Is it possible to install a boiler in an apartment building? Installation of a gas boiler: what do you need to know? Differences between single- and double-circuit gas boilers

Dear forum users. For several years now I have been wanting to install a gas wall-mounted double-circuit boiler in my apartment. closed type. But I probably won’t achieve anything through official means; I always get rejected. Who knows or has encountered how this can be done and is it possible at all? My apartment is on the 5th floor of a Khrushchev building.

I have not met anyone who had a gas boiler legally installed in their apartment (with the exception of houses with apartment heating). There were several cases when people installed them without permission, but it all ended in dismantling and huge fines. And for some it still works quietly... Perhaps there is an official way (approval, preparation of a project, execution of specifications, etc.), we are waiting for further comments.

Who achieved it? Installation of a gas boiler in an apartment.

Useless. I tried to make it official a couple of years ago - the refusal came from architecture and city gas, the reason was that the facade was damp from the exhaust, individual ventilation ducts were needed, etc.

Who achieved it? Installation of a gas boiler in an apartment.

I don't know, maybe it was like this before. When I was studying at the institute, a teacher in heating engineering showed us such modern individual heating systems that are installed in modern apartments. There was a gas boiler, a system of pipes and a system automatic adjustment temperature. I remember all the pipes were copper, soldered. In short, in old houses not intended for this purpose, it is unlikely that you will be able to obtain permission. Officially - due to the dampness of the facade and lack of ventilation. But in fact, it seems to me that they just don’t want to bother with heating networks and shutting down - cutting off standard heating pipes. This is hemorrhoids.

Who achieved it? Installation of a gas boiler in an apartment.

Guest wrote: Useless. I tried to make it official a couple of years ago - the refusal came from architecture and city gas, the reason was that the facade was damp from the exhaust, individual ventilation ducts were needed, etc.

Yeah, and everyone who is disconnected from the central heating station stops paying for heating and water heating, and then the money literally goes down the drain, because the operating efficiency of these boiler houses tends to 10%, whereas when using a gas boiler, a person pays only for gas and cold water, the costs are actually several times lower. And I wouldn’t be surprised if there is an unspoken order from above to “ban”. And the convenience cannot be compared - full climate control in your apartment.

Who achieved it? Installation of a gas boiler in an apartment.

Usually gas boilers installed in cottages or private houses. Because installation requires a special room. In addition, many conditions must be met. So it is unlikely that you will be allowed to connect legally.

Who achieved it? Installation of a gas boiler in an apartment.

Gas boilers are installed in apartments in the following cases:

Who achieved it? Installation of a gas boiler in an apartment.

20 Mar 2013, 06:45

Serg_i_K wrote: In apartments, gas boilers are installed in the following cases:
- initially the project provided for apartment heating with individual smoke and ventilation ducts.
- a decision was made to stop centralized heating supply to the house. In this case, a project must be made, in accordance with which the installation of boilers and the re-equipment of smoke and ventilation ducts are carried out.
Individual apartments are also being refurbished; there are cases described on the net. For some reason this problem is solved especially easily in Moldova, can anyone tell me why?

In Moldova, apparently, the supervisory authorities are sluggish, so everything is easily resolved.

According to the requirements of the regulatory and technical documents and technical regulations "on safety..." in force in the Russian Federation, installation of gas boilers in an apartment is possible only for apartment heating (for the whole house), if this is provided for by the project. During reconstruction, the option of switching to “apartment-by-apartment” is also possible, but the requirements are strict, it is necessary to obtain permits from the authorized bodies. In this case, a renovation project is carried out to address safety issues and comply with current regulations.

The classification of these units is quite complex. Taking into account the features of their installation and some restrictions associated with the specific heating of apartments in townhouses or small cottages, most important parameters are the following.

1. Type of fuel

When choosing a model for an apartment or private house, you should focus only on gas boilers.

All others (solid, liquid or combined) are clearly not suitable for them. The reasoning is simple - any “fuel” (solar, pellets, etc.) must be stored somewhere. Option with electrical appliance also disappears. In addition to installation difficulties (separate line, RCD, AV or differential automatic), there are two more problems.

Grounding. How to connect the boiler to the corresponding bus? The services of a specialist will be required, and practical implementation (depending on the type of power supply) will be quite expensive.

This heating method is not economically viable. Taking into account even the minimum power of the boiler installed in the apartment, the meter will add up a very tidy sum in a month.

2. Engineering solution

2.1. By installation method

There is no choice here - only a wall-mounted boiler. For installation floor model a separate room (furnace room) is required, as well as compliance with a number of requirements for the placement of gas equipment. For townhouses, small cottages, duplexes, low-rise apartment buildings - not an option.

2.2. By power

The most common advice that you can get from a store manager is to focus on the ratio of 1 to 10 (boiler power, in kW/apartment area, in m2). But is it really that simple?

