Budget heating of a dacha. Heating options for a dacha: selection criteria for which is the best heating for a dacha house. Types of heating systems and units

Country houses are used for recreation, not for permanent residence. However, in early spring or late autumn it becomes cold in any room. Therefore, heating the dacha becomes a necessity. Otherwise, it will not be possible to stay in the house for the night. This can be inconvenient due to the fact that the road to the holiday village sometimes takes a long time, and sometimes it is inopportune to return on the same day.

There is another significant advantage of a heated dacha, for example, for those who have children: you can have a winter picnic with the kids outside the city during the New Year holidays. How to make heating for a dacha with your own hands, and which scheme is best to choose for this, we will consider further.

Heating in a brick house

Which houses are best suited for heating devices?

Depending on the building materials, a temporary dwelling may or may not be suitable for heating. For example, wooden houses built from panel panels cool down very quickly. Such a structure must be additionally insulated. Don’t forget about fire safety when installing heating in a wooden country house.

Another thing is houses built of brick, shell rock or concrete. They are permanent buildings and are ready for year-round visits. The choice of heating scheme in such houses depends on the communications passing nearby.

Suitable heating options for a summer house, their pros and cons

Conventionally, they can be divided into three types:

oven;
water;
electric.

Modern stove heating is achieved using a cast iron or steel stove.

We will not consider a furnace made of refractory bricks, since it should be taken into account at the design stage and installed together with the construction of internal walls.

If you have to choose heating in your dacha without gas, then this option turns out to be the most economical. The advantage of this type of heating is the ability to heat the room to an optimally comfortable temperature in just 40-50 minutes. Stove heating has disadvantages: it is necessary to periodically (approximately every 4-6 hours) add fuel and clean the ash pan from combustion products; you also need to control the draft.

However, this device has undoubted advantages: simplicity and speed of installation, no need to worry about equipment failure, freezing and rupture of pipes, as in water heating.

The second type is water (steam) heating. In terms of comfort and design, it can be compared with a city one. The principle of water country heating is that the coolant - hot water (or antifreeze) is preheated in the boiler - passes through pipes into radiators or convectors and releases heat, heating the rooms. The disadvantages of such heating are the complexity of the circuit and the need to purchase expensive equipment. The advantages of this type of heating: comfort of use and the ability to choose one of the available boilers:

gas;
electric;
solid fuel.

It should be noted that gas heating boilers for dachas, although preferable, require mandatory approval before installation from the gas service.

The simplest type of country heating is electric. This is implemented by installing heaters, convectors or warm infrared floors. Pros: their installation does not require major repairs, the equipment does not require maintenance, it connects and works as needed. Cons: in case of power outages, it is better to have an alternative heat source, for example, the same stove.

How to choose the right heating system for your dacha

The first step is to determine the availability of fuel. If there is a gas main nearby, it would be a sin not to take advantage of it. Gas is one of the cheapest types of fuel. Accordingly, gas heating for a summer house is the best option in terms of quality and affordability.

If the networks do not pass close, then solid fuel and electricity remain. It is better to give preference to either a cheaper or safer type. Much depends on the materials from which the house is made.

For example, it is unsafe to install stove heating in a wooden house, since materials located near the stove may ignite. At the same time, infrared floors are best installed under laminate, since wooden floors have high heat-insulating properties. In addition, they dry out from heating and become deformed over time.

For a house made of brick or concrete, water or stove heating is more suitable;
For a wooden house it is better to install water or electric heating. When using the oven, you should take safety precautions and carefully isolate it from heated metal surfaces.

Stove heating: installation rules

This heating installation in a country house has some limitations. It is best to install a cast iron firebox in utility rooms or living rooms, choosing walls at least 500 mm thick adjacent to the interior rooms. It is not recommended to install stoves in bedrooms to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. It is not advisable to install the firebox in a draft, between adjacent windows or doors: otherwise it will start to smoke. It is not recommended to hammer into a wall if there is no chimney; it is better to complete it.

It is correct to place the firebox on a brick bed laid in three rows, especially if it does not have a stand. A chimney made of sheet material or cast iron is installed above the stove. To avoid fire, you need to cover the pipe with thermal insulation at the points of contact with the ceiling and roof. Depending on the model, such a stove heats an area from 15 to 90 square meters. m. It can be installed in one day, if you do not use decorative finishing.

