Economical home heating. What is the most economical heating in a private house? What is better not to use in heating with electricity

20.06.2020

Bringing electricity to the house the task is real and less costly than gasification. Therefore, many people think about heating with the help of electrical devices.

This type of heating is convenient: does not require laying and filling fuel, changing gas cylinders. And if desired, it can be automated.

Features of heating a house with electricity: what is the most economical way

There are many ways to heat a house with electricity.

Electric boilers

Transfer of energy to the heat carrier heating electrodes. Hot water enters the pipes and radiators distributed throughout the premises, and thus the building is heated.

The efficiency of electric boilers is high, for some models reaches 99%. Heating of the coolant starts immediately how the boiler is turned on.

Advantages of such heating:

affordable prices;
low cost of installation;
no need for a separate furnace;
simple and reliable device;
no open flame;
environmental friendliness: no emissions, no air duct needed;
minimal maintenance;
remote control and automation possible;
overheating protection and emergency shutdown.

Heating Disadvantages:

heating costs due to the cost of electricity;
the risk of power outages;
high power requirements;
hard water forms scale on heating elements.

Important! Electric heating is considered the most expensive ( 1 kW is 7.5 times higher than when heating with main gas). In addition, the capacities allocated to private households are not enough for heating with electricity.

Scheme

The electric boiler is the central element. The heating scheme usually includes:

pump;
expansion tank;
collector;
a number of taps (drain, balancing) and valves (distribution, air);
filter;
pipes;
radiators (batteries).

Installation

at first read the instructions to the equipment.

Installation of the heating system is carried out in the following sequence:

installation boiler;
mounting expansion tank;
installation collector;
organizations security groups;
inclusion in the scheme pump;
installation devices to improve the system(control devices, valves, cocks);
wiring pipes;
mounting radiators.

General principles of saving when using electric boilers

The liquid coolant does not cool down quickly. As well as:

Select economical model electric boiler.
Switch to a two-tariff electricity meter and use the heating boiler mainly during the day with a low cost of 1 kW.
Integrate a heat accumulator into the system, which accumulates heat at night and releases it during the day, when the price of electricity is higher.
Qualitatively warm up the house.

TENovy electric boiler

Common options for electric boilers for heating:

heating elements;
electrode;
induction.

The heating boiler has heating elements inside - heating elements in the form of bent metal tubes.

They heat up themselves and transfer energy to the coolant. If the heating elements are not immersed in liquid, they may burn out.

Heating benefits:

heat the house in the presence of only electricity;
there are models on the market that can be used with the electricity capacities allocated in Russia.

Cons of heating:

the most expensive heating option;
requires maximum power;
efficiency decreases over time.

Induction boilers. How much does the equipment cost?

The liquid heat carrier is heated by a magnetic field, which is produced inside such a boiler. The two main components of the device: coil and core containing water.

Photo 1. Induction electric heating boiler. It is a small bottle, takes up little space.

The energized coil creates a magnetic field that heats the core, which transfers energy to the coolant flowing through it. Since the coil does not come into contact with water, the coolant is not energized.

Advantages of heating with an induction boiler:

Reliability: work for years without repair.
They are considered economical among electric boilers.
Small dimensions.
There are no special requirements for the coolant.
Low inertia. Energy costs go to the initial heating of the water in the system, and maintenance is no longer expensive.
Easy installation.
Possibility of electronic control.

Cons of heating with an induction boiler:

Difficulties self repair.
The main disadvantage of induction boilers is the cost. If the prices for heating elements electric boilers start from 3-4 thousand rubles, then this option will cost already more expensive than 30 thousand rubles Although some sources state that the difference between these types is from 2 times.

Savings when using induction boilers

Achieved through the principle of action . More economical than heating elements and are considered profitable in operation, especially in the presence of high-quality automation.

For heating with an electric boiler, economical models are selected and use the listed cost reduction opportunities: high-quality insulation, the presence of a heat accumulator, a two-rate meter and heating of the coolant in the cheap period of the day. This will save on electricity heating.

How to cheaply heat a private house with other electrical appliances

In addition to the methods described above, there are more innovative options for heating homes with electricity.

Infrared equipment - will heat the room economically

Manufacturers of similar equipment effective and safe for all living things, electromagnetic oscillations are called, which follow the visible red part of the middle spectrum (infrared rays). Wavelength from 6 to 20 µm, according to different sources. It is this interval that is used in infrared heating devices.

Photo 2. Installation infrared heating: special films are attached to the ceiling, which radiate heat.

The device does not heat the air in the room, but only the objects to which it is directed. And they already transfer heat to the surrounding air.

Variants of similar equipment for heating:

infrared film;
wall panels;
hanging heaters;
floor heaters.

It is used for placement on the ceiling, walls or in warm floors. It is possible both to cover the IR film with a decorative finish on top, and to use wall panels independently as an interior element, thanks to variety of options design.

Installation of infrared heaters

floor heaters, which are simply plugged into the outlet;
panels, which are hung on the wall in the same way as paintings;
ceiling appliances similar to daylight fixtures.

Film options require more complex installation. The film sheet is cut to size.

Mounted on the ceiling for decorative trim or dropped ceilings.

On the floor is laid on the prepared base layer, and on top they use tiles, laminate, parquet, carpet or linoleum.

Features of IR heating

Heating is only near an infrared device or film.
Virtually no energy consumption for air heating. Therefore, they are also used outdoors (for example, to warm guests on the open verandas of restaurants, in greenhouses).
IR heating can be either additional (spot) or main in brick and other types of houses. The number of required devices or the area of the film depends on this.
This type of heating considered economically viable.
As with other types of heating there is no pronounced difference between the air temperature at the floor and at the ceiling.

Pros:

Few other heating devices are used on outdoors.
Fast heating.
Doesn't dry out the air.
Noiselessness.
Surge resistant.
Profitability.

Minuses:

The presence of constant electromagnetic radiation when the devices are turned on.
Nearby objects become very hot.
Film parts are mounted under the finish, which complicates their replacement in case of breakage.

What makes savings

This type of heating is economical due to the fact that it is directional. No energy is wasted to heat the air, but directly people and objects are heated.

Users note low energy consumption for IR space heating.

Electric fireplaces for heating cottages

Some electric fireplaces operate on the principle of infrared radiation.. That is, their influence is directed.

To heat the cottage, an electric fireplace is installed in a room where people spend most of their time. Other rooms will not be heated by such a fireplace.

Advantages of electric fireplaces:

Fast heating.
Low prices.
No chimneys.
Imitation of a real flame, creating comfort.
Possibility to install in the apartment.

Minuses:

Only one room is heated, the most efficient is a small one.
You may need a separate outlet due to the significant power.

