This article will look at a boiler room in a private house. Namely, we will analyze: the types of boiler rooms used in a private house, the requirements for a boiler room in a house, general issues of constructing a boiler room, and other issues.
Types of boiler houses
So, the boiler room of a country house can be of several types. It is convenient to consider these types according to the following main characteristics:
Depending on the energy carrier used:
- gas (natural or liquefied gas);
- liquid fuel (diesel fuel, waste oil, fuel oil);
- solid fuel (coal, firewood, peat, coke);
- combined (both gas and liquid fuels);
- electrical (electrical energy).
General view of the boiler
Depending on the location of the boiler room relative to the house:
- detached, stationary (located in a separate building from a private house);
- built-in (located in a separate room of a private house);
- attached (made as an extension directly to a private house);
- block-modular (the power plant is located in a separate mobile container block);
- roof (located in the attic of a private house).
Type of boiler room
Boiler room design
Design and installation of boiler room equipment is the most important stage in the process of its construction.
To avoid mistakes that could result in financial losses for you, the right decision would be to contact a specialized design and installation organization (hereinafter referred to as the contractor) of this profile. It must be remembered that the contractor must have all permits to carry out design and installation work on the construction of the boiler room. Together with the contractor, you will draw up a so-called “technical specification” - a list of your wishes for the installation of a boiler room.
Based on the technical specifications, specialists can offer engineering solutions for the construction of a boiler house, draw up a feasibility study, help in drawing up technical specifications, develop a project, calculate heating loads, hot water supply (DHW), etc.
Boiler room plan
An example of “general instructions” for a boiler room project
The same contractor organization can coordinate and register the project with the relevant government agencies.
Subsequently, if you wish, the contractor can provide the boiler room with equipment, installation, commissioning, commissioning and service.
Depending on your capabilities, qualifications and concept of the issue, the scope of work performed by the contractor can be ordered from “zero” to “turnkey” delivery, or at the design stage and approval of the necessary documents with the supervisory authorities. At the same time, you reserve the right to carry out the construction of the boiler room (if it is a free-standing or attached boiler room), installation of equipment and commissioning work. You can consider other options with the volume of contract work from these organizations. That is, a differentiated approach to attracting qualified specialists.
In general, the design of boiler houses is divided into stages:
- receiving technical specifications;
- calculation and selection of main equipment;
- execution of working drawings of the boiler room;
- execution of an explanatory note;
- approval and delivery of the project.
A standard boiler room project consists of the following parts:
- explanatory note (EP);
- heat engineering part (TM);
- electrics and lighting of the boiler room (EO);
- safety automation, regulation and instrumentation (instrumentation);
- internal gas supply of the boiler room (GSV)
- water supply and sewerage of the boiler room (BC);
- heating and ventilation of the boiler room (OB);
- list of activities for environmental impact assessment (EM EIA);
- Thermal energy metering units (UTM);
- fire and security alarm systems (ACS).
Selecting the type of boiler room
When choosing the type of boiler room, the developer needs to solve several basic issues, which will determine the space-planning scheme and the design solution of the boiler room.
Question 1. What type of energy carrier will be used for the boiler room?
Gas. It is relatively cheap, it does not need to be constantly transported to the place of consumption, its combustion products are the most environmentally friendly, during combustion there is little soot left (the chimney and boiler need to be cleaned less often), etc. A significant complication is the gas pipeline supply to the house. The fact that there is some kind of “gas” pipe running near your site does not mean that you can connect to it. If connection is, in principle, possible, then you will have to closely communicate with representatives of the local gas industry, draw up many documents, permits, agreements, and, of course, pay a certain amount. On average, according to our observations, the cost of gas supply fluctuates around 3-4 thousand US dollars, and it can take up to 1-2 years. More details about gasification at home can be found in the article .
Gas boiler room
In any case, the choice of fuel type is dictated by the conditions of a given area; in some places it is cheaper to heat with gas, in others the only fuel is firewood.
Question 2. Home heating mode.
If you are building a house for occasional visits with inexpensive finishing, then you can use solid fuel and heat the boiler only during visits. In this case, it is necessary to provide for the possibility of draining water from the water supply and sewerage systems. Constant temperature changes and the resulting condensation can seriously spoil the appearance of ceilings and walls (therefore, it is better not to use expensive finishing for occasional homes).
In the case of liquid fuel, gas and electricity, in order to save money, you can use programmable heating modes, for example, the temperature in the house is maintained at +5-10 C all week; upon your arrival, the boiler warms up the house to + 20 C or any temperature you set.
Remember that choosing the right heating method in advance will significantly save your money and effort.
Question 3. Where will the boiler room be located?
As mentioned above, the boiler room can be located both in a residential building and outside it. Which option should you prefer?
- If you are building a new house. In this case, it is advisable in the project to provide for the placement of the boiler room in a separate room of the house in compliance with all the rules and regulations regarding the organization of heating.
- If your house already exists. But now there is a need to organize (or modernize) the heating system, and the layout does not allow placing the boiler room inside the house, then it is advisable to place the boiler room in a separate room attached to the house or in a block-modular design.
When choosing this option, additional costs will be required, but this eliminates the inconvenience associated with living under the same roof as the boiler, frees up useful living space, and also solves the problem of fire and explosion safety.
Regulatory requirements for the boiler room
And now you have decided what kind of heating system you need (for occasional or year-round living in the house). Then, you selected a boiler.