Water heating of a country house

This type of heating is the most comfortable due to the fact that the heat emanating from the radiators is distributed evenly throughout the room. It is advisable to choose it for houses with an area of 100 m2 or more, when stove heating is not enough and electric heating is expensive.

Scheme

This do-it-yourself dacha heating scheme boils down to the following: water is heated in the boiler, which begins to circulate with the help of a pump, flowing through the pipes into the radiators. To prevent the liquid expanding from heating from rupturing the pipes, it is necessary to connect a container to the system - an expansion tank of an open or closed (membrane) type.

It is possible to install a water heating system without a pump - of the forced type, but it is less reliable and not justified, since heating the room with its help is many times slower. Sometimes it takes a day for the room to get a little warmer. Therefore, we will not consider it.

Equipment

So, to set up the system you will need to purchase:

radiators (according to the number of windows in the house), the selection of sections is taken in the calculation of 1 piece. by 1.5-2 m2;
pipes suitable for them (determine the footage in accordance with the diagram);
expansion tank calculated at +10% of the heating circuit volume;
pump (calculating that 100 W of energy will be required per 1 m 2);
shut-off valves, corresponding keys;
level, pencil;
gas, electric or solid fuel boiler depending on fuel availability . As an interesting option for a summer residence, you can consider a pyrolysis or gas generator boiler. Its efficiency is achieved up to 92% due to the fact that after burning the wood releases gas, which is ultimately also used as fuel. Thus, from one bookmark the boiler operates uninterruptedly for 12 hours.

The most suitable heating radiators for summer cottages are aluminum or biometallic. They weigh little and heat up quickly. They are easy to transport with your own transport and connect to polypropylene pipes, which look decent, are inexpensive and do not require painting.

When placing radiators on brackets, it is necessary to maintain a distance of at least 70 mm to the window sill, 100 mm from the floor and 30 to 50 mm to the wall. The film is removed from the batteries after installation. For aesthetic reasons, it is better to install supply pipes level. The expansion tank is located next to the boiler, the pump in front of it.

It should be taken into account that when the house is not heated, the water in it will freeze, which can lead to rupture of pipes and failure of the system. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to either drain the water when leaving or fill the containers with antifreeze.

Electric heating

Installation of heaters and convectors

The easiest and fastest way to keep warm in a country house is to turn on the convector or infrared emitter. A very good option for a summer residence is electric radiators. These devices very quickly raise the room temperature to a comfortable level.

One could stop at this equipment if it were not for health concerns. The fact is that in a cold room your feet freeze more than outside. Therefore, it is better to install heated floors in the house. They allow you to warm up much faster after a long stay in the fresh air, and therefore there is less chance of catching a cold.

Installation of heated floors

You can install infrared heated floors at any time of the year, even on old flooring. Using this method, installation of heating for a dacha is carried out without much difficulty. To do this, you need to purchase infrared film (one of the best manufacturers - Caleo), heat and waterproofing, thermostat, coating (preferably laminate). The following steps should be followed:

clean the floor surface, it must be perfectly flat;
install a thermostat in the wall;
lay thermal insulation (preferably Izolon) and secure it with construction tape;
lay the film strips in accordance with the instructions (the area where the furniture will be should be left without an emitter);
fasten them together;
Insulate cut areas with bitumen tape;
connect electrical wires to the edges;
bring them to the thermostat; check the system for serviceability;
lay waterproofing;
cover the floor with carpet or laminate.

Recommendations on how to save on heating a country house

Connecting infrared film to electricity

It has been observed that heat leaks affect the speed and efficiency of heating rooms. Up to 20% of the heat usually escapes through old wooden double-glazed windows. Through cold walls - up to 40%, through doors - up to 20%, through the floor - 10%. Accordingly, if before the onset of cold weather you fix leaks and insulate the walls, then within an hour you will be able to feel in a country house just like in a city apartment.

And further. The most economical heating for a dacha in terms of fuel consumption is gas. Therefore, if it is possible to connect to the highway, then it is better to choose it as a priority.

