The most massive and effective way to heat an apartment or a private house is to use a heating system that runs on natural gas. But as is usually the case in dachas, there is simply no gas pipeline.
Therefore, the only safe and environmentally friendly source of energy for heating is electricity.
And even more so, the reserves of natural minerals are limited, and over time, you will have to look for an alternative, that is, electricity.
Today we will consider the main systems of a private house or apartment. Moreover, there are many ways of electric heating, which we will definitely consider.
Pros of using
Let's start, as always, with the benefits:
Cons of using
The disadvantages include:
- Electric heating depends on electricity. There is no electricity, no heat.
- Voltage instability can permanently disable the boiler or electrical appliances.
- High power consumption. Consider the condition of the wiring. You should clarify how much power you are allocated to the house. You may need a three-phase electrical system.
The first two problems can be effectively solved by purchasing a generator. Correspondingly, the costs increase.
Overview of electric heating options for a private house
Before moving on to discussing the types of heating, it should be said that the heating system should be designed and calculated before the construction of the house, so that later you do not have to do alterations.
Prepare the electrical wiring
Particular attention should be paid to electrical wiring.
In order for the wiring not to heat up, you should follow the rule: 1 mm2 of the wire section corresponds to a current strength of 8 A.
And most importantly, if the house or apartment was not intended for heating with electricity, then you will either have to install an electric boiler and bring a separate input to it.
In the process of arranging, it is important to prepare everything you need in advance.
Option number 1. Infrared heaters
This is an innovative and high-tech way of heating houses and apartments.
One of the most effective, but expensive methods. The principle is based on the emission of long-wave infrared waves, which freely propagate in the air and, hitting an opaque surface, heat it.
As a result, we do not heat the air in the room, but objects, which in turn transfer heat to the air. When using this type of heating, uniform rapid heating of the room occurs. There are no losses in this case, which gives high savings and efficiency.
Appearance of equipment
It is carried out in the form of suspended or mobile.
Hanging equipment looks like lamps.
Mobile heaters allows you to direct heat when you need it where you need it.
Film radiant electric heaters
But recently they have been using (PLEN). It is based on heat-resistant plastic, on which emitters (foil plates) are applied. The emitters are connected by copper plates. The film has a thickness of about 4 mm.
PLEN release form
Available in strips of different widths and lengths.
They are also installed vertically, the principle of operation is simple; cold air enters from the bottom of the grilles, passes through the heating elements, heats up and exits through the upper grilles. Heating elements do not dry out the air and create a steady upward flow.
The design includes a thermostat and an electronic unit that controls the heating process, which makes the device economical.
This type of electric heating has the following advantages:
- There are models that can be installed in rooms with high humidity. Have an IP-24 protection class.
- Ease of setup and safety of the device. No exposed parts, bare wires. The outer screen heats up to a temperature of 30-40 degrees Celsius. That allows you to use them in children's rooms.
- Silent operation.
- A wide range of models and design solutions.
- Complicated piping and individual rooms are not required.
- Ease of installation and connection.
There are also special convectors that are installed in the thickness of the floor, in front of doors or panoramic windows. It should be noted that this type is effective only in houses with high thermal insulation.
Option number 3. Electric floors
The principle is based on the fact that from the heated floor surface, warm air flows are evenly distributed to the ceiling.
It can be used as the main type of heating of the room, and auxiliary. Heating cables or heating mats can be used as a working element.
Cables are usually laid under a concrete screed, which in turn heats up and accumulates thermal energy. Cables can be single-core or two-core. The principle of operation is simple, an electric current passes through the wire, as a result of which the conductor is heated.
Heating mats are easy and convenient to install. If the cable is placed directly in the concrete screed, then the mats can be placed under the floor finish.
There is a kind of mats made in the form of rods, two conductors are placed in parallel. Then they are connected by jumpers in the form of rods. The main feature is that if one element fails, the mat continues to function.
Subject to the installation technology and the use of high-quality materials, this type of heating will last up to 80 years. The control is carried out by a thermostat unit, and the temperature sensor is installed in the thickness of the floor.
This type of heating, as the main type of heating, is not effective. It is often used as an additional heat source, usually to create comfortable stay areas.
Option number 4. Electric boiler
The principle of heating in is to build an extended system of pipelines and radiators throughout the area of a country house.
A liquid coolant (water) circulates in the system. In winter, you will have to drain the coolant. It is one of the most efficient heating options.
According to the method of heating, all boilers are divided into:
- Electrode.
- Shadow.
- Induction.
Electrode boilers
So, electrode action boilers are based on the work of an electrolyte (a liquid that conducts electric current). Since, the current in our network is variable with an oscillation frequency of 50 Hz. These fluctuations excite fluctuations in the tones of the electrolyte, as a result of which we get a rapid heating of the entire volume of the electrolyte.
An electrode is used as an ion exciter; it usually looks like a graphite rod. And as an electrolyte, only water with a certain value of resistivity is used.
The use of non-freezing liquids is strictly prohibited!
The pluses include: high efficiency about 98%. Fast heating. It depends on the frequency of the current in the network, and little depends on voltage drops. Overheating of the boiler is not possible; in the absence of electrolyte, the boiler simply turns off.
