Spider heating system pros and cons

Category: construction Posted on 10/24/2019 Comments: Read: 3 min Views: Post Views: 4 270

Heating a house is a "vital" process, and therefore it is not surprising that there are many different ways, devices and technologies in order to practically and efficiently heat a home. Systems may differ in their technology and structure, but the main thing is that they provide efficient heating of the room.

Heating with a radiator is natural for the present. The system itself is subdivided into gravitational, in which circulation depends on the heat carrier, and forced, in which additional elements (pump) are needed for circulation.

Some heating systems are gradually becoming obsolete and replaced by new ones. However, there are those who are returning to everyday life due to their practicality or economy. The Spider heating system is one of these. This system has been forgotten because modern heating systems are closed and circulating pumps are widely used in them. However, for heating small private houses, it is still an excellent heating option.

The "Spider" consists of a direct heat source (which can operate on any fuel), an expanded tank (it is fixed at the top), pipelines and the actual radiators. Due to its appearance (schematic) and location, the system got its name.

An expanded tank (reservoir) is installed in the attic of the building, which must be well insulated. Risers are suitable for it, which lead to a heat source and radiators. When the coolant cools down, it leaves cold through horizontally located pipes (mains).

Electric boilers for heating a private house - their main advantages and disadvantages

That is why more and more often in modern homes they use an electric boiler, the mention of which many associate with the very high cost of operating it.

It is quite reasonable that electric power is quite expensive today, but if there is no desire to fiddle with wood, coal or diesel fuel, and there is no natural gas, there is simply no other choice.

An electric boiler has the following advantages:

it is easy to install, the requirements that accompany its installation are easy to fulfill, and there are not many of them, and most importantly, licensing of work is not required;
low installation cost, and when used in rooms with short-term operation, heating can become even cheaper than gas;
it is easier to operate, and maintenance does not require special knowledge, in addition, it is the most automated, which allows you to simply set the required heating mode;
ensuring safety, during its operation, carbon monoxide, hazardous to human health, is not generated, and the possibility of an explosive gas-air mixture is excluded.

Heating a house with an area of 150 square meters requires about 15 KW / h, it is difficult to obtain this power outside the city, where 5 KW / h is already a great achievement.

And laying a three-phase line in terms of cost and the number of required permits is comparable to laying a gas pipe to a house.

This is the main disadvantage of electric boilers.

In economic terms, the choice of an electric heater as a heat source is very successful.

Direct electric heating is the most popular type of heating in Europe and the most promising in our country.

Self-installation of an open heating system

With the installation of an open heating system, you do not need to have superpowers; it is important to carefully study such an issue as a work scheme. First of all, install the boiler. You can place it on the floor or hang it to save space. Choose the boiler power depending on what area of the room you plan to heat.

The second step will be the distribution and installation of radiators. Calculate their number based on the area of the room. One radiator can heat up to 1 sq.m. living space. If you don't want a radiator, fix a 10 cm pipe. It can be run all over the house and returned back to the boiler. For better water circulation, fasten the pipe at an angle. As for the tank, it can be installed on the return line close to the boiler.

Installation of heating radiators

There is another option for installing open heating. Open heating can be placed vertically, while the tank is installed in the attic. To prevent the tank from being affected by temperature changes, take care of its insulation.

One-pipe heating system

Pay special attention to calculating the volume of the expansion tank. If calculated incorrectly, you risk an explosion. The tank will burst from the action of increased pressure.

Let's talk about the selection of parts for open heating:

It is better to place the boiler in a separate building. At the same time, air must be supplied to it in free access. Lay material on the floor that will not catch fire in a fire. For this, it is better to simply concrete the floors. Measure the area of the room. Based on these calculations, you will be able to calculate the required boiler output. The boiler will be able to work both on gas and wood.
It is better to choose steel radiators. They are mounted in such a way that they are placed from the wall at a distance of 5 cm. Radiators can be mounted under windowsills. In this case, they will protect the room from external cold, playing the role of a curtain. Step back at least 40 cm from the floor. To heat a room with an area of 15 sq. M. you need to install a radiator at least 100cm.

Metal radiators

Pipes. Copper pipes were used in the old fashioned way. However, they did not justify themselves. Copper pipes are expensive and rust quickly. The best option would be to opt for plastic pipes. Their diameter is not less than 32 mm. Calculate the length of the pipes, taking into account that they extend from the top of the radiator and close it with the bottom. Installation of pipes is carried out along the outer part of the wall. There is no need to mount them in the wall. You can connect the pipes to each other using bends. Also, do not forget to connect the boiler, expansion tank and radiators with pipes.
Expansion tank. Place the expansion tank in the attic of the room or not far from the boiler. The expansion tank should not exceed 5% of the volume of the entire heating system as a whole. To heat a house on one floor, you'd better choose an 8 liter tank. In order not to be mistaken, buy a 15 liter tank.

