The best wall-mounted boilers. Which wall-mounted gas boiler is better? Wall-mounted gas boiler: characteristics, types, reviews
Among the various energy carriers consumed for heating private houses, natural gas continues to hold the first place. It remains an uncontested option for systems individual heating apartments. Therefore, homeowners continue to buy gas heating equipment, faced with the problem of choosing a thermal unit among the many models on offer. To help ordinary users, in this article we will give answers to the following questions:
- Which gas boiler is better for a private house and apartment - floor or wall?
- What is better - an open or closed combustion chamber in a heat generator?
- Under what conditions is it worth buying a double-circuit boiler, and when is a regular single-circuit boiler more suitable?
But first of all, we will figure out what types of household gas heating units are offered for sale and learn how to distinguish them from each other.
Types of gas boilers by installation method
The division into wall and floor models of heaters is clear - the first are made in a hinged version, and the second are placed on the floor. Those and others are divided into types according to the principle of work:
- Atmospheric. They are equipped with an open combustion chamber where air enters from the room where the gas boiler is located. The name says that the combustion process takes place at atmospheric pressure in the furnace.
- Supercharged (otherwise - turbocharged). They differ in a closed chamber, where air is supplied by forced injection (supercharging) by means of a fan.
- Condensing. These are turbocharged heat generators equipped with a special circular burner and a ring-shaped heat exchanger. The goal is to burn fuel as efficiently as possible, taking away thermal energy from the water vapor released during combustion, causing it to condense.
Parapet heater in section (left) and scheme of work (right)
There is another type of atmospheric aggregates low power- parapet (wall), they are also installed on the floor close to the wall, through which a section of the chimney passes horizontally directly from the side of the case.
Both wall and floor gas boilers are equipped with steel and cast iron heat exchangers, where the heat carrier for the water heating system is heated by a burner. In addition, heaters can be equipped with a second water heating circuit for household needs, providing hot water supply to a private house or apartment.
Domestic hot water is heated in a secondary circuit plate heat exchanger
There is another division of heating units - into single-circuit and double-circuit. To understand which boiler is better to choose for home heating, we suggest that you first familiarize yourself with their strengths and weaknesses.
Comparison of floor and wall-mounted imported boilers
Here you still need to figure out what to compare with. If we take foreign heat generators of the middle and highest price categories, for example, the well-known companies Buderus (Buderus), Viessmann (Vissmann), Baxi (Baxi) and Protherm (Proterm), then their wall and floor models practically do not differ structurally:
- both atmospheric series of gas boilers and turbocharged (condensing) are offered;
- both are equipped with their own circulation pump (usually with a pressure of 4 bar or 40 m of water column) and expansion tank(usually up to 10 l);
- can be single - and double-circuit;
- both versions are equipped with a built-in storage boiler for 45-60 liters in an expanded configuration;
- can be equipped with programmable controllers with the ability to connect room thermostats and weather-compensated automation.
It turns out that imported gas boilers in hinged and floor versions differ in 4 parameters: installation method, size, weight and price.
Boilers Proterm in section: floor Bear (left) and wall Tiger (right)
As an example, let's compare 2 models of the famous Slovak brand Proterm - a floor double-circuit gas boiler Medved 20 KLZ and its wall-mounted "brother" Tiger 24 KOZ. In terms of power, they are approximately the same, as well as in terms of configuration. The difference is only in the material of the heat exchanger, for the "Bear" it is cast iron, and for the "Tiger" it is steel. The characteristics of the units are presented in the comparative table:
The table shows that the Protherm mounted heat generator of the Tiger series outperforms the Bear in terms of price, size and weight, there is a difference in power. The stationary unit is almost 30% more expensive and larger in size due to the cast-iron heat exchanger and the built-in storage boiler with a volume of 90 liters (the mass of the heaters is measured without water). Due to this boiler, the "Bear" can provide more water for hot water supply than the suspended "Tiger".
The above example vividly characterizes the general trend when comparing floor and wall-mounted gas boilers used for heating private houses and apartments. Mounted models are always lighter, smaller and cheaper.
Comparison of domestic heating equipment
The situation does not change much when considering thermal units of Russian or Ukrainian production. Mostly gas floor single-circuit boilers, manufactured in the territory of the countries of the former CIS, have the following functional features:
- do not need to be connected to the house electrical network, that is, they are non-volatile;
- equipped with an open combustion chamber;
- are not equipped with their own circulation pump and expansion tank;
- do not have a circuit for heating water for household needs.
Of course, foreign manufacturers also offer gas boilers of such a simple design, but they are 1.5-2 times more expensive than domestic ones. At the same time, some companies from the CIS countries produce double-circuit gas heat generators designed for installation on the floor (for example, Danko and Aton).