It should be noted that the choice of boiler mainly depends on the availability of utility networks near the development site, the characteristics of the site and the house, as well as the financial capabilities of the developer.
But it is quite difficult to find an answer to one of the most important questions when building a boiler room - what requirements are imposed on the room in which the boiler will be installed.
Attention! When designing and installing heating equipment, it is necessary to strictly follow the requirements of building codes and regulations for boiler rooms.
Let's look at the area and size of the boiler room in a private house, which these norms and rules require, depending on the types of energy used in the heating system.
1. For gas heating equipment(based on materials from DBN V.2.5-20-2001 Gas supply).
Boilers can be placed:
- in the kitchenwith a heating unit power of up to 30 kW inclusive, regardless of the presence of a gas stove and gas water heater;
- in a separate room on any floor (including the ground floor or basement), as well as premises attached to residential buildings with a total power for heating and hot water supply systems of more than 30 kW up to 200 kW inclusive;
- in a separate room first , ground or basement floor, as well as in rooms attached to a residential building or separate ones, with their total power for the heating and hot water supply system up to 500 kW inclusive.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS for gas boiler houses
The volume of the boiler room is regulated by the standards given in Table 1.
Table 1. Volume of the boiler room
This table is provided as a reference. Further, depending on the location of gas heating installations, the figures will be specified.
When placed in a kitchen, the room must meet the following requirements:
Boiler in the kitchen
- the height of the room must be at least 2.5 m;
- the volume of the room is at least 15 m3, plus 0.2 m3 per kW of power of the thermal unit for heating;
- In the kitchen, ventilation should be provided at the rate of: exhaust in the volume of 3 times the air exchange of the room per hour, inflow in the volume of the exhaust plus the amount of air for gas combustion.
The extraction power is calculated using the formula:
M = (SxHx12) + 30%, Where:
M - exhaust power;
S - kitchen area;
H - ceiling height in the kitchen;
12 - every hour (according to SES standards) the air in the room where the gas boiler is located must be renewed up to 12 times;
30% is the minimum power reserve required for effective air purification.
Example of hood power calculation:
In the room where the gas boiler is installed, the area is 7 m2, the ceiling height is 2.5 m. The exhaust power required for such a room is:
M = (7x2.5x12) + 30% = 273 m3/hour.
Note: it is necessary to take into account the fact that 30% of the power reserve is only sufficient if the hood is located directly above the boiler. In other cases, when calculating the exhaust power, you should add another 15% for each turn of the air duct pipe and another 10% for each meter of the air duct.
The ventilation duct, in order to ensure 3-fold air exchange, must be brought to the height of the chimney. It is advisable to equip the exhaust hole in the boiler room with a decorative grille at a height of the bottom of the hole no lower than 0.3 m from the ceiling.
To eliminate asbestos from the structure, you can use a heat-insulating screen, the design of which is shown below.
Heat insulation screen
When placed in separate built-in and attached rooms (total thermal power from 30 to 200 kW), the following requirements must be met:
- room height of at least 2.5 m;
- volume and area of the room from the conditions for convenient maintenance of thermal units and auxiliary equipment, but not less than 15 m3.
- the room must be separated from adjacent rooms by enclosing walls with a fire resistance limit of 0.75 hours, and the limit of fire spread throughout the structure is zero. The walls can be made of brick, cinder block, concrete.
- natural lighting at the rate of 0.03 m2 (windows) per 1 m3 of room;
Note: with a boiler power of up to 30 kW, the height of the room can be 2.2 meters.
When placed in a separate room on the ground floor, in the basement or basement of a residential building with a total power of up to 500 kW, the room must meet the following requirements:
When placed in an extension to residential buildings with a total thermal power of up to 500 kW, the extension room must meet the following requirements:
- The fire resistance of the building must be at least IV degree. These include buildings with load-bearing and enclosing structures made of solid or laminated wood and other combustible or low-combustible materials, protected from fire and high temperatures by plaster or other sheet or slab materials. There are no requirements for fire resistance limits and fire spread limits for coating elements, while attic wood roofing elements are subject to fire retardant treatment.
- the extension must be located near the blank part of the building wall with a horizontal and vertical distance from window and door openings of at least 1 m;
- the extension wall should not be connected to the wall of the residential building; these walls should have different foundations.
- the enclosing walls and structures of the extension must have a fire resistance limit of 0.75 hours, and the limit of fire spread throughout the structure is zero;
- the height of the room must be at least 2.5 m. If the boiler is installed on an elevation, then the height is calculated from the top point of this elevation to the ceiling;
- the volume and area of the room is selected from the conditions for convenient maintenance of heat generators and auxiliary equipment;
- natural lighting at the rate of glazing of 0.03 m2 per 1 m3 of room volume;
- ventilation in the room must be provided at the rate of: exhaust in the volume of 3 times the room's air exchange per hour, inflow in the exhaust volume plus the amount of air for gas combustion;
- The walls separating attached boiler rooms from the main building must be vapor-gas tight.
- When placing heat generators in a separate room on the first, ground or basement floors, it must have direct access to the outside (the doors must open outward). It is allowed to provide a second exit to the utility room; the door must be fireproof type 3. Doors must be at least 80 cm wide in the clear (opening).
- It is STRICTLY not allowed to place gas appliances in the basements and ground floors of a house when using liquefied gas.
2. For heating equipment operating on solid or liquid fuels.
The above requirements for the boiler room for gas boilers also apply to the furnace room for boilers operating on solid and liquid fuels.