Expansion tank

Installation Recommendations

The installation of an open heating system must be carried out strictly according to the instructions, otherwise there will be a risk of leaks and freezing of water in the winter. We present the following recommendations:

It is necessary to install the boiler as low as possible in relation to pipes, heating devices;
It is necessary to insulate the expansion tank when installed in the attic. This prevents the water from freezing;
Due attention is paid to the slope when installing the pipeline;
It is recommended to avoid multiple bends, elbows and bends;
It is important to use the least number of connectors;
A pipe with the largest diameter is installed at the outlet of the boiler.

It is important to choose the right pipe cross-section:

If the area of the house is 50-100 sq. m - you need to use pipes with a diameter of 40 mm. The larger the total area of the heated room, the larger the diameter.
The pipes that go to the radiators have a similar diameter to the riser. The pipes that lead to the radiators may have a smaller cross-section.
The recommended slope for horizontal pipes is 0.005-0.01%. It runs from the boiler towards the radiators.

Direct electric heating of a private house

Electric heating systems for private houses are extremely popular today.

They operate on the most expensive of all energy carriers available in our country - electrical energy.

Direct electric heating systems are used, both to fully cover the required heating and for peak loads and maintain a constant room temperature.

When choosing an electric heating option, it is very important to take into account what building materials the house is made of.

The choice of a heating device will be determined by the ability of the walls of the house to store heat directly.

If we compare housing heating directly with electricity with other available methods, then many facts speak in its favor.

For example, this method of heating rooms requires only the presence of special heaters in them.

No other equipment is required for this at all.

There is no need to worry about the coolant or the installation of a special kind of ventilation system.

Such heaters independently transform electric current into thermal energy.

They do not need various "intermediaries" from boilers, heat carriers and other equipment.

Heating a house with electricity has many significant advantages, among which the following should be highlighted:

ease, convenience and reliability of system operation;
possibility of regulation and efficient heat transfer;
noiselessness of the heating system;
small dimensions of heating devices that do not require labor-intensive and high-cost special care;
high environmental safety and hygiene of electric heaters.

What the system consists of and how does it work

In order for the heat to flow from the boiler room to the heating devices, an intermediary is used in the water system - a liquid. A heat carrier of this type moves through the pipeline and heats the rooms in the house, and all of them can have a different area. This factor makes such a heating system popular.

The movement of the coolant can be carried out in a natural way, the circulation is based on the principles of thermodynamics. Due to the different densities of cold and heated water and the slope of the pipeline, water moves through the system.

One of the important elements of the heating system is an open expansion tank, which receives excess heated liquid. It is this element that stabilizes the coolant pressure. The main condition is that the tank should be located at the highest point of the heating system.

Open heat supply operates according to the following scheme:

The boiler heats up water and is supplied to heating devices in every room of the house.
On the way back, excess liquid goes into the open-type expansion tank, its temperature drops, and the water returns back to the boiler.

One-pipe heating systems involve the use of one line for supply and return. Two-pipe systems have independent flow and return pipes. When deciding to independently mount a dependent heating system, it is better to choose a one-pipe scheme, it is simpler, more accessible and has an elementary design.

One-pipe heat supply consists of the following elements:

Heating boiler.
Batteries or radiators.
Expansion tank.
Pipes.

A simplified scheme implies the use of pipes with a cross section of 80-100 mm instead of radiators, but it should be borne in mind that such a system is less efficient in operation.

A two-pipe open heating system with a pump is more costly in material terms and is characterized by complex installation. However, in this case, all the disadvantages of a one-pipe system are practically eliminated, which makes it possible to compensate for the costs and complexity of the device. All heating devices receive a coolant with the same temperature, while the cooled liquid is sent to the return line.

Types of heaters for direct electric home heating

Since heaters are the key elements for any direct electric heating system, it is necessary at least a little to navigate the devices on our market.

This equipment is classified according to several criteria, the main one being the method of heat transfer.

For example, radiant and convective heaters.

Radiant heaters include infrared panels and mirrors that emit heat.

And the devices whose operation is based on convection are electric convectors, air heaters and heat fans.