None technical device will not be able to work for a long time at the limit of its capabilities - breakdowns are inevitable.
No matter how well a home is insulated, it is impossible to reduce heat loss to zero.
The intensity of heating is influenced by the material of the walls and the position of the apartment in the house (whether it is corner or not and a number of other factors).

Therefore, when choosing gas boiler the value of the calculated power (according to the given formula) should be increased by 30 - 35%.

2.3. By type of combustion chamber

It can be open or closed. Here you need to take into account the specifics of the structure.

With open It is much easier to install a boiler in an apartment with a camera - you just need to connect its pipe to the general house smoke exhaust duct. Some disadvantage of this solution is that by taking air from the room, it “dries” it somewhat. But this is the best option for a gas boiler, and regular ventilation of the home this disadvantage levels out.

Closed the chamber involves the intake of air (to ensure the combustion process) from the outside. This means that you will have to hollow out the wall and install an air duct elbow (or a coaxial chimney). How rational this is and whether it is possible in principle depends on the type of building. Well, if a boiler is chosen to replace a boiler that has exhausted its service life, with an open chamber, it is definitely not suitable - the additional installation costs will be too significant.

2.4. By number of circuits

This is not difficult to decide. If the apartment or cottage has instantaneous water heater (geyser), one is enough. But if it is necessary to provide both heating and hot water supply, then it is advisable to purchase a double-circuit boiler for a townhouse or private house, although it is more expensive.

Everything else is secondary and at the discretion of the buyer. For example, type of control, presence of a remote control, number of options in the menu, form, color scheme and so on.

The best models of gas boilers for small areas

When purchasing a wall-mounted modification, preference should be given to imported units. They are fully equipped with everything necessary, and the only thing they require is proper connection. It is undesirable to install domestic gas boilers in apartments and low-rise buildings - there are complaints about the functioning of the DHW circuit of the units, and some things will have to be purchased additionally. For example, an expansion tank.

Wall-mounted heating devices under the brands Bosch, Vaillant, Protherm, Lemax (entirely made from imported components), Baxi are in great demand.

If desired, arrange in the apartment individual heating When using a gas boiler, you should not rush to purchase equipment, since it is not always possible to provide such heating. There are many restrictions. The fact is that not all apartment buildings are designed to use a gas boiler in the apartment instead of central heating.

If you live in a high-rise building where apartment-by-apartment heat supply is not provided, implementing such a solution is difficult and often unrealistic. If the house does not have such an opportunity, then an attempt to obtain permission can be made in the event of its reconstruction, if there is a decision to disconnect the building from central heating and transfer to apartment heating.

In such a situation, technical conditions for the transition are developed for the entire building and they are issued to all property owners. To find out whether it is possible to install a gas boiler in an apartment, you should fill out an appropriate application and submit it to the Gorgaz branch that serves the area and receive an answer.

List of necessary actions

If it becomes known that the installation of individual heating is allowed in the house, a long visit to the authorities cannot be avoided:

First of all, you need to go to the local organization responsible for gas supply and write a statement there regarding the installation of a gas boiler in the apartment. After a certain time, the home owner is given a conclusion regarding permission or prohibition to install the heating unit. Receiving a positive response means that the equipment can be installed.
Next you will need a project. It should be ordered from a design office that has the right to this type works Its address can be obtained from the gas supply company. On at this stage It is advisable to select a boiler model and meter. Should be compiled for them project documentation, and the data is indicated in the specification. The fact is that changes after approval can only be made later, and for a fee. If the project is signed, nothing can be changed in it; you need to order a new one.
The fire inspection authorities should find out the address and name of the organization involved in checking the condition ventilation ducts and negotiate with its specialists about the service. A company representative will come and check the quality of ventilation. If everything is in order, permission will be issued to install a gas boiler in the apartment. In case of unsatisfactory condition of the chimney, a report is drawn up with a list of work that should be performed. After eliminating the deficiencies, you need to re-invite a specialist in order to ultimately obtain permission.
At the next stage, an application to refuse heating is submitted to the heating network. If you plan to heat the water yourself, you should also refuse hot water supply. It is advisable to immediately clarify the timing of the shutdown measures. You should already have a remodeling project approved by Gorgaz on hand.

Data regarding the purchased meter and boiler are reported to the design organization. Then the completed documentation is collected. It is not worth purchasing equipment in advance, since permission to install a gas boiler in apartment building, is not always possible to obtain.
Then, at the Gorgaz branch, a contract for servicing the unit is concluded, and the gasification project is submitted for approval.
After receiving the signed project, you can begin disconnecting from the heating network. In this case, you will need to drain the water from the heating system of the entire house.
Next, the apartment owner must install an individual heating system. The boiler is installed without connection to gas main, check the system for leaks and readiness for operation.
Gorgaz is finding out the date when a gas boiler can be installed in an apartment building in a specific apartment. Its employees will connect pipes and equipment according to the project, seal the meter, and put the stove and unit into operation.
In order for the guarantee for a gas boiler to be valid, adjustment and first start-up will be required, followed by a mark in the passport. Regarding this type of work, you should contact the department where the device was delivered for service. The technician will adjust the boiler, start the system and put a stamp in the passport. Now you can use the installed equipment.