However, there are a number of features that must be taken into account when designing and building a boiler room, namely:
This is due to the explosiveness of coal dust in the boiler room at a certain concentration.
3. For electric heating equipment.
Electric boilers designed to operate in heating systems have many advantages. The main advantage of these boilers is that a separate room for the boiler room is not required. No chimneys are required and these boilers are relatively inexpensive. Everything would be fine if it were not for the high cost of electricity, especially in comparison with other types of fuel. Because of this drawback, such boilers are expensive to operate, so it is advisable to use them for heating small rooms, in which it is ineffective to carry out expensive work to connect other types of heating equipment, or as a backup boiler in systems with a gas boiler, as an alternative heat source for for a short time.
The installation of electric boilers is similar to the installation of gas wall-mounted boilers.
When installing an electric boiler, it is necessary to have safety circuit breakers and, most likely, to lay a separate power line.
The power of wall-mounted electric boilers ranges from 5 to 60 kW, the area they heat is from 50 to 600 m2, which should be quite enough for a country house or cottage.
Low-power boilers are powered from a single-phase 220 V or three-phase 380 V electrical network. To operate boilers with a power of more than 12 kW, a three-phase network is used. This circumstance requires the registration of permits with the relevant authorities for the use of this voltage.
Electric boiler
It is not so easy to equip a built-in room in a finished private house that fully meets all the requirements. If there is free space on the site, it is advisable to move the boiler room outside the house; this will be easier and will allow solving a number of problematic issues. Do not forget that the boiler house design will have to be agreed upon with the district architect, sanitary and epidemiological authorities and the fire inspectorate. If you decide to build a separate or attached boiler room on your own, then you should use the articles posted on the site and devoted to this problem.
- The choice of the type of foundation for a boiler house building, as well as the base, is very similar to the choice and construction of a foundation for a bathhouse. This process is very well described in the articles,
- What building materials will the walls and roof of the boiler room be built from?
Of course, non-combustible materials should be used here as much as possible. To resolve these issues, this article will be very useful. The ideal option would be to decorate the walls of the boiler room and the floor with ceramic tiles, which will allow you to keep the room properly clean (which is a prerequisite for trouble-free operation of boiler equipment and will increase the fire safety of the room).
- Foundation for the boiler.
It is advisable to lay the foundation for the boiler separately from the general foundation of the room. This is due to the fact that the boiler, depending on its performance, the material from which it is made, and also taking into account its fittings (boiler piping), is a rather bulky design in terms of weight.
You can begin building the foundation for the boiler after constructing the foundation of the boiler room.
It is necessary to take into account the requirements of regulatory documents that the boiler must be installed relative to the boiler room floor at a height of 15-20 cm.
According to the passport data for the boiler and the design documentation for the boiler room, you will know the mass of the boiler with fittings. Based on this value, you can use the technology for constructing a foundation for a stove, which is described in great detail and well in the article. The article presents two types of foundations for light and heavy structures of heating units (up to 150 kg and from 480 kg).
- Boiler room floor installation. The floor is best made of concrete or a cement-sand mixture, since these materials are not flammable, which is required for the class of fire hazardous premises. The technology of these works is well described in the article.
Autonomous heating of a house using a radiator system or underfloor heating requires the installation of a boiler unit and equipment connected to it. Usually, a special room is allocated for this purpose inside the building, an additional extension or a separate structure is erected. For safety reasons, a boiler room in a private house must comply with the current requirements of SNiP; in addition, this ensures ease of operation of heating equipment. If a gas boiler is chosen as a heat source, then the design of a boiler room for a private house requires approval.
What are the requirements for installing a boiler room?
Primary requirements
The boiler unit (depending on the size and type) can be installed in a separate room on the ground floor, in the basement of the house or in the attic (but this must be provided for by the layout of the house, determined at the design stage).
It is also possible to use an autonomous module (container with a mini-boiler room), erect a special extension or a separate building. As a separate structure, a ready-made mobile boiler room can be used, mounted from sandwich panels and finished with non-combustible materials.
The heating unit can be solid fuel, liquid fuel or gas. Depending on the type of heating unit, the requirements for a boiler room in a private house have some differences.
The design standards for a boiler room in a private house provide:
- compliance with requirements regarding room size;
- installation of no more than two boiler units in one room;
- absence of flammable materials in the finishing of surfaces and roofing;
- the presence of doors to the street and to the house (for an extension);
- competent selection and installation of doors: they must be included in the fire category and open outward, like the door of an adjacent room in the house;
- unobstructed access to all heating equipment;
- installing a window with a window for natural light and emergency ventilation, the window sashes should swing outward, and the glass area should correspond to the volume of the room (0.03 m2 per 1 cubic meter);
- the presence of natural or forced ventilation, which is calculated as follows: (room width x ceiling height x room length) x 3. As a result, we get the volume of air that needs to be replaced in one hour;
- the presence of a chimney, if required by the type of boiler (for units with a power of less than 30 kW, the chimney pipe is allowed to exit through the wall);
- connecting the water supply (for filling and recharging the heating circuit) and sewerage (for draining water from the system);
- installation of a separate foundation for boilers weighing more than 200 kg (installation of lighter models on a reinforced concrete floor is allowed).
For wooden walls of built-in and attached boiler rooms (which are common with the rest of the house) a non-combustible finish is needed that can increase the fire resistance limit of structures to 0.75 hours. To build an extension, it is recommended to use bricks, blocks and other non-combustible materials.