The disadvantages include: the electrode is destroyed over time and needs to be replaced, you can replace it yourself. Electrode boilers always work at full capacity and nothing more, hence the problem of automation. A ground loop is required to install the device.
The composition of the electrolyte should be constantly maintained and the system should be cleaned every year.
The boiler kit includes: Control block.
You will have to buy an expansion tank and a pump yourself.
Boilers with heating elements
The heater is made of a metal conductor, which is packed in a waterproof case. The conductor is heated by passing an electric current.
Due to the fact that the heater is packed in a case, the efficiency drops sharply to 80%. To ensure high-quality heating, several heating elements are used simultaneously. Modern boilers on heating elements - heaters, are equipped with modern automation, programmatic shutdown of heating elements in stages, to maintain the set indicators.
The main disadvantage is the formation of scale on the heaters, which leads to their malfunction. Modern, you have to add special drugs to the system.
Induction boilers
The principle of operation is similar to that of an electrical transformer.
The primary winding coil is fixed in the boiler body. The coil is sealed and does not come into contact with water. An alternating current is passed through this coil.
The role of the secondary winding is played by a system of tubes through which the liquid circulates. Since the secondary winding (pipe system) is located in the electromagnetic field of the primary coil, it induces voltage there. And when we close the secondary circuit, a current begins to flow through it, resulting in a quick and uniform heating.
In such a system, there are practically no losses and the efficiency is 100%.
The approximate weight of such boilers is about 20 kg, the power is about 2-3 kW. This boiler can heat a room of about 30 sq.m.
Installation is simple, the device has threaded connections for tapping into the system and the control unit.
Vortex induction boilers
Such boilers are elements of a variety of induction boilers.
The electrical power is converted to high-frequency because of this, there is a rapid increase in tension. There is no secondary winding. Its role is played by the case, which is made of an alloy with ferrimagnetic properties.
As a result of the action of Foucault eddy currents, magnetization reversal occurs, which causes heating of all ferromagnetic surfaces. Efficiency is about 99%. Boilers of this type are very heavy. They have a wide range of models.
Advantages when using induction boilers
As a working fluid, both water and low-temperature fluids can be used. Service life over 10 years. Heating of the coolant occurs quickly, and the control unit will allow you to adjust the entire system as accurately as possible.
Scale is not formed. The efficiency of boilers of this type is 20-30% higher than that of boilers of similar types.
Flaws
High weight, which requires special attention during installation. There are complaints about a slight vibration during operation of the device. High cost, minimum cost of 30,000 rubles.
Option number 5. Air conditioning
Also referred to as houses and apartments.
As experts say, energy costs are negligible when operating an air conditioner, but installation, maintenance and purchase of the equipment itself is a costly business. Adjustment is quite simple and convenient. Used to maintain a comfortable temperature in a separate room.
The main disadvantage is that it requires constant professional maintenance.
Option number 6. Oil coolers
The efficiency of such a device is 100%. Very mobile, all models have wheels. It has the form of a cast-iron battery, due to the ribbing, the heat exchange area increases.
Even after switching off, the oil cooler gives off heat for a long time.
Option number 7. Thermal fans
A nichrome coil is used as a heating element.
The air flow passes through a hot spiral, heats up and is able to heat a small space, a small room. It is not recommended to use this device for a long time, as it dries the air.
It cannot be used in heating a country house, only locally and not for a long time.
Option number 8. Reflectors
Heaters of this type are rarely used because of their inefficiency.
The design is simple: several spirals are placed in tubes. Due to this, a directed flow of heat is created and heating of a small area of \u200b\u200bthe room.
conclusions
Today we have considered almost all methods of electric heating.
The main conclusions can be drawn as follows:
- It should be noted that the use of local heating sources (infrared heating, fan heaters) cannot be used as the main method of heating a house.
- It should be approached by using several types of electric heating in a complex way.
- A large role in the efficiency is played by high-quality insulation of the house.
- Scheme and calculation and installation locations of all appliances, before building a house.
- Use of multi-tariff meters. Application of automation, use of auxiliary sensors.
All these measures will help to minimize heat losses and make heating comfortable and efficient.
When choosing a heating system for their own home, the owners, of course, first of all consider the possibility of installing a gas boiler, since this type of heating is by far the most economical. But here's the problem - gas supply lines are still far from reaching all settlements, or it happens that gas wiring to the house is unaffordable in terms of financial capabilities and due to the mass of preparatory and conciliatory procedures. Heating on solid or liquid fuels is not always convenient - it requires special skills in handling stoves or boilers, compliance with increased fire safety requirements, construction of a chimney system in accordance with all the rules to prevent poisoning by combustion products. And besides, in some regions of our country, which are not rich in forests, the supply of firewood or coal can be a problem.
In this case, the most relevant is the electric heating of a private house. Surely, many immediately associate with oil-filled electric radiators or reflectors, which are neither particularly efficient nor economical. Of course, with this approach, at current electricity prices, heating will cost a lot of money. However, not everything is so clear. There are many ways to use electricity to heat your home, and some of them may well compete with gas systems.
The publication will consider the existing possibilities for organizing electric heating of a private house. Read, draw conclusions so that you can make a decision in favor of one or another option.