The entire process described above, in compliance with the requirements for installing a gas boiler in an apartment building, will take from 1.5 to 2.5 months. Therefore, it is advisable to start the procedure in spring or at the very beginning of summer.

Rules for installing gas appliances in an apartment

Owners of new apartments that are not connected to a centralized heating system have the least problems with arranging individual heating. In this case, there is no need to visit the heating network and there is no need to disconnect from the risers, and permission to install gas heating in an apartment building, may be included in the package of real estate documents.

But also in in this case you need to adhere to certain rules. First of all, having documents in hand, you cannot install gas equipment yourself - this work must be performed by specialists. These can be not only employees of the gas supply organization, but also representatives of a company that has a license for this type of activity.

After installation is completed, an engineer from the company supplying gaseous fuel will check that the connection is correct and issue permission to use the boiler. Only then can you open the valve leading to the apartment.

Before starting, in accordance with the requirements for installing a boiler in an apartment building, the individual heating system must be checked. To do this, it is launched under a pressure of at least 1.8 atmospheres. This parameter can be controlled using the pressure gauge of the heating unit.

If the pipes are built into the floor or walls, it is advisable to increase the pressure and drive the coolant through them for at least 24 hours. Only after testing the system can you be sure that there are no leaks and that the connections are reliable.

Before starting, the equipment must be vented. Since when installing a gas boiler in an apartment building the systems are made closed, you need to use Mayevsky taps available on the radiators. Each battery is emptied of air, going around them several times in turn until there is no air left in them. After this, the system can be put into operating mode - turn on the heat supply.

We should not forget that modern units are controlled using automation, and such devices are demanding on voltage. Therefore, it is recommended to use a voltage stabilizer and an uninterruptible power supply device. To protect the boiler from deposits collecting on it inner surface, filters must be installed at the points where fuel and cold water enter.

Place electrical outlet and another gas appliance must be at a distance of at least 30 centimeters from the unit.

Arrangement of the premises for the boiler

It is best to install a wall-mounted gas appliance in a kitchen whose layout complies with the standards for the placement of such equipment. Also, this room already has water and gas connections.

Here's what the standards for installing a gas boiler in an apartment look like:

The area of the room where it is planned to install the equipment, when the ceilings are not lower than 2.5 meters, must exceed four square meters.
It is mandatory to have a window that opens. Its area should be 0.3 square meters. m per 10 cubic meters of volume. For example, the dimensions of a room are 3x3 meters with a ceiling height of 2.5 meters. The volume will be 3x3 x2.5 = 22.5 m3. This means that the area near the window cannot be less than 22.5: 10 x 0.3 = 0.675 square meters. m. This parameter has standard window 1.2x0.8 =0.96 sq. m. It will do, but the presence of a transom or window is required.
Width front door cannot be less than 80 centimeters.
There must be ventilation holes located under the ceiling.

In the documents attached to the product, each manufacturer describes the requirements for installing a gas boiler in an apartment. For the manufacturers' warranties to be valid, the unit must be installed in accordance with their recommendations.

The list of requirements is as follows:

Wall boiler separated from the walls using non-combustible material. When they are tiled or covered with a layer of plaster, this will be enough. You cannot immediately hang the device on a surface lined with wood.
Floor unit placed on a non-combustible base. If there is on the floor ceramic tile or it's concrete, you don't need to do anything. On wooden flooring need to put a sheet thermal insulation material, and fix it on top a metal sheet, the size of which exceeds the dimensions of the boiler by 30 centimeters.

Requirements for chimney installation

When is installation done in an apartment? apartment building gas boiler of any type, the chimney cannot be made narrower than its outlet pipe. If the device has an open combustion chamber and a power of no more than 30 kW, the cross-section of the chimney pipe cannot be less than 140 millimeters, and with a productivity of 40 kW - 160 millimeters in diameter.

If the boiler has a closed combustion chamber, it is supplied coaxial chimney with the section size recommended by the manufacturer.

the pipe going upward from the wall-mounted gas unit must have a length of at least 50 centimeters, and only then can the elbow be installed;
more than three bends cannot be created along the entire length of the chimneys;
combustion products from appliances with open combustion chambers are removed into the chimney, and with closed ones, also into the chimney or through the wall directly to the street (the method depends on the project).