What makes the savings

Economy achieved thanks to the principle of infrared heating(energy is not wasted on heating the air).
Heating only one room where there are people.

There are other types of electric fireplaces on the market, thanks to which you can choose the model with the characteristics you are interested in.

Convector devices

Electric convectors are one of the most popular heaters. A heating element is located inside such a device. The case has holes for air circulation. The flow passes through the convector, heating up, and getting further into the room, heating it.

Photo 3. Wall type electric convector. The device is plugged into an outlet, similar to a conventional battery.

Pros:

Fast heating.
Ability to heat a large room up to 30 sq.m).
Some models use electronic thermostats to effectively control the temperature.
The heating elements have a relatively low temperature, making the devices safe.

Minuses:

Significant electricity consumption.
A noticeable difference between the air temperature at the floor and at the ceiling.
Movement of dust in the room.

What makes the savings

In general, this type of heating cannot be called economical. But if the country house is used only for a couple of days during the winter, then this option will save significant funds for the organization of a full-fledged heating system. Due to the absence of liquid, a house with convectors can be safely left at sub-zero temperatures.

Oil appliances

Such heaters are sealed devices with a metal case in several sections. Mineral oil is used inside. With the help of a tubular electric heater, the oil heats up and warms up the body, and from it the air in the room. This type of heater is widely used.

Photo 4. Oil heater. The device is on wheels and can be moved to different parts of the house.

Pros:

Affordable price.
Mobility.
Security.
Ease of operation.

Minuses:

They heat up for a long time.
As the main heating are costly.

How the savings are achieved

This heating option will be economical with rare visits to country house And as an addition to the main heating.

And critical to savings will be quality insulation.

fan heaters

The fan heater is a small device that starts heating the room immediately after switching on. . Components are: housing, fan and heating element. Additionally sometimes built-in thermostat, humidifier and other fixtures.

Photo 5. Fan heater from the manufacturer Mystery. The device allows you to adjust the temperature, air pressure.

Pros:

Compactness.
Fast effect.
Affordable price.

Minuses:

Most domestic fan heaters are not suitable for full-fledged heating, but only for its supplement.
Some models make noise.

Attention! Spiral fan heaters flammable and dry air.

What makes the savings

When you need to quickly heat a small room, it is advantageous to use such an operational and inexpensive device.

Electrical panels

Ceramic panels are one of the relatively new options for electric heating. The principle of their action combines the advantages of infrared and convection heating methods.

This allows you to warm up quickly, but at the same time, the ceramic component retains heat longer, creating special comfort.

The panel consists of a ceramic facade part, behind it there is a metal case. Between them is a heating cable.

Pros:

Security.
Automation.
Long service life.
Can be installed in the bathroom.
Profitability.

Minuses:

To heat a whole house, you will need a significant amount to buy panels.
Electricity costs will still be noticeable.

What makes the savings

Installation thermostats.
Usage multi-tariff meter with main heating at night time.

electric mats

Such electrical appliances consist of a film heater(which allows them to warm up evenly over the entire area), as well as rubber flooring and carpet on both sides of the heating element. The design also includes reflective material. Such rugs are often fed from a 12 volt outlet.

Photo 6. Electric rug for heating the room. It looks like a regular carpet, but has a wire for connecting to the mains.

Electrical mats can be small(to warm the feet), and the size of a full carpet(for heating the whole room).

Pros:

In a large version, this is an analogue of a warm floor that does not require complex installation.
Mobility, can be easily used in any room.

Minuses:

Limited volume of heated surface.
Permanent electromagnetic radiation next to a person.

What makes the savings

One rug can be used in different rooms of necessity.
Only the right place is heated.

Reference. For heating country house, which is used from spring to autumn, separate electrical devices are better suited without connecting a circuit with a heat transfer fluid. For hot water supply separately installed boiler.

inverter boiler

In conclusion, another option using pipes and coolant .

The principle of operation is based on the phenomenon of electromagnetic induction. The device converts direct current into alternating current, and the resulting magnetic field produces an induction current. It happens using inverter 160.

Such a boiler has two key parts: heat exchanger and magnetic circuit which creates an alternating magnetic field. The heat exchanger is switched on to transfer energy to the heat carrier.

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As a result of the steady increase in the cost of energy carriers, the demand for economical heating naturally increases among the owners of private houses. The fact that the vast majority of dwellings were built in the Soviet era and in the early 1990s also plays a role. Then people did not think about how much this or that energy source costs and how to heat the house, having low incomes. Now to the owner country cottage it is important to figure out which heating is cheaper before organizing one at home.

What heating is more profitable in the Russian Federation

Before determining the cheapest way to heat, we list all the energy sources available to residents of the Russian Federation:

various types of solid fuels - firewood, briquettes (eurofirewood), pellets and coal;
diesel fuel (solar oil);
used oils;
main gas;
liquefied gas;
electricity.

To figure out which heating is the cheapest, you need to find out how much each energy carrier can release heat and how much it will result in, and then compare the data. To determine the most economical heating will help the table, which contains the results of the calculations:

Note. The prices in the table are taken for Moscow and updated as of July 15, 2019. Due to constant increases in energy costs and currency fluctuations, the figures presented lose their relevance over time.

Anyone can perform such a calculation by substituting in the table the heat load on the heating system of their building and the cost of fuel in the region of residence. The calculation algorithm is as follows:

Column No. 3 contains the values of the theoretical heat transfer per unit of fuel, and column No. 4 - the efficiency (COP) of heating equipment using this energy carrier. These are reference values that remain unchanged.
The next step is to calculate how much heat actually enters the house from a unit of fuel. The calorific value is multiplied by the boiler efficiency divided by 100. The results are entered in the 5th column.
Knowing the price of a unit of fuel (column No. 6), it is easy to calculate the cost of 1 kW / h of thermal energy received from this type of fuel. The unit price is divided by the actual heat transfer, the results are in column No. 7.
Column No. 8 shows the average heat consumption per month for a country house with an area of 100 m², located in middle lane RF. You must enter your heat consumption value for the calculation.
The average monthly heating costs for housing are indicated in column No. 9. The figure is obtained by multiplying the monthly heat consumption by the cost of 1 kW obtained from various types of fuel.

The table shows 2 types of firewood commonly available for sale - freshly cut and dry. This will help you understand how profitable it is to heat a stove or boiler with dry wood.

Analysis of calculation results

The calculations performed show that in 2019 the most for private houses in the Russian Federation is still provided by natural gas, this energy carrier remains unrivaled. Consider the fact that gas-using equipment is relatively inexpensive, and is quite efficient and comfortable to use.

When using condensing boilers, efficiency can be increased by another 5-6% compared to conventional gas heat generators. True, condensing equipment will cost a lot (30-50% more expensive depending on the model).