Boiler room plan in a private house Basic standards regarding room dimensions:
- ceiling height: should be from 2.5 m with a heating unit power over 30 kW, for less powerful boilers the figure is at least 2.2 m;
- boiler room volume: from 15 m 3 (if the heating unit is planned to be installed in the basement, then when calculating the volume of the room you need to add 0.2 m 2 for each kW of boiler power);
- The boiler room area must be at least 6 m2.
The minimum area makes it possible to ensure the safe operation of the equipment, but for ease of installation and maintenance of the heating system, it is still recommended to equip more spacious boiler rooms.
In the boiler room of a private house, the layout of which is developed taking into account the characteristics of the selected unit, it is necessary to provide free access to the boiler piping elements, control valves, and electrical equipment.
Standards for boiler houses of different types
Since 2003, the parameters of boiler rooms in private houses have been regulated by SNiP 42-01-2002. It is this document that needs to be used when the furnace is designed independently.
Correct boiler room design Note! It is recommended to entrust the development of a gas boiler house project to a specialized organization, since regulatory authorities will not approve the project if there are errors in it.
Requirements:
- The floor in the boiler room must be concrete or lined with non-combustible tiles.
- If the walls are made of flammable material (in the case of wooden or frame houses), they are plastered or lined with tiles, metal panels, etc.
- A non-flammable heat insulator (usually basalt cardboard) is installed under the cladding of the floor, walls and ceiling.
- For a boiler room located in the basement or ground floor, the requirements are much stricter: the finish must be vapor and gas tight.
Construction of a gas boiler room
SNiP standards allow the installation of a low-power gas boiler (no more than 30 kW) directly in the house: in the kitchen or other room that meets all safety requirements (including requirements regarding dimensions, ventilation and glazing).
Gas boiler room in the house This option is primarily suitable for units with a closed combustion chamber, which are equipped with a coaxial chimney vented outside through the wall. This makes it possible to install the heater in any convenient place.
In this case, you need to take into account:
- minimum room dimensions: area - 6 m2, volume - 15 m3, ceiling height - 2.5 m;
- minimum window glass area - 0.5 m2;
- door width - from 0.8 m;
- For ventilation, holes must be provided at the bottom of the door or wall structures to ensure free movement of air flow.
If gas boiler units with a capacity of more than 30 kW are installed in private houses, a separate room inside the house must be allocated for such equipment or a boiler room must be installed outside (in an extension or a separate building).
The gas boiler house project must be approved by the supervisory authorities.
The dimensions of the boiler room for a gas boiler in a private house are regulated by SNiP. For a powerful heating unit, it is recommended to build a separate building made of fire-resistant materials.
Gas double-circuit boiler Requirements for a gas boiler room in a private house include:
- the foundation of an extension or a separate structure should not be common with the foundation of the house;
- under a floor-mounted boiler unit, it is necessary to mount a foundation separate from the foundation of the boiler room (reinforced concrete pad);
- the podium on which the unit is planned to be installed can rise above the floor level (taking into account the installation of the covering) by 10-15 cm.
Important! The latest version of SNiP has introduced a new rule: if a gas heating unit with a power of more than 60 kW is installed, boiler rooms must be equipped with a gas control system. When the system is triggered, the gas supply automatically stops.
Arranging a room for a solid fuel boiler
Boiler rooms that are designed for equipment operating on solid fuel are subject to less stringent requirements, since the unit in this case is not classified as explosive. Therefore, design and construction work can be done independently.
Heating a country house with a solid fuel boiler You can install a boiler room in the basement or basement.
When arranging, you need to take into account the following requirements:
- The size of the boiler room depends on the power of the unit and is regulated by the general requirements of SNiP - the minimum area is 8 m2.
- A steel sheet is laid on the floor in front of the solid fuel boiler on top of a non-flammable thermal insulation substrate. The rest of the floor surface must also be non-flammable, so concrete or fire-resistant coating is used.
- Installation of a home boiler room for a solid fuel boiler must include a stationary vertical chimney, the diameter of which must correspond to the size of the boiler outlet pipe. It is necessary to provide an inspection hole in the chimney to monitor and clean the exhaust channel for combustion products.
Important! In order to comply with fire safety rules, a brick chimney is plastered or a metal sandwich pipe is used, the double walls of which contain a heat insulator. These measures help to avoid the risk of fire in building structures when accumulated soot ignites when the temperature of the flue gases reaches 800-1000 degrees.
- Particular attention is paid to the exhaust system, since combustion of solid fuel requires air to enter an open combustion chamber. This can cause carbon monoxide to enter the air in the room. The plan should provide for the arrangement of an exhaust duct. Its cross-section is calculated as follows: 8 cm 2 per 1 kW of boiler power for the furnace at the level of the first floor and 24 cm 2 per 1 kW for a room located in the basement.
- The requirements for the furnace room also include the presence of fire-fighting equipment - the room is equipped with a shield with a fire extinguisher, etc. The list of mandatory fire extinguishing agents is specified in SNiP.
Installation of an electric boiler room
If an electric boiler is used as a heating unit, then a boiler room in a private house is not required.
When electrical equipment operates, no combustion products are emitted, which is why the room does not require additional ventilation or installation of a chimney. You can install an electric boiler in any convenient place in the house.
Electric heating The installation requires electrical installation work, during which it is important to follow the equipment manufacturer’s recommendations regarding cable products for connecting the boiler to the electrical network.
Important! A separate circuit breaker must be installed in the electrical panel, and if the voltage in the electrical network is subject to fluctuations, then a stabilizer must be additionally installed. These measures will lead to uninterrupted operation of the heating unit and extend its service life.
