The most cost-effective heating of a private house

A solid fuel boiler is a unit that generates thermal energy by burning solid fuel. Wood, coal, pellets and briquettes can be used as solid fuel. A solid fuel boiler, like other heating devices, can perform 2 functions:

• heating of the room to the optimal temperature;

• heating of water for hot water supply (DHW).

As a heat source, 2 types of solid fuel boilers can be considered, the difference of which is based on the principle of operation of the devices:

1. Conventional combustion boiler. The principle of operation of the boiler is to burn wood, while the heat is released, which is subsequently used to heat the heat carrier.

2. Pyrolysis boiler. First, firewood is laid in the upper chamber and the combustion process takes place. Thereafter, the air supply is suspended and the wood begins to burn with a small amount of oxygen. In this case, pyrolysis gases are released, which are sent to the lower chamber. In the chamber, gases mix with air and burn out. At the final stage, the generated heat is transferred to the heat carrier through the heat exchanger.

The advantage of implementing a heating system based on a solid fuel boiler is its independence from gas.

However, the disadvantages of a solid fuel boiler are much greater:

• solid fuel has a rather high cost, since to ensure optimal heat transfer from wood, it is necessary to purchase raw materials with a high density;

• additional costs for the delivery and storage of wood, since it is necessary to provide a separate warehouse for raw materials so that the raw materials do not gain moisture, since a large amount of moisture will lead to low-heat transfer from wood;

• it is necessary to put wood into the boiler by yourself, as well as to constantly clean it to avoid the accumulation of dirt, which will lead to a decrease in the productivity of the device;

• low efficiency (coefficient of performance);

• high risk of fire;

• the need to place the boiler in a separate room.

Given the above, installing a solid fuel boiler is not an appropriate solution.

Gas heating is a system where gas is used as fuel, and the heat source is a gas boiler that works for heating and hot water.

There are several types of gas boilers, which differ in the principle of operation. Accordingly, gas boilers are divided into three types:

1. Atmospheric boiler is a device that has an open combustion chamber, respectively, the principle of operation is based on natural draft. This means that oxygen, which is used to enhance the burning of the flame, is taken from the room. Therefore, it is important to equip a separate boiler room for the installation of the boiler. The advantage of the boiler is the low cost of equipment. The main disadvantages include: low efficiency, the inability to install in the apartment, as well as regulate the power of the unit.

2. A turbocharged boiler is a unit that has a closed combustion chamber. The boiler has a fan for forced air intake, as well as for smoke removal. For operation, a coaxial chimney (“pipe in pipe”) is used, where combustion air enters through the outer diameter of the pipe, and exhaust gases are removed through the inner diameter. The advantage of the boiler is its price category, but it should be noted that a significant drawback is the low efficiency. Since during the combustion of gas and the transfer of heat to the heat carrier, part of the heat is emitted through the chimney.
3. ​Condensing boiler is modern equipment for space heating and hot water heating, which is suitable for both apartments and houses. The device has a heat exchanger, which consists of 2 chambers. In the primary chamber, where the burner is installed, the combustion of the previously received mixture of gas and air occurs. This produces carbon dioxide and water in the form of steam. Flue gases, passing through the first heat exchanger, give off most of their heat to the heat carrier. Then the flue gases pass into the secondary (cold) chamber, where the water has just been in a state of steam and begins to condense. In this case, additional heat is released. As a result of such work, the boiler has an increased efficiency (may exceed 100%). 

Based on this, after comparing all types of gas boilers, Alter Air gives its preference to a condensing type boiler.

​Inexpensive home heating based on an electric boiler that provides heating and hot water for residents. In this case, the boiler converts electrical energy into heat.

Modern electric boilers are equipped with a device that allows you to maintain a certain temperature - a thermostat. Thanks to the thermostat, you can program the power of the device, respectively, and the degree of heating of the heat carrier. In turn, this will provide residents with the opportunity to use only the amount of electricity they need without additional expenses.

The most profitable heating of a private house based on an electric boiler is equipped with weather compensated heating automation. This function will allow you to control the temperature in the room, thanks to a sensor that provides readings of the outdoor temperature.

Advantages of an electric boiler are as follows:

1. affordable cost of equipment;

2. eco-friendly device;

3. the presence of automation, which makes the device easy to maintain, and, if it fails, the owners of the unit will be able to remotely turn it off.