The problem with gas in the Russian Federation is the high cost of connecting to existing pipelines. In order to economically heat a home, you will have to pay from 50 thousand rubles. (in remote regions) up to 1 million rubles. (In the Moscow region) for joining a gas pipeline.

After learning how much the connection costs, many homeowners are thinking about how and with what to heat their home. There are other energy carriers listed in the table:

Firewood dried and wet. According to column No. 9, it is noticeable that burning good dry wood is much more profitable than fresh, albeit purchased inexpensively. Wood-burning heating equipment is quite affordable for a wide range of users.
Burning briquettes, pellets and coal can also be attributed to cheap ways of heating a private house without gas, their cost is about the same. One clarification: automatic pellet and coal boilers are more expensive than conventional ones (1.5-2 times).
Electric heating at night rate. Given the minimal cost of equipment and its installation, it is quite possible to heat with electricity cheaply, but only at night. A suitable option for both a country house and an apartment.
Used engine oils occupy a middle position between cheap and expensive energy sources. But their burning is associated with certain difficulties, which will be discussed later.
Heating with liquefied gas can no longer be attributed to profitable heating methods. Especially if you take into account the cost of a gas tank and its installation, only a summer house can be heated with cylinders.
Diesel fuel, liquefied gas and electricity at a daily rate are the most expensive energy carriers in the Russian Federation, and it is not possible to organize economical heating with their help in the short term.

The use of purely electric equipment for round-the-clock heating of the house cannot be called profitable, since the cheap nightly rate is valid for 8 hours a day, and the rest of the time you will have to pay the full rate. So heating with electricity alone will not work out cheaply.

The cheaper it is to heat a house in Ukraine

Due to the increase in the price of firewood in 2019, the overall picture with the cost of heating in Ukraine looks very interesting. The layout reflects a similar calculation table:

Note. Electricity tariffs are indicated on the basis of 2 conditions: in a dwelling, according to all the rules, electric heating and energy consumption does not exceed 3000 kWh per month.

The first place in terms of cheap heating in Ukraine is still occupied by dry, used at night. But due to the rise in price, their cost has almost caught up with the price of natural gas, which has fallen in price by 5...10% (in the current conditions, it is not easy to voice the exact figure 😊).

Consider this point: the 2019 table shows average fuel prices. Pellets and briquettes of the worst quality can be bought cheaper, and electricity and gas cost the same everywhere. So, energy carriers are arranged in the following order (from cheap to expensive):

electricity at night rate;
main gas;
dried firewood;
pellets, sawdust briquettes;
freshly cut wood;
waste oil;
coal-anthracite;
electricity at a daily rate (with consumption up to 3600 kW/month);
liquefied gas;
diesel fuel.

It is impossible to predict the size of tariffs for gas and electricity in Ukraine due to the unstable economic situation. It is unlikely that energy resources will become significantly cheaper, subsidy payments are decreasing every year.

On the issue of supplying main gas, Ukrainians are in the same position as Russians, whose houses are not connected to gas pipelines due to the high cost of the service. Both have to burn different types of solid fuel or use electricity at night.

Comparative analysis by other criteria

In addition to the purely economic calculation of the cost of heating, there are other factors that influence the choice of energy carrier. For example, it is difficult for an aged pensioner to chop and carry firewood to the boiler room. Someone does not like the smell of diesel fuel or dirt from coal, and someone does not have the opportunity to store a supply of pellets or briquettes. That is, it is wrong to choose fuel for heating only from the point of view of economy. Additional criteria need to be taken into account:

comfort during operation;
the possibility of warehousing;
frequency and cost of maintenance.

Nuances of operation

It is most convenient to use electricity for heating, although it is difficult to classify it as an economical energy source. The electric boiler does not need supervision, the system is fully automated. The unit is easy to control remotely, and in the boiler room there is silence, cleanliness and no unpleasant odors. An important point: heating electrical installation, which greatly simplifies and reduces the cost of installation.

Electric heaters and boilers are the cheapest heating devices, heat generators using other fuels are much more expensive

In addition to the high price, electric heating has another disadvantage. Far from every private house has a sufficient electric power or a limit has been set that does not allow the use of energy for heating. And the connection of units with a power of more than 6 kW requires a 3-phase input with a voltage of 380 V.

It is almost as comfortable to operate boilers that burn natural and liquefied gas. But they need a chimney and good ventilation furnace room. Burning diesel and used oil is no longer so comfortable, because an odor inevitably appears and periodic replenishment of the fuel tank is required. In this regard, a diesel heat generator is similar to a pellet one, but the latter wins due to the absence of odors and dirt.

The champion of inconvenience is the wood and coal boiler, which requires constant attention and exercise. With the most economical way of heating with wood in the boiler room, burning smells and dust mixed with dirt cannot be avoided (this is especially true for coal). An exception is an automatic coal boiler, which operates on the principle of a pellet one, but it also needs to be periodically replenished in the bunker.

Automatic boilers: pellet (pictured right) and coal (left)

About fuel storage

The nuances of warehousing and storage are easier to indicate in the list:

The electric and gas heating system of a private house operates from external sources, storage is not needed.
For reliable operation of any solid fuel boilers, a supply of fuel is needed, respectively, it is necessary to organize its storage. You will have to make a firewood shed under a canopy or a warehouse in a barn.
The stock of diesel fuel and working off also needs to be stored somewhere and, preferably, outside the residential building. It is necessary to buy and install a container of sufficient volume.
The most difficult thing is to organize storage with independent heating with liquefied gas as an alternative to natural gas. The cost of an underground gas tank and its installation will quickly make you forget about economical heating at home.

Putting a gas tank is not affordable for everyone, but constantly carrying cylinders to refueling is hard work

There is another, cheaper way to store liquefied gas - in cylinders. But "thanks" to the frequent replacement and refilling of cylinders, comfort when operating a propane boiler is equated to exercises with wood when loading a solid fuel heat generator.

Equipment service

Electric heating installations practically do not require maintenance (check and cleaning once every 2 years). If it weren’t for the draconian daily tariff, then with the help of electricity it would be possible to organize an “economical smart home” system. More often you will have to service gas boilers, they require annual preventive cleaning of the heat exchanger and chimney. But here you can save money if you clean the unit with your own hands, as described.

Due to the low quality of diesel fuel, diesel heat generators will need to be cleaned as they become dirty, which can happen several times per season. The same applies to waste oil boilers, and the cleaning process is very dirty. Faced with similar problems in the middle of winter, you will think twice if you need economical heating for work.

It is advisable to clean the smoke pipes with the firebox of the boiler on wood and pellets once a week, and the ash pan - daily. When working on damp wood from the combustion chamber, it is important to remove soot and tar more often until they have completely boiled over.