Freestanding furnace
A separate boiler room is intended for high-power units - over 200 kW. But if you need to preserve the architectural appearance of the house, then building such a structure makes sense for a boiler of lower power.
Modern polymer materials and technologies make it possible to lay underground communications for supplying heated coolant and hot water from the boiler room - a high degree of thermal protection will minimize the loss of thermal energy during transportation of the heated liquid.
A separate boiler room is built from:
- fire-resistant materials (building blocks of various types, brick);
- it is allowed to use metal sandwich panels with a non-flammable thermal insulator inside;
- fireproof roofing material is used;
- Reinforced concrete covering is used for the floor.
Premises requirements:
- the ceiling height in a separate building should be from 2.5 m;
- when calculating the volume of the room, 0.2 m2 is added to the minimum value (15 m3) for each kilowatt of heat generator power;
- for a boiler weighing more than 200 kg, a foundation is installed separately from the base of the building, the height of the podium above the floor level is up to 15 cm.
There are standard requirements for doors, ventilation and chimney installation.
Detached boiler room in a country house Features of choosing and installing doors
If the boiler is installed in an extension or one of the rooms of the house (including the basement), then the door to the boiler room from the house must be fireproof. That is, the structure must withstand at least 15 minutes of exposure to open fire - this will allow people to evacuate in the event of a fire. Fireproof doors must be made of metal and open towards the living space.
External doors in the boiler room of a private house (free-standing or in an extension) must be unreinforced (weakly reinforced). This will allow the blast wave to blow the door outside - the energy of the explosion will be directed to the street, and not to the internal walls of the house. In addition, gas will escape through the torn doors.
The door for the boiler room also serves as one of the ventilation elements - the leaf with a grille in the lower part ensures air flow into the room. The use of such a design may be a mandatory requirement of the boiler room installation project.
Ventilation arrangement
When organizing a boiler room in a private house, the ventilation requirements should be fully met, since the safety and efficiency of the heating unit depends on this.
Boiler room ventilation diagram Natural ventilation may not be enough, so it is worth considering installing a system for forced air supply into the furnace room.
Poor ventilation contributes to:
- settling of soot on the walls and ceiling of the boiler room,
- reduction of draft in an open firebox (this is associated with excessive energy consumption and the accumulation of soot in the chimney of a solid fuel unit),
- accumulation of carbon monoxide indoors.
Creating natural ventilation
If the house is heated by a boiler with a power of up to 30 kW, in home boiler rooms it is enough to ensure air flow by creating a channel at the bottom of the wall or door. They serve as a hole in the wall with a diameter of 10-15 cm.
How to create a channel at the bottom of a wall or door:
- a piece of plastic or asbestos cement pipe is inserted into the hole;
- a protective mesh is attached to it from the outside, protecting against the penetration of insects and dust;
- It is advisable to install a reverse draft valve on the inside of the channel;
- air flow is ensured through the lower part of the street door covered with a grille;
- the exhaust duct is discharged through the roof. It is a pipe of the same diameter, which in the upper part is equipped with a protective mesh and an umbrella that prevents precipitation;
- It is recommended to place the inlet opening near the firebox, at the bottom of the wall. In this case, the air will enter the combustion chamber directly without raising dust in the room;
- the location of the hood is also “tied” to the heating unit. Since combustion products rise, the exhaust duct is installed near the chimney.
Ventilation device in the boiler room Creating forced ventilation
Natural ventilation in a boiler room with a powerful heating unit may not be sufficient. Its operation is unstable because it depends on weather factors, and control of air flow into the combustion chamber becomes impossible.
Installing a fan on an exhaust pipe will ensure the required air flow intensity and protect the boiler room from the accumulation of volatile combustion products. The fan power is selected in accordance with the maximum needs of the boiler - 30% is added to the parameter indicated in the passport.
Project approval
If we compare the costs of installing boiler houses of the same type, then for heating units operating on different energy sources, organizing a boiler house for gas heating will cost the most. This is due to the fact that the project needs to be approved by regulatory authorities, and it is advisable to entrust its development to professionals.
In addition to the project documentation itself, the homeowner must provide the following package of documents:
- technical passport of the boiler unit;
- sanitary and hygienic conclusion;
- certificate of boiler compliance with current requirements;
- operating instructions for the selected gas boiler.
When there is no access to a centralized heating system, it is necessary to build an autonomous boiler room.
If you approach the matter professionally, a boiler room in a private house will ensure high efficiency (efficiency) of the heating system as a whole, and its operation will be safe and durable.
In this material we will analyze in detail the process of choosing a heating device and tell you what points you definitely need to pay attention to. In addition, we will talk about choosing the right place for the boiler room and the rules for its arrangement and ventilation.
Boilers differ in a number of parameters - fuel used, power, installation method, operating principle (single-circuit and double-circuit).
Fuel for heating boilers
Boilers in private homes can operate on the following types of fuel:
- natural and liquefied gas– cheap fuel resource, gas boilers can be converted from one type of gas to another;
- solid fuel– the operation of the solid fuel boiler must be monitored and firewood, coal, peat briquettes, and coke must be regularly added to it;
- liquid diesel fuel(diesel fuel) - liquid fuel boilers come to the rescue in a situation where there is neither a gas pipeline nearby nor the ability to supply liquefied gas in cylinders, and if over time there is a prospect of acquiring gas, then it is easy to reconfigure it to a better type of fuel;
- electricity– an expensive but environmentally friendly fuel resource.