Choosing a gas boiler

Before installing a boiler in an apartment, you need to do optimal choice. IN multi-storey building Can be installed on wall and floor standing boilers. Considered more aesthetically pleasing and convenient for placement wall models. Their dimensions are comparable to the dimensions of kitchen wall cabinets and therefore they fit well into the interior of the room.

Installing floor-standing units will be more difficult, since they cannot always be moved close to the wall. This nuance depends on the location of the smoke exhaust pipe. If it is on top, then the device can be moved towards the wall if desired.

Boilers are also single- and double-circuit. The first of them work only for heat supply, and the second for heating and water heating. When other equipment is used for DHW, then a single-circuit model will be sufficient.

If the water is heated by a gas boiler, then you will have to choose one of two methods: a boiler indirect heating or a flow coil. Both options have disadvantages. When a coil is used, which means it is carried out flow heating, not all units are able to maintain the set temperature.

For this reason, boilers need to be set special regimes work, they are called differently in different devices. For example, in Navien models (read about Navien boiler malfunctions), Beretta is a “priority hot water”, and in Ferrolli - “comfort”.

The disadvantage of boiler heating is that gaseous fuel is consumed to maintain a stable temperature of the water in the tank. In addition, the reserve of heated water is limited. After it is consumed, you have to wait until the new portion heats up.

The choice of the methods described above is an individual matter, but you need to remember that when flow-through version you will have to focus on the water heating capacity per minute, and with a boiler - on the volume of the tank.

Gas units differ in the type of burner used, which are:

single-position;
two-position;
modulated.

The cheapest are single-position ones, but at the same time they are the most wasteful, since they always operate at full capacity. A little more economical are two-position ones, which are capable of operating at both 100% power and 50%. Modulating burners are considered the best because they have many operating modes, which saves fuel. Their performance is managed automatically.

The burner is located in a combustion chamber, which can be open or closed. Oxygen for open chambers comes from the room, and combustion products are removed through an atmospheric chimney.

Closed chambers are equipped with a coaxial chimney structure, and oxygen for combustion is supplied to them from the street. In this case, combustion products are discharged along the central contour of the chimney, and air enters through the outer one.

Floor-standing units are equipped with an inflatable or atmospheric burner. When a floor-standing model boiler is installed in an apartment building, it is allowed to use an atmospheric burner in the apartment. Most of these gas appliances They have a closed combustion chamber, which means they are equipped with a turbine and a coaxial chimney.

Boiler power calculation

When the type of heating unit is selected, you should decide on its power. If desired, you can order a thermal engineering calculation that allows you to determine heat loss in the premises. Based on this figure, they begin to select the boiler power.

You can not make calculations, but use the norms obtained empirically, according to which 1 kW of boiler power is required for 10 “squares” of area. TO this result you should add a margin of productivity for various losses.

For example, to supply heat to an apartment with an area of 60 square meters, you need a 6 kW device. If you plan to heat the water, add 50% and get 9 kW of power, and in case of abnormal cold weather another 20-30%. The final result is 12 kW.

But this is a calculation for middle zone Russia. If the settlement is located further north, the productivity of the unit should be further increased. The specific value depends on the degree of insulation of the house. For a panel or brick high-rise building this will be 50% or more.

The boiler must have sufficient power to ensure comfort in the apartment, so you should not save on it. The difference in cost will not be big. If you purchase an automated boiler, there will be no excess gas consumption, since such models of units are the most economical.

The process of obtaining permission related to whether it is possible to install a gas boiler in an apartment is quite complex, costly and time-consuming. But all the effort is worth it, since it is much better to live at a comfortable indoor temperature. At the same time, you will have to pay less for individual heating than for centralized heating.

For heating a private house the best option, of course, is a gas boiler. This heating unit has high efficiency and allows you to quite smoothly and flexibly regulate the intensity of heating of residential premises, sometimes even without the use of additional thermostatic devices. Today gas is considered the most profitable fuel from an economic point of view, therefore the costs of such a boiler will quickly pay for its purchase and installation costs.

If you plan to install a gas boiler in a private house, the requirements for the premises and itself heating device needs to be clarified in advance. Having received general information, you can be sure that you have to collect a lot of different documents and go through several authorities. Therefore, it is worth preparing not only theoretically and technically, but even psychologically for these rather unpleasant, but, alas, necessary events.

Basic regulatory documentation for boiler installation

All this data can be found in SNiP (Building Norms and Rules) 02/31/2001, “Gas supply country house. Requirements and rules for installing gas equipment.”

In addition to this document, you need to review additional ones containing information on the arrangement of boiler rooms and the rules for installing the boiler. They can also be found among " Building codes and rules":

SNiP 41-01-2003 “Heating, ventilation and air conditioning”.
SNiP 21-01-97 " Fire safety buildings and structures."
SNiP 2.04.01-85 “Internal water supply and sewerage of buildings.”