After a comprehensive analysis, we can draw the following conclusions about the choice of economical heating of a private house:

Residents of the Russian Federation, whose houses are connected to gas mains, can continue to sleep peacefully - they will not find a more economical way of heating. Unless it is good to warm the dwelling in order to reduce fuel consumption. In the short term, natural gas will remain unrivaled.
The cheapest heating without mains gas is the combustion of solid fuels. But for the sake of financial gain, you will have to give up the time and effort spent on loading firewood and maintaining equipment. In this case, it is worth paying attention to the solid propellant itself one of them.
If there are financial opportunities, the best option for economical heating is a pellet boiler. If you have little space for storing pellets, then the issue is solved by periodically supplying pellets during the season, although the purchase price will then increase.
The best results in terms of efficiency are obtained by a combination of 2-3 energy carriers. For Russia, the most popular pair is solid fuel and electricity at a nightly rate. For Ukraine - electricity at night and natural gas during the day (including subsidies and without exceeding the limit of 3600 kW).
To endure dirt and odors in the boiler room is possible only if you get used oil inexpensively. Like diesel fuel, mining is not the best option for a residential building, except to place the equipment in a separate building.
Residents of the Russian Federation with incomes above average can afford to heat their homes with liquefied gas, for the sake of comfort. In Ukraine this method practically not considered as very uneconomical.

Combination of a wall-mounted gas and electric boiler, the second one serves as a backup (night) heat source

At the moment, when energy prices tend to European ones, the insulation of private houses is becoming increasingly important. This is also a way to get economical heating, because with small heat losses it becomes possible to constantly use an electric boiler with a water heating system or local electric heaters, which is very convenient.

The presence of heating in housing is, first of all, a factor in the suitability of the house for living in general, and only then a condition that ensures the comfort of this residence. Therefore, the question of how to do without heating housing is not appropriate in Russia even in the southern regions, and it remains only to decide which heating to choose.

There are many criteria for choosing the type of heating - size financial costs on the device, the efficiency of the heating method, the ease of maintenance of the system, its safety, and so on. Considering that in various regions of Russia the heating season lasts from three to nine, or even more, months, the cost of heating a home is significant, and economical heating of a house is one of the desired results that are sought when choosing a heating method.

In the conditions of modern intensive development suburban areas cottages and dachas, especially where the pace of private construction is ahead of the rate of gasification of new areas, economical heating of a private house is a particularly acute problem. In such situations, you have to order a housing project with a heating system for the future - taking into account the upcoming supply of highways, but until that moment you also need to heat something.

Let us consider in more detail everything that is relevant to this problem, and how to take into account the existing set of factors when striving for heating efficiency.

Independent Factors Causing Heating Costs

The concept of "economical heating of a private house" does not necessarily mean low costs for heating a home. Heating equipment, for example, for a large house cannot be low-cost, but the costs of installing and operating the system must be commensurate with the efficiency of the chosen heating method.

The efficiency of a heating system is the degree to which the actual costs of heating a home correspond to the estimated costs necessary to ensure a given temperature regime, that is, achieving the required level of comfort at the cost of minimal cost. And this is achieved through a thorough analysis and selection of the optimal combination of factors affecting efficiency.

Independent factors causing:

climatic zone;
heating area;
equipment price;
fuel cost;
required temperature.

Only the last point, which means the temperature range determined by sanitary standards for premises with people living, needs comments.

The above circumstances are Starting point when choosing and designing a heating system for a private house, economical in relation to specific conditions.

Factors affecting the efficiency of heating systems

There can be no equal sign between the actual and estimated heating costs, because with any heating method, heat losses are inevitable, also due to various factors. But these factors affecting the degree, in contrast to unchanging circumstances, are possible to change:

the presence and degree of effectiveness of external thermal insulation of the house;
type of heating system and correct calculation of fuel costs when choosing a heating boiler;
power of heating equipment;
design features of the system;
pipeline material;
the presence of thermal insulation of the heating circuit in unheated rooms;
device usage automatic shutdown heating unit;
fuel quality.

The presence and degree of effectiveness of external thermal insulation of the house

The cost of heating a home directly depends on the arrangement of the house with thermal insulation. Indoor air and building structures heated by the heating system, in the absence of external thermal insulation, quickly give off heat to the atmosphere, and the heating system will be forced to work with increased load or in continuous mode in order to compensate for the external heat transfer of the building. This, of course, is accompanied by accelerated equipment wear and increased fuel or electricity consumption.

Thermal insulation materials are easy to install, their price is acceptable throughout the entire range, and the effect of using external insulation is saving fuel or electricity up to 40%. In addition, thermal insulation will save the internal surfaces of the outer walls from the formation of condensate.

Type of heating system and correct calculation of fuel costs when choosing a heating boiler

If a boiler is chosen as the heating equipment, then the question arises which type of fuel to choose - electric, gas or solid fuel.

When choosing, you need to proceed from the design of the house - whether it has its own chimney.

If there is no chimney, and its device is not included in the immediate plans, then the choice is narrowed - only a boiler on electricity is suitable for installation. In this case, the refusal to build a chimney will give significant cost savings when installing a heating system.

If preference is given to an electric heating unit, then a reasonable choice would be vortex, which does not have heating elements in its design and therefore is distinguished by durability (25-30 years). In addition, the efficiency of such devices is close to 99%, which is a strong argument in favor of their efficiency.

If there is a chimney, then the choice of the boiler depends on the material of the smoke exhaust system.

A gas-fired boiler should not be connected to a brick chimney - its combustion products contain nitrogen and sulfur compounds, which, mixed with condensate moisture, form acids that destroy the brick. But such a chimney will perfectly cope with the removal of smoke from a solid fuel boiler.

A steel chimney or its improved version - sandwich pipes are suitable for a heating unit using any type of fuel. The choice of pipe design (ordinary steel, stainless, sandwich, coaxial) is also directly related to the efficiency of the heating system - cheap ordinary steel will require replacement faster, and it’s good if this happens in the warm season. Other types of steel chimneys are solid, and therefore durable and reliable, but you can’t save on safety.

When choosing a heating boiler, in order to have an idea of the degree of its efficiency, you should know exactly the amount of fuel it consumes. But marketers in stores, persuading the buyer to buy one or another type of unit, give comparative characteristics of fuel consumption, manipulating various units of measurement used for liquids, gases and solids. The fact is that the calorific value of fuel is measured in kW / kg, while diesel fuel and gas are often measured in liters, which gives different quantities, since the density of these substances is much less than unity.

Important! To verify the truth of the statements of marketers, it is necessary to bring the fuel consumption of the units they represent to a common unit of measure, and then calculate the need for the season and cost.

