Heating batteries: types, characteristics, installation and connection

The efficiency of the entire heating system of a living room depends on the correct selection of a radiator and its connection. It is from the surface of the radiator that the process of heating the air occurs. Therefore, before giving preference to any of the existing species, you must carefully familiarize yourself with their characteristics, advantages and disadvantages.

Until recently, in most residential buildings, massive cast-iron products were installed, which were repeatedly cleaned and painted during operation. Modern appliances are classified by design, shape, material of manufacture, the ability to adjust the temperature, and a nice design with a decorative grill on the heating battery can serve as an interior decoration. In order to choose the most suitable option, you should read the reviews and carefully study the installation process.

Types of heating batteries

All existing designs of radiators can be divided into four groups:

• panel;
• tubular;
• sectional type;
• convectors.

The first are flat rectangular panels with vertical passages through which warm water circulates. They are mainly made of steel by cold stamping. They are small, light, have high heat dissipation. The installation process of the “panels” is simple. Attractive design of such structures allows them to decorate any interior.

Important! Such radiators are not suitable for use in an individual heating system, as they can leak during water discharge, and also have a low working pressure.

Tubular radiators are presented in the form of curved steel pipes connecting the upper and lower collectors. This type is the most powerful and easy to use. At the same time, tubular radiators are the most expensive.

Materials for the manufacture of sectional radiators are: cast iron, aluminum and steel. Separate sections are assembled in any quantity. The classic option for sectional heating are cast-iron heaters. On all devices, you can install thermostats for radiators.

Convectors are heating appliances that consist of pipes and metal plates. The air that comes from the coolant is heated, passing through the plates. Convector pipes are made of copper or steel. The heat flow of these systems can be regulated by a special valve.

The convector design can be mounted on the floor and covered with a grill on the heating battery.

Characteristics of cast iron batteries

Cast-iron batteries are widely distributed both in private homes and in apartments. This type of radiator has earned the trust of many citizens, because during the manufacture it passed the pressure test of 15 atm and the worker of 9 atm.

Currently produced models in a new design.

The advantages of cast-iron radiators include:

• the possibility of using any coolant;
• contaminated and hard water can be used in such radiators;
• as a result of working with low-quality water, heat transfer and thermal conductivity are not reduced;
• cast-iron radiators cool down for a long time, and are also resistant to corrosion;
• service life is more than 40 years;
• closed heating batteries are able to withstand high pressure and high temperature (up to 130 ° C);
• when selecting, you can adjust the number of sections.

Among the minuses are:

• heavy weight (about 7 kg / section);
• prolonged heating;
• dimension;
• the need for regular painting;
• small heat transfer area;
• difficulty in cleaning.

Aluminum batteries. Features, advantages and disadvantages

Among a huge selection of radiators, aluminum is one of the first places in the popularity rating. Due to the design features, you can choose the most optimal number of sections. A set of independent sections allows you to select the necessary parameters for a particular building with high accuracy.

All aluminum heating batteries can be divided into 2 types:

• European type (standard). This type is ideal for individual heating systems;
• Reinforced.

The advantages of aluminum radiators include:

• high heat transfer (up to 190 W);
• good endurance and wear resistance;
• increased heat transfer area;
• light weight;
• ease of installation;
• Interesting design and compact dimensions of heating batteries.

The disadvantages of such radiators include:

• the need to maintain an acceptable level of acidity (pH <7.5);
• increased corrosion effects with a combination of aluminum radiators and copper pipes;
• if an automatic air vent is not installed, the radiator section may be destroyed

Despite a number of shortcomings, aluminum radiators can last up to 25 years (subject to proper installation and proper care)

Bimetal radiators. What is the feature

Bimetal heating batteries consist of a steel pipe and an aluminum casing. Water, in turn, moves through the pipe. This eliminates its contact with aluminum.

Heat from the pipe is transferred to aluminum panels.

Important! When installed in a centralized heating system, radiators should be equipped with an automatic or manual air vent.

The advantages of bimetallic radiators include:

• ability to withstand pressure drops;
• greater heat transfer;
• stylish design;
• the possibility of uniform heating of a large area and the installation of a thermostat for radiators;
• durability;
• light weight.

The minuses include:

• high cost;
• the possibility of overheating at the connection points (in case of improper installation).

Steel heating systems. Advantages and disadvantages

For individual heating systems, steel radiators are considered more suitable. According to individual parameters, you can choose a radiator for any room. They consist of plates and channels through which water moves.

The advantages of steel panel radiators are:

• light weight;
• high heat dissipation;
• small sizes of heating batteries;
• fast heating;
• possibility of placement on the floor;
• affordability in the price category.

Cons are:

• work only with low pressure;
• sensitivity to water shocks;
• sensitivity to corrosion;
• nor should they be left without water for more than two weeks.

Steel tubular radiators are a steel tube construction. They contain a small amount of water.

Pipes can be placed in a vertical or horizontal position.