Electric heating "the old fashioned way"
Just a few words about those electric ones that are known to everyone, probably from childhood:
- Heating reflectors, usually with one or more spirals, placed in transparent quartz glass tubes. Such devices create a directed flow of thermal energy, but are only capable of heating either very small rooms, or a very limited area of \u200b\u200bthe room. At the same time, it is impossible to call them economical - usually they do not provide for any automatic adjustments, except for changing the set heating level of the spiral.
Fan heater - not even considered as heating - - they drive the air flow through the heat exchanger (most often an open nichrome spiral acts as this). The heated air flow can only increase comfort in a certain area and for a very short time. What can be very good for a small office, in a residential country house will not give an effect. In addition, prolonged operation of such a device burns quite strongly, dries the air in a closed room. Some modern models work on the principle of mixing air from outside, but all the same, it is impossible to consider such devices as home heating.
Oil cooler - good only for additional local heating - - These are heavy heaters that have a pronounced ribbed shape, similar to classic cast iron batteries. They can be mobile (many even have wheels to make them easier to move around the room), or permanently installed.
Such radiators are able to heat up to very high temperatures and give off energy in the form of direct thermal radiation and the creation of convection currents. Their ribbed shape significantly increases the area of active heat exchange.
Oil radiators usually have step or smooth adjustment of the heating medium heating temperature, have good thermal inertia - even after turning off they are able to stay warm for quite a long time. However, their efficiency is low, and such devices are usually used as additional heating, to help the main one, when the need arises. It will simply be unprofitable to build the entire heating system based on oil coolers.
Prices for popular models of electric heaters
Electric heaters
Water heating system with electric boiler
The organization is described in great detail in the corresponding publication of our portal.
The main feature of such a system under the conditions considered in this article is that the liquid coolant receives heating only from an electric boiler. This determines several parameters characteristic of it:
- Such a system should be designed exclusively for forced circulation. The reason is simple - the arrangement of the circuit for natural circulation will lead to significant losses in power, heat exchange rate, uneven heating of the premises, and in the end - all this will necessarily affect the unnecessary consumption of expensive electricity. The consumption of the pump cannot be compared with these losses.
- For the same reason, to avoid absolutely unnecessary losses, systems with electric boilers are never made according to the open type, that is, an expansion membrane tank with an appropriate safety group must be installed.
Now - more about the types of heating electric boilers.
Boilers with heating elements
These installations use the usual principle of resistive heating of a metal conductor during the passage of an electric current (direct analogy with electric stoves, irons, incandescent bulbs, etc.), however, given that the heating elements are in contact with a liquid heat carrier, they are dressed in reliable insulation and waterproof frame. All this, of course, affects rather large energy losses, insufficiently high efficiency of such devices (usually around 80%). To ensure proper heating of a constantly circulating coolant, it is necessary either to sharply increase the power of the heating element, or increase their number, which reduces the overall efficiency of the heating system.
The layout of the boilers is different - from the usual rectangular shapes with controls on the front panel to cylinders with “bundles” of heating elements located inside and with a control unit placed in a separate box.
Designers are constantly improving their products, equipping them with automation that maintains the required level of heating, turns on the heating elements in stages as needed, and turns off the power when the required temperature is reached. But still, such boilers are among the most uneconomical, and their installation as the main heat generator will not be justified even by the low price of such devices.
Boilers of the electrode principle of operation
Of all the electric boilers, these are probably the most controversial. At one time, they were presented as practically no alternative in terms of performance and economy. However, a flood of critical remarks on their work soon followed.
The way they work is completely different. The coolant is not simple water, but brought to the state of an electrolyte - a conductive liquid. Frequency oscillations of the variable network (50 Hz) cause corresponding oscillations of the electrolyte ions, which gives it a quick heating.
The advantages of such boilers are as follows:
- They are small in size and do not differ in large mass, with a sufficiently high heating power.
This allows, for example, to combine their use by installing a kind of "batteries" from several small boilers, which can be included in the system as needed.
- Such boilers are completely insensitive to mains voltage surges within fairly large limits (± 15 ÷ 20% ). For their operation, the stability of the frequency of the alternating current is more important.
- They have fast heating and good efficiency (according to the manufacturer - 20% more economical than heating elements), while their cost is low. The declared efficiency of such a device is up to 98%.
- If the boiler is tied with metal pipes, then this expands the ionization zone of the coolant and gives a tangible increase in system performance.
- From the point of view of fire safety - such a boiler, in principle, cannot overheat, if suddenly there is no coolant in the pipes - it simply will not turn on.
However, a lot of criticism can be heard against such boilers:
- There are special requirements for purity and a certain chemical composition of the electrolyte-coolant. In case of non-compliance with such requirements, all the advantages of the boiler are simply lost.
- - one of the characteristics t t of such equipment. The intensity of heating is very dependent on both the chemical composition and the temperature of the electrolyte, since when it changes in any direction, the electrical conductivity also changes.
- Such a system is very difficult to adjust and automate the heating process.
- Regular cleaning of the entire heating system is required, as it will tend to salt overgrowing of pipe cavities.
- At least once a year, it is required to clean the heat exchanger of the boiler itself and to correct the chemical composition of the coolant.
- Installation and operation of such equipment is impossible if the electrical network of the house is not equipped with a reliable grounding circuit.