Modern suspended units with a closed combustion chamber and equipped no worse than imported ones are produced by the Neva company from St. Petersburg. To figure out which version of the domestic boiler is better - floor or wall, let's compare the models of these manufacturers in the table:
It is easy to make sure that buying a Neva suspended turbocharged boiler is much more profitable than a floor-standing version of Danko, which is close in power. At almost the same price, the St. Petersburg unit is equipped with much richer, and much lighter in weight. A logical question arises - why then do we need heaters like Danko, if they are more expensive than “wall-mounted” stuffed with equipment and automation? We will give the answer in the next section.
Which boiler is better to choose?
In addition to the main specifications and prices, the choice of a heating unit is influenced by the operating conditions and recommendations of specialists who regularly service gas-using installations in private homes.
It is noteworthy that these workers in most cases recommend buying a gas floor boiler with atmospheric burner and without any "bells and whistles". It is understandable: such equipment is easier to maintain, and it breaks down quite rarely.
Taking into account practical experience in the field of heating private housing and reviews of various types of natural gas heating equipment, we give the following recommendations for choosing a heat source:
- If electricity is supplied to your apartment or house almost without interruption, then preference should be given to wall-mounted models of heat generators. They take up less space, are cheaper and more practical, since they are a ready-made mini-boiler room.
- When to provide hot water 1 bathroom and a faucet in the kitchen, also feel free to purchase a hanging boiler of the required power. Its DHW capacity is just enough for two consumers.
- In a private house where frequent or long-term power outages occur, you need to install a non-volatile gas boiler floor type. He will be able to work with gravity without any problems. open system heating, where the coolant moves by gravity.
- In large cottages, where several different systems heating and 2-3 heat generators for various types of fuel, it is appropriate to install a floor-standing gas unit without a built-in pump and expansion tank. It is better to install these elements separately, since their work will be related to the functioning of other heaters.
The most budget option for small houses (up to 150 m²) is a parapet non-volatile boiler with a straight chimney that goes through the wall. These are produced with limited power - up to 15 kW. Under it, you do not have to specially build a chimney.
An important point: when choosing a thermal unit for closed system heating, pay attention to the operating pressure (indicated in the passport). It should be 3 bar. For open water systems, a pressure of 2 bar is sufficient.
There are situations when a suspended heat generator cannot be installed for various reasons, for example:
- in the kitchen, the walls are occupied by cabinets and household appliances;
- the building structure or its finish does not allow hanging the unit weighing 50 kg or more;
- there is no space on the walls in the boiler room or it is difficult to bring pipelines.
Then it remains to purchase a floor boiler of similar power and mount it in a convenient place. When we have decided on the installation method, we proceed to the choice of the heating installation according to the principle of operation.
Atmospheric or supercharged?
In turbocharged heaters, air is forced into the closed chamber by means of a fan. This provides the following benefits:
- instead of a traditional chimney, you can use a coaxial one in the form of a double-walled pipe that goes outside directly from the boiler;
- The efficiency of the supercharged unit reaches 92-93% (condensing - 95%) versus 88-90% for the "aspirated";
- ease of use due to a high degree of automation;
- the turbo boiler remains the only alternative for apartments not equipped with chimney ducts.
Closed chamber gas turbine boiler
In practice, you will not feel the difference in efficiency of 3%, so this advantage is rather illusory. Although gas-fired heating boilers with forced air supply are more expensive than atmospheric ones, they eliminate the need to install a traditional chimney. On the other hand, they are more difficult to maintain.
Advice. When a chimney channel has already been made in the house, it is worth buying a conventional heat generator with an open combustion chamber. More expensive units of this type are automated no worse than turbocharged ones and can function in conjunction with weather sensors, thermostats, or change the temperature in the premises according to the time of day.
Heat generator with open chamber (atmospheric)
When you live far from major cities where service centres for the maintenance of gas-using equipment, you should not buy an expensive "fancy" pressurized gas boiler. Try to choose a simpler and more reliable modification of the atmospheric type, so that in the event of a malfunction, you do not have to pay fabulous money for the arrival of specialists.
The question of the price of equipment and its maintenance is especially acute in the case of condensing gas boilers. They are expensive and complex, and therefore such a purchase is justified only for large heated areas (over 500 m²).
Condensing type turbo boiler
About DHW heating
As stated in the recommendations above, double-circuit wall and floor standing boilers with flow heat exchangers are effective at low water consumption (1-2 consumers). In addition, for heating water, they are completely disconnected from the heating system, since this function is a priority for the controller.
In a cottage with two bathrooms, a laundry room and a kitchen, a wall mount with a flow heat exchanger will not be enough. There are 2 options here:
- Mounted or floor heater with built-in storage tank with a capacity of 45 to 100 liters.
- The floor single-circuit unit working together with an indirect heating boiler. You can also apply a mounted modification with one heating circuit.
The latter option is suitable for providing any water flow for hot water supply. Only this wish should be foreseen at the stage of purchase gas boiler, choosing it with a power margin of 1.5-2 times the heat demand. If you do not take into account the additional power for hot water supply, then the generated thermal energy will not be enough to heat the home.
