On the question of how to choose a boiler, the owners are looking for an answer, who want to have a source of hot water in the house. Often without this benefit of civilization, there are those who have communal planners renovating the boiler house. Also, the boiler is useful when the house does not have centralized hot water supply or if the dwelling is in general outside the city.
Which boiler to choose?
When deciding how to choose a boiler for an apartment, it is important to know its design, to study the characteristics, operation principle and connection . The heater is a container in which cold water is brought to a high temperature by means of tubular elements - heaters. A large storage tank allows you to store up to 500 liters of hot water. The heater can service all plumbing fixtures in the house, but it takes up a lot of space (depending on the volume).
Before choosing a boiler, it is necessary to know that the device is capable not only of providing hot water, but also keeping its high temperature for a long time. It cools down slowly - approximately at 0.5 ° C per hour. In addition, the boiler requires regular maintenance - replacing the magnesium anode, cleaning the inner tank and the heating parts from scale. Prophylaxis is carried out once every 1-2 years.
Types of boilers for water heating
All storage boilers are electric . Externally they are similar - they are a tank with a handle-regulator, but according to some characteristics may differ. Types of boilers:
- Heaters differ in the types of thermal elements:
- With wet TEN, submersible, in contact directly with water. This is a cheaper option.
- With dry TEN, built into a special sealed capsule. The advantage of the latter option is that there is no contact between the thermal element and water, no scale is formed on it. The heating part is in the bulb, thereby reducing the risk of electric shock.
Boiler shape
Before choosing a boiler for a house, you need to know that the shape of the tanks produce a rectangular or cylindrical. When buying, it is important to consider the availability of free space in the bathroom. The design of the device is selected individually, so that it fits best in the interior of the room. There are also compact models of small volume, built in under the sink or into a niche.
How much water should I choose?
Before buying, you should know how to choose the volume of the boiler so that it is sufficient for all household needs. This parameter depends on the number of people living in the apartment and the purposes of using the water heater - for washing dishes, bathing in the bath or in the shower. On average, manufacturers advise to focus on the following figures:
- one person for swimming will have enough storage capacity of not more than 50 liters;
- for a family of 2-3 residents need to buy a boiler for 80-100 liters;
- If the house has more than 4 people, it is better to choose a capacity of at least 120 liters;
- if the heater is put in the kitchen to wash dishes, then 10-15 liters of volume for these purposes is enough.
What should be the capacity of the boiler?
It is important to choose the right boiler for the power parameters of the heater. It can take values from 1 to 6 kW. To buy a water heater, you need to focus on the wiring in the house. If it is new and will withstand a large load, the device will be purchased based on the needs - the more powerful it is, the faster the water will be heated, but also the power consumption will be greater. Optimum is the power value of 2 kW, since if you choose a boiler with a capacity of 80 liters, then in this case it will be warmed for about 3 hours, which is the norm.
Which boiler cover is better?
Before choosing an electric boiler, it is necessary to know that the tanks are produced with different coatings. It protects the container from the inside against corrosion and extends its life. Cheaper options have an enamel or glass-ceramic surface, which can be covered with small cracks in case of sudden temperature changes. It is better to choose more expensive models, which are made of stainless steel or have titanium sputtering. They are characterized by a long warranty period of operation - 7-10 years, magnesium anodes in them should be changed much less frequently.
In addition, the tanks for heaters are made multilayer, like a thermos. Before choosing an electric boiler, it is necessary to pay attention to its thermal insulation coating. On its quality depends on how long the heater can keep the water temperature high. For home use it is better to buy a container with an insulation layer of at least 35 mm. As a material, experts recommend choosing foam polyurethane, it is much better than foam rubber.
Which company to choose a boiler?
Many manufacturers try to make products durable and quality. Which boilers are the best and most reliable:
- Ariston. Tanks are made of stainless steel with additional protection of welded joints, can have titanium coating or exclusive silver Ag +. These Italian heaters have an attractive design, a convenient display with fault indication, which only Aristona has, a professional ECO protection system. The devices are equipped with an efficient dissector that does not allow mixing of heated and newly supplied water.
- Atlantic. A popular firm in Europe with tank volumes of 30-160 liters with an average electricity consumption of 1.5 kWh. For convenience, the heaters are equipped with a mode of accelerated water heating. Inside the tanks are covered with glass ceramics with the addition of artificial diamond, the thermal insulation is made of polyurethane, which keeps the heat high. The models of the Seatite series are equipped with a dry ceramic TEN of own design isolated from water.
- Electrolux. Convenient inexpensive Spanish heaters with low power consumption. The inner tank is made of hardened at + 850 ° glass ceramics with high elasticity. There is a water disinfection function, to save electricity, the devices have independent control of two heaters, which allow to operate the device in half-power mode.
- Gorenje. Produces Slovenia, the models exist of different capacity and volume, with dry and conventional TEN. In addition to the standard cylindrical and rectangular forms, the brand offers compact narrow models - slim. The inner tank is made of stainless steel or steel, covered with enamel. The advantage is the system "sleep mode", ensuring the maintenance of temperature 10 ° C to avoid the risk of freezing in winter.