To the above, the following types of heaters should be added - combined, convective-radiation, as well as electric heaters, whose operation is based on "indirect heating".

Installation recommendations

Shut-off valves for radiators for easy repair, maintenance or replacement

When installing dead-end heating with your own hands, you should take into account the recommendations of experienced craftsmen.

When calculating the throughput of the pipeline, the inner diameter of the pipes is taken. The correct choice will reduce the number of fittings required to connect the pipeline elements. The fewer the connections, the better the heating functions.
When distributing vertical type dead-end heating, shut-off and control valves should be installed on each branch. This will reduce the supply of coolant to the upper floors when no one lives there.
Horizontal pipelines are laid with a slope. If natural circulation of the coolant is assumed, a slope of 5 mm is made per meter of pipe. If it is planned to organize the forced movement of water, the pipeline is installed with a slope of no more than 2 mm per meter.
When choosing temperature sensors, it is necessary to take into account the intended method of circulation of the coolant. Since a thermal sensor of a certain design is suitable for each of the methods. Appliances for gravity systems have more capacity.
When installing the pipeline, it must be remembered that the last radiator, unlike other devices in the circuit, is connected with a pipe of a smaller diameter.

If you follow all the recommendations, you can avoid mistakes and speed up your work.

Fan heaters

Another effective device for heating a room are fan heaters, which not only maintain a given temperature, but are also able to raise it in a minimum time.

In addition, they can create a thermal air curtain.

Their undoubted advantage is minimal heat loss and high efficiency.

Today on sale you can see a huge number of fan heaters of various power and quality.

Sometimes they are equipped with air filtration equipment.

Heat solution - electric convectors

Electric convectors are often used for heating private houses.

In their design, these are metal panels with holes at the bottom and top.

The lower ones suck in cold air, which, when heated, comes out through the holes at the top.

The service life of the electric convector directly depends on the heating element and its quality.

Therefore, you should pay attention to it first of all when buying.

A high-quality heater, and with it the electric convector, will last 5-25 years.

Almost all modern electric convectors are equipped with thermostats that allow you to maintain the temperature in rooms within 5-10 degrees, which allows you to significantly save energy, in addition, they are absolutely safe to use for those around you.

Electric "warm floor"

The source of heat in such a field is a special cable built into it.

As a result, the floor turns into a large heating panel that distributes heat evenly throughout the room.

"Warm floor" allows you to create and maintain the optimum air temperature.

In addition, such a home heating system does not require additional equipment in the form of radiators, which greatly facilitates the arrangement of furniture and can be used with any floor covering.

Types of open systems

Such schemes of water heating are divided into types depending on the method of circulation and delivery of the coolant to the radiators with its subsequent return back to the boiler. Heated water can move along highways in two ways:

using natural circulation;
artificial impulse from the pump.

Due to the design features, there is practically no excess pressure in an open heating system. At the highest point, it is equal to the atmospheric, and at the lowest point it rises slightly due to the hydrostatic effect of the water column. The value of this pressure is small, which makes it possible to organize the natural circulation of the coolant. The principle is based on the fact that a coolant with different temperatures has a different density, and hence its mass. Example: 1m3 of water at t = 40 ° C weighs 992 kg, after the temperature rises to 60 ° C, the mass of 1m3 drops to 983 kg.

It would seem that the difference is insignificant. Nevertheless, it allows the cooled coolant with a low temperature to displace the lighter hot water from the boiler. Natural (convective) circulation occurs in pipelines, and such systems are called gravity or gravitational, because the movement in them occurs due to the force of gravity. Therefore, the flow rate of the coolant in the mains and radiators is low, only 0.1–0.3 m / s. But such schemes are completely non-volatile, provided that boilers for an open heating system that do not require electricity work together with them.

Note. In gravitational systems, pipelines are made with increased slopes and pipe diameters.

In order to increase the speed of water flow through the pipes and reduce the heating time of the premises, a pump is built into the pipeline from the boiler. It forces the coolant to move at a speed of 0.3-0.7 m / s, due to which heat transfer occurs more intensively, and all branches are warmed up more evenly. Due to the presence of a pump, the distance between the heat source and the batteries can be increased both in length and in height.

Installation of a pumping unit allows you to create a slight excess pressure in the heating system, which allows the coolant to flow well into the radiators. This definitely increases the efficiency of the system as a whole, although it makes it dependent on the availability of electricity.

Note. So that the heating of a private house does not stop with a power outage, it is customary to install a circulation pump on a parallel bypass line.