Boilers of the inductive principle of operation
These boilers are often considered the most advanced of all electric boilers. The principle of their operation is strikingly different from those described above. To understand it, you can remember the school physics course, and specifically, the operation of an electrical transformer.
If you do not go into details, then briefly it looks like this. If an alternating electric current passes through one conductor (primary winding), then a voltage is induced in the other, located in the resulting electromagnetic field (secondary winding). When the circuit of the secondary winding is closed, an alternating current also begins to flow through it, which causes resistive heating of the conductor.
- It is this principle that is applied in induction boilers of the SAV type.
The primary winding coil is hermetically placed in the housing, which does not come into contact with the liquid anywhere. But the role of a secondary closed winding is an internal labyrinth system of pipes through which the coolant is pumped. Heating occurs very quickly and evenly, there is no energy loss, so the efficiency of such boilers approaches 100%.
The efficiency of the boiler is also increased by the physical principle of self-induction - currents passing through a closed secondary circuit generate so-called reactive additional power, and its values \u200b\u200bare very significant.
Typically, boilers of this type are massive metal cylinders of various diameters and heights. So, the smallest boiler in this “line” is SAV -2.5, has a diameter of 120 mm, a height of 450, and at the same time weighs 23 kg. Its power (2.5 kW) will be enough to heat a room up to 30 m².
Installation of such a device is not difficult, as there are threaded pipes for inserting it into the system, a control unit for connecting to the mains.
- Induction tols are arranged and work somewhat differently. VIH(vortex induction heaters).
The mains supply voltage undergoes preliminary conversion to high-frequency, which gives a rapid increase in the strength of the electromagnetic field and, accordingly, the strength of the currents it generates. But there is no secondary winding in this circuit - its role is played by all the metal surfaces of the boiler, which are made of alloys that have pronounced ferromagnetic properties. Induced surface eddy Foucault currents cause the effect magnetization reversal, which is always accompanied by almost instantaneous and very strong heating of ferromagnetic materials. It turns out that almost all massive parts of the device are involved in heat transfer, which determines its highest efficiency (efficiency - 99%).
Boilers VIH quite heavy: the smallest of them, with a power of 3 kW, weighs 30 kg with relatively small dimensions - a cylinder diameter of 122 mm and a height of 620 mm. Such a "baby" will cope with heating 40 m². If desired, you can purchase a more powerful device (the product line is quite wide) or install a “battery” of several VIN boilers, which will provide additional benefits when operating the heating system.
"Battery" of six boilers VIN Summing up the boilers of the induction principle of operation - briefly about their main advantages:
- In such heaters, there is no formation of scale or salt deposits - the work is accompanied by high-frequency microvibrations, which do not allow precipitation to settle on the walls. The efficiency of the device in the course of even a very long operation does not decrease.
- Any liquid can be used as a heat carrier - there are no special requirements for its chemical composition.
- There are practically no vulnerable nodes in the design of the boilers - there is no contact between the coolant and the electrical part. There is simply nothing to break in them and their service life is limited only by the state of the welds, and this is tens of years.
- Warming up is very fast, and electronic control units make it easy to fine-tune the heating system. At the same time, induction boilers are the most “safe” in terms of fire and electrical safety.
- Both calculations and the results of practical application show energy savings using such boilers up to 35 ÷ 40%, when compared with cats of similar power operating on a different principle (or heating element).
Among the shortcomings, the following can be noted:
- Some owners complain about a slight vibration noise during their work.
- The boilers are very heavy and require special attention when mounted on walls.
- The equipment is quite expensive - even the most low-power induction boilers cost about 30 thousand rubles. However, this should quickly pay off by saving electricity.
To finish the topic with a water cooling system from an electric boiler - one more important note. Whatever unit is standing, it will be possible to talk about profitability only if the house has good thermal insulation and modern heating radiators with their own thermostats are installed. Old cast-iron batteries in this situation will simply ruin the owner.
Video: how to choose the right electric heating boiler
Prices for the range of heating boilers
Heating boilers
Electric convectors
The organization of a water heating system is always a large-scale work on laying pipelines, inserting batteries, installing circulation pumps, special safety devices and much more. Is it possible to do without all this if you plan to heat the house using electricity? Yes, installation of electric convectors will help to avoid such problems.
Outwardly, these devices most often resemble familiar heating radiators - they are installed vertically on walls or under window openings. Closed heating elements are located inside, which do not cause the effect of "drying out" of the air. The layout of the device is designed in such a way that cold air penetrates into it from below through the slatted bottom, receives heat from the heating elements and, leaving through the upper grate, creates a stable convection upward flow.
Such instruments and devices use the principle of wave energy transfer over a distance - you can draw a simplified analogy with sunlight. Specially selected emitter materials make it possible to convert electrical energy into radiation, in the long-wave infrared range, invisible to human sight. The emitters themselves heat up slightly, and infrared waves do not meet air resistance, but, falling on an opaque surface, they are converted into thermal energy. Thus, it is not the air in the room that is heated, but all surfaces and objects that are in the path of the rays. But these surfaces already, in turn, conduct heat exchange with the surrounding air. There is a uniform heating, which, after turning on the power, starts very quickly. This ensures optimal temperature distribution, in contrast to convective systems.
Significant energy losses do not occur, which gives a high efficiency of such systems and their high efficiency.