To install a boiler room in a private house, you should study SNiP 2.04.08-87.

How is a boiler room equipped in a private house?

IN own home under heating equipment Usually a separate room is allocated. What requirements must the boiler room meet? – detailed information This is described in a separate publication on our portal.

Coordination of gas boiler installation

In order to install a gas boiler in a private house or apartment, it will not be enough to study the SNiP documents. First, you need to obtain technical conditions that will become the basis for organizing further work on connecting equipment to gas mains.

To do this, the home owner submits an application to the local gas supply service, which indicates the estimated gas consumption required for use in a particular building for heating and other needs. This parameter is calculated approximately on the basis of SNiP 31-02 standards, clause 9.1.3, which provides the average daily gas volume for a single-family house:

— gas stove(cooking) – 0.5 m³/day;

- hot water supply, that is, the use of running water gas water heater() - 0.5 m³/day;

- heating using a household gas unit with a connected water circuit (for central Russia) - from 7 to 12 m³/day.

At the local organization that controls gas supply and installation of boiler equipment, the request is reviewed by specialists. A document with technical conditions or with a reasoned refusal is drawn up for the applicant. The review process can take from one week to a month, depending on the efficiency of the control service.

If the request is satisfied, then technical conditions are issued, which must be fully implemented when installing gas equipment. This document will simultaneously serve as a permit to carry out the relevant work.

You need to know for sure that installing gas equipment without obtaining technical specifications is illegal. Moreover, it is inconsistent self-installation boiler - very unsafe, especially in cases where such work will be carried out in a multi-story building. Unfortunately, there are plenty of sad examples of this.

Installation project development

Once the technical specifications are received, you can proceed to drawing up the installation project.

The project is developed taking into account all the requirements specified in technical conditions. This also includes a diagram for laying gas communications: for a private house - along the site to the entrance to the residential building, indicating this point in the drawing, and for an apartment - from the entrance to the gas supply pipe to the connection point to the heating boiler

The development of the project should be carried out only by design specialists who have a license to carry out work of this type. As a rule, in an organization engaged in gas supply in a particular region ( locality) there is a design department where all such research, calculations and their graphic design are carried out.

Project approval

Further, finished project is sent for approval to the branch of the organization that controls the gas supply of the house where it will be installed. The period for approval of the submitted documents depends on the complexity of the project design, and can take from one week to three months.

The following documents with the characteristics of the boiler equipment must be attached to the boiler installation and gas mains project submitted for approval:

Technical data sheet of the gas boiler.
Instructions for its use.
Certificates of compliance with technical and sanitary requirements.
Examination data on the compliance of this unit with all applicable safety requirements.

These documents are issued to the buyer by the seller along with the boiler, and they are issued by the boiler equipment manufacturer.

If the project has not received approval, then in addition to a reasoned refusal, the applicant is given a list of actions that must be performed to obtain a positive conclusion.

If the project is approved, it is certified accordingly, which means that practical work on the installation of gas heating equipment can already be carried out.

Basic requirements for the boiler room

A separate room must be provided for the installation of gas equipment with a power of 30 kW or more. It must match everyone existing standards and instructions. Quite often for a boiler room they try to choose one of the rooms in the basement or ground floor, but you need to know that such installation of a gas boiler is permitted only for single-apartment private residential buildings.

In a private house, a boiler of any power can be installed, since it is usually placed in a room attached to the house, thus having the opportunity to heat not only living spaces, but also utility rooms.

General requirements

The basic requirements for the boiler room are as follows:

The area of the room for installing one boiler must be at least 4 m². In this case, the total number of boilers in one room can never be more than two.
The ceiling height of the room is not less than 2200÷2500 mm.
The window, which is mandatory in a boiler room for natural light, must be sized at the rate of 0.3 m² of window area for every 10 m³ of room volume, but in any case not less than 0.5 m².
The width of the door opening must be at least 800 mm.
The distance between the front door and the boiler cannot be less than 1000 mm, but it is better if this interval is 1300÷1500 mm.
In order to be able to carry out maintenance and repair work, the necessary free space must be provided in front of the boiler, which must be at least 1300 mm.
The boiler must be installed stably and in a strictly horizontal position - this will minimize possible vibrations and noise.
The floor in the boiler room must be made of non-combustible material and be perfectly level.
The walls must also be made of non-combustible materials, and the surfaces near the walls of the boiler can be additionally insulated with heat-resistant materials.
The boiler room must be supplied cold water. The floor of the room must be equipped with a system for draining the coolant into the sewer system.
Electrical sockets must have a grounding circuit, since some elements of the boiler, for example, the ignition or the pump, are connected to the electrical supply.
It is necessary to provide access to the chimney - in particular to the inspection window - to control the patency of the channel and the possibility of cleaning.