For an objective comparison of heating costs during the season of a house with an area of 100 square meters, the table below calculates the costs of common types of fuel. This economic calculation, in particular, refutes the claims of marketers that the cube of the so-called "Euro firewood" is equivalent in efficiency to 5 cubic meters of ordinary firewood.

Heating equipment power

This indicator is also directly related to the efficiency of the heating system. The excess capacity of a boiler or other unit can be limited by installing a thermostat, but the cost of heating equipment is directly proportional to its capacity, and the paid potential will be unclaimed.

And a heating boiler of insufficient power will not cope with the task, and paying for slightly warm heating radiators also has nothing to do with efficiency.

Therefore, in order to achieve the efficiency of the heating system, it is necessary to purchase equipment based on the calculation of the required power, which is carried out taking into account the area of \u200b\u200bhousing, ceiling height, region and the nuances of the hot water supply system.

Design features of the system

It is impossible to achieve economical use of heating equipment if you choose it only based on the power and cost of fuel consumed. The design of the heating system is not always universal, so that it can be used to heat rooms of any size and proportions, different heights of ceilings and the number of window openings. For example, baseboard heaters will do an excellent job of heating small rooms, but they will not be effective in spacious rooms due to the small heat transfer area of their design.

The situation is also ambiguous with the design of systems warm floors. If you use them as the main and only means of heating housing in the middle lane or northern regions, then the floor temperature must be raised to such values when contact with it loses comfort - it will be hot to walk on such a floor without shoes.

Therefore, an economical heating system is unthinkable without right choice type of heating equipment and compliance with the installation technology, taking into account the design features of both heating devices and each room.

Pipeline material

This question is relevant if we consider not separate portable heaters, but a heating circuit with a heating boiler. Heat transfer by the coolant should be carried out in air environment rooms to be heated. Therefore, in transit sections, the coolant through the pipes of the heating circuit should give off a minimum amount of heat. To do this, it is necessary to ensure the thermal insulation of the pipeline, in particular, by making it from pipes with a low coefficient of thermal conductivity (plastic, metal-plastic).

To increase efficiency, even on pipes made of polymers, thermal insulation is performed, not to mention metal pipelines. These measures will allow the coolant to lose less heat on its way to the radiator, and the heating system to bring the air temperature in the room to a predetermined level earlier and turn off.

Using automatic heater shutdown devices

An important factor in ensuring the efficiency of heating equipment is the rational mode of operation of the heating system. This is provided by automation that monitors the temperature in the room and controls the intensity of heating. Modern equipment of heating devices allows not only to set the desired air temperature in the room, but also to program the variation of the heating intensity in different time days. For example, during the absence of tenants in the house, there is no need to maintain the temperature in the most comfortable zone, but you can lower it by several degrees.

Fuel quality

Different types of fuel are various meanings calorific value. But the same type of fuel can be of different quality, depending on many factors - the percentage of moisture content of firewood, the content of impurities in gas, liquid fuel, etc. Profitability is directly related to this. Low-quality fuel has a lower calorific value, forms more soot, which reduces the clearance of the chimney and worsens traction. The combination of these factors leads to an increase in fuel consumption and the cost of maintaining the heating system.

Important! Oil fired boilers must be operated with the fuel specified in the instructions for use. You should know that diesel fuel and diesel fuel are different types of fuel.

Heating methods by type of fuel consumed

All types of fuel and energy (excluding exotic ones - solar, wind, chemical, etc.) consumed by heating systems are divided into the following main groups:

solid types;
liquid fuel;
electricity.

Each of these types has advantages and disadvantages that offset each other.

For example, behind the seeming cheapness of solid fuels (firewood, coal, waste from the cellulose and woodworking industries, peat), the costs of harvesting, transport, storage, kindling, maintenance of the furnace and chimney are hidden. And the highest, at first glance, the cost is justified by the lack of costs for the above items in the case of using electrical equipment.

These factors, of course, are not reflected in the above summary table of fuel costs for seasonal heating of a private house with an area of 100 square meters.

Depending on the circumstances, using the same type of heating can be economical in one region and costly in another. This is known to manufacturers and distributors of heating equipment for the home, which form prices for heating equipment, taking into account the increased demand for economical systems. Therefore, it is not surprising that potentially economical heating systems for a private house initially cost a decent amount.

Thus, there can be no categorical statement about the indisputable efficiency of a particular unit, as well as a universal recommendation on how to save on heating. Is it possible to arrange the most economical heating by bringing to the system hot water from a thermal spring of natural origin. But even in this case, you will have to pay a tax to the state for the use of natural resources.

And yet, if the choice is made in favor of electrical equipment, then the use of vortex inductive heaters (VIN-boilers), unlike other types of electrical heating appliances, is the most economical heating.

Conclusion

The most economical is a technology that takes into account a number of factors and circumstances, both obvious and, at first glance, not related to this. The key to economical heating of housing in a private house is the optimal prioritization, taking into account these factors in specific circumstances.

Before starting the article, it is worth noting that the gas heating system is currently considered the most effective. But if, for some reason, it is not possible to install a gas boiler (for example, there is no gas main in the country), you should pay attention to such an option as economical heating of a private house with electricity, using certain heating schemes.

Sale and installation of Zebra infrared heating systems for private houses, offices and social facilities at prices from the manufacturer's factory on the website

As an alternative, electricity is a safer solution, moreover, the installation of this equipment does not require any additional permits. In addition, you can easily make electric heating of a private house with your own hands. The disadvantages include, perhaps, high bills for consumed electricity.

It should be noted that electric heating, made independently or factory-made, is the most reliable, environmentally friendly and comfortable way to heat a home. This equipment does not require maintenance, is easily regulated and can be automated, so it is much easier and safer to heat a house with electricity. The design does not include quickly failing elements. No need to constantly monitor the fuel level and sensors.

Moreover, electric heating of a private house has the following advantages:

Ease and simplicity of installation. Installation does not require special qualifications and expensive tools. The equipment itself is quite small in size and it does not take much time to install it. All devices are quite easy to transport. This equipment does not require a separate boiler room or chimney.
Security. The electric heating system does not emit combustion products and carbon monoxide. Even during disassembly or breakdown, no harmful substances are released.
Low initial investment. There is no need to make any special permits, prepare a project and invite special services that will give the go-ahead for installation.
Reliability and quietness. Electric heating does not require regular checks in specialized services. During operation, the equipment does not produce any noise due to the absence of elements such as a fan and a circulation pump in the system.
High level of efficiency. Even during severe frosts, it quickly heats the house. Electric heating is necessarily equipped with a special system that allows you to adjust the temperature in each room separately. This makes it possible to significantly save money during the heating season.

