Gas heating equipment is by far the most popular and, as a result, in demand. This is mainly due to the high availability of fuel. The resulting heat energy from the combustion of natural gas is used to heat various premises and facilities. It is safe to say that this method of heating and obtaining hot water will be popular for many years to come, at least the increase in natural gas production around the world speaks of this. Let's take a closer look at the gas boiler. The device and the principle of operation - we will touch on all this in the article.
A bit of general information
Most people today can afford to install such equipment. All that is needed for this is the presence of a gas central pipe nearby and the permission of the relevant authorities. Then it's up to you - you can put a floor or wall-mounted boiler. By the way, the latter are considered more modern and preferred, but we will talk about this a little later.
It is worth noting that a gas boiler, the device of which is completely enclosed in a metal case, is a very safe heating equipment. Of course, the danger and possibility of leakage must be kept in mind and therefore all important rules must be observed. Another key feature is the automatic operation. You will be required to set the desired temperature and periodically add or bleed coolant. Now let's move on.
Gas boilers: equipment prices
One of the first questions of interest to the consumer is the cost of the unit. Of course, for the money spent, you want to get a reliable and durable device that will provide an apartment or house with heat. As for the price, to a large extent it depends on several factors, the key one is the manufacturer. It is from where the equipment was manufactured that its cost will be formed. For example, heating gas equipment of domestic production or, say, from Ukraine will cost you a little cheaper than the same European counterparts. Bosch products from Germany can rightfully be considered a reference. The quality of the equipment is at the highest level, and the accuracy of work is sometimes amazing. But you need to understand that a 24 kW boiler will cost about 40,000 rubles. If we take a domestic analogue, then with the same parameters, the purchase will cost 10-15% cheaper. By the way, the second factor that affects the price is power. The higher it is, the greater the cost, do not forget about this when buying gas boilers. Prices for all equipment range from 12,000 to 100,000 rubles and more.
Number of contours
Please understand that some equipment is not designed to heat domestic water. Such boilers are called single-circuit. Of course, double-circuit units are more preferable. This is due to the fact that there is hot water and the house is warm. However, if you put the boiler in a country house where there is no need for heating water, then a single-circuit option will do. So you save not only money, but also space in the room.
Types of ignition
Another important point is the type of ignition. To date, there is a manual (piezo ignition) and automatic (electronic). It is difficult to talk about a more or less preferred option. If you choose piezo ignition, you can be sure that even the absence of electricity in the house will not leave you in the cold, and this is due to the fact that such equipment is completely non-volatile. But there is also a minus. For example, if the boiler goes out, you will know about it when the room starts to get colder. Electronic ignition is good because the equipment ignites automatically. Even if the boiler goes out, it will turn on by itself. If you do not have problems with electricity, then such a gas boiler is preferable. Its device is somewhat more complicated, since the number of electronics is greater, but in return you will get comfort.
Key elements of a gas boiler
Regardless of whether you use a wall or floor mount, the contents will be about the same. "Stuffing" consists of the following elements:
- Gas burner - a rectangular design with nozzles inside. Through them, gas is supplied to the combustion chamber, and due to its uniform distribution, heat is distributed in a balanced way.
- Heat exchanger - is a metal product in the form of a box. Inside there is a radiator with tubes through which the coolant moves. This element is heated by the burner. A single-circuit boiler contains one heat exchanger, a double-circuit boiler contains two - primary and secondary.
- Circulation pump - needed for forced circulation, that is, to ensure pressure in a closed system. Available on all models.
- The expansion tank is a kind of battery. They are equipped with all gas boilers for the home. Accumulates a coolant in itself when it is intensively heated.
- Automation - equipment control unit. This contains the electrical circuit of the gas boiler, which relies on the readings of the sensors during operation.
Working principle
Let's take an electronic single-circuit boiler as an example. After the first power-up, the hardware starts up. At this stage, the temperature in the room is determined and the performance of the system as a whole is checked. Further, any gas boilers for the home include an ignition system. With the supply of fuel, a spark is supplied, andthe burner starts to work. The heat exchanger and coolant are gradually heated. The latter, with the help of a circulation pump, is transmitted through pipes to radiators installed in an apartment or house.