Ventilation and chimney systems

Ventilation and exhaust systems for gas combustion products in the boiler room must be installed in compliance with the rules for installing gas equipment, since malfunction or ineffective operation of these systems can lead to either inoperability of the equipment, or, even worse, to an emergency and even explosive situation.

To ventilation and chimney regulatory documents the following requirements apply:

Ventilation and chimney ducts must be separated.

For admission fresh air in the boiler room it is necessary to provide supply ventilation. Entrance window done at the bottom outer wall or front door. Size ventilation window must be no less than 1/30 of total area premises, but not less than 80 mm² per 1 kW of installed power - for air flow from the street, and not less than 300 mm² per 1 kW, if the air flow comes from another room.
The ventilation ducts must always be open, as air must circulate constantly.
It is recommended to install the boiler as close to the chimney as possible.
A chimney installed in a wall must have two inlet channels:

— the main one, for installation of the chimney pipe;

- inspection channel, located no less than 250 mm below the first one - this channel is intended for technological cleaning.

The exhaust vent of the chimney should not have a cross-section smaller than the outlet pipe of the boiler itself.
The chimney should not have more than three bends or turns.
The chimney pipe is made of stainless or carbon steel sheet steel. The use of asbestos concrete pipes or others made of layered materials is permissible only at a distance of at least 500 mm from the boiler chimney pipe.

In order for the operation of the boiler to be safe and the heating system itself to be effective, it must be created favorable conditions to maintain normal traction. Therefore, it is very important to calculate and overall height chimney pipe, and its location above the roof surface, so that the head does not fall into the zone of the so-called wind support.

If you don’t dream of autonomous gas heating with hot water supply, then every householder has probably seriously thought about it, both in a city apartment and in a private house. Only today it can reliably provide comfortable temperature in the house is cheaper than the central one. However, installing a gas boiler with your own hands is a complex, responsible matter that requires a permit. Actually, taking on it yourself makes complete sense only if you have sufficient funds to purchase a double-circuit boiler with a boiler and complete set automation, and your home according to the specifications is suitable for installing a boiler.

The second case when you need a gas boiler is if you are not rich, and there is no hot water in the house and is not expected. In this case, you need a simple budget single-circuit instantaneous hot water boiler that allows you to wash dishes and take a shower. A gas boiler is more expensive than an electric boiler, but taking into account the cost of installing a gas meter, at current rates it will pay for itself in a year and a half over the winter, depending on where you live. If, again, you can install it in your apartment, and you are not afraid of going through the authorities.

Two big differences

The boilers mentioned above are extremes huge variety models of gas water heating devices. They are the ones available for self-installation. Any other gas heating boiler for installation requires professional work. However, every cloud has a silver lining - specialized companies also take on the preparation of the premises and the preparation of documents. But why can you install only the “tips of scissors” yourself?

Simple water heater

The simplest boiler is really very simple: gas-burner, heat exchanger - that's all. It is enough to connect water and gas to it, vent the exhaust into the chimney - and you can use it. If the papers have already been completed; otherwise - an inevitable large fine.

Home boiler room

A double-circuit boiler with a boiler and full automation is so “smart” that installing it is as easy as the simplest one. Automation is important not only for simplicity: complete system with a double thermostat and microprocessor monitors the temperature in the house and outside, according to a given program, reduces heating to a minimum sanitary standard when no one is at home (for example, when everyone is at work). The gas consumption of such a boiler is 30-70% less than with manual or semi-automatic adjustment, and the savings are greater the more severe the weather.

But such a home boiler room has a serious drawback: if you find yourself in a natural disaster zone and the power supply is disrupted, the automation “stalls” and the boiler goes into the mode of minimal heating of the room. Therefore, such a boiler requires additional costs for guaranteed power supply. It is not difficult to provide it yourself, see below.

Where you can and where you can’t install a gas boiler

The rules for installing a gas boiler provide the following requirements for installing a HEATING boiler, regardless of whether it also provides DHW or not:

The boiler must be installed in separate room– furnace (boiler room) area of at least 4 square meters. m., with a ceiling height of at least 2.5 m. The rules also state that the volume of the room must be at least 8 cubic meters. Based on this, you can find indications that a ceiling of 2 m is acceptable. This is incorrect. 8 cubic meters is the minimum free volume.
The furnace room must have an opening window, and the width of the door (not the doorway) must be at least 0.8 m.
Finishing the furnace with flammable materials and the presence of a false ceiling or false floor are unacceptable.
The combustion chamber must be provided with an air flow through a through, non-closed vent with a cross-section of at least 8 sq.cm. per 1 kW of boiler power.

