Gas heaters for summer cottages and homes - ease of use, safety and comfort
Gas heaters for a summer cottage or a country house are an excellent solution with a minimum of hassle, and this is a non-verbal statement, but the result of processing numerous reviews from the owners of these miracle devices.
And in order not to be unfounded, let's talk about:
- What is a gas heater?
- How do they differ from each other?
- How it works and what its principle of operation is based on.
- How to choose a model according to the available space?
- Which is better for a summer residence, as well as for a house with year-round people living in it?
- What should be the most important consideration when choosing a device?
What is a gas heater?
Gas household heaters are portable or stationary appliances designed to raise the air temperature to values at which a person feels comfortable. Depending on the model and, accordingly, the design, such devices can operate both on main gas and on a propane-butane mixture from cylinders.
Gas heaters for summer cottages and houses - differences, device, characteristics
By location and mobility:
portable gas heaters (mobile) - they function only on bottled liquefied gas, they are distinguished by an increased degree of safety because they have several very effective protections during which the device is automatically turned off: when the fuel pressure drops, the unit overturns, the CO2 (carbon dioxide) rises, as well as in some other critical situations. The number of protections may vary depending on the price category and model;
stationary (convectors) - it can be a non-removable gas heater from a cylinder or a unit connected to the mains, there is no fundamental difference in this matter. Some models are initially produced and sold with a set of nozzles for any type of blue fuel. When installed, stationary devices are necessarily equipped with a chimney for the removal of exhaust (waste) gases;- by location there are - wall, ceiling, floor.
By heating method and operating principle:
Gas - devices operate on the principle of flameless combustion of fuel (gas) in the inner space of an isolated chamber. With this method, the gas enters the energy resource, where it combines and mixes with the injected air, after which the resulting mixture passes into the chamber, where the final mixing of the components takes place. Under the influence of pressure, the gas-air mixture enters the zone of the radiating panel, after which the mixture begins to oxidize and, as a result, to burn.
Depending on the design of the device, the chamber can be closed or open.
The closed type of chamber for a gas heater for the home, according to reviews, is much more practical in operation than analogs of the open type, since in this case, fuel and combustion products (flue gases) cannot in any way enter the air of the room where the device is installed.
To minimize the risk of gas entering the open space of the room, units with an open isolation chamber are equipped with air analyzers and safety valves (valves); in a critical situation, these devices turn off the device automatically.
Manufacturers guarantee high-quality heating of rooms with gas units with a total area of up to 40 m².
Important! Devices with an open type of chamber are not recommended for use in closed rooms without forced ventilation.
Gas catalytic heater - the name is due to the presence of a catalytic panel, it is used as a heating element through which heat is ultimately transferred. The most common material used for the manufacture of the panel is fiberglass to which, as a catalyst, platinum admixture is added.
Catalytic combustion is characterized by the absolute absence of flame. In defining this process, experts often use the term "surface burning", this is because flameless gas burners are used in catalytic heating devices. The process takes place as a result of the flameless oxidation of certain inorganic substances.
Devices of this group operate on a propane-butane mixture, some models are equipped with a fan heater to enhance the convection of heated air, but what is remarkable, for the normal operation of a gas catalytic heater, turning on the fan is not necessary at all, this makes the device autonomous and independent of the mains.
The average efficiency of such devices is 80%. One device of this type is capable of heating an area of up to 80 m².
Infrared gas heaters have a significant difference from previous types of gas heating devices - they are able to heat not only a room, object, floor area or person, but also raise the air temperature to a comfortable one in an open space (gazebo, balcony, terrace, lawn, etc. .). Both natural and liquefied gas are used as fuel. As the name implies, this type of device is equipped with an infrared reflector, which contributes to faster and more uniform heating of any area.
IR heaters, in turn, differ in:
- "Light", ceramic - radiation with t from 800 ° C, in the work illuminate the surrounding space. The principle of operation of a gas ceramic heater for a summer residence is very simple: after connecting the power source (cylinder, line) to the heater fitting and opening the gas valve, the gas enters the device, where it mixes with the drawn air. Then, through the diffuser, the gas is evenly distributed over the inner surface of the ceramic plate, where the subsequent combustion of the fuel and heating of the heating element take place.
- "Dark", catalytic - radiation with t not higher than 600 ° C, practically do not emit light in operation. The principle of operation is similar to household infrared gas heaters equipped with a ceramic stove, here the gas also enters the device, mixing with air, but then the mixture passes through a heat-resistant tube, where, oxidizing, it heats up and heats the walls of the emitting element. After that, the heat is reflected, located behind the tube, a sectional or one-piece reflector into space.
Which is the best for a house with year-round people living in it? Tips for choosing
The question is rather difficult, this is due to the fact that the buildings that need to be heated are different for everyone, someone has a large house of several floors and lives there all year round, while someone is quite satisfied with a small, cozy dacha for recreation. Accordingly, there are many differences - the area of the building, the number of storeys, the insulation of the building, the availability of gas (mains, cylinder), etc.
Power
The heating area directly depends on this indicator. The required power, on average, is calculated on the basis of about 2 kW for each 1 m².
Fuel
- Main (natural) gas, used only in stationary convectors, with the exception of outdoor devices, for example, infrared gas heaters for summer cottages located near B-B-Q or in gazebo.
- Liquefied gas - sold in special cylinders, is suitable for all heating gas appliances without exception. The choice of bottled gas provides portability and ease of maintenance.
Important! When using natural gas, a chimney or pipe is required to remove exhaust gases to the atmosphere.
Availability of protections and regulating devices
It is difficult to advise anything about this point, since the more functions and additional features a gas heater for a summer residence has, according to reviews, the more expensive the device is, and yet manufacturers offer a lot of devices that not only facilitate setup and operation, but also provide maximum protection.
- Loss of vertical protection - shuts down the unit when it rolls over.
- Protection against gas leaks and flame extinguishing.
- Power control (smooth or fixed) - makes it possible to significantly save fuel while maintaining optimal temperature conditions.
- Analyzers of carbon dioxide and air.
- A device that regulates the amount of fuel supplied.
- Piezo ignition.
One thing is for sure - no matter what device is chosen, a powerful infrared gas heater for a home or a compact device, for example, a catalytic type, ideal for a small summer cottage, everyone who will bask in such a hearth will be provided with warmth and comfort.