It’s a good idea to have two boilers, electric and solid fuel, to reduce energy consumption.
Image gallery
Comparison of installation methods
According to the installation method, heating boilers are divided into two groups:
- floor– they require a separate room (boiler room) and compliance with certain mandatory requirements;
- wall-mounted– a heat exchanger, circulation pump, expansion tank, combustion product removal system, control and safety automation, temperature sensors, etc. are assembled in a compact-sized housing.
The maximum power of a wall-mounted mini-boiler room is 60 kW. If the power does not exceed 35 kW, it can be installed in the kitchen or hallway. Small dimensions make it possible to do without a separate room - all this is relevant for small and medium-sized private houses.
A gas wall-mounted boiler is sensitive to the chemical composition of water. To prevent equipment from breaking down early on hard water, it is recommended to install a filter on the water supply or inspect the boiler and pipes every time at the end of the heating season
Floor-standing boilers are indispensable for heating large areas. In the floor-standing version they take up much more space, you have to complete them yourself, but there is one very significant plus - they have a long service life.
Differences in operating principle
Single-circuit boiler intended only for heating the building. To supply water to the hot water supply system, such a unit must be supplemented with a 100-150-liter storage tank for water heated from the boiler (boiler).
A single-circuit boiler with a boiler is advisable if a lot of hot water is poured from the taps in the house. Otherwise, we end up with excessive energy consumption, since the boiler will have to constantly heat water, which is almost never used. In addition, you will have to allocate free space in the room for the boiler.
IN double-circuit boiler Initially, it had two functions - it both heats the building and heats the water. A flow coil is installed inside it. The boiler supports the heating system, but when someone opens hot water in the house, the heating of the coolant in it stops and the system switches to the hot water supply system.
The development of individual housing construction has brought to the forefront the question of what a boiler room should be like in a private house.
First of all, at the design stage, the owner of a private house formulates requirements for the technical characteristics of the heat source.
The issue of ventilation is also acute.
The power of the heat generator must be sufficient to heat the entire house.
Equipment and all necessary communications are installed and laid in accordance with the requirements of SNiP.
It is allowed to install the heating system with your own hands, provided that you have sufficient skill in performing similar work.
Premises requirements
When developing a project for a private house, you need to pay special attention to three components - the foundation, the roof and the heating system.
The heating system circuit includes an energy source, a heating device and a pipeline.
A boiler room is a special room in which heating equipment is located.
Based on their location, they are divided into the following types:
- free-standing;
- attached;
- built-in
The minimum dimensions of the boiler room are determined by the design of the boiler and the type of fuel for which it is intended. The requirements for the premises are clearly stated in SNiP.
Developing a heating project and design for a private home requires precise knowledge of what standards and tolerances apply when installing a boiler room.
When piping the boiler, the equipment must be located at a distance of at least 50 cm from the wall. A convenient approach to the premises is arranged.
The walls must be either brick or concrete. The floor should also be concrete. For greater safety, you can lay a metal sheet on it.
When the home owner does not have the opportunity to equip a special room, you can install a mini boiler room. This mini boiler room is placed in a compact container without windows.
It is important to note that a mini boiler room can be installed in the courtyard of a private house. Installation and connection to the installed communications takes a minimum of time.
The photo shows a mini boiler room for heating a private house. The clear advantage of this solution is that you do not have to build and equip a special room.
There is no need to design a boiler room, no need to think about how to make ventilation correctly, since all the necessary equipment is collected in a mini container.
However, the high cost of such a module limits its use.
Practice shows that you can purchase equipment in parts and install it in the basement of a private house for a much smaller amount.
In a separate building or in the basement of a private house, only two boilers can be installed. The area of the room is calculated according to the standards contained in SNiP.
The minimum height of the room must be at least two and a half meters, and the area must be 6 square meters. m. The minimum volume of the boiler room must be at least 15 m 3.
The door in the boiler room is installed so that it opens outward. The door must be sheathed with a metal sheet or other non-combustible material.
It is also necessary to provide for the installation of a window. This window must have a window for ventilation. Ventilation in the boiler room of a private house performs an important function - safe operation of the boiler room.
It is very important that when installing a boiler room, fire safety requirements are observed. Storage of foreign objects and items, especially those with the ability to burn, is not allowed here.
Supply ventilation and exhaust ensure the supply of fresh air and removal of stale air.
It is especially important to ensure constant ventilation of a boiler installed in the basement of a private house and operating on gas.
In this case, the door and windows in the boiler room must be tightly closed. It is unacceptable for drafts to move around the room. All this work can be easily done with your own hands or with the help of professionals.
General diagram of the boiler room
After appropriate finishing of the premises, project equipment is installed in the designated areas and all communications are laid. Installation and piping of the boiler is carried out according to certain regulations.
The design of any boiler room includes mandatory components and assemblies. Knowing the purpose of each of them, you can service the boiler room with your own hands.
If the scheme involves not only heating a private house, but also hot water supply, then you will need a water heater tank, which is called a boiler.
The photo shows a functional diagram of the boiler room with a set of all necessary equipment.
Boiler
According to the current classification system, all boilers that are used to heat a private home belong to the class of low-power heat sources.
The maximum performance of such a heat generator is 65 kW.
Boilers are divided according to the following parameters:
- Type of fuel;
- heat exchanger material;
- installation method.
When designing a boiler room for a private house, it is necessary to calculate the area that the boiler will occupy and provide for the possibility of access to the facility when installing the piping.
