What radiators to choose for heating a private house:

28-07-2018
Heating

If you are building a new house or reconstructing an old one, then the question of replacing an outdated and inefficient heating system with a new one is quite relevant and important. You need to decide which radiators to choose for a private home, taking into account the characteristics of your system and the planned performance characteristics. It is important to determine the option that will meet all your requirements and at the same time ensure maximum energy efficiency.

In the photo: a private house must be very carefully and soundly insulated for efficient heating.

Features of the heating system in a private house

If you think that the design of heating communications in city apartments and a private house is similar, then you are greatly mistaken, so let us tell about this system and its advantages in more detail:

Autonomy Heat is supplied to the radiators by the boiler, which is installed in the house, so you can start it at any time, not waiting for the heating season, now you will never be cold, because you can turn on the equipment and adjust it to the required temperature
Security In autonomous structures there are no strong hydraulic shocks, which makes it possible to use practically any model of radiators in them, this significantly expands the number of possible options. Now you can choose what you like, not what suits
Low load The pressure in the heating system of private houses is several times lower than in centralized communications; this has a very positive effect on the durability of all the elements included in the design, and on the reliability of the connection, leaks in this case are much less common
Favorable operating conditions You can easily control the quality of the coolant and its properties, if necessary, it can be replaced or even completely filled with antifreeze in the system (just remember that the equipment must be suitable for working with a special compound)

Note! In general, in a private house you can put almost any type of equipment, but still there are certain conditions, which we will discuss below. The most important thing is to choose the best option in terms of efficiency at the most affordable price.

Cast iron radiators have long ceased to be the best solution, but even nowadays they are using

Main types of products

Let's make a peculiar rating of heating radiators for the house, we will consider them in order of preference.

Steel products

First, consider what kind of radiators there are for heating homes, when it comes to steel, there are two main options: tubular and panel structures. Regarding the first option, it can be noted that its price is much higher, due to the more labor-intensive manufacturing process and more interesting appearance.

Tubular versions can have the most different widths, heights and thicknesses; in addition, the colors are different.

The rest of the characteristics are similar, so we will focus on panel options, as the most popular and common:

  • Their biggest advantage is the democratic value., Therefore, this solution is available to the widest range of customers and is suitable for objects that need to be saved, but I want the quality of the design to be decent.
  • The performance indicators for this product group are very high., Many experts claim that these radiators provide the cheapest thermal energy. Therefore, with proper installation, the system will be of high performance, while energy consumption will be below normal.
Steel is durable and resistant to deformation effects
  • Wide range of options allows you to choose the best solution for any room - the designs differ in height, width and number of panels, the main thing is to carry out calculations correctly, which option is needed. The use of wide batteries allows you to create a thermal curtain on large windows, which significantly reduces heat loss through the window unit.
  • Weight of elements is not very big, which simplifies their own installation. If you follow the operating conditions and periodically flush the system (once every 3 years), your radiators will serve you for many years.

Note! It is better to choose modifications that consist of panels and convector grids, as they are much more efficient, one of the most popular solutions is radiator type 22, in which there are two panels and two convectors.

Curved plates on the inside provide excellent convection.

Aluminum structures

You can not consider the question of how to choose a heating radiator for a private house, without talking about aluminum radiators, they have a number of features:

  • Products look very attractive, Modern design allows you to use them in any interior, even the most modern. Of course, lovers of originality may want something unusual, then you can choose design options from aluminum, they will be very original.
Designer models look great, but their cost is several times, or even dozens of times higher
  • It should also be noted the highest heat transfer performance. of the material under consideration, due to the high thermal conductivity of the room heats up very quickly.
  • Aluminum is very susceptible to coolant quality., therefore, a composition with certain physicochemical properties should be used, otherwise the internal cavities will be very badly damaged by corrosion, and the products will fail within a few years.
  • Another important advantage is the low weight of structures., which not only simplifies their installation, but also reduces the load on the walls to which they are attached.

Products are made by different manufacturers, and if you make a rating of aluminum heating radiators for your home, then products from Italy and Spain will be in first place, then there will be options of Balkan origin, then Russian manufacturers will be located and Asian radiators will be the least reliable.

Aluminum is well suited for the manufacture of radiators

Bimetallic products

The newest version, which has many features:

  • The structure is made of aluminum fins, which give off heat perfectly, inside of which there is a steel core. This solution made it possible to combine the advantages of two materials: excellent thermal conductivity of aluminum and high strength of steel.
  • Due to the fact that aluminum is excluded from the coolant, it is protected from corrosion.
  • Radiators can withstand pressure up to 40 Bar, and some up to 100 Bar., what makes this option the most reliable.
  • Performance is also very high., that is, this type of product has virtually no flaws.

With all the above advantages, bimetallic structures have one very big disadvantage - a very high cost. Yes, and all the characteristics of reliability do not matter when used in a private house, because there the pressure does not rise above 3 atmospheres and a more than tenfold margin of safety simply does not make sense.

Some manufacturers offer a more budget option, in which the internal cavities are reinforced with thin steel tubes, the benefits of this are doubtful, but the cost is still significant, so it is better to get something from the above.

If the cost does not matter to you and you want to put radiators with a service life of at least 50 years, then we recommend choosing those options in which the internal cavities are made of stainless steel, they retain their properties for a very long period of time.

Durable stainless steel frame is the most durable solution

Cast Iron Radiators

These options are familiar to all, a few decades ago, they had almost no alternatives.

They are also in demand today for the following reasons:

  • Very high reliability and durability - in old apartments you can find radiators installed over 50 years ago, this is the best evidence of the strength of cast iron. The material is resistant to corrosion and is able to function normally even with low quality coolant.
  • The material has a very high thermal inertia., that is, the battery heats up for a very long time, but its cooling time is much longer than that of any other option. This is especially good for systems that use solid fuel boilers, and in the case of gas equipment you can save energy.
Modern products made of cast iron look much more attractive than their predecessors.
  • One of the most significant drawbacks is the very large weight of the structure., so an average sized radiator will weigh at least 50 kg. Instructions for their installation involves the use of very strong brackets, which must be at least three. If the walls are too weak, then you can purchase a version with legs.
  • As for the cost, it is slightly higher than that of steel and aluminum, but much lower than that of bimetallic products..
  • Also do not forget that this is the only option that needs to be painted before installation., on the one hand, this is extra work, and on the other you can choose the shade that best suits the situation.
  • If you do not like the simplicity of cast iron radiators, then you can purchase art products, which are decorated with elaborate patterns and resemble hundred-year-old products, they are perfect for classic interiors.
From such radiators blows luxury

Conclusion

We have reviewed the main types of radiators for a private house, the final decision is yours, so you must decide what is more important for you - functionality and simplicity or attractiveness and long service life. The video in this article will tell some of the facts discussed in more detail and will allow you to understand the topic even better.