Note: 8 cubic meters free - with a boiler power of up to 30 kW. For power from 31 to 60 kW – 13.5 cubic meters; for power from 61 to 200 kW 15 cubic meters. For boilers with a closed combustion chamber, the volume of the combustion chamber is not standardized, but the dimensions must still be observed.

For any boilers, including wall-mounted hot water boilers, the following general standards must also be met:

The boiler exhaust must exit into a separate flue (often incorrectly called a chimney); using ventilation ducts for this is unacceptable - life-threatening combustion products can reach neighbors or other rooms.
The length of the horizontal part of the flue should not exceed 3 m within the combustion chamber and have no more than 3 rotation angles.
The flue outlet must be vertical and raised above the ridge of the roof or the highest point of the gable on flat roof not less than 1 m.
Since combustion products form chemically aggressive substances when cooling, the chimney must be made of heat- and chemically resistant solid materials. Use of layered materials, e.g. asbestos-cement pipes, permissible at a distance of at least 5 m from the edge of the boiler exhaust pipe.

When installing a wall-mounted hot water gas boiler in the kitchen, additional conditions must be met:

The height of the boiler suspension along the edge of the lowest pipe is not lower than the top of the sink spout, but not less than 800 mm from the floor.
The space under the boiler must be free.
A durable fireproof metal sheet 1x1 m should be laid on the floor under the boiler. Gas workers and firefighters do not recognize the strength of asbestos cement - it wears out, and the SES prohibits having anything containing asbestos in the house.
There should be no cavities in the room in which combustion products or an explosive gas mixture can accumulate.

If the boiler is used for heating, then the gas workers (who, by the way, are not very friendly with the heating network - it always owes them for gas) will also check the condition of the heating system in the apartment/house:

The slope of horizontal sections of pipes must be positive, but not more than 5 mm per linear meter by water flow.
At the highest point of the system should be installed expansion tank and an air valve. It is useless to convince you that you will buy a “cool” boiler that has everything provided for: rules are rules.
The condition of the heating system must allow it to be pressurized under a pressure of 1.8 atm.

The requirements, as we see, are strict, but justified - gas is gas. Therefore, it is better not to think about a gas boiler, even a water heating one, if:

You live in a Khrushchev block or other apartment building without a main gas duct.
If you have a false ceiling in your kitchen that you don’t want to remove, or a permanent mezzanine. On a mezzanine with a bottom made of wood or fiberboard, which in principle can be removed, and then there will be no mezzanine, gas workers turn a blind eye.
If your apartment is not privatized, you can only rely on a hot water boiler: allocating a room for a furnace means redevelopment, which only the owner can do.

In all other cases, it is possible to install a hot water boiler in an apartment; wall heating is possible, but floor heating is very problematic.

In a private house, you can install any boiler: the rules do not require that the furnace be located directly in the house. If you make an extension to the house from the outside to serve as a furnace room, then the authorities will only have less reason to find fault. You can install a high-power floor-standing gas boiler in it to heat not only the mansion, but also the office premises.

For private middle class housing optimal solution– wall-mounted boiler; it does not require, as for a floor one, to install a brick or concrete tray with sides of half a meter. Installing a wall-mounted gas boiler in a private house also avoids technical and organizational difficulties: a fireproof closet under the furnace can always be fenced off, at least in the attic.

Power supply

The automation of heating boilers consumes little electricity, but according to the rules, the boiler still requires a separate wiring branch with a 20 A automatic circuit breaker, just like a boiler. For backup power supply, any computer UPS is well suited. A kilowatt will “keep” the automation for half a day or a day. This is quite enough to take the necessary measures in case of an emergency.

About the gas duct

The cross-sectional area of the house flue for it depends on the required boiler power (see below). At any power, the diameter of the flue must be at least 110 mm and not less than the diameter of the exhaust pipe. The dependence of the flue diameter on the boiler power is as follows:

up to 24 kW – 120 mm.
30 kW – 130 mm.
40 kW – 170 mm.
60 kW – 190 mm
80 kW – 220 mm.
100 kW – 230 mm.

Boiler selection

Power

It is obvious that the boiler power must be sufficient. But it should not be excessive, especially if the heat exchanger is cast iron. Drops of condensate from the flue cause hot cast iron to crack. There is another dangerous effect: the dew point temperature of the exhaust gases is approximately 56 degrees Celsius. If the water temperature in the heating return is lower, acidic condensate may form in the combustion chamber. What does this have to do with excess power? A boiler that is too powerful will quickly warm up the system and go into standby mode until it cools down. The thermal inertia of a powerful heat exchanger is high, and while it warms up again, acid dew may form.

With correctly selected boiler power, the temperature in the combustion chamber will be 80-90 degrees. The permissible difference in power is quite large, but if you install a 60 kW boiler in a medium-sized private house, then acid rain from the inside will quickly damage it.