Video: types and heating options for a summer residence

A cottage in the country is not only a vegetable garden, it is also a great place to gather in good company and relax after a hard week of work, cook barbecue and just have a good time. They try to equip country houses with all amenities, such as sewerage and electricity; if the house is intended to be visited during cold weather, a heating system is added to these parameters. Thus, the house becomes a stronghold of calm and tranquility from the noise and bustle of city streets. Today we will talk about which heating to choose for a country house.

Heating a country house with a fireplace

Heating is one of the most important parameters for creating a comfortable atmosphere in a country home. Especially if it is inhabited in winter or with the onset of cold weather. Conventionally, these systems can be divided into:

Stove heating is an excellent option for a small house;
Water heating, for which special boilers are used;
Electric heating. It is the simplest, but at the same time one of the most expensive.

There is also a division into general and local heating systems.

General system - is one device used in conjunction with pipes and radiators to heat the entire house.

Local system - uses separate heating for each room of the home.

Now let’s take a closer look at the types of heating and start with stove heating.

Stove heating of a country house

Its use is especially advisable if the house is located away from the central gas pipeline lines. As advantages, we can note the use of renewable energy sources, and if it is simpler, firewood and coal, this is especially true if there is a sawmill near a populated area, where wood waste from production can be purchased at a much lower price than simple firewood.

A well-installed stove is extremely durable and reliable, and most importantly, it is multifunctional, here you can heat water and cook food, and it smells something familiar, because our great-grandfathers used this type of heating at home. One of the disadvantages is the cost of building a stove, especially if you build one that is large enough in size, plus it takes a long time to heat up. But all these disadvantages can be compensated for by purchasing a portable wood-burning stove; it heats up quickly and is not so expensive, but it does not inherit all the advantages of a stone stove, so it is a double-edged sword.

Types of stoves

Oddly enough, stoves have their own classification according to the type of heating, which will be discussed below.

Single-chamber ovens are, one might say, an economical option. The fact is that its efficiency is the lowest among all its competitors, but there is a powerful plus, this is the cost. It is thanks to their low price that they are quite widespread and in demand. The principle of operation is simple, like everything ingenious, the pipe with air passes extremely close to the combustion chamber, from there and that’s it, warm air is ready for the house.

The open type of stoves, in addition to heating, has an important decorative role, often these are fireplaces, of course their efficiency is not so great, but aesthetically the fireplace looks very impressive. No stove will give you a cozy evening with a cup of tea and the dim light of dying wood. Although you can’t cook food on it, which is undoubtedly a minus.

Now let's weigh the pros and cons

Good heating of rooms
Mobility (except stone oven)
Autonomy (throw the wood in and forget it)
Multifunctionality (here is a stove and everything else)

Fire hazard (especially for portable ones);
The need to stock up on firewood and find a place for it;
Place for the stove itself, chimney lining.

Water heating

A common heating system can be water heating, because in this case water is heated in a stove or boiler. In all country premises, coolant circulates through radiators and pipes.

Boilers are classified into:

electric boilers;
operating on liquid fuel;
gas;
solid fuel.

Heating is quite effective, but of course it is also expensive. But this also has its advantages; you can come to the dacha around the clock. This version of the heating system is well suited for those who will often come to their dacha in winter, but if not, then you should think carefully about whether it is worth making such efforts and costs for this type of heating.

Electric heating

As already mentioned, this is the easiest way to heat a room, for several reasons. First, such devices are quite cheap and small. Second, electricity is available almost everywhere. Well, it’s worth noting their relative safety. But there is also a minus: far from civilization, there are frequent cases of power outages, and although its supply is restored relatively quickly. But if outages are quite frequent in your area, you can seriously think about purchasing fuel generators.

Fan heaters

As with any other units, there are several classifications, and the first one we will consider is fan heaters. They traditionally, as the name suggests, consist of a propeller and a heating element. Which come from metal tubes, glass, in the form of a spring or spiral, and of course ceramic.

Fan heater “Breeze” for heating a country house

The most significant division lies in the design features of these devices, namely:

axial;
diametrical;
diagonal;
bladeless.

All of them deserve your attention, but unfortunately they are not without drawbacks, the most striking being air drying. So dry lips and a parched throat are guaranteed. Also, the noise produced during operation and the unpleasant side effect of burning oxygen can cast doubt on your comfort. And their power is not great; of course, such devices may be suitable for small rooms, but hardly for large ones. Moreover, even various operating modes cannot compensate for this, so it is recommended to use fans in conjunction with other heating devices.

