How to choose a gas heating boiler for a house - what should you know when buying?

When building a house the question of how to choose a gas boiler is one of the most important for a comfortable stay. Manufacturers offer an impressive number of models, and the task is reduced to the selection of optimal characteristics for a particular housing.

Types of gas boilers

Answering the question, which gas boiler is best for your housing, you will need a variety of information: the size of the house or apartment, whether there are interruptions with the supply of electricity. Choosing the right boiler among the widest choice will be easier if you work in stages. Determine the main parameters of the room where the installation is planned, set the final goal and allowable costs.

Single-circuit gas boiler

If the task is to heat the room, a single-circuit system is installed. Such a boiler heats the water in the coolant, additional expenditure is needed to use it in the DHW. I'll have to buy a boiler with an indirect type of heating. Opinions on the advisability of purchasing heating gas single-circuit boilers are divided:

On the one hand, the purchase of two types of equipment will cost more than the purchase of a dual-circuit boiler capable of replacing a boiler .
On the other hand, a large distance of the heating point from the tap will result in a large flow of water. The farther away the boiler is from the tap, the more cold water is wasted.

Gas double-circuit house boilers

The price of the two-stage equipment will be lower than the total cost of a single-stage with a boiler. However, we will have to look for a compromise: a two-circuit gas boiler, although it will be cheaper, but which one is better, it's not easy to decide. At purchase some features of the equipment are considered:

Mineral compounds lead to the formation of scale, and a boiler of this type is susceptible to it, therefore it will be necessary to look for a variant with good filters for cities with dirty tap water.
For an apartment or a house you need different systems of output of combustion products (chimney, condensate or turbo), this directly affects the cost of purchase and the complexity of installation.

Floor gas boilers for home heating

From the point of view of installation, the boilers are divided into wall and floor. The latter are considered a traditional solution, made of cast iron or steel. Disputes as to which material is better for a double-circuit gas boiler will never abate:

Cast iron is not susceptible to corrosion, but it is brittle, so microcracks, even with the most accurate transportation and installation, remain a possible threat.
Steel is not afraid of mechanical damage, but if it is misused, it is susceptible to corrosion, it is important not to let the temperature drop below the dew point.

Wall mounted gas heating boilers

Wall-mounted models are something like a boiler house in miniature. Multifunctionality did not affect the price in favor of floor models, and the installation is much easier. And this is not the only advantage of this equipment, since a gas boiler with wall mounting is recommended by many installers. Wall gas heating boilers are equipped with different types of gas outlet, and which depends on the type of structure:

Natural draft is a classic solution, here the gases come out under the influence of the chimney. They are used mainly for private houses.
In the apartment conditions models with forced draft, which is provided by the built-in fan, took root. Under the coaxial tube make an additional hole in the wall. A great advantage of this method of gas removal is that oxygen in the room is not burned, there is no need for a constant supply of fresh air.
The burner at the wall boiler can be conventional or modulating. The second controls what temperature is on the gas boiler, depending on the heat consumption.

How to choose a gas boiler for heating?

For each boiler there are a number of parameters that affect the appropriateness of the choice. Not always the most powerful option is the right solution, and saving on the manufacturer's name does not lead to further problems. Before choosing a gas boiler for the house, it is recommended to learn more about the manufacturer and further warranty repairs. Important is the choice of additional components, such as a gas pipe or voltage regulator . All this in the sum gives the right decision and further trouble-free operation.

How to choose the power of a gas boiler for a house?

The overestimated capacity is fraught with the fact that the boiler will constantly operate inefficiently, sooner or later automatic failures and premature wear will begin. It is better to choose gas floor or wall-mounted boilers after a simple calculation. For a typical house or apartment a simplified version is used: calculate the required capacity by multiplying the specific power by the total area of all premises and the legal ratio. As an example, let's try to choose the capacity of a gas boiler for habitation in 120 m ² :

Specific capacity means that for a comfortable condition in the house we need 1 kW for every 10 m ² (Um = 1 kW / 10 m ² ).
The so-called legal coefficient depends on the region of residence: for warm areas it is 0.9, then, with a decrease in temperature, increases (the average band is 1.2-1.5, the cold areas are 2.0).
If we are looking for a boiler for standard average conditions, then we need a power of 120 x 1.5 / 10 = 18 kW.
When the boiler is used also for heating water, the obtained power will have to be increased by 20-30%, among the existing indicators, the nearest 25 kW will be.

Which firm is the gas boiler better?

The installation of heating systems is carried out by firms cooperating with certain manufacturers. So the buyer receives warranty service and confidence in a good job. There is a temptation to save and choose a little-known product cheaper, but in the end, buying can be more expensive. In the question of which gas boiler is best for a private house, it is worth paying attention to proven brands with a worldwide reputation:

The Italian brand BAXI offers single-boiler, the advantage of which is high efficiency and the ability to heat even a large two-story house. Many models have compact dimensions. Two-circuit boilers can be connected to a warm floor system, this is an excellent solution for medium-sized houses.
Slovakia offers boilers Protherm , which are considered one of the reliable. Many models need additional water filters, but they are capable of operating in a low-temperature mode.
Products from Bosch do not need advertising. Boilers from the Bosch Gaz series are recognized as the best choice for the countries of the former CIS. Quality of performance, affordable price and reliability are the main advantages of technology.
The decision of the task, which gas boiler to choose for heating the house, may well become models from the firms Vaillant , Buderus and Wolf .

How to choose a voltage regulator for a gas boiler?

Stabilizers help to prolong the life of technology and ensure its correct operation. Solving the problem of how to choose voltage regulators for gas boilers, consider several parameters:

Almost all models of boilers consumed power does not exceed 200 watts. The starting current for the circulation pump is approximately five times higher. Therefore, for most boilers, there is enough stabilizer for 1 kW.
The stabilizer, which gives an extremely accurate voltage input, is expensive, but it is not necessary for the boiler. The average 5% value is enough.
In the issue of the manufacturer, the domestic stabilizers "Calm" and "Progress", LVT and Volter are considered quite reliable.

Which chimney to choose for a gas boiler?

If all the technical characteristics of the gas boiler are satisfied, the moment of choosing the type of chimney comes. There are several solutions:

The galvanized pipe or sandwich of pipes is recognized as an effective and successful solution. They easily transfer all mechanical loads from the external environment. The sandwich consists of two pipes, inserted one into the other and separated by basalt cotton wool.

Coaxial pipe is suitable for boilers with a closed chamber, then the combustion air is taken from the external environment. The specific shape of the pipe does not allow condensate to accumulate.

A simple, reliable and fireproof solution is a ceramic chimney. This is a ceramic pipe, wrapped in mineral wool, and placed in a casing or shell of expanded clay concrete.