Current sanitary standards and SNiP requirements determine: to heat an area of 10 square meters. m, 1 kW of boiler power is required.
According to reliability theory, the heating system should have an excess reserve of 20%. The calorific value of each type of fuel has its own values.
In a private house, after finishing, you can install the following type of boilers:
- solid fuel;
- liquid fuel;
- on natural gas;
- on electricity.
Each type has its own characteristic features in design and operating mode. An important parameter is the overall dimensions of the boiler.
Today, the project includes a “smart home” system, which allows heating a private house according to a given program.
Boiler
In short, a boiler is a water heating tank. The dimensions of the heater are selected depending on the daily demand.
For a family of 4 people, a tank capacity of 100 liters is sufficient.
The simplest boiler can be made from component parts with your own hands. The most convenient substitute for a boiler is a gas water heater.
You can buy indirect and direct-flow boilers on the market. An indirect heating boiler is supplied with the heating boiler.
According to SNiP, water from the heating system cannot be used for domestic needs. The boiler device allows you to heat and supply water into the pipeline, suitable for cooking and other needs of residents of a private house.
Expansion tank and manifold
To ensure that hot water circulates rhythmically through the piping system and does not create excessive pressure, an expansion tank is used.
With its help, increased pressure in the heating system is compensated.
The design of the distribution manifold allows you to maintain uniform circulation of coolant throughout all heating devices.
The manifold circuit includes a circulation pump, a comb and a hydraulic distributor.
The requirements for the assembly quality of this unit are high, especially for regulating the temperature of the coolant that circulates in the heating system of a private house.
When installing elements yourself, you should remember this.
Security group and automation
The boiler room must be highly reliable and not pose a danger to people living in a private house. The same requirements apply to the room in which the boiler room is located. The room must have a window.
A reliable hood and a window with a window provide the necessary ventilation.
The boiler piping includes a pressure gauge, a safety valve and an electronic control device.
Installation of the harness and setting up the automatic system should be entrusted to specialists. The design and installation of all necessary communications to the room, as well as ventilation, must be carried out in accordance with the standards specified in SNiP.
Which boiler to choose
The boiler room power requirements are determined depending on the size of the heated area. The photo shows a solid fuel boiler installed in the basement of a private house.
This is a floor type, and a certain area is allocated for its placement.
If it is not possible to allocate a separate room for the boiler, then the design and installation of a wall structure, most often gas-oriented, is chosen. The electric boiler also has compact dimensions.
You can install it in the basement of a private house. But there must be windows in the basement. The design and installation of the harness will have to be done in any case. The joints between pipes and fittings are subjected to pressure testing.
If a separate room is allocated for the boiler room in a private house, then a strong door with a lock is installed at the entrance and a window and an exhaust hood are equipped for ventilation.
These requirements are contained in the operating rules for all heating devices and devices, and mini installations too.
You can do the preparatory work yourself, but the installation of the boiler, including the installation of piping elements, should be entrusted to professionals.
Electrical wiring and lighting lamps must be protected with durable shades and also metal mesh.
Gas boilers are widely used today. However, in those regions where there is no gas pipeline yet, heating units using solid and liquid fuels are installed.
You can install and start up a coal or peat boiler yourself. In this case, you need to follow the rules for installing thermal installations. The door to the room is insulated and strengthened.
The boiler piping is carried out according to the minimum scheme - a pressure gauge and a safety valve.
If a mini boiler room is installed in a private house, then the installation work comes down to connecting to all communications.
Some subtleties and nuances
The question of which boiler room to choose for a private home is decided at the project development stage. All requirements for a heating device are summarized in one table and analyzed in order of importance.
Heating a private home is one of the most important conditions for comfort. Therefore, you need to think about the boiler room long before the builders complete the finishing work.
There are several types of energy generators for autonomous heating of buildings.
These are gas, electric, liquid fuel, solid fuel boilers and systems that combine two types of energy carriers (gas-coal, firewood, gas pellets).
A gas boiler room in a private house is designed and built in compliance with the most stringent requirements. The reason is the high explosion hazard of gaseous fuels (liquefied and natural).
In second place are boilers using liquid and solid fuel. Compared to gas ones, they are less explosive, but must be kept in a separate room. It needs to have good supply and exhaust ventilation and provide a separate channel for removing flue gases.
Electric boilers are the easiest to install. They do not require an isolated combustion room. However, there are rules for the safe operation of electrical equipment (correct selection of cable cross-section, high-quality grounding, etc.).
Since the requirements for gas boiler rooms are the highest, we will talk about them in detail. All other types of heating installations automatically fit into the framework of the rules developed for gas installations.
In a private house, you can use several options for planning the placement of a boiler room using gas:
- detached building;
- a separate room in the house;
- extension to the house;
- external mobile module;
- attic.
The choice of the appropriate option depends on the scale of construction and reconstruction. For a new building, it is better to allocate the ground floor or basement for the boiler room.
For boilers that use liquefied gas rather than natural gas, basement and basement options are eliminated. The mixture of propane and butane is heavier than air, so if there is a leak, it will accumulate in a low part of the building and explode when a spark occurs.
If the existing gas boiler room in the house is being converted and its area does not allow for the placement of new equipment, then you need to order a design for an attached or separate furnace room.
General requirements for the installation of gas boiler houses
The good news for those who want to install a low-power gas boiler (up to 30 kW) in their home is the fact that SNiP does not require a separate combustion room for it.