Oil batteries

For the most part, they are a heated tank filled with oil, but not simple, but with a high heating temperature, wheels or legs, on which the entire structure is attached. They are quite popular due to their ease of use and safety of use. Thus, you can safely plug in the battery you just purchased and go about your business without fear for your property.

Like fan heaters, batteries dry out the air a lot, and this is an absolute minus, but the plus is that after heating you can turn them off, and they will give off their heat for a long time.

Convectors

This is one of the best options for warming up your country house. Convectors have a number of serious advantages over their competitors. The first rightfully is the design, it is small and after installation it looks like an ordinary apartment battery. Secondly, it operates around the clock, even during the day or at night, it will heat the air.

Infrared heaters

One of the latest technological innovations in the field of space heating, it has far-reaching prospects and is gradually gaining popularity. They were first used to heat production areas of large plants and factories, where infrared heaters quickly proved their effectiveness. They have no drawbacks as such, even if you put them on the street. All this thanks to the infrared emitter, which acts in the same way as the sun, heating the place where it is directed.

Summing up - what heating to choose for a country house?

When asking which heating to choose for a country house, focus on safety as the main parameter. Because it is the country house that is most susceptible to fires. It is necessary to pay attention to the stability of the heater operation so that the heat is released and distributed evenly. After all, the most important thing at the dacha is comfort.

If your plans include living outside the city not only in the warm season, then you need to take care to ensure the maximum level of comfort in the autumn and winter months. And one of the first points that should be paid attention to will be the heating of a country house: you can set up a completely effective heating system with your own hands. At the same time, we will be able not only to control the quality of all work, but also to save significantly.

But what heating options for a country house should be considered first?

Approaches to heating a summer house

When starting to design a heating system for a suburban home (and we certainly cannot do without a project in this situation), we need to take into account several factors. Taking these nuances into account will allow you to choose the optimal system that will save resources and maintain a comfortable temperature even in extreme cold.

What questions should we answer?

The first question is how to heat a country house? The choice of energy source is a priority, since the cost of maintaining comfort in your home depends on it.
In some regions, the best fuel will be wood or pellets, in others - gas, and it is possible that the only available alternative will be electricity.
Next, you need to decide which methods of heating a country house will be most acceptable.. Here you will have to choose between air heating, which is provided by stoves, and water.
Suitable mainly for small buildings, therefore in large country houses it is better to install water circuits.
Well, finally, it’s worth considering how much you plan to reconstruct the room itself. In some cases, heating a country house with your own hands can only be done in conjunction with major repairs, while in others, simply installing heating devices and laying communications with minimal damage is sufficient.

Advice!
If you plan to install all communications and devices yourself, then you will definitely need the most detailed instructions, and even better, advice from an experienced technician.
And, of course, it’s worth watching the training videos on the site.

The price of the issue also plays an important role. Yes, today there are very economical systems that allow you to minimize heating costs, but they are quite expensive. So, in any case, you will have to choose: purchase relatively inexpensive equipment and pay for energy, or spend money once, but provide the most economical heating for your country house.

Selecting a heating system

Electricity

Heating of country houses can be classified according to a variety of principles. But the most logical, from our point of view, is the approach in which the classification is based on the type of fuel used. That is why below we will consider options for electric, gas and solid fuel heating.

Systems that use electricity as an energy source are the simplest and most affordable.

Based on this energy carrier, it is possible to construct two fundamentally different schemes:

The first scheme involves the installation of various stationary and portable electric heating devices (oil radiators, infrared heaters, etc.). They ensure that the temperature inside the room rises to the level we need, without the need to lay a circuit of pipes with coolant.
The second scheme is a water heating system in which an electric boiler or an electric boiler is used as a heating element. In this case, the coolant (water) is heated to a given temperature and supplied to the radiators through pipes.

Electric heating has its advantages:

First, in many areas electricity is virtually the only available source of energy.
Secondly, managing such a system is quite simple, and if you do not use a water circuit, then installation does not require any special skills. It is enough to lay reliable wiring and connect heating devices to the network as needed.

The disadvantage in this case is the high cost of energy. If the system involves receiving electricity from the network (and not from a windmill or), then in the cold season you will have to pay a lot for heating.