As for double-circuit boilers, the fundamental difference from the above technology is that there is a second circuit that provides domestic hot water. It must be understood that two circuits cannot work simultaneously. If you turn on the radiators, then the water does not heat up, and vice versa. But it is unlikely that this small nuance can be called a disadvantage of double-circuit boilers, since, according to consumers, this does not cause any trouble.
Gas boilers: consumer reviews
It is extremely important to always pay attention to what simple buyers of such equipment write. Many users say that a double-circuit boiler is extremely convenient and efficient. A small family of 3-4 people, such equipment may well provide both heat and hot water. But if the needs are slightly higher, then you will need to install a boiler. Consumer reviews indicate that modern gas boilers can prepare about 10 liters of hot coolant per minute. Oddly enough, there are more adherents of piezo ignition than electronic. Many people say that a sudden power outage on a winter night can ruin the whole mood, but this is the case with electronics. But if gas boilers, reviews of which are simply wonderful, are non-volatile, then nothing matters. Buyersequipment from Ariston, Bosch, etc. is very popular.
Features, advantages and disadvantages of floor standing boilers
Just a few years ago, floor-mounted heating equipment was extremely popular, but now wall-mounted boilers are increasingly being installed. Nevertheless, let's look at the features that floor units have. The main one is high power. This is due to the fact that in most cases the weight and dimensions are not limited to, say, 20 kilograms. For this simple reason, a floor-standing gas boiler is an ideal solution for a summer house or a large house. In addition, a special foundation is not required for installation, although it is still necessary to prepare a niche in advance.
The main disadvantages are large size and complexity of maintenance. As for the dimensions, it’s clear here - more power is due to the size. As for the complexity of periodic maintenance, this does not apply to all models and largely depends on the placement of the equipment. From the foregoing, we can conclude that a floor-standing gas boiler is best suited for installation in spacious or basement rooms.
Description of wall-mounted boilers
Equipment that is placed on the wall deserves special attention. As a rule, these are electronic models that actively began to be produced 5-7 years ago. The device of these units is somewhat more complicated, and the use of advanced technologies has made it possible to make the gas wall-mounted boiler more compact. Another feature- light weight. Usually it does not exceed 20-25 kilograms for medium power equipment. This allows you to securely fix the boiler to the wall and not worry about the heavy load.
Of course, there are also disadvantages. One of them is low power. This is due to the fact that in most cases there are restrictions in the form of dimensions and weight, and this does not allow you to constantly increase power, as, say, in floor models. However, at present, a gas wall-mounted boiler is an ideal solution for small spaces where you need to save space and there is no basement. In this case, the equipment placed on the wall will not interfere with you, and its maintenance is greatly simplified.
A little about service
Modern heating equipment requires minimal periodic maintenance. Approximately 1-2 times a year, preventive maintenance of equipment is necessary. To do this, they call a master from a service company, and he performs the necessary work for a fee. The list of services includes: cleaning the burner, repairing it, cleaning the system, heat exchanger, etc. In fact, servicing gas boilers is a whole range of works that cannot be performed without special training. However, it is not at all necessary that all work be done by a specialist. Agree, when the pressure in the system drops or rises, it’s stupid to call the master. Such work can be done by yourself. To do this, there are two valves - through one the water is bled off, and through the second it is launched into the system. You can also change the fine and coarse filterson your own, as there is no difficulty here.
Conclusion
That's all that can be said about such equipment as a gas boiler. We examined the device and principle of operation of heating equipment. Now you know what suits you best - automatic ignition or manual, floor or wall placement. Do not forget that wall-mounted boilers have exactly the same device as floor-standing ones. The difference can only be that the maintenance of gas boilers will have a different cost. In order not to stay in the cold in winter, call a specialist more often who will perform preventive work. Given the fact that the quality of water in our country leaves much to be desired, it is necessary to check the insides of the equipment as often and thoroughly as possible. The copper tubes of the heat exchanger can accumulate scale, which will prevent the free movement of fluid.