A significant disadvantage of this equipment is a large power consumption. Electricity prices in some areas are quite high, and this option for heating a home may not be profitable.

Another significant disadvantage is energy dependence. Heating the room is simply not possible if the electricity is turned off.

Unstable voltage in the mains can also be attributed to the minuses, this problem is especially acute in countryside. To resolve it, it is recommended to purchase your own generator, but this will entail additional cash outlays.

If you nevertheless decide on economical heating of a private house without the use of gas, that is, electric heating, then you will need to take into account the general condition and power of the electrical wiring. A large private house for such purposes will require a three-phase network. It will be necessary to clarify the allocated power for the house, and how much of this power can be given to heating.

Types of electric heating systems and their features

Any electrical system heating of a private house can be built according to two principles:

Direct. Heating of each room is carried out by devices that are powered directly from the network.
Indirect. With this principle, a coolant is used that heats the radiators installed in the premises.

There are a fairly large number of opinions on which electric heating is the best option for a private house. Most adherents of the indirect method of heating the house as the main argument give a long cooling process in the system, which gives sufficient advantages during the shutdown of the boiler. Others, proponents of direct heating, talk about lower costs during the acquisition and installation of equipment.

Consider a variety of electric heating systems in order of increasing cost of investments:

fan heaters and convectors;
heating with infrared radiation;
plinth electric heaters;
warm floors of cable and film type;
standard water system equipped with electric boiler and radiators.

Installation of wall-mounted electric convectors is carried out in those areas where, as usual, water heating radiators are installed - near cold walls and under windows. Fan heaters usually have forced air injection and a mobile design. They can be located in the most convenient places. This type of electric heating is the cheapest, but at the same time less efficient.

The heating system based on infrared equipment is more efficient. These devices, mounted to the ceiling, heat all surfaces, from which the air is subsequently heated. Plinth convective heaters, which are located around the perimeter of the room, proved to be quite effective. But such a design will require additional costs due to the fact that it will need to be installed instead of skirting boards.

Such a proven method of electric heating as underfloor heating is very popular. This method basically uses a heating film, electric cable mats or a heating cable that can heat a fairly large room. The design itself is quite inexpensive, but installation under a screed or coating can cause a serious blow to your budget. This method of heating is the most economical, moreover, it gives pleasant warmth and creates a feeling of comfort.

All of the above methods have a significant disadvantage, their work is possible only in the presence of electricity. If the cost of electricity rises, it becomes possible to bring natural gas into the house, or for some reason you need to change the energy source, the previous equipment may be useless.

To prevent such a misunderstanding, it is recommended to install an electric boiler and a standard water system with radiators for heating. If there is a desire to change the energy source, the money will need to be spent only on a new source of heat.

In a small apartment, cable underfloor heating is an ideal option, their degree of comfort is beyond praise. Cheaper methods also have a right to exist. But in more severe colds, their capabilities may not be enough and it will be cooler in the rooms.

In a large apartment, the best option would be to install radiator autonomous electric heating or warm water floors.

It would be much more difficult to choose the best option if it were not for the price of the energy carrier. But apartment owners also face the problem of a limited consumption limit (about 3-5 kW).

It is recommended to think about this in advance, as soon as the organization of electric heating of the apartment is planned. It is necessary to carefully study the contract for the supply of electricity, which indicates this limit, this contract may also stipulate that heating a home with electricity is prohibited.

It is somewhat easier to organize electric heating in a private house than in an apartment. The power consumption limit is much higher, it is possible to check the wiring and, if necessary, put it in order, starting with the power line. From the list above, the owner of the cottage, the most successful option would be a water heating system with an electric boiler.

This is quite easy to explain: it is necessary to ensure the use of various energy sources, and not just electricity. Based on this, you will need to select a boiler, mount it and assemble a one- or two-pipe system.

Design characteristics of electric boilers

Modern boilers operate on three principles of heating the coolant:

heating elements;
electrodes;
based on magnetic induction.

The first option is the most common. The coolant from the system enters the boiler, where it heats up with the help of tubular heating elements and flows back into the heating system. This type of equipment is safe, functional, and also has built-in automation that controls the temperature of the air in the room and the coolant.

Electrode boilers work on a completely different principle. In this device, the heating element consists of a pair of electrodes, which are supplied with high voltage. The coolant is heated due to the fact that the electric current moves through it from one electrode to another, after which the coolant enters the heating system.

Important! In boilers of this type, there is no electrolysis process (due to which there is no scale formation) due to the use of alternating voltage with a frequency of at least 50 Hz.

The intensity of use affects the ability of the electrodes to heat up, as over time they become thinner and cease to heat the house to the extent that it is needed. In electrode boilers, replacing the electrodes is a standard procedure.

The device of induction boilers is more complex, although they are structurally more attractive. This type of boiler does not have heating elements that we are used to. The heat exchanger, which is part of the magnetic circuit, with the help of a powerful magnetic field heats the coolant passing through it into the heating system.

Electric heating of a country house, in the form of indirect heat transfer, has serious advantages over gas and air heating: hot water electric boilers are quite reliable, do not require a chimney and have a high efficiency. The disadvantages of these devices, perhaps, include the requirements for a stable voltage of your network, as well as the presence of good wiring.

Installing a hot water heating system with an electric boiler requires a significant initial investment, especially if a third-party organization is involved in this, which will be involved in the project of installing, configuring and balancing the system. It is also worth additionally allocating money from the budget for the maintenance of this heating system, which includes checking the operation of valves, periodic flushing of radiators, and so on.

How to save electricity?

stick following tips in order to make electric heating in a private house more economical:

use multi-tariff metering of electricity, since at night the tariff is much lower than during the day;
use non-electric heat sources during business hours;
install thermostats in the rooms;
give preference to underfloor heating systems;
traditional advice: try to make the maximum insulation of the house or outer wall apartments.

Do not neglect the means of automation, which can help reduce the temperature in unused rooms. And in general, you should not reject any means that will help you reduce energy costs.

Create a project for an optimal electric heating system. For example, a small one-room apartment can heat an electric boiler (provided that the heat loss is quite small). But in a house with a large number of rooms, he may no longer be able to fully cope with the task.

In this situation, the best option would be to install a convector system with thermostats that will control the climate in each room. Infrared panels are the best solution for outbuildings where there is no need to maintain a constant temperature.

Thus, we reviewed all the popular methods of electric heating and concluded that heating a house with electricity is not only the most economical way, but also the safest. Each method has a rather large list of advantages - environmental friendliness, no need for fuel, noiselessness and ease of operation. But given the cost of electricity, do not count on any economic effect. Therefore, it is recommended to insulate the dwelling as much as possible to reduce heat loss.