Therefore, calmly place it in the kitchen, observing the following standards:
- The area of the room is not less than 15 m2;
- Ceiling height not lower than 2.2 meters;
- Supply and exhaust ventilation of the room;
- The glazing area per 1 m3 of kitchen volume must be at least 0.3 m2;
- The boiler room window must have a window;
- There must be air intake openings in the wall above the floor or at the bottom of the door (total area of at least 0.025 m2), ensuring a constant flow of air;
- The boiler must be placed against a wall made of non-flammable material (minimum distance - 10 cm).
If the room does not have walls made of non-combustible materials, then the rules allow the boiler to be installed on a plastered wooden wall. Only it must be covered with a heat-reflecting screen made of sheet metal.
For a gas boiler with a power of more than 30 kW, a separate combustion room is required. Requirements for its arrangement depend on the location. Let's look at the two most common options.
Boiler room in a separate room
The installation of a boiler room in a private house that runs on natural gas is allowed on any floor or in the attic.
Here you need to meet the following requirements:
- Separate exit to the street;
- Daylight;
- The volume of the room (not the area!) is at least 15 m3;
- Convenient access to the heating unit and auxiliary equipment;
- Supply and exhaust ventilation of the boiler room (should provide 3-fold renewal of air volume in 1 hour);
- Those adjacent to the combustion room must be separated from it by walls with a fire resistance rating of at least 45 minutes.
Requirements for a free-standing boiler room
A separate boiler room is more profitable than an internal one (higher safety, lower noise levels and saving living space).
To arrange it you need to know and strictly follow the following rules:
- The foundation of the boiler room should not be adjacent to the foundation of the house;
- A gas boiler requires a separate foundation. In this case, the heating installation should not rise above the floor level by more than 15 cm;
- The roof and walls must be constructed of non-combustible materials.
A sewer pipe must be connected to the boiler installation site, into which, if necessary, the coolant from the heating system can be drained.
Ventilation of the boiler room
For normal operation of heating equipment that burns gas, a constant flow of air is required. It should be enough not only to maintain the combustion process, but also to remove flue gases.
To ensure normal air exchange, a small-capacity boiler in an old building usually requires natural ventilation of the furnace room. Air comes here from leaks in doors and windows, as well as through other unsealed cracks. If the boiler room has sealed doors and windows, it requires additional ventilation - natural or artificial.
Natural ventilation
For a boiler with a power of up to 30 kW, natural ventilation is easy to do. To do this, in the lower part of the wall (25-30 cm from the floor), you need to punch a hole to the street with a diameter of 10-15 cm and insert a plastic pipe into it.
To protect the supply ventilation duct from debris, put a plastic or metal mesh with a small mesh (1-2 mm) over it. A check valve is placed on this air duct from the inside (it prevents air from escaping outside). The exhaust hole is installed in the same way. There is no need to install a check valve on it, but covering the outside with a visor from rain and snow is very useful.
The inlet opening should be located as close as possible to the boiler firebox so that the air immediately goes into the combustion chamber and does not “walk” throughout the boiler room. It is better to vent the hood directly above the boiler so that combustion products immediately go outside.
Artificial ventilation
Since the operation of natural ventilation is difficult to regulate and depends on weather conditions, an artificial ventilation system is installed in a private house for powerful boilers (more than 30 kW). Its operation scheme includes two electric fans: supply and exhaust.
Their productivity (m3/hour) is selected based on the requirements of 3-fold air exchange in the combustion chamber. By measuring the height, width, length of the room and multiplying the resulting numbers, we get the internal volume. By multiplying it by 3, we determine the volume of air that the fans must pump into the combustion chamber and remove from it.
Chimney device
The chimney is an important element of the heating system of a private house. It is also subject to a number of requirements, the fulfillment of which determines the reliable and safe operation of the gas boiler. Here they are:
- the cross-section of the chimney must correspond to the passport data of the selected boiler;
- the diameter of the flue gas exhaust pipe must correspond to that specified in the boiler installation instructions;
- the chimney should not be lower than the ridge of the roof and rise above the ridge above 5 meters;
- the chimney must be made of metal, have a cylindrical shape and a hole for cleaning;
- there should be no more than 3 bends or turns in the chimney.
Selection and installation of equipment
Before installation of the boiler room begins, it is necessary to select a set of equipment for it. The main installation - the boiler - is selected depending on the total volume of heated premises and the climatic zone in which the house is located.
To do this, the total footage of the heated premises must be multiplied by the specific power of the boiler, which falls on every 10 m2 of area. This indicator was experimentally derived for different climatic regions of Russia and looks like this:
- Southern regions - 0.7-0.9 kW;
- Middle band - 1.0-1.2 kW;
- Moscow region - 1.2-1.5 kW;
- Northern regions - 1.5-2.0 kW.
For a house with a living area of 200 m2 (Moscow region), you will need a gas boiler with a capacity of 200x1.2/10 = 24 kW.
This formula allows you to determine the thermal power of a boiler used only for heating. If you are going to install a double-circuit heating system that will heat water for domestic needs, then the resulting figure needs to be increased by 25% - 24x1.25 = 36 kW.
A “naked” boiler will not work without auxiliary equipment, which is selected by designers or installation specialists. Knowing the initial power of the heating unit, they will calculate all other parameters (performance of the recirculation pump, capacity of the expansion tank and boiler).
The installers will arrange the auxiliary units of the boiler room in accordance with the project, connect the boiler to the chimney, install an automation system and carry out commissioning work.