Conclusion
In most cases, it is better to choose and buy a wall-mounted gas boiler than a floor-standing one. It remains only to decide on the price category and equipment manufacturer. But not always the most reliable boiler is the most expensive one. For example, the electronics of elite heat generators from Buderus, Ferroli or Vaillant can simply not withstand voltage drops in our network. Therefore, it is necessary to choose a heating unit for yourself, taking into account all operating conditions, and only then decide on the price category.
More information on the topic of choosing a natural gas boiler is shown in the video:
Manufacturers of heating systems are gradually abandoning the usual boilers and boilers of old models that take up a lot of space. A few years ago, a new device appeared on sale that is suitable for both an apartment and a private house - this is a wall-mounted gas boiler. Which is better? This article is devoted to this issue.
What is this device?
Before talking about the advantages or disadvantages of certain models of gas boilers, you need to understand what is at stake. The heating system involves the installation of a special device that receives thermal energy for various purposes. This can be water heating, household needs, etc. The fuel for such boilers is natural gas. The most commonly used propane-butane or methane.
Wall-mounted gas boilers today are the most preferred types of devices that are distinguished by their low cost, economy and ease of use. They work according to the following principle: when fuel is supplied to the boiler, electronic or piezo ignition is switched on. From the received spark, the igniter lights up, from it - the main burner, which heats the coolant to the desired temperature. Then the automatic thermostat turns off the burner. If the temperature drops, then a special sensor gives a command, and the process repeats again. How to choose a floor or wall-mounted gas boiler, which one is better - you will learn about this a little later.
Types of gas boilers
A wide range of heating generators is available in specialized and construction stores. There are several classifications that allow you to divide gas boilers into different types.
By the number of circuits, they are divided into:
Single-circuit;
Double-circuit.
According to the method of installation work, boilers are divided into:
Wall mounted;
Floor.
Also, depending on the type of fuel, heating devices are classified as follows:
Solid and liquid fuel;
Electrical;
Gas.
According to the principle of submission hot water and removal of combustion products boilers are divided into:
Accumulative and flowing;
With natural and forced draft.
Characteristics of wall-mounted gas boilers
Wall-mounted gas boilers have a number of characteristics and properties that distinguish some models from others.
Power is one of the most important parameters of heating devices. The value of this characteristic depends on the heat loss of the building/apartment. There are special formulas by which this indicator can be calculated. Therefore, it is best to invite a specialist who can easily do this. Ordinary customers choose boilers with a power reserve. However, one should take into account the area of the heated room, the presence of ventilation, vents, etc.
Combustion chamber design. Turbocharged boilers have a so-called pipe in a pipe that exits through a hole in the wall. The exhaust gas is removed through the circuit. In the case of an open combustion chamber, oxygen enters the boiler from the room, and is removed through ventilation.
The number of contours. The type of model depends on the purpose of heating the coolant. For domestic needs, wall-mounted double-circuit gas boilers are most often used. What are their advantages? The device with one circuit works together with the external boiler from which it is assembled. In the case of several circuits, the installation does not take up much space, it can be hung directly in the kitchen. Such units are very economical, they justify themselves in 1 year of operation. Modern installations are equipped with a security system that will ensure the peace of mind of the owners. With the help of various sensors, you can independently regulate and control the process of heating the coolant.
Burner type.
Type of heat exchange system.
Given these characteristics, you will understand how to choose
What to look for when buying?
Which boilers are better and what to look for when choosing a particular model? Such questions often concern buyers. First of all, it is necessary to evaluate the efficiency of the installation, that is, to find out its efficiency. Modern devices have an efficiency in the region of 91-93%.
To be sure that you bought an up-to-date model, pay attention to the presence of a comfort function, that is, a thermometer and a pressure gauge. These sensors will allow you to regulate the level of heat in the apartment, and also help to control the safety of heating the coolant.
We choose a gas boiler only from well-known manufacturers. On high-quality equipment, information about the manufacturer must be indicated. If there are no inscriptions on the boiler, or there is only its name, then it is not worth the risk.
Pay attention to the volume The minimum value should be at the level of 7-8 liters. Ask about the price of spare parts. Unfortunately, there are situations when repair or replacement of parts cannot be avoided. If you are prepared for force majeure, the question of how to choose a gas heating boiler will not cause you unnecessary worries and doubts.
The difference between wall-mounted and floor-standing devices
Many people have a question about what to choose - a floor or wall-mounted gas boiler. Which is better and what are their differences?
1. Units vary in design and installation. The floor generator is a heat exchanger, and in the event of a breakdown of the burner device, you will be left without heat. A wall-mounted boiler is repaired easier and faster.
2. Service life floor structure much higher than wall-mounted units. Boilers that are mounted on the floor will serve you for more than 20 years, wall-mounted installations - no more than 10.
