to objective economic and technical reasons.

However, this is in theory, but in practice we see a slightly different picture: the outdated housing stock with dilapidated communications often does not withstand any revisions, and workers of public utilities are only sad to state the fact that the services provided do not comply with SNiP and GOST standards.

At the same time, comprehensive repair of the residential and public utilities fund requires such significant investments and efforts from the state that it is safely postponed until “better times”, and the officials calmly sit out in warm rooms. In this situation, the homeowner has no choice but to repair or replace the heating system in his apartment.

But even here, everything is not smooth: the replacement of the pipeline and radiators often does not bring the desired result, since the main energy losses occur in heating mains, the insulation of which has long become unusable. In such conditions, the only alternative is an autonomous heating system in the apartment.

However, it is important to understand that such a system will require significant expenses, so you should not rush here either.

Proper heating makes sense if:

• The temperature in the apartment drops below 18 degrees, not only during peak cold periods, but on ordinary winter days. According to GOST R 51617-2000, the temperature in apartments should range from 18 to 25 degrees Celsius;
• The bills for central heating services are too high and do not correspond to the level of services provided;
• There is a significant difference between the temperature in different rooms or parts of your home;
• Too often accidents and breakdowns occur, due to which you have to use heaters and pay for the consumed electricity.

Note! If you are satisfied with the conditions in the apartment, there are no frequent breakdowns, and you are comfortable in the house, then there is no reason to do autonomous heating, as this would be a waste of money.

Type of fuel

An equally important question that requires an answer is the type of fuel on which the heating boiler will operate. On this will depend not only the price of operating the system, but also the very possibility of installing the equipment.

Immediately we eliminate clearly unacceptable options:

• Diesel fuel requires the organization of a special storage tank, as well as equipment for supplying diesel to the unit burner. Of course, in an apartment building you cannot place a tank for several tons of fuel, and there is no possibility to refuel it;
• Solid fuel boilers also do not fit, because you have to take the whole room to the boiler room with a storage of coal or wood. In addition, you need to hire a stoker or throw firewood every 3 to 4 hours on your own, which is also unrealistic;
• Liquefied gas is also not an option: you will have to independently deliver and lift the cylinders, and for safety reasons - this is unacceptable and is fraught with large fines.

Note! Only two options remain: main gas and electricity. If gas is not in every home, then electricity should be required.

Choosing a boiler

As we have already shown, it is realistic to use gas or electricity in urban housing conditions. Which boiler to choose?

If the house is connected to the gas network, then it is better to choose a unit that runs on gas. Its operation does not cause problems and is fully automated, and the two-circuit heating scheme for the apartment will also provide its own hot water system.

Note! The only problem with gas boilers is obtaining permission, connecting to the main line and putting equipment into operation, which is strictly prohibited by the manual. Legal features of this process will be described in a separate article.

The electric boiler also does not cause complaints to the mode of operation: it is compact, technological, silent and safe. It works completely autonomously and is controlled by automatics. However, the cost of one kilowatt-hour of energy produced by them is an order of magnitude higher than the cost of the same amount, but obtained by burning gas.

Note! If there is an alternative between gas and electrical energy, gas has a clear advantage, since it is much cheaper.

Heating appliances and pipes

So, after choosing the type of fuel and boiler, it is important to choose the right radiators for the apartment. This is quite simple.

Among modern models of heating batteries, bimetallic and aluminum products are most preferred. They are distinguished by the most ergonomic design and excellent technical characteristics due to the properties of materials: lightweight aluminum perfectly conducts heat, thereby increasing efficiency and facilitating installation work.

Bimetallic radiators are somewhat more expensive than aluminum, but they are also more reliable due to the steel core. At the same time, in autonomous systems, you can use a high-quality coolant, which will allow a long and reliable operation of the aluminum radiator.

Note! Cast iron batteries are considered obsolete, they have a low thermal conductivity, too much thermal inertia and make it impossible for you to properly regulate the temperature in the rooms. In addition, they are cumbersome, ugly and very massive.

Pipes for circulation of the coolant are of three types: steel, polypropylene and metal-plastic. Steel pipes require complex installation with welding work and therefore are rarely used.

Polypropylene is the most popular option for an apartment, as it is fairly simple to install, inexpensive and quite reliable. It is easy to hide such highways under a plinth, under a floor or in a wall.

Products from metal-plastic are a complex structure of cross-linked polyethylene, an aluminum layer and an outer layer of polyethylene. These pipes are reliable and easy to use, simply connected by cold pressing.

Note! The price of metal pipes is quite high, and the purchase of low-quality Chinese goods is fraught with accidents.

Conclusion

Autonomous heating systems for apartments allow you to not depend on the work of public utilities and the centralized coolant supply system, but they require considerable investments. Features of the installation work shown in our video.