The choice of a suitable heating system is an important stage in the construction and arrangement of a private house. Solid and liquid fuel units are gradually fading into the background. Air heating of a private house is gaining wide popularity, almost any owner of suburban housing will be able to conduct it with his own hands. This article will tell you how to do this.
Air heating - what is it?
This heating method is a kind of thermoregulation system in which cooled or warmed air enters the room. Almost everyone can do air heating of a country house with their own hands, the main thing is to figure out the principle of the system and its composition. It includes:
- Branched ducts. They provide access to air flows in heated rooms.
- Water heater or heat generator. He heats the air.
- Fan distribution heads. They direct the air masses indoors in the right direction.
Principle of operation
The heat generator usually incorporates a combustion chamber, a burner and a heater. From below, from under the fan, cold air enters the heat exchanger. The fuel that is burned in the combustion chamber releases energy. Due to it, the heat exchanger heats up, which means that the temperature of the air that was in it rises. Then the heated flows enter the air vents and are sent to the room. Heat generators come in many forms, some run on trunk or liquefied bottled gas, others on diesel. The burner, due to its versatility, can burn any substance. In any, even a standard heater, the burner can be replaced. Together with it, the entire supply system is mounted. All exhaust gases go through a chimney.
The air heating system of a private house involves the use of air vents of one of two types: round or square. The first have minimal aerodynamic drag, their diameter is 10-20 cm. Square or rectangular air vents are made in the form of ducts. Most often, parts with an area of 10 * 15 or 32 * 40 cm are used. Such air vents are easier to install and take up less space.
Advantages and disadvantages of air heating
Air heating system of a private house has both pros and cons. The advantages include the following characteristics:
- high level of efficiency (more than 90%);
- lack of additional equipment - radiators and pipes;
- comfortable microclimate in a heated room;
- low inertia of the system, allowing you to quickly heat the house or lower the temperature if necessary;
- fans can be used together with solid fuel stoves, this allows you to heat all the rooms in the house;
- purification of air from allergens and other harmful substances thanks to filters;
- the ability to connect the system with a humidifier;
- in the summer season with the help of additional traction, you can cool the room.
Air heating of a private house, the disadvantages of which we will consider below, is far from a perfect system. She has serious flaws:
- this type of heating should be laid at the beginning of the construction of the house;
- complexity of installation;
- calculation of diameters of air vents before laying;
- air heating requires constant maintenance;
- It is very difficult to upgrade the system during operation;
- air heating requires additional filtration and humidification;
- in case of power outages, you need to have a backup current source.
Types of air heating
To mount the air heating of a private house with your own hands, you should understand the installation methods. These systems are built according to 2 schemes:
- forced;
- gravitational.
The first scheme assumes the presence of a fan in the system. It creates the necessary pressure, and the air heated by the heat generator moves to the air vents. Its location is usually the same regardless of the type of system - it is located under the heater. The air that enters the fan is already pre-cleaned of dust, dirt and germs. It returns back through ventilation grills or return air ducts.
Air heating of a private house, made by hand according to a natural or gravitational scheme, functions by changing the density of air. The main advantage of such a system is that it is practically independent of the supply of electricity. But the circulation of heated air masses can easily be disrupted by a regular draft. The working part of the room is cooled, and the pre-ceiling, on the contrary, overheats.
Features of a direct-flow heating system
Do-it-yourself air heating of a private house is often done using a once-through heating system. The principle of operation is as follows. Air is driven by the fan through the air heater and passes through the channels into the room. It gives off heat, assimilates allergens and germs and leaves through the back shaft. This system is recognized as the most hygienic and safe, but at the same time it has its drawbacks. The main disadvantage of direct-flow heating is the large loss of thermal energy.
Recirculation heating system. Nuances
Such a system is characterized as highly economical heating. The air is heated in the air heater and sent through the ventilation channels to the premises. Then it cools, compensates for heat loss and returns. Then the air heats up again, and the process repeats. Of course, this system is the least hygienic, as harmful substances enter the premises again. Recycling is provided where ventilation as such is not needed.