3. Heating equipment differs from each other in the type of automation. The wall-mounted generator is standardly equipped with a factory security system, and it is not always possible to find a specific sensor for it (unlike a competitor, on which any type of automation can be installed).
Rules for the operation of gas boilers
In order for heating equipment to work safely and efficiently, the following rules must be followed:
Check the presence of draft before each turning on the generator;
Do not use faulty gas equipment;
Start the gas boiler only when running water has entered it (the pressure value on the pressure gauge should not be less than 1.2 bar);
When the boiler is working, do not close the hot water taps to avoid pressure buildup inside the heating tank;
Constantly ventilate the room with the heating gas unit;
Check if the system is equipped with an automatic shutdown of the gas supply after a certain time;
When repairing or servicing a gas generator, use only the technical documentation for this model.
Manufacturers
Modern manufacturers of heating equipment produce various models. Over the past few years, customers have increasingly chosen a wall-mounted gas boiler. Which generator is better - domestic or foreign? Here are some of the main well-known manufacturers that produce quality products:
Russian company "Anton". It has been on the market for a long time - since 1991. The main advantage of the product is its affordable price.
Ariston is an Italian company known to everyone without exception. Since 1975, the company has been producing a variety of equipment (including heating equipment). Ariston gas generators are practical and powerful.
- "Thermobar" produces gas installations of domestic production. An extensive range allows you to choose the technique to your liking.
The German company Bosch appeared on the market in 1886. The manufacturer from Germany produces different kinds technology. Gas equipment is one of the leading areas of development.
Viesmann is a well-known manufacturer of gas boilers from Germany. Produces professional quality products for the heating system.
The Czech company Protherm is a new market leader in gas boilers. Produces a large number of different models.
Price
Which is better to choose a wall-mounted gas boiler - cheap or expensive? It is better to stick to the golden mean. Worth fearing gas installations at an incredibly low cost, a quality generator cannot be sold for next to nothing. Wall mounted gas models are available at different price- it all depends on the characteristics of the device, the manufacturer and a number of other features. The average cost of a heating unit varies between 18-28 thousand rubles. Models with decorative control panels or an advanced diagnostic system will cost more - 30-40 thousand rubles.
Wall-mounted gas boiler: reviews. Which is better?
Before purchasing any product, you need to study the opinions of specialists and buyers who leave their impressions of buying on the websites of online stores or on the official pages of the manufacturer.
Wall-mounted generators have proven to be practical and safe installations. Buyers note the efficiency of the device. Many use gas boilers of this type during the shutdown of hot water. Wall-mounted generator can be hung in the kitchen or bathroom, it does not take up much space. Its only drawback is a little noise during operation. Someone is not satisfied with the cost, but a wide range of products allows you to choose the installation according to your pocket. As most users note, it is better to purchase a well-known brand.
Choosing a wall-mounted gas boiler, you save a lot, and your home will always have a warm and pleasant atmosphere.
Gas boilers are the most cost-effective solution for heating a private house. Such equipment has a fairly large number of characteristics, the main of which is the type of execution. Boilers are floor and wall. And for many people, choosing one of these options is quite a challenge. Therefore, in order to make the right decision, it is necessary to consider the main characteristics and differences between floor and wall units.
Features of choosing a wall or floor boiler
Wall-mounted double-circuit boiler - functionality and compactness, however, it is forbidden to install such boilers in kitchens! More on this...
When figuring out which is better, a wall-mounted or floor-standing gas boiler, it is necessary to consider in detail the characteristics of one and the other option. No specialist can unequivocally answer this question, because the choice in this case is purely subjective.
A good video sketch about choosing a wall-mounted or floor-mounted boiler
Wall-mounted gas boilers
Such designs appeared later than floor ones, but quickly managed to gain high popularity among consumers. Wall-mounted boilers include all the necessary components and do not require additional units to be connected to the system. Therefore, they are called mini-boilers.
Important! The wall-mounted boiler does not need a complex wiring diagram. It connects directly to the radiator and does not require any additional components in the system.
The main advantages of wall-mounted boilers:
- Maybe, The main advantage is the compact size. Such equipment does not require the mandatory presence of a utility room and can even be installed in the kitchen.
- Convenient remote control. Remote mode work is provided in almost all wall models.
- Installation of a wall-mounted boiler is extremely simple and fast. It takes only a couple of hours to install a wall-mounted boiler. A professional will spend no more than an hour on the whole complex of works.
- Such a unit can be safely installed in the presence of a coaxial chimney.
- Acceptable cost. Regarding the price, the difference between the floor and wall-mounted gas boiler is very significant. The first option is about twice as expensive as the second.
The modern water heating system is a high-tech engineering network, which is complex and expensive. In addition to efficiency modern systems heating very important characteristic is their reliability, which indicates the possibility of uninterrupted operation. Unfortunately, one of the most common problems that arise in heating systems is the depressurization of the circuits. To effectively detect problem areas, pressure testing of the heating system is used.