The required boiler power for a specific room is determined thermotechnical calculation. It’s easier for residents of high-rise buildings: the data is available in the DEZ, the technical inventory bureau or the owner. In any case, you can use approximate data by calculating an intermediate value for yourself. Values maximum power are given for cases of minimum outside temperature of –25/-40 degrees:

One-room apartment on the middle floors – 8/14 kW.
Corner apartment 60 sq.m. the total area on the top floor of the Khrushchev block is 20/28 kW.
Private house 100 sq.m. common – 24/38 kW.

Boiler

The purpose of the boiler is to accumulate hot water for domestic needs. If you look at the instructions for the boiler, the power will be indicated there as a fraction, for example - 10/22 kW. The first number is the heating power for average conditions; it determines gas consumption by 80%. The second power, maximum, is for quickly heating domestic water.

If the boiler is emptied, the boiler temporarily stops heating the heating (it does not have time to cool down) and heats at maximum domestic water. Gas consumption is, of course, maximum. If you take a little water from the boiler, then it will be heated in operating mode, without force majeure. Based on this, the capabilities of the boiler can be judged by its capacity:

2-10 l – wash hands and wash dishes.
30-50 l – take at a quick fix shower.
100 l – wash thoroughly in the shower.
150 liters or more - you can take a bath and connect a washing machine to the hot water supply.

Note: If you already have one, it is advisable to leave it by turning off its machine. It will make a good hot water accumulator, and if you have problems with a gas boiler, you can turn it on.

Video: expert opinion on choosing gas boilers

Documents for the boiler

Let's say you have equipped the furnace room in compliance with all requirements. Are we buying a boiler? It is too early. First of all, check if the previous gas papers have been lost, and bring them out into the light of day:

Gas supply contract if the boiler is a heating boiler. Subconsumers can only install hot water boilers.
All documents for gas meter. Any boiler cannot be installed without a meter. If it doesn’t exist yet, there’s nothing you can do, you need to install it and arrange it, but that’s a different topic.

Now you can buy a boiler. But, having bought it, it’s too early to install:

The BTI needs to make changes to the registration certificate of the house. For privatized apartments - through the organization operating the house. In the new plan, a closet under the boiler should be shown, and clearly marked: “Furnace room” or “Boiler room”.
Submit an application to the gas service for the project and specifications. The required documents also include a technical passport for the boiler, so it must already be purchased.
Install the boiler (see next section), except gas system. This can be done while the gas workers are preparing the project, if the premises are approved.
Call a specialist to make a gas connection.
Submit an application to gas workers for commissioning.
Wait for the gas service engineer to arrive, he will check everything, draw up a conclusion on suitability and give permission to open the gas shut-off valve to the boiler.

Note: gas workers are not supposed to give permission to private individuals to work on gas equipment. Therefore, to connect gas to the boiler, you will have to call a specialist or then “resolve the issue” with an inspector during commissioning. As a rule, the former is cheaper.

Boiler installation

It is unacceptable for the boiler body to be adjacent to any of the walls, so redo the fastenings of wall-mounted boilers, recess the boiler into a niche, etc. it is forbidden. After installing the boiler in place, its piping is done - connecting three systems: gas, hydraulic and electric. The gas connection should be done, as indicated, by a gas specialist, and last of all, when everything else is already connected.

You can do the electrical and hydraulic connections yourself. The main guiding document here is the instructions for the boiler. Typical scheme The boiler hydraulic system is shown in the figure. For any boiler, the following conditions must be strictly met:

Water and hot gases in the boiler heat exchanger must flow countercurrently, otherwise it can simply explode with any automation. Therefore, it is extremely important not to confuse, either through negligence or for the sake of ease of installation, cold and hot pipes. After hydropiping, carefully inspect the entire system again, then rest for an hour and inspect it again.
If in heating system antifreeze has been added, drain it completely and flush the system twice clean water. An admixture of antifreeze in the water entering the heat exchanger is also explosive.
Don’t neglect the “mud collectors” – filters rough cleaning water. They should be located at the lowest points of the system. The accumulation of dirt between the thin fins of the heat exchanger also creates dangerous situation, not to mention the exorbitant gas consumption. At the beginning and at the end heating season drain the sediment through the mud traps, check their condition and, if necessary, flush the system.
If the boiler has a built-in expansion tank and a deaeration system, remove the old expansion tank and turn off the old air valve tightly, having first checked its condition: air leakage will also create a dangerous situation.

Video: example of installing a wall-mounted gas boiler

Bottom line

Installation of a gas boiler is technically and organizationally complex. You can independently install only the simplest hot water boilers or expensive, fully automated home boiler rooms. But connecting the boiler to the gas supply system (gas pipework) must still be carried out by a gas service specialist or a certified installation organization. Otherwise, it is prohibited by the rules for the installation and operation of household gas appliances.