Such heaters can be made in a suspended ceiling version, very reminiscent of conventional fluorescent lamps. They are placed above the places where the most intensive heating is required. They can also be portable, allowing you to direct the flow of energy into necessary time in necessary direction.
But the most convenient today are probably PLEN - film radiant electric heaters. They are produced in the form of durable film strips of various widths and lengths. The emitters themselves (usually a special carbon paste or bimetallic foil plates) are placed between the layers of transparent heat-resistant plastic, connected by conductive copper bars.
The thickness of the film is very small - no more than 0.4 mm. It is very easy to install in the right place - on ceilings, walls, attic roof slopes, etc., and, if the owners wish, can be covered with finishing materials that will not significantly reduce the efficiency of the room heating system.
The film is heated to a temperature not exceeding 45 ÷ 50 ºС, and cannot cause burns or lead to a fire hazard. It is great for underfloor heating systems without using a screed - it can be placed under laminate, linoleum, parquet. Sometimes, simplifying their task, some owners simply cover such films with carpeting - for example, you can very quickly equip a particularly warm area for children's games.
PLEN is not afraid of dynamic loads, moisture ingress. Such heaters are easy to dismantle and move to another place - the main thing is not to damage them. Energy costs for such electric heating are considered the lowest of all existing types. Such a system is especially convenient for houses where the owners come periodically, for example, for the weekend - you just turn on the power, and intensive heating of the necessary premises or areas immediately begins. In addition, many medical experts assure of the special usefulness of such heaters, as they ionize the air to the extent necessary for human health and even eliminate unpleasant odors.
Video: advantages of the PLEN heating system
So, the main possibilities for organizing electric heating of a private house were considered. This type of heating has many advantages - absolute environmental friendliness, simplicity and accuracy in management, no need to create fuel reserves. Nevertheless, it is not necessary to expect too high efficiency effect - electricity is not cheap. That is why the requirements for insulation of all elements of the building in this case should be increased.
Ecology of consumption. Homestead: Is it possible to heat a house cheaply with electricity? When using autonomous systems, the problem of monetary costs is especially relevant. When building a house, the question of the financial feasibility of using electric heating systems in comparison with other types of heating devices is sharply discussed. Let's look into this issue.
Is it possible to cheaply heat a house with electricity? When using autonomous systems, the problem of monetary costs is especially relevant. When building a house, the question of the financial feasibility of using electric heating systems in comparison with other types of heating devices is sharply discussed. Let's look into this issue.
Expensive direct heating systems
Heating systems that use electrical energy are divided into two main groups according to the principle of operation - direct and indirect heating. The first includes devices that, with the help of heating elements, directly raise the temperature of the air in the premises.
Direct heating systems include:
- convectors;
- warm floor;
- oil coolers;
- infrared panels.
In most cases, electric heaters with direct operation consume a large amount of energy, which does not allow them to be classified as economical heaters. The only exception is infrared panels, however, their installation and operation are associated with a number of stringent requirements, including safety issues, which significantly limit the possibility of using these devices.
The advantage of direct type heaters, in addition to their low price, is the absence of the need to install a boiler, heating system pipelines and radiators.
The advantages of heaters include the possibility of flexible temperature control in different rooms, and autonomous connection of such systems to the mains. However, against the background of the high cost of operation, the advantages of these devices are leveled when it comes to the need for constant heating of housing.
Advantages and cost of boiler heating
Indirect heating systems increase the temperature of the coolant (in most cases, water acts as its role). The air is heated by the components of battery radiators. To put it simply, the system is an electric boiler, through which a coolant is passed, which then enters the heating radiators through pipelines. By the way, any other boiler can be replaced with an electric one - gas, coal or running on liquid fuel.
Installing an indirect heating system is the cheapest option for heating a home using electricity. The most economical, but the most expensive at present are induction boilers, which are heated by electromagnetic waves.
In addition to such systems, there are other options - boilers with electrodes or a tubular electric heater (heater). Heating appliances equipped with a heating element consume more electrical energy than all the mentioned types of boilers. At the same time, boilers with heating elements are much cheaper.
The advantages of boilers, in addition to the low cost of operation, include such qualities as small dimensions and simple installation, provided that the existing heating piping system in the house. In addition, the boilers are environmentally friendly and operate absolutely silently.
Consider the consumption indicator of heating boilers. So, for one residential building with an area of about one hundred square meters during the heating season, the level of heat consumption is 10 kWh, the production of which accounts for 10.3 kWh of electrical energy (the efficiency of boilers approaches one hundred percent). If the boiler works continuously, then the cost of electricity per day will be about 247 kilowatts, which is equivalent to 7410 kilowatts per month.
In fact, the operation mode of the boiler is not continuous - after the coolant is heated to a certain temperature, the device turns off, energy consumption stops. On average, for one hour of operation of the boiler, there is an hour of downtime. Consequently, the energy costs per month will be half as much as the calculated ones - that is, 3700 kilowatts.
The average electricity tariff in Russia now fluctuates within 4.5 rubles per 1 kWh. Thus, the monthly cost of boiler heating for a house with an area of 100 "squares" will be 16.5 thousand rubles, but they can be much more or less, depending on the specific region.