Naturally, wall structures cannot be devoid of disadvantages:
- Little power. A wall-mounted boiler is good for heating a house with an area of \u200b\u200bno more than 100 m2. For houses with a larger area, it is better to choose a floor-standing option, otherwise you may need to purchase several wall-mounted boilers.
- Such designs are suitable for use in systems with forced circulation only.
- Low reliability. This equipment breaks much more often than outdoor equipment.
- The service life is not more than 20 years, which is much less than that of outdoor counterparts.
Floor standing gas boilers
Floor structures have the following advantages:
- The presence of a high-quality heat exchanger in the system ensures a long service life of the equipment. It is the heat exchanger that experiences the greatest load during the operation of this equipment. Floor gas boilers serve about 50 years.
- Possibility of installation in any type of heating system: both with forced circulation and with natural circulation.
- Floor gas boilers have no restrictions in terms of power. Whatever area the house is, one such boiler can heat it (of course, provided right choice equipment).
Disadvantages of floor boilers:
- Large dimensions and weight. To install gas boilers, it is necessary to allocate a separate room for the boiler room. It is important to take into account all the requirements of SNiP.
- Gas boilers cannot be used with coaxial chimneys.
- Equipment is expensive.
- Complicated installation floor heating boilers. To install such a boiler, you need to spend about four hours. Be sure to carry out test runs to make sure that the installation was carried out correctly.
Choosing a place for the boiler
To install a gas boiler, you should first prepare the room. Since the gas is explosive, the room in which the boiler will be located must comply with a number of standards and requirements. Let's consider some of them:
- In order to effectively discharge the products of combustion, a special channel is equipped in one of the walls.
- Ceilings must be at least 2.5 meters high.
- The room must have a natural light source.
Advice! To calculate the minimum window area in such rooms, you must use the formula: 0.03 m2 of window surface should fall on each cubic meter of space.
- At the bottom of the wall or door we have a ventilation grill.
- Wall structures must have sufficient fire resistance.
- One of the main requirements during installation is the compliance of the chimney section with the boiler power.
- The doorway must be at least 80 cm wide.
- The system must necessarily include a gas analyzer and an automatic valve, which, if necessary, must shut off the further fuel supply.
- The layout should provide for convenient access to the heating unit.
If the boiler power is not more than 60 kW, then it can be installed in any room, except for living rooms. Optimal location accommodation for gas equipment considered a bathroom.
It is forbidden to install double-circuit boilers in kitchens. Units with a power exceeding 150 kW may only be installed on the basement or first floor. When installing less powerful structures, the floor does not matter.
Installation Features
When purchasing equipment, you need to pay attention to its fastening. It is desirable that the necessary fasteners are included with the equipment. In their absence, you must immediately purchase all the necessary fasteners.
Important! When buying gas equipment, you need to check it for a certificate. If such a document is missing, then the device may not have been registered, which in itself should arouse suspicion. The serial number and characteristics of the equipment must match the information indicated in the passport.
How to install a floor-standing boiler
Before installing such equipment, it is necessary to carefully prepare the site. The installation process itself is carried out in several stages:
- Due to the heavy weight of the equipment, it may be necessary to pour a concrete screed.
Advice! It is desirable that the floor area on which the boiler will be mounted has a heat-resistant and fire-resistant coating. If it is not there, then concrete blocks are laid on the floor, 100 mm high, covered from above with sheets of metal, 0.8 mm thick. You can also use refractory boards.
- The boiler is installed at least 0.1 meters from the wall. It can be pushed close only if the walls have a refractory coating. Such insulation is performed by roofing steel, which is laid on top of the asbestos sheet.
- The base for the boiler must be perfectly flat.. After installing the equipment, it is checked according to the building level. Solid, non-combustible material may be placed under the feet of the unit.
- The boiler must be connected to the heating system and to the chimney. To prevent rapid clogging of the heat exchanger, it is necessary to install a hard filter before the return inlet.
- If the equipment is double-circuit, then it should also be connected to the pipeline.
Important! It is recommended to install the boiler in such a way that the process of dismantling it does not cause unnecessary trouble. On the pipes connected to the device, install shut-off valves which will greatly facilitate the dismantling process, if the need arises.
After installing the equipment, it is advisable to invite a certified specialist who can check how all the installation rules have been observed.
How to install a hanging boiler
Differences in the installation of wall-mounted equipment are that the installation standards require flushing of the inner tubes. This is necessary to remove small debris that could accumulate during the assembly process. Therefore, it is necessary to remove the transport plugs from the device, after which water is passed through it under low pressure. Upon completion of such flushing, the equipment will be completely ready for installation.
Installation of wall-mounted boilers is carried out in several stages:
- Mount the unit on a flat and solid wall.