Heating a house in the winter cold results in serious expenses. Do you want to learn how to save? I propose to compare several popular types of heating equipment, evaluate their efficiency and figure out how you can reduce heating overheads.

Direct comparison by cost per kilowatt-hour

Let's find out what the price of a kilowatt-hour of heat will be when using different sources thermal energy.

Here are the approximate prices at the time of writing (January 2017):

main gas- 0.7 rubles;
Dry firewood- 0.9-1.2 p.;
Pellets- 1.4-1.5 rubles;
Coal- 1.5-1.6 rubles;
Propane from a gas tank- 2.3-2.5 rubles;
Propane from cylinders- 2.8-3.0 rubles;
Diesel fuel- 3.2-3.6 rubles;
Electricity- 4.0-5.0 r.

The cost of a kilowatt-hour of heat in each region will be different, as it depends on local prices and utility tariffs. For example, in Sevastopol, where I live, electricity is 40% cheaper than in Moscow (up to 600 kWh per month - 2.96 rubles / kWh versus 5.38), and pellets are twice as expensive (15,000 rubles per ton against 7000).

The conclusions are absolutely clear. The undisputed leader in terms of cheapness is main gas.

How to economically heat the house in his absence?

At a distance from the gas mains, it is most profitable to heat with firewood. They are closely followed by pellets and coal.

Cheaper, even cheaper

Comrades, choosing a heat source is not our whole task. The same source can be used different ways, and some of them will be noticeably more economical than others. I will talk about several solutions that will allow you to significantly reduce your heating costs.

Facade insulation

Any heating systems only compensate for heat leakage through the building envelope, windows and ventilation. Losses through walls account for up to 35% of their total amount, through the roof and windows - 25% each, through the floor - up to 15%.

There are many ways to insulate a country house; I will describe only a few of the most popular.

	Styrofoam coat(mounting on cement glue and dowels - "fungi" of foam sheets with their subsequent puttying on a reinforcing mesh).
	Mineral wool fur coat(the scheme of insulation is the same, but with a different heat-insulating material - mats of glued mineral wool). It compares favorably with the foam plastic minimal fire hazard.
	Insulated ventilation facade. Mineral wool is attached to the walls and covered with a windproof membrane, and on top of it - a metal or plastic cladding fixed on a frame made of galvanized profile or bar.
	Insulated screed. She fits on concrete slab floors or boardwalk over a layer of dense foam or expanded polystyrene.
	Insulated floor over wooden beams. The insulation is placed in the gap between the beams, on top of the flooring hemmed from below or laid on the cranial bars. From above, it can only be covered with waterproofing (in a cold attic) or flooring along the logs (in a residential floor or an exploited attic).
	Bulk insulation. The gaps between the beams or slabs are covered with 20 - 30 centimeters of expanded clay or metallurgical slag.
	Energy saving windows. Glass with the thinnest metal coating is opaque in the infrared spectrum and reflects thermal radiation towards the heated room.
	Roof insulation. Mineral wool or polystyrene is placed in the gaps between the rafters and covered with a vapor barrier.

The roof of my attic is insulated with two materials - a 50-mm layer of mineral wool and foam plastic of the same thickness. An attic with an area of 60 m2 with panoramic energy-saving windows of 26 squares to maintain comfortable + 20C in it at -20 on the street has enough heat power of 4 kilowatts.

How we save: by reducing heat losses that the heating system must compensate.

Savings: insulation coefficients used in thermal engineering calculations vary from 0.6 to 4. The difference between the extreme scenarios (a house with an outer foam plastic coat and energy-saving windows on the one hand and an uninsulated warehouse with profiled sheet walls on the other) is more than 6 times. This is how you can reduce heating costs due to insulation.

Condensing gas boiler

Condensing gas are the most economical boilers for heating a private house.

How are: the boiler has two heat exchangers. One of them takes heat from the products of combustion of the main gas. The second is for them. The condensate is discharged into the sewer by a drain pipe.

Reference: the main combustion products of hydrocarbons are carbon dioxide and water.

How we save: by using the total heat of combustion, including the heat of condensation of water vapor. As you know, the evaporation of water requires energy. When steam condenses, this energy is released and, in our case, is utilized by a heat exchanger.

Savings: 11 - 13%. Taking into account the heat of combustion of gas, this allows marketers to declare an incredible efficiency of 107% for condensing boilers. Of course, the calorific value of the gas is taken as 100%, without taking into account the condensation of water vapor.

pyrolysis boiler

The already economical heating with wood can be made even more economical when using a pyrolysis boiler. As a bonus, the owner receives an increase in the interval between kindling from 2-4 to 10-12 hours.

How it works: in a pyrolysis boiler (gas generator), the combustion of fuel is divided into two stages. At first, firewood smolders with limited air access and high temperature. In the process of pyrolysis, only a small amount of ash remains from them, and the bulk of the fuel is converted into CO (carbon monoxide) and volatile hydrocarbons.

Once in the afterburner, the superheated combustible gases are mixed with the gases supplied through the injectors. fresh air. At the same time, they ignite and completely burn out. At the outlet of the boiler - the notorious CO2 and H2O.

How we save: due to complete combustion of the fuel (and, accordingly, maximum efficiency) while limiting the thermal power. In a classic solid fuel boiler, a blower damper (often equipped with a thermostat) is used to adjust the power. With a limited air flow, part of the fuel literally flies into the pipe - gaseous hydrocarbons do not have time to burn out in the furnace.

Savings: up to 30%. This is how the efficiency of a classic boiler drops with incomplete combustion of fuel.

Solid fuel boiler and heat accumulator

How to save on heating using solid fuel and a classic boiler?

Install a heat accumulator in the gap of the heating circuit.

How it works: a heat accumulator is a large insulated container with branch pipes for connecting to several heating circuits. It is used, as the name suggests, to store heat.

A tank with a volume of 3000 liters, when water is heated from 40 to 80 degrees, will accumulate 175 kWh of thermal energy, which is enough to heat a house of 90 square meters during the day.

The heat accumulator closes two heating circuits with forced circulation:

The first one connects it to the heating boiler;
The second unites the tank with heating devices.

How we save: due to the operation of the boiler at rated power and with maximum efficiency. The resulting heat is stored in a heat accumulator and used to heat the house for the next few hours.

As a bonus, the owner will receive more rare kindling of the boiler - depending on the volume of the tank and the area of \u200b\u200bthe house, from once every 12 hours to once a day.

Savings: the same 10 - 30% that are lost during the operation of a classic solid fuel boiler with a forcibly limited power.

Electric boiler and heat accumulator

How to make electric heating cheaper?

A combination of an electric boiler, a two-tariff meter and a heat accumulator already familiar to us will allow us to heat a house relatively cheaply.