The advantages of such systems include:

• fast heating;
• wide model and size range;
• ease of cleaning;
• not traumatic.

Cons of steel tubular radiators:

• without applying a protective coating they quickly corrode;
• relatively high cost.

Copper radiators. Should I install them in the house?

This species is considered the leader among all the others. Despite the high cost, many still install heating batteries from this material. A key feature is the color of copper - the darker it is, the more intense the radiation.

The advantages of copper radiators include:

• high rate of thermal conductivity;
• environmental friendliness of the material;
• strength and durability;
• high radiator service life (about 50 years);
• resistance to any chemical reactions and corrosion.

On the modern market, radiators are made of copper and aluminum alloy, they are also effective, but unstable to poor-quality water and pressure drops.

Subtypes of radiators. Where else are tubular systems used?

One of the subspecies of tubular radiators, which are made of brass, copper and steel, is a heated towel rail. There are several types:

• water;
• electric;
• combined.

The first are connected to the hot water supply system. The latter work autonomously, but are less popular due to the high cost of electricity. The latter view is the most optimal and popular option.

How to choose a radiator for home

The external characteristics of the radiator does not affect its performance. Therefore, when choosing a radiator, you should be guided by its technical characteristics. For selection should:

1. First of all, the estimated power is determined.
2. Next, determine the pressure (depending on whether the system is closed or centralized).
3. You should also pay attention to the acidity of water.
4. Do not forget about the features of installation, operation, possible breakdowns and options for improvement.
5. After all the technical characteristics are taken into account, you can proceed to the selection of the design of the radiator.

Heating batteries for home. Which are better?

Having studied all the recommendations for selection and technical characteristics of all types of radiators, we can say:

1. For installation in a room with central heating (for example, in multi-storey buildings) it is better to choose cast-iron or bimetallic radiators.
2. For low-rise or private houses, steel systems are also suitable.
3. Aluminum radiators are best installed in closed systems where you can check the quality of the supplied water.

How to install and connect batteries

Replacing heating devices with newer ones can significantly improve the quality of space heating. The operation of the entire heating system depends on the characteristics of the batteries.

To carry out the work should:

1. Pick up the tools.
2. Make measurements and calculations.
3. Learn the connection rules.
4. Purchase the necessary accessories.
5. Connect the heating battery.

Battery installation may be:

1. Diagonal. In some cases, it is used for mounting multi-sectional water heating batteries. A distinctive feature is the connection of pipelines. In this case, the feed must be connected to the upper part on one side of the radiator, and the return stroke to the lower (only from the opposite side). With this connection, the water will move under the pressure of the heating system. To remove air from the system, special taps are installed. The disadvantage of this system is the inability to repair the installation, since the installation of central heating batteries by the above method does not provide for the possibility of removing them without leaving the system.
2. Lower. The given type of wiring is used when the pipelines are mounted in the floor or under the baseboard. This method is the most aesthetic. In this case, the nozzles are located below and are directed vertically to the floor.
3. Lateral one-sided. The essence of this connection of the heating battery is to fix the supply pipe to the upper entrance, and the return to the lower one. Important! This connection provides maximum heat transfer. If the pipelines are mounted incorrectly, then the power will drop by about 10%. According to the rules for installing batteries in case of uneven heating of the sections, an extension of the coolant duct should be installed in them.
4. Parallel. In this case, the connection to the heating battery is through a piping system that is connected to the supply riser. Water flows through communications connected to the return. The valves that are installed at the inlet and outlet of the radiator make it possible to repair and remove batteries without disrupting the system. The negative point of this connection is the need to maintain high pressure in the system. It is better to entrust the installation in a parallel way to specialists.

To ensure normal air circulation and heat transfer, the following distances should be maintained:

• for proper air circulation it is necessary to indent about 5-10 cm from the radiator to the windowsill;
• the gap between the bottom of the battery and the floor should be at least ten centimeters;
• the distance from the wall to the radiator should be between two and five centimeters.

If reflective insulation is provided, longer brackets should be selected.

Features in the installation are:

1. If you are replacing old heating appliances with new ones, first you need to dismantle the old ones. In apartment buildings, for this, you should contact the Housing Office with a request to drain the water from the heating system.
2. Next, you need to make markings for mounting new radiators.
3. After the previous operation, a bracket is installed and a wall-mounted heating battery with a regulator is mounted. Important! When installing the bracket, make sure it is firmly mounted and strong. You can check the strength by pressing on the bracket with great effort.
4. When mounting valves, special attention must be paid to threaded connections.

How much the heating battery costs depends on the material of manufacture, the number of sections and many other parameters. The price of 8 sections of aluminum or bimetallic batteries is about 2500 rubles. A steel radiator 600 × 400 mm costs about 2000 rubles. The price of cast-iron batteries is from 350 rubles / section. When choosing one or another type, the above recommendations and individual parameters should be taken into account.