Gas heating

The heating system of a country house, which uses natural gas as fuel, is one of the most economical. The “heart” of this system can be either a gas boiler or a gas furnace.

Note!
Recently, infrared heaters operating on a gas-air mixture (pictured) have gained popularity, but their characteristics make these devices unsuitable for use in country houses.
The only exceptions are external heating devices, which can be installed on terraces or in open gazebos.

What are the advantages of such heating?

The first indisputable advantage is the affordable cost of “blue fuel”. In many regions, gas is the most cost-effective raw material for heating.
Secondly, a gas boiler or stove operates automatically, so there is no need to periodically add firewood or coal to the firebox.
And finally, modern gas heating systems are characterized by increased safety.

However, along with the advantages, there are also disadvantages:

Firstly, not all our settlements have been gasified, and in many remote areas there is simply no gas pipeline. So you have to think about how to heat a country house without gas!

Advice!
Using liquefied gas cylinders for heating is not only irrational, but also dangerous!

Secondly, installing gas requires a large number of approvals and permits. Installation work can only be carried out by a certified organization, so you won’t be able to save money on installation.

As you can see, gas has both pros and cons. Which one will outweigh is up to you to decide!

Solid fuel

Well, finally, we should mention the most “ancient” type of heating devices - stoves, fireplaces and boilers that run on solid fuel. Coal can be used as a solid fuel, but most often it is heated with either wood or special sawdust pellets with special impregnation.

Why weren’t solid fuel units supplanted by more modern gas or electric ones?

There are several reasons for this.

The first reason is autonomous operation. The warmth in the rooms of your country house depends only on whether you have a sufficient supply of firewood in the barn. No interruptions in the supply of gas or electricity threaten you.
The second plus is high efficiency. If previously wood stoves worked very uneconomically, modern solid fuel systems are very close to gas boilers in terms of energy efficiency.
Also, do not forget about financial issues. If the wood in your region is “our own” and not imported, then it can be heated quite cheaply. There are still enough forests!

Speaking about the disadvantages, it is worth mentioning the need for a separate room for storing fuel, as well as the difficulty in controlling the heating installation. Be that as it may, wood does not burn as evenly as gas, so maintaining the desired temperature requires some effort.

Efficient heating of a country house can be achieved in different ways. And which one will be optimal depends not only on your preferences, but also on the characteristics of your region!

Most of our summer residents cannot boast that they have a full-fledged house on their plots. After all, mostly country houses are light, poorly insulated buildings, which are unlikely to fully fall under the definition of “residential building.” To do this, it is necessary, at a minimum, to connect it to the appropriate utilities.

And if you can still be content with the fact that water and “conveniences” are on the street, then heating in the country, given the peculiarities of our climate, is simply necessary. Many companies offer services (and promise that it will not cost much) for the installation of a complete and efficient heating system. But does this make sense in relation to a dacha?

Firstly, with rare exceptions, the owner works on the site only during the season, and permanently resides in a nearby village. But any system requires maintenance. For example, drain the water, service the components of the circuit, and so on.

Secondly, no matter what is stated in the advertising brochures, it will not be possible to do this “virtually for nothing.” The investment will be quite significant for the family budget.

Thirdly, even if under some promotion (let’s say!) we are the ones who are supplied and connected inexpensively with the necessary equipment, then how can we save all this? After all, most gardening partnerships are not guarded, and in terms of theft, any dacha is an object of increased risk ().

The conclusion suggests itself - it’s not worth installing units from the “boiler equipment” category at your dacha.

And then what? Let's consider the possible options in relation to what type of fuel will be used. At the same time, we will focus only on those (and there are quite a lot of them) that are suitable for a small country house and will not require significant financial expenses.

Gas

Which of the “ordinary” Russians can boast of a gasified dacha? Yes, there are such areas, but on them there are not “sheds”, but full-fledged cottages, and they are owned by those who are usually called “VIPs”. For them, who are not experiencing financial difficulties, the question of “cheap and cheerful” does not arise. There is only one thing left - a gas cylinder.

If you have your own car, there is no problem finding a gas station - an excellent option. Moreover, a heating boiler is not needed. There are devices called “outdoor heaters”. They are attractive because they are suitable not only for heating a house, but also, for example, a barbecue area, an open veranda, a playground, even flower beds or seedlings.