How it works:

The buffer tank in this case also closes two circuits that combine it with the boiler and heating appliances;
At night, the boiler turns on by a timer and heats the water in the tank;
During the day, the accumulated heat maintains a comfortable temperature in the house.

How we save: due to the consumption of electricity during the operation of a cheaper nightly tariff.

Savings: I will give Moscow prices. If at a one-rate tariff for a kilowatt-hour of electricity you have to pay 5.38 rubles, then at a two-rate tariff at night the same kilowatt-hour will cost 1.64 rubles. Savings - 70%.

Warm floor

Underfloor heating can be implemented in several ways:

pipe laying with a coolant in an insulated screed;

Laying the heating cable in a layer of tile adhesive under the tile;
Film heaters under parquet, laminate or linoleum.

Regardless of what types of fuel are used for heating, underfloor heating is positioned as economical heating.

How we save: by lowering the average temperature inside the house. With convection heating with radiators or wall convectors, +22°C at floor level will be at +27 - +30 under the ceiling. The average temperature is 25-26°C.

Do you often walk on the ceiling or rest on it? Me too no. Gravity, you know.

The obvious conclusion is that heating the air under the ceiling is absolutely useless. It only leads to an increase in thermal energy leakage through the roof or ceiling: the heat flux is directly proportional to the temperature difference on both sides of the building envelope.

In the case of a warm floor, when it is heated to +22, it will be +16 under the ceiling. The average temperature is +19. By lowering the average temperature, we reduce heat loss.

Savings: Depends on the weather outside. Jokes aside. At 0C outside, a decrease in the air temperature in the house from 25 to 19 will save 24%, and at -10 - only 15%.

infrared heating

Heating your home with electricity can be made cheaper by using infrared heaters. They may be:

Devices with a high-temperature heating coil in a quartz tube;
Film heaters installed for finishing walls or imitating paintings, photographs, wall panels, etc.;

Glass, ceramic or metal panels.

The key difference between IR heaters and convection ones directly follows from their name: most of the heat is transferred to the environment not through direct contact with air, but due to thermal radiation.

How we save: by placing such a device under the ceiling, we will make it heat the floor and the furniture standing on it. They, in turn, will begin to give off heat to the air in the lower part of the heated volume. As a result, we get an analogue of a warm floor, but at a much lower cost.

The temperature distribution is the same as in the case of a warm floor.

Moreover, the devices can be easily installed with your own hands after finishing the fine finish. When installing a warm floor, you will have to at least remove the finish coating.

Since infrared radiation will heat not only the floor, but also all the people in the room, the comfortable temperature will drop even more than when using a warm floor - up to 14-15 degrees.

Savings: at 0C outside, a decrease in the average temperature in the room from 25 to 15 degrees will save 40%.

Solar collectors

If solar panels are designed to generate electricity, then solar collectors are used to heat water. The collector can be flat or tubular; the best models of these devices utilize up to 85% of solar heat.

The main problem with these devices is that they only work during daylight hours. Not only that: the amount of heat that the collector produces varies depending on weather conditions. That is why solar heat is used only as additional source energy for heating.

To accumulate thermal energy in heating systems with solar collectors, our old friend, a heat accumulator, is used.

How we save: due to the utilization of absolutely free thermal radiation of the Sun.

Operating expenses - 0 rubles, 0 kopecks.

Savings: in central Russia on a clear day, a kilowatt of heat can be removed from a square meter of collector surface. With a day length of 8 hours, the theoretical maximum amount of thermal energy received from an area of 1 m2 is 8 kWh. A collector battery with an area of 60 m2 is capable of generating 8*60=240 kWh per day.

Even one collector with an area of 2 m 2, which produces 8 kilowatt-hours of heat per day, will reduce the cost of electric heating with a heating element boiler by 800-1000 rubles per month.

All this is in theory.

In practice, the picture is not so rosy:

On a cloudy winter day, the collector power drops to 100 watts per square;

Devices with a total area of 60 m2 will cost 600-700 thousand rubles at current prices. Solar heat is cheap at the stage of operation, but not at all when buying equipment.

An interesting fact: a few years ago, the energy sector in Europe headed for solar collectors and other alternative heat sources. In particular, in Cyprus the total collector area is 800 m2 per 1000 population. In Russia - 0.2 m 2 per 1000 people.

Heating with heat pumps

Heat pumps run on electricity and, despite this, are a source of very cheap heat.

How is this possible?

Let's study the work cycle.

The compressor compresses the freon gas. With excess pressure, it turns into a liquid and heats up;
The heat exchanger removes excess heat from our hot guy. It is utilized to heat the air in the house (directly or through a coolant);
At the expansion valve, the pressure of the refrigerant drops sharply and it evaporates. At the same time, the freon temperature instantly drops by several tens of degrees;
In an external heat exchanger, the gaseous refrigerant is heated by the external environment;
The heated gas is compressed by the compressor - and the cycle repeats.

The outside environment can be much colder than the air inside the house. The main thing is that freon should be even colder when passing through the heat exchanger.

What media can serve as a source of heat?

street air. Top Models air heat pumps are able to heat the house at -25 on the street;

Priming. Deeper than the freezing level, its temperature is above zero all year round. Heat exchangers can be immersed in wells or laid in trenches;

When laying horizontally, the area allotted for the collector should be three times the heated area.

Water. The heat exchanger is placed in a non-freezing reservoir (preferably a flowing one). The source of heat can be ground water: they are taken from the well and, after cooling, are discharged into the second, drainage well.

How we save: due to the fact that for every kilowatt consumed by the compressor, the pump pumps 3-6 kilowatts of heat into the house. This feature reduces the cost of a kilowatt-hour of energy to the level of a wood-burning boiler - with incomparable ease of use. The heat pump can operate offline, without any maintenance, indefinitely.

Savings: compared with a direct heating device - the same 3-6 times. The exact value depends on:

Outdoor heat exchanger temperatures. The colder the environment, the less heat can be taken away from it;
Internal heat exchanger temperatures. With its growth, the heat transfer of the pump per kilowatt of power decreases.

That is why heat pumps usually use underfloor heating or low-temperature radiator heating.

The main source of heat in my house is inverter air conditioners, a type of air source heat pump. A usable area of 154 square meters is heated by 4 devices with a total peak thermal power of 14 kW, consuming from 1.2 to 4 kW, depending on the street temperature. About 1500 kWh of electricity per month is consumed for heating needs.

Conclusion

I sincerely hope that my recommendations and experience will help the reader to choose an economical and affordable heating scheme. As always, the video in this article will give you the opportunity to get acquainted with additional information. I look forward to your comments. Good luck, comrades!