- A gasket made of non-combustible material, the width of which is at least 3 mm, is attached to the wall along the boiler area.
- The instrument must be located at least 20 cm from other equipment and flammable materials.
- First, profiles are attached to the wall, on which the device will subsequently be fixed. The height from the floor should be within 0.7 - 1.5 meters.
- Having fixed the device, it is necessary to check its evenness in level. If deviations from the vertical occur, they must be corrected, otherwise the boiler may not work correctly.
- The device is connected to the water supply. To do this, remove the plugs from the nozzles. It is advisable to install filters at the inlets that will protect the heat exchanger from clogging.
- To connect the boiler to the gas pipeline, use metal pipe with hard connection. A special drive may be used. It is mandatory to use a paronite gasket.
Conclusion
A good boiler, subject to its correct choice and proper installation, will be able to provide necessary heat all housing. Therefore, when considering which heater to choose, it is necessary to pay attention to a number of nuances, from the heated area to the installation features.
Which one is better
Modern market heating appliances oversaturated with various devices that differ from each other both in functionality and location. Therefore, the consumer wants to know which boiler is better - floor or wall.
With the development of the gas industry and the expansion of the consumer market, gas boilers have become especially popular. They differ in the number of circuits, cost and features of operation. But before deciding which boiler is better, you need to understand its structure and principle of operation.
Gas boilers - general concepts
Gas heating units are compact devices that can be placed both on the floor and on the wall. Stylish modern design makes it easy to fit them into the interior of any room.
By location, there are:
- wall boilers;
- floor.
By design features are:
- single-circuit devices;
- double-circuit.
Single-circuit devices are designed to heat the coolant that enters the heating system thus creating a comfortable temperature in the house. The use of a single-circuit design is also possible for hot water supply if a boiler is connected to it. But this will take up extra space and require extra connections.
Double-circuit units, as the name implies, have two internal devices. One of them is responsible for heating the coolant, and the second is for heating water for the hot water supply system.
Everyone has modern models gas boilers have a piezo ignition or its electronic counterpart. The resulting spark ignites the gas entering the igniter, after which the main burner lights up. It heats the coolant to a certain temperature, which is controlled by special sensors and other safety and control equipment.
The heat exchanger located inside the heating device can be made of copper, steel or cast iron. Boilers with a steel heat exchanger are much lighter in weight than those with a cast iron internal. But the steel structure corrodes faster, which shortens the life of the gas boiler. Cast iron, in addition to weighing a lot, requires careful attention during transportation and installation. Being a brittle material, it does not withstand shocks, from which microcracks appear in the cast iron body. In the future, they lead to leakage of the heat exchanger, which requires its replacement.
Gas boilers can operate both on natural gas and on liquefied gas, which is supplied to consumers in cylinders. Some models of gas heating appliances are designed to consume electricity. They are equipped with inflatable burners, circulation pumps, coaxial chimneys, electric ignition and other elements powered by electricity. All this makes you carefully study the proposed models of gas units before deciding which boiler to buy.
Benefits of a floor boiler
Floor structures, first of all, are distinguished by increased power. It can reach up to several thousand kilowatts, which allows heating large areas.
Note! These boilers can be used with atmospheric burners and inflatable burners, which implies the use of such devices when working with natural or liquefied gas.
Heat exchangers in floor units can be made of steel or cast iron. have many advantages:
- High performance units with minimal gas consumption due to modern combustion chambers made according to the latest technical developments, as well as the presence automated system management.
- Maximum heat dissipation.
- The possibility of equipping with various metering and control devices, as a result of which a comfortable temperature is maintained without human intervention.
- Safe operation and long service life.
- Silent operation of the device.
- Easy maintenance and repair in case of malfunctions, which are automatically indicated by the diagnostic system.
- Minimal emission of harmful substances into the atmosphere.
- Acceptable prices.
Floor gas device
Can heat an area up to 800 square meters, which allows it to be used both in residential buildings and in industrial premises. During its operation, it can simultaneously heat the coolant for both the heating system and hot water supply. Its efficiency reaches 90%.
But it would be unfair to keep silent about the shortcomings of such heating devices.
The gas floor boiler must be installed in a separate room, which should be equipped according to certain norms and rules. Its installation is complex, so only a professional with the right to access and a license to perform such work can handle it.
Advantages of a wall-mounted gas boiler
Wall-mounted gas boilers are remarkable in that they can heat even an average city apartment or separately. standing house area up to 350 square meters. In addition, they have a low cost.
An interesting design and compact dimensions make it possible to install them anywhere - be it a kitchen, bathroom or other suitable space. They do not require a separate room, as for floor units.
Single-circuit boiler
Small in size, these boilers have all the necessary functionality, like their floor counterparts. When the heating system switches to liquefied or natural gas, only the nozzles change. Wall-mounted gas devices can, like floor-standing ones, provide not only heat in the house, but also hot water supply due to the built-in boiler.
