Cheap heating of a dacha with your own hands. How to make heating in a dacha? Heating boiler power

Country houses are usually located outside the city. They don't live there permanently. People come to the dacha on holidays, on weekends, sometimes for several months in the summer and extremely rarely in the winter. Therefore, it is important to think about how to heat the dacha for a short period. If the street is damp and cool, everything is covered with winter snow, then I would like to relax in a dry and warm room. What's the best way to start heating your dacha?

It is better to start heating the dacha with your own hands officially; if necessary, collect documents and legalize it. Next, you need to decide which system to install, what materials are needed, and how the designed system will be used.

What to consider when choosing a heating project

Country houses were built at different times, from different materials. For some, the construction cost a tidy sum, for others it was within the minimum budget. When choosing economical heating, you need to take into account the material from which the walls and foundation were built, and the presence of insulation materials. After all, insulated structures will be able to retain heated air longer.

It is necessary to analyze the fire hazard of the building, because some heating systems can lead to fires. Lastly, you should find out what coolants can be purchased nearby. Is it possible to buy firewood, coal, diesel fuel nearby? If these materials have to be imported from afar, this will significantly increase the cost of heating a country house.

Experience shows that usually even in remote summer cottages there is an electricity connection. Therefore, you can always heat the house using electricity.

Heating system options

All options for space heating systems can be systematized. Depending on the coolant, heating is of the following types:

  • electrical;
  • air;
  • hot water;
  • ferry.

Based on the energy source, heating systems can be divided as follows:

  • electricity is used as a coolant;
  • gas;
  • use liquid fuel, for example, diesel fuel;
  • solid fuel, such as coal or firewood.

Every heating system has disadvantages. If we analyze these options from the point of view of the cost of coolants, we can note that the most expensive fuel is diesel fuel, the cheapest is gas.

But gas lines at dachas are not always available.

When deciding how to cheaply heat a dacha, you should take into account that the cost of heating must also include the costs of delivery and storage of coolants. Firewood needs to be brought, chopped, and stored under the shed.

Defining the piping layout

The heating system is the point from which you should start for further selection of the heating boiler, registers, and calculation of their capacities.

There are two types of systems:

  • single-pipe;
  • two-pipe.

Single-pipe scheme

Heating in a country house using a single-pipe system is the easiest and most economical to install, since it does not require the use of additional pipelines. The best results are obtained when heating small areas, up to 100 m². How to choose optimal heating parameters?


Two-pipe scheme

A two-pipe system allows you to heat a large area of ​​​​premises in a one-story or two-story house. The heat is distributed evenly between all registers. You can use natural circulation and forced circulation, with the installation of a circulation pump. But maintaining slopes is mandatory in any case.

It is advisable to use systems with vertical risers. To heat an attic with a steeply sloping roof, a horizontal wiring diagram cannot be used, so it is better to heat such houses with a two-pipe system with natural circulation, using upper or lower wiring. The height of the chimney, if the boiler is installed in the basement, is made more than 10 m.


Criterias of choice

To summarize this section, let’s try to briefly formulate the main criteria that will have to be taken into account when choosing a method for heating a summer house:

  • coolant cost;
  • cost of heating equipment (heaters, boilers, radiators, stoves);
  • installation cost;
  • cost of maintenance and repair of the heating system.

You also need to determine how long you will be at the dacha. Usually people do not live permanently in dachas during the winter months. Therefore, there is no need to heat the room all year round.

Wood burning stove

Let's start with stove heating. For a country house, you can purchase a steel or cast iron stove. Cast iron structures are more valuable. They hold heat better and have a longer service life. The stove heats up quickly.

When using stove heating for your dacha, you will have to provide a smoke exhaust structure and connect the potbelly stove to the chimney. Firewood or coal will have to be constantly added. If there is no fire in the stove, it cools down quickly.

Sometimes the heat capacity of such a furnace can be increased by lining its inside with ceramics or making some heating surfaces ribbed. Cast iron stoves are heated with coal or wood. Sometimes you will need to remove ashes and clean the chimney.