Design and calculation of air heating system
To install air heating with your own hands, the calculation, the scheme, the device of which must be taken into account during the installation process, requires some preparation. Once you decide to install such a system, you need to draw up a preliminary draft. Be sure to calculate the following indicators:
- feed rate of heated air;
- sufficient power of the heat generator in order to heat the room to the desired temperature;
- diameter of air vents;
- aerodynamic characteristics;
- the amount of heat loss on the ceiling, walls and floor.
Air heating of a private house, the scheme of which will help to take into account all the constituent elements, should be agreed with specialists. They will help to carry out the necessary calculations. Turning to a special service, you can avoid draft in the room, noise and vibration in the house, as well as overheating of the heat generator.
It is better to think over the installation location of equipment in advance; there are no general recommendations on this subject.
Heat generator selection
Unfortunately, not everyone prefers to mount air heating of a private house. The cost of the system device largely depends on the choice of the heat generator. They are of two types:
- mobile;
- stationary.
Gas mobile heat generators are very bulky installations. Most often they are used in industrial facilities. Let's consider stationary equipment in more detail. These heat generators have a closed combustion chamber. They are installed in previously prepared places with a smoke exhaust system. Stationary heat generators are available as floor or hanging equipment. The latter is also called heaters. They are designed to heat one room. Most often, the air heater is used in country cottages and dachas, since it is able to warm the room in a matter of hours.
The suspended heat generator does not take up much space and works very quietly. The installation case is made of materials with low thermal conductivity, therefore it is safe to operate.
The floor generator is a more voluminous apparatus. He is able to heat the house completely thanks to the connected air vents.
Mounting Hardware
Do-it-yourself air heating of a private country house provides for the presence of the following equipment:
- air vents;
- heat generator;
- fan;
- decorative lattices;
- hoses for air intake outside the room.
Installation instructions
Do-it-yourself air heating is installed (circuit, system design were discussed above) in several stages:
- Installation of the boiler and heat exchanger.
- Fan installation.
- Wiring, installation of air vents.
- Warming of return and supply channels.
- Creating holes in the wall of the house for air intake and installation of the sleeve.
Air heating of a private house (reviews confirm this) begin with the installation of a boiler. It is usually mounted in the basement. It is strictly forbidden to connect the boiler to the gas mainline independently; it is imperative to call a specialist. The chimney can be made of sheet metal. The upper part of the heat exchanger is connected to the supply air duct, and a fan is installed under the combustion chamber. From the outside, a return pipe is brought to it. The first stage is completed.
The wiring process begins with the connection of flexible air ducts to the supply line of the supply channel. As a rule, they are made with a circular cross section. Next, a return air duct is mounted, usually it has a larger diameter, however, the outlets of such a channel are smaller than those of the supply.
To prevent condensation in the sleeve, it must be insulated. Next, a throttle valve is installed in the pipe, with the help of which there is a process of regulating the amount of incoming fresh air. After the system is mounted, you can hide all pipes and wires with plasterboard boxes for greater aesthetics.
Reviews and recommendations
In recent years, many independently mount air heating of a private house. The feedback from the owners of such systems is often positive. Many are satisfied with the effectiveness of this type of heating, according to them, heating a whole house is much faster than in the case of using conventional radiators or batteries.
Professionals recommend contacting specialists for help in calculations, and as for installation, you can do it yourself. Some tips from experienced craftsmen:
- to connect the distributing air vents, it is better to take aluminum reinforced adhesive tape;
- to attach pipes to the ceiling, it is necessary to use clamps;
- supply air ducts should be as close to the floor as possible;
- if there is an air conditioner in the house, then all pipes must be insulated in order to avoid the deposition of moisture vapor;
- in the case of using sleeves for air intake with a large number of elbows or with unequal lengths, it is better to use additional dampers;
- some integrate additional cleaning filters in the air heating of a private house, the cost of the system will be higher;
- to cool the premises, you can install an additional evaporative air conditioning unit.
For equipment for the house you will have to pay about 200,000-250000 rubles. If you install the system yourself, you can save about 100,000 rubles.
Air heating is a new way of heating houses and country cottages. A high level of efficiency and the possibility of self-assembly make the system more and more popular.