Considering their mobility (all models are portable), this is the optimal, most universal solution to the problem of heating in a country house. For those who are interested in this issue, we recommend.

Electricity

Power outages in suburban areas occur quite often. But at what time? Mainly with the onset of cold weather, when wires break due to gusts of wind or the weight of ice, and repairmen cannot quickly arrive at the scene of an accident due to snow drifts. Otherwise, everything is fine with this - almost all dacha areas are “electrified”.

But what devices are best to use, given their huge range?

IR heaters

Probably the best option for heating a dacha.

can be installed anywhere (ceiling, walls), even under the cladding. Considering the cramped conditions in the house, this is quite a significant advantage;
various engineering solutions. For example, film (PLEN), which can be “hidden” even under wallpaper. There is a choice for every taste, so you don’t have to make “revolutionary” changes either in the layout or in the arrangement of furniture;
In terms of electricity consumption, IR devices are one of the most economical heaters (all of them).

Oil heaters

They can confidently claim a “silver medal” in our rating. Their light weight and dimensions allow them to be positioned in a way that is convenient for the owners. They heat up more slowly, but when they “disperse”, they keep the heat for quite a long time even after turning it off. For the winter it will not be difficult to load it into the trunk and take it to the garage, so the issue of theft in the event of thieves breaking in is not an issue.

Fan heaters

Deservedly (for the dacha) – 3rd position. Such a device can be carried in a regular shopping bag, since it is light in weight. It heats quickly, efficiently, and circulates air throughout the room. There is only one drawback - it cannot be used for a long time without a shutdown break. But for a small house, 10 - 15 minutes is enough to raise the temperature to the optimum.

All other types of heat generators for a small dacha are hardly worth using. Let us note some possible options, evaluating them from the point of view of the feasibility of use, taking into account the main disadvantages.

Electric fireplaces (reflectors)

They heat the room to a limited extent, only around themselves. Consequently, you will need a rather massive device (both in size and weight).
They dry out the room greatly. Some people are quite sensitive to a sharp decrease in humidity, which is why not everyone likes such heaters.

Furnaces

The oven will need quite a lot of space.
You will have to think about preparing and storing fuel reserves (firewood, briquettes, coal or a container for a solarium).
Impressive dimensions. Therefore, reinstallation will not be as easy as an oil cooler.
And what is important, you will have to constantly monitor the stove. Is it convenient to run back and forth if the owners are working on the site? Especially if it runs on liquid fuel. Otherwise, instead of weeding the beds, you will have to put out the fire.

The article outlines the vision of the problem of heating a country house based on economy and efficiency. But these are only recommended options, since each site and building has its own characteristics.

Picture 1. Installation diagram for heating a country house using solid fuel

Types of fuel for country heating

For heating a dacha, the most polar types of fuel are electricity and solid fuel. Classic options, such as a stove, fireplace, as well as various electric heating devices (convectors, oil radiators, infrared panels, fan heaters) are applicable only for small buildings and have a number of disadvantages:

The stove can only heat the rooms in which it is located, has a very low efficiency and a long warm-up time.
For electric convectors, it is necessary to provide in advance an electrical distribution throughout the house that can withstand the appropriate load.
Ceiling heaters, due to the lack of grounding, are not safe.
Electric floor heating systems consume a lot of electricity but produce little heat.

The most optimal, from our point of view, option for heating a country house is to install a heating boiler and radiators with a system filled with coolant, which is a non-freezing liquid.

Heating a cottage with a solid fuel boiler

Let's consider a diagram of a closed heating system with a solid fuel boiler.

To regulate the temperature of the coolant, most modern solid fuel boilers are equipped with temperature regulators. This regulator is connected by a chain to the air damper and regulates the air supply to the boiler. The higher the boiler temperature, the more the air damper closes so that the set boiler water temperature does not exceed.

In a closed heating circuit, it is imperative to install a safety group with a safety valve and an air vent, as well as an expansion tank. To protect the boiler from corrosion, a three-way mixer with a sensor is installed on the boiler return line. Until the temperature of the boiler return line heats up above 55 degrees, the circulation pump rotates the coolant through the boiler circuit without supplying it to the heating radiators. As soon as the return temperature exceeds 55 degrees, the three-way mixer will open and the coolant will begin to flow into the heating radiators, which, when heated, will release heat to the room.