How to make home heating cheaper with electricity
To achieve savings when using electric heating systems at home, there are different ways, but they all boil down to one thing - to reduce the amount of heat generated. First of all, this result can be achieved by eliminating heat losses in the house.
It is necessary to eliminate gaps, cracks, conduct thermal insulation of the room with the help of a heater. It is guaranteed that metal-plastic windows and doors will help to reduce heat losses, laying the walls of balconies and loggias with heat-insulating material.
An important factor in saving thermal energy is the correct choice of heating format. For example, if a house or apartment is well insulated, and the number of rooms is small, then the use of boilers will be justified, since the energy costs for heating the coolant in this case will be small. If we are talking about a house with a large number of premises, including non-residential ones, then their heating can be partially “idle”.
In the case of a large number of rooms, it would be more appropriate to use a combined heating scheme. For example, an infrared heater installed in the bathroom can quickly heat up the room, so when this room is not actively used, it can be turned off.
As for the kitchen, it would be logical to use a combined scheme that provides for two heat sources - an infrared panel and a convector. When the owners are not at home, the convector can operate at minimum power. When a room needs to be quickly heated, the infrared panel is turned on and the air temperature quickly rises.
The flexibility of electric heating systems allows you to create different "profiles" of heating, using automation to change the temperature regime. In the absence of the owners of the house, the temperature drops to acceptable minimums - this allows you to minimize the "idle" energy costs.
An hour before the owners return to the apartment, the controller automatically starts heating the premises and thus creates a comfortable temperature for the residents. When setting the "smart" heating mode, both the power and the location of specific heating points are taken into account.
Obviously, the cheapest heating scheme is to connect to a centralized system. Nevertheless, it is necessary to consider all possible options for autonomous heating, both in terms of efficiency and convenience of work, and the cost of acquiring, installing and operating equipment. published
If you have any questions on this topic, ask them to specialists and readers of our project.
What is economical heating? The one that was cheap to purchase equipment and install? Or where the cost of each received kilocalorie of heat is low? As a rule, they mean the second. However, in addition to the cost of fuel, there is also the cost of maintaining equipment and it is often preferred to hush it up. Is it possible to call an economical heating system in which the specific cost of a unit of thermal energy is unprecedentedly low, but investments in equipment are so high that their payback period exceeds the service life?
Which house has the most economical heating
Answer: in the house that is best insulated. No matter how much effort and money we invest in engineering communications, if the building is poorly insulated, we will still incur unreasonably high heating costs. First of all, you should pay attention to the thermal insulation of enclosing structures: external walls, roof, floor of the lower floor, windows and doors.
The ratio of heat loss through various building envelopes of an average individual residential building
In addition to the minimum requirements for thermal insulation, the current Russian standards also contain recommended parameters. The minimum allowable characteristics of enclosing structures are determined by calculation and depend on the climatic conditions of the area. Example: for the climate of the Moscow region, the thickness of the outer wall of gas silicate blocks with a density of 500 kg / m2 in 40 cm is sufficient, but to achieve the recommended indicators, additional external thermal insulation with mineral wool at least 8 cm thick is required.
When insulating a house, special attention is paid to "cold bridges": concrete lintels, ends of floor slabs, reinforced belts, window slopes, etc.
How much does comfort and personal time cost
Oddly enough, the efficiency of heating is a somewhat relative concept. For example, the owner of a private house lives in a non-gasified, but wooded area and has the opportunity to harvest firewood very cheaply in the volumes he needs. Fuel costs, even with a primitive heating system with an ancient, monstrously voracious CFM and registers instead of batteries, will be extremely low. However, the owner will have to work hard to prepare firewood, do not forget to periodically load it into the furnace, clean the boiler, take out the ashes, put up with uneven heating, the impossibility of fine adjustment. The homeowner can invest in modernizing the heating, purchase an automatic pellet boiler, and make modern wiring. The consumption of wood fuel in kilograms (tons) will decrease by three times, but the cost of each kilocalorie will seriously increase. In this case, what is the most economical heating - wood or pellet? At a specific price, kcal is undoubtedly the first. In terms of quantitative fuel consumption - the second. And how to evaluate the free time that the owner of the house will have after switching to pellets? In addition, a more advanced system will create high thermal comfort in the premises, and this, after all, is also worth something.
The cheaper it is to heat a house
If we discard the possibility of harvesting firewood for free and focus on the average prices of Central Russia, natural gas has been the cheapest fuel for many years. It also allows you to fully automate heating, modern gas boilers require only preventive maintenance once a year. Only electric heating can boast of the same properties, but it costs many times more. Even for Western Europe, where the price of gas relative to other types of fuel is much higher than in the Russian Federation, the most economical home heating is gas.
The table reflects the comparative cost of thermal energy for prices in the Moscow region. And if for gas, diesel fuel and electricity in other regions the cost ratio will be similar, then the prices for pellets, firewood and coal can vary greatly depending on local conditions.
There is no alternative to heating with natural gas for gasified areas. If there is no gas pipeline nearby, you need to calculate what is ultimately more profitable. Laying the highway is not a cheap pleasure. The initial investment in equipment also matters.
The ratio of costs for the purchase and installation of heating equipment.