But still, wall-mounted attachments are significantly inferior to floor-mounted ones, since the water or coolant in it heats up much more slowly. And when hot water is drawn from several points at the same time, for example, from a kitchen faucet and a bathtub, the temperature of the batteries at this time may decrease.
And one more drawback that consumers need to consider when choosing a wall model gas device. This is the poor susceptibility of the boiler to hard and oxygenated water, as a result of which the internal surface of the heat exchanger is overgrown with scale and rust.
Criteria for choosing a heating gas boiler
When a person needs heating device, first of all, he pays attention to its cost, and only then to other parameters and characteristics. When the price of the product comes first, it is better to purchase a wall-mounted model if the area of \u200b\u200bthe house is small and the water is heated by an electric boiler.
Note! There are wall models with coaxial chimney, which is arranged directly in the wall. Therefore, there is no need to build a chimney passing through the roof and roof, as well as to install an expansion tank, which significantly reduces costs.
The next parameter when choosing a boiler should be considered economical gas consumption. This requirement is met by condensing boilers - both mounted and floor standing. They consume fuel on average 30% less, but their cost and further maintenance are much more expensive than other models. Therefore, here the economy is still in question. Considering that the heat exchanger in such boilers is steel, their service life is much lower than that of floor counterparts.
Choosing a boiler for country house, you need to make sure that it has several inputs and outputs, so that in the future you can connect hot water supply or a system of underfloor heating.
Wall mounted boiler with boiler
Since in our country the pressure in the gas pipelines is not stable, as well as the voltage in the electrical networks, it is worth paying more attention to the presence of high-quality automatic control and safety in gas boilers. These include:
- A blocking thermostat that shuts off the gas supply if the water temperature reaches a critical limit.
- Controllers and blockers that also stop the supply of gas and water if there is a power failure or pressure jumps in the gas line.
- Gas blocker when the flame in the main burner goes out.
- A sensor that controls the level of traction.
When choosing a volatile boiler, you need to think about purchasing a voltage stabilizer or uninterruptible power supply.
Remember that buying a gas boiler is only half the battle. Quite a lot of hassle and red tape will have to endure, getting permission to install this miracle technology. Only specialists should carry out its installation, otherwise you will not be signed permits. If you bought a floor-standing boiler, you will have to prepare a separate room for it that meets all the requirements of the gas and fire service.
Conclusion
Knowing general principles the operation of wall and floor devices, as well as their functional differences, everyone will be able to decide on the choice of a heating gas boiler. It is impossible to advise which boiler should be bought and which should not. Every homeowner has different goals and financial options. But in any case, competent installation of equipment, legal registration and subsequent control are necessary. After all, gas requires caution and attention.
Natural gas has been and still remains the main energy carrier used to heat private homes both in Western Europe and in the post-Soviet space. Because of this, the range of heating gas equipment on the modern market is extremely wide. A homeowner who decides to purchase such a heat source immediately has problems with the choice. A number of questions arise - which gas boiler is better to choose for a private house - wall or floor? Chimney or turbocharged? With one loop or two? The answers to these questions can be found in this article.
Types of gas boilers
The choice of heat source in each specific case depends on many individual conditions. But before giving recommendations, we systematize all the information on gas boilers, distributing them by type. So, according to the installation method, thermal units are divided into 2 groups:
- floor;
- wall.
According to the principle of operation, gas heating boilers are offered in the following types:
- chimney (otherwise - atmospheric);
- turbocharged (or supercharged);
- condensation.
In the above list, the types of units are listed in ascending order of efficiency, and hence efficiency. The efficiency of the simplest chimney heat generators that do not depend on electricity barely reaches 88-90%. The efficiency of pressurized boilers is higher - up to 94%, and the most high-tech condensing units win here, whose efficiency can reach 98%. It is worth taking note that the price of equipment also grows in the same sequence.
Heat sources that act only on the heating system of the building are considered single-circuit. If the design of the apparatus provides for the preparation of water for the needs of hot water supply, then it is a double-circuit one. In addition, the equipment may have one or another degree of automation and functionality, but we will not dwell on this, but we will systematize the information a little to make it easier to choose a gas boiler.
Floor heat generators are most often single-circuit atmospheric boilers of high power, they can be non-volatile. There are also models with a closed combustion chamber (turbocharged), as well as condensing ones, but usually they have a power of over 100 kW. Wall-mounted units, on the contrary, in the bulk - pressurized or condensing, very often - double-circuit. The maximum power of the boiler line of any manufacturer does not exceed 150 kW. As usual, there are exceptions to any rule that are not taken into account here.