Disadvantages of an electric boiler:

• low efficiency (when electrical energy is converted into thermal energy, part of the thermal energy is lost). Based on this, with 1 kW of electricity, the boiler converts 0.9 kW of heat;

• supplying the required amount of kW to the house because if the amount is insufficient, the boiler will turn off, which will disrupt the operation of the heating system. Thus, it is necessary to perform a heat engineering calculation, which will indicate the amount of kW of electricity consumed during the operation of an electric boiler. If there is a discrepancy between the consumed kW and the heat calculation, the electric boiler and electrical appliances will work intermittently.

For efficient heating of the cottage, it is important to provide for the correct piping. The Alter company gives its preference to the radial distribution of pipes, since a servomotor is installed on each pipeline, which is controlled by a thermostat.

The heat accumulator is an important device of the heating system based on the heat pump. The main task of this device is to accumulate thermal energy to further use excess heat in the heating system. In addition, if you have an air-to-water heat pump installed, the system will be able to transfer heat from the buffer tank to the outdoor unit to perform the defrost function (in case of severe frosts).

To achieve a reduction in the cost of electricity or gas consumption, it is necessary to make sure that the heating units are equipped with precise control.

Precise control allows residents to have full access to the system, respectively, you can view the set parameters. This function is one of the most important because in the case, when you are not at home and remotely tracked (an application on your phone) that there is a malfunction in the system, you can quickly respond and turn off the heating device.

As we mentioned earlier, there is a weather compensated heating that will improve the operation of the boiler and the heating system as a whole, as well as the owners of the heating device will reduce their heating costs.

There is also a micro calibration function. Its job is to program a certain temperature at the right time. For example, you are not at home during the time range from 09:00 to 19:00. Based on this, the owners of the device can program the room temperature to +18 °C when you leave for work, and set the temperature to +23 °C before you arrive. Thus, when you arrive home, you will not feel the discomfort of the cold, as your house will warm up before you arrive. In addition, you will increase the level of energy efficiency and reduce energy costs.

Foremost, the underfloor heating system is a constant for human comfort during the cold season. This system can provide uniform heating of the air over the entire area of the room and provide additional comfort to residents.

Many people believe that by installing an underfloor heating system, you can do without a full-fledged heating system. Actually, it does not work that way. The main function of an underfloor heating is to warm the floor surface and increase the comfort of residents. Here is an example: the outside temperature is -5 °C, and the next day the temperature has risen sharply and is +7 °C. Since an underfloor heating is an inert system, when the floor surface is heated at sub-zero temperatures to a comfortable temperature, the floor will not be able to cool down quickly when the outside temperature becomes positive. The next disadvantage is that at low temperatures, an underfloor heating gets very hot, which will bring discomfort to the human foot.

Therefore, it is necessary to install additional devices to create an optimal microclimate in the room:

• radiator – a device that can heat the room;​

• fan coil unit – a device which main functions are cooling and heating of a country house, regardless of the season;

• n-floor convector – a device that heats the building. However, in case you purchase the Kampmann HK model, you can also get the cooling function in summer.

​Thanks to the above devices, the temperature of the floor surface will be in the range of + 24-26 °C, which is the optimal and comfortable temperature for the human foot. It is important to note that having installed cost-effective heating of houses based on a heat pump, it is necessary to replace the radiators with fan coil units. As we said earlier, radiators simply cannot work to cool the house, and to achieve the maximum efficiency of a heat pump, you need to use the unit, taking into account all its functions. Fan coil units can generate heat and cold, so if you have heat pump-based heating, it is more profitable to install this particular unit.

Firstly, to have budget heating at home, it is necessary to fulfill the requirements for high-quality insulation. Therefore, even at the construction stage, you need to understand that all building envelopes must be selected with the right insulation. Since with the wrong selection of insulation, the building will lose heat through the building envelope. Thus, when the heating system is operating, the heat will simply go out into the street, and accordingly, the residents of the house will spend much more money.

The cheapest way to heat a house is to implement a project based on an electric boiler. More information can be found in the «Electricity» section.

The most cost-effective heating of a private house is based on a heat pump. Since heat pumps have a high COP value, they can also work not only for heating and hot water supply, but also for cooling in the summer, unlike other heating devices.

In the section “Heat pumps” you can study in more detail information about the units.

Today, if we compare electricity and gas, we can safely say that electricity is more cost-effective to operate. Since there is no fixed cost for the purchase of gas, it is more rational to choose an alternative heating option, for example, a heat pump.

You can read more information about the implementation of a heating system based on a heat pump in the «Heat Pumps» section.