As you can see, the initial costs of electric heating, especially direct heating, are the lowest. The level of comfort and safety is maximum, it is easier to solve issues with electricity than with gas, there is no need for a chimney. The main thing is that there is enough electric power. It is precisely because of the low start-up costs and ease of installation that buildings built on the principle of a “passive house” (there are such in our area) are increasingly heated with electricity. Based on the combination of initial and operating costs, it turns out that in this case the most economical is electric heating. We repeat that this applies only to modern, well-insulated buildings with low specific heat losses in the absence of a gas pipeline.
Heat from alternative sources
The statement that the most economical heating comes from alternative sources is not true. Fluid pumps in geothermal and solar systems consume electricity. And it costs a lot of money. Today, heating with gas at our prices is still more profitable than installing a heat pump. And there is no need to talk about any serious use of solar collectors in the domestic climate. Today, a more justified solution is the creation of a combined heating system: a heat pump designed for 70% of the required power, and an additional solid fuel (pellet, electric) boiler or fireplace, which gets the missing 30% during severe frosts. Solar collectors, as a rule, are used only for heating hot tap water. Recall that the cost of "alternative" equipment is still so high that in the conditions of the Russian Federation it often does not even pay off during its service life, if we compare its performance with wood heating.
Using the temperature difference between the two media, the heat pump draws energy from the environment. However, for the constant circulation of the refrigerant and the selection of energy from it, rather powerful pumps operate that consume electricity.
The most economical heating scheme
In water heating systems, in addition to the type of heat generator (boiler), efficiency also determines the type of heating devices, the heating scheme, the nature of the wiring, and the presence of automation:
- Among heating devices, heated floors are the most economical.
Underfloor heating is more economical than radiators due to a more even distribution of temperature in the room
- The most economical and comfortable water heating scheme is collector (radiation). Not cheap, but extremely comfortable. It is followed by a two-pipe, it can be considered the golden mean. At a moderate cost, it is quite effective. A simple one-pipe circuit does not allow adequate regulation of the heat transfer of devices.
Collector wiring allows you to best balance the hydraulic resistance of the circuits, adjust heat flows
- Automatic control of heat flows at all levels (boiler, distributors, appliances) also significantly reduces fuel consumption.
Because of the low fuel prices so far, we are accustomed to squandering thermal energy. And in rich, but very economical Germany, it is hardly possible today to find a radiator without a thermostat.
- The most economical heating of a private house is the one that is correctly calculated and competently, professionally designed, installed and configured.
The more complex the equipment, the more you can save by setting it up correctly. This is not an easy task and requires specialized knowledge.
Economic heating with electricity - myth or reality
The Internet is full of commercials and articles about "innovative most economical electric heating boiler" and "super electric batteries for economical heating" and other miracles. All this is nothing more than cunning marketing barkers that have nothing to do with reality. In fact, the efficiency of all electric heaters, regardless of their type, approaches 100%. Treasured savings simply nowhere to take. There are only two real ways to reduce the cost of heating with electricity:
- Install a two-tariff meter and heat mainly at night. From 23.00 to 07.00 on weekdays and all weekends, depending on the region, electricity costs 1.4-2.1 times cheaper. Having invested in a heat accumulator of sufficient volume, you can stock up on cheap night energy for the day.
- Use underfloor heating to the maximum: water, with heating from a boiler, and direct heating - cable, film. The savings are relatively small, 4-6%, but in the end, a round sum will come up.
The most economical heating boiler
- Gas. Modern condensing boilers with modulating burners consume the least amount of fuel. Savings compared to standard counterparts without condensation - 11%, this is a lot. However, it should be borne in mind that the advantages of such boilers can be fully realized only in a low-temperature heating system, this will correspond to the optimal operation of the boiler. Initially, underfloor heating is low-temperature, but the number of sections in the radiators will have to be almost doubled. We can safely say that the most economical heating of a private house is gas, low-temperature, based on a condensing boiler, built according to a beam scheme.
Condensing boilers utilize the potential energy of flue gases, in particular steam
- solid fuel. Pellet and wood pyrolysis boilers consume the least wood fuel.
- Electricity. As already mentioned, “the most economical electric boiler for heating” is a myth, the efficiency is the same for everyone.
- Liquid fuel. The most economical liquid fuel boiler - on used engine oil. The only question is where to find a permanent source of this almost free type of fuel.
Universal oil burners capable of operating on diesel fuel, biofuel, heating oil (petroleum heating oil) and mining
In conclusion, we emphasize that the creation of efficient and comfortable heating requires a professional approach. You can try to do everything with your own hands, but for this you will have to at least learn the basics of heat engineering and hydraulics. If there is no opportunity to devote some of your personal time to these sciences, equipment selection and installation work, we advise you to entrust the design and installation of engineering communications to experienced professionals.
Video: economical home heating
At the present time, many owners of suburban private houses or cottages are increasingly having to look for an alternative to gas as the main type of fuel to heat their homes. The reasons are different: for some, natural gas becomes too expensive, some have the opportunity to use other energy sources, and for some, main gas is simply not available due to its complete absence nearby. Then the question arises - what is the economical heating of a house without gas and what kind of fuel is better to use then?
Alternative energy carriers
There is no single answer to this question, since each individual case has its own nuances. For example, on your land plot there are many old large trees that are just asking for a firewood boiler.