Advantages and disadvantages of wall-mounted boilers
Consider wall-mounted heat sources in relation to various operating conditions. First, let's look at the advantages:
- turbocharged wall-mounted gas boilers with a power of up to 35 kW are quite compact and light in weight (up to 70 kg). For this reason, they can be placed in any technological room, it is not necessary to allocate a special room;
- in order to simplify the piping, the units are equipped with a built-in circulation pump, an expansion tank (or even two for hot water supply), control and automation devices. Almost all manufacturers offer modifications with a circuit for heating water;
- since almost all wall-mounted boilers are turbocharged, they do not require a traditional full-fledged chimney and air extraction from the room. It is enough to bring the coaxial pipe to the street right through the wall;
- for the same reason, heat generators with a power of up to 100 kW are more economical than floor-standing ones.
In the low power range, wall-mounted and floor-standing gas boilers can compete with each other on only one criterion - price. Outdoor ones will cost less, as they do not have such a rich set. By the way, the "full stuffing" of wall-mounted units often plays a cruel joke with their owners. The fact is that the device is literally stuffed with various details and functional elements, which from time to time begin to “act up”. Due to the complexity of the design, it is almost impossible to make repairs at home.
Another disadvantage is the large mass of powerful wall-mounted heaters. For example, the VIESSMANN Vitodens 200W model with a thermal output of 32-150 kW weighs 130 kg, which makes hanging it on the wall very problematic. Not every building structure can withstand such a load, you will need special fasteners.
And the last. Before buying a wall hung boiler in a private house, you should remember that the built-in circulation pump always works and it is impossible to disable it without interfering with the circuit. This can create difficulties for the normal integration of the apparatus into the furnace, where there are already other boilers and separate pumps.
Advantages and disadvantages of floor boilers
First, about the advantages of outdoor units. Here is their list:
- There are many chimney models, whose work does not depend on electricity. This is the most reliable boiler for a private house located in an area with an unreliable power supply;
- structurally, the heat generator is simpler and more reliable than its "brothers" suspended on the wall.
- low-power heat sources do not have to be located in the furnace, they can be placed in any room where there is a good chimney;
- the stationary version is easier to link with other boiler systems using separate circulation pumps.
- when you need more thermal power and significant water consumption for domestic hot water needs, a floor gas boiler is the best solution.
Regarding installation work. It cannot be said that installing a stationary unit will cost more than hanging and connecting a wall unit. After all, in the latter case, you need to perform work on finishing the room or assembling the cabinet. So it all depends on individual conditions.
Atmospheric heat generators placed on the floor require a chimney, this is their main drawback. If the cost of the boiler is cheaper than the suspended one, then the device of the chimney will more than cover this difference. The conclusion is as follows: when the house already has a smoke shaft, then you can buy an atmospheric stationary model. If there is no chimney, then it is worth choosing a turbocharged version - floor or suspended, depending on the required power.
Turbocharged or chimney?
As mentioned above, if you have a full-fledged chimney with good draft, it makes sense to purchase a conventional thermal unit. There is only one reason - a decrease in the total cost of organizing home heating. An atmospheric single-circuit boiler will come out cheaper than a pressurized one, although it will lose a little to it in terms of efficiency. But, as practice shows, the difference in the efficiency of these two heat sources of about 4% in real life is completely invisible. After all, gas consumption is influenced by many different factors in addition to efficiency.
The advantage of a heat generator with a closed combustion chamber is not only the simplicity of the chimney. Although a turbocharged boiler will cost more than a conventional one, it is incomparably better in terms of ease of use. Such devices are able to maintain the temperature in the building using remote sensors - room or weather-dependent, as well as change it at different times of the day. The only serious disadvantage of a pressurized boiler is its dependence on electricity. When it is turned off, the unit will automatically stop, which is unacceptable in winter. Because of this, it is better to choose equipment with an uninterruptible power supply for heating a private house.
Single loop or double loop?
Hot water supply is necessary in any home, especially during the cold season. The question is how to get this water correctly and most economically. It all depends on the maximum flow in the DHW network, the number of consumers and the simultaneity of their work. Double-circuit heat generators with a flow heat exchanger are relevant when it is necessary to provide 2-3 consumers while turning on no more than 2 taps.
But what if the consumption and the number of consumers are greater? To do this, there are heat sources with a built-in or remote storage tank. Then, for a certain period of time, the container will provide a sufficiently large amount of hot water prepared in advance. The duration of this segment directly depends on the capacity of the tank.
Oddly enough, to supply a large amount of hot water, the use of double-circuit boilers is not required. On the contrary, you should buy and install a powerful single-circuit heat generator and an indirect heating boiler. Such a scheme is gaining more and more popularity, since it allows you to easily get the right amount of hot water, although the initial investment in equipment is quite high.
It is impossible to say unequivocally which of the boilers is better for all occasions, a lot depends on the operating conditions and the wishes of the user. For example, high-tech wall-mounted boilers are more suitable for apartments and small houses, although they can also be used in cottages with several floors. In turn, a stationary unit is a symbol of reliability and quality factor, but it is absolutely not suitable for an apartment.