Option two: in exchange for certain services, the customer is ready to supply you with diesel fuel or coal for a long time. It is clear that in such situations you will lean towards these types of energy carriers and not pay attention to others. In the long run, this will be a mistake, since sooner or later such sources will run out and you will have to look for other ways to heat a country house or buy the same fuel, but at a generally accepted cost.
Let's try to develop some kind of universal methodology for determining the optimal energy carrier for heating a home, which will suit each individual case. First, we will make a reservation that the technique will help determine for ourselves the cheapest heating without gas, we do not take it into account.
Just as we do not take into account various high-tech and exotic types of heating that are inaccessible to ordinary citizens. This includes heat pumps, solar panels, windmills and various types of machine and vegetable oils. Then how to heat the house if there is no gas and the above sources? We have at our disposal: 
- ordinary firewood;
- eurofirewood;
- pellets;
- coal;
- diesel fuel;
- liquefied gas in cylinders;
- electricity.
For each of these energy carriers, it is necessary to calculate the costs for the entire cold period, then it will be clear what is cheaper to heat the house.
Important! Before starting calculations, it is necessary to bring the units of measurement of the amount of fuel into line, that is, to prevent confusion between volume (m3) and mass (kg). It is recommended that all types of energy carriers, except electricity, be reduced to units of mass - kilograms.
Calculation of heating costs
To find out what is the most economical heating of a country house, it is recommended for clarity to draw up a simple plate of this form:
In this table, the second column is filled in based on the cost of each type of fuel in your region, or your individual price is entered in it. The third column for the convenience of calculations is already filled. The cost of 1 kW of thermal energy is easily determined by dividing the price of 1 kg of fuel (column 2) by its specific calorific value (column 3).
The fifth column is filled in based on the fact that the average heat output in a private house with an area of 100 m2 per season is 5 kWh, and the duration of the heating season is 180 days (5 x 24 x 180 = 21600 kWh).
It is clear that the designs of houses are all different and the area will be different, as may be the length of the season in your area, so you will need to make appropriate adjustments. Multiplying the data in columns 4 and 5, we determine the estimated costs for the season.
However, these values do not take into account the efficiency of the equipment, the values of which are given below. Dividing the estimated costs by the value of efficiency, in the last column we get a direct answer to the question - the cheaper it is to heat a house other than gas.
For those homeowners who already have gas boilers installed in their homes, you can add another line below for comparison, filling it with data on natural gas, based on actual fuel consumption and its price.
It would seem that now everything has fallen into place and you can safely make a choice in favor of one or another energy source for economical heating. But this approach is one-sided, because there is still such a thing as convenience and complexity in maintaining and operating the heating system of a private house.
The choice of energy carrier, taking into account ease of use
The comfort of operation of boiler equipment that supplies heat to water heating is an important factor, since any extra trouble and inconvenience is your time and money. That is, the total costs increase indirectly in proportion to how much effort is put into keeping the system running. In some cases, economical heating systems after the first season no longer seem so economical, and sometimes you want to pay extra money, just not to get involved in such problems.
Unlike financial indicators, ease of use is the same value for each type of fuel, so it can be found out immediately, which will help you make a choice. Convenience will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
- complexity of repair or maintenance of the boiler plant;
- necessity and convenience of warehousing;
- comfort in daily operation (the need to load fuel, and so on).
To find out which of the energy carriers will provide comfortable and economical heating of a private house, we will compile a second table, where for each of the criteria we will put down all types of fuel on a five-point system, after which we will summarize.
Service
Electric boilers do not require any maintenance other than occasionally opening the lid and dusting or cleaning the contacts, for which they receive the highest praise. Some actions are required if you heat a country house with liquefied gas. Once every 2 years, it is recommended to check and, if necessary, clean the igniter and burner, which is why propane is a solid four. Pellet boilers get 3 points for requiring several times a year to clean the combustion chamber and once a chimney.
Accordingly, wood and coal units need to be cleaned frequently, as they become dirty. The worst in this respect is the case with diesel fuel, since often its quality leaves much to be desired, which is why the frequency of service is unpredictable.
Warehousing
It is clear that electricity does not require storage space, while liquefied gas and diesel fuel may require some space. But when economical heating of a private house with firewood is organized, then a lot of space for a warehouse will be required. The same goes for pellets, as they need a dry room or a special silo. As for coal, there is a lot of waste, dust and dirt from it, therefore - the lowest rating.
Ease of use
And here, economical electric heating turned out to be at its best, since it does not require any intervention during operation. Pellets and liquefied gas must be replenished periodically, 1-2 times a week, or even less often. A little more attention should be paid to diesel fuel, more for supervising work than for the purpose of adding fuel.
Well, and most of all, autonomous heating in a private house on coal and wood traditionally delivers the most trouble, here loading into the combustion chamber is needed from 1 to 3 times a day.
In the last column, by summing up, the results are summed up, according to which the most comfortable and convenient is heating a country house in winter with the help of electricity. If this result is considered in combination with financial costs, then electricity may not be the worst option.
Conclusion
An integrated approach to the issue shows that the most economical heating systems for summer cottages and country houses can be the most troublesome during operation. Therefore, do not rush and carefully weigh and calculate everything, and even better - install an electric boiler in combination with any other.
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