Gas heating

If the cottage is connected to a gas main, you can warm the room using gas. Gas heaters have high heat output and can warm up a house in 15 minutes. Due to high heat transfer, gas equipment can be equipped with batteries that will accumulate excess heat and consume it after the gas installation is turned off.

While stove heating does not require complex installation and maintenance, heating a cottage with gas requires skill.

It is better to think about various arrangement options in advance. Heating equipment will cost more than with a stove. To install gas heating, you will need to draw up a plan and invite specialists to install it. After all, improper operation of gas equipment can cause an explosion.


Installation of heating devices

Initially, the boiler is installed, since it is best to supply heating to consumers from it. If possible, a separate room is selected for the boiler, where additional supply and exhaust ventilation is also installed. If the boiler runs on coal, this will prevent coal dust and soot from entering the interior. But the boiler can be installed at the dacha in another place, for example, in the hallway, in the kitchen. You can do the work yourself, or invite specialists for this purpose.

Radiators

Radiators are installed under windows after their power has been previously calculated. Their installation is simple, you can easily hang them yourself. To do this, you need a good hammer drill, mounting hardware and a radiator. The fastening must be reliable, able to withstand not only the weight of an empty radiator, but also one filled with water, and additional loads.

Pipes

The routing of pipes begins from the return, moving in the direction from the boiler, maintaining the angle of inclination of the pipes. The supply pipe must be higher than the return pipe. At the final stage, all heating devices are connected. The connection method depends on the choice of pipe material.


System pressure

If the system operates under pressure, then it is necessary to monitor the readings of the pressure gauges. Normal operation of the system is indicated by the absence of a decrease in pressure within 15 minutes of no more than 0.2 kgf/cm², then the test is considered successful. The installation ends with a thermal test, during which the quiet operation and uniform heating of the heating devices are checked, and leaks are eliminated. At the end of the heating season, the chimney is checked and cleaned.


Selection of radiators

How to choose cast iron, steel or bimetallic radiators? It is important to calculate their heat transfer and select the required number of sections. The choice of radiators may be influenced by their price, technical characteristics, and heat transfer. Radiators are installed under each window, this allows you to create a curtain from cold air due to significant heat loss through the window. The width of the radiator should cover the window opening.

Other ways to heat a country house

Heating of a country house will depend on the choice of an autonomous system. The choice is influenced by several factors: the degree of availability of a particular type of fuel, the presence of full automation in control, efficiency, the ability to resort to the use of other fuel, the level of costs for installing a heating system.

It is very important to keep in mind that economical heating of a country house fairly well characterizes the system’s ability to maintain a comfortable temperature, even if the coolant is at the lowest temperature. Operating costs will be reduced to a minimum.

Combination boilers

If you are installing heating for your dacha yourself, then a combination boiler is the best choice. Its main advantage is its unpretentiousness in choosing fuel. In addition to coal, briquettes, firewood, electricity is used as an alternative source.

Let’s say there is no way to use gas for heating, and you will only get to the dacha next weekend, the coal supply will definitely not be enough. And what should I do? Use electricity! The best option is to set the temperature below comfortable, but enough to keep the interior warm. This will not only be cheaper, but one addition of fuel will be enough to make the dacha warm again.

This is how a combi boiler works.

The boilers are made of metal three centimeters thick and weigh up to 110 kg, so the foundation must be prepared. Boiler power 3-6 kW. Control, temperature adjustment via remote control. The boiler has a cast iron stove with a burner, there is a modification with two, which is convenient when installing in the kitchen. A combination boiler is a safe solution to the question of how to heat a dacha in winter.

Electric heating

This is the second most efficient heating system for a country house. No special investments are required; the only cost item is the purchase of the necessary equipment - electric converters. The number of devices is selected individually. In addition to installing under each window, there is the option of installing one, higher power, electric converter in each room.


Principle of operation

The operating principle is based on air convection as it passes through the device, expansion when heated, while up to 80% of the heat is removed from the surface of the electric converter, and the room is additionally heated by infrared radiation from the heat device.

Installation

It is recommended to install it on the ceiling; for this purpose, a series of different shades of coatings and structures have been developed, which fits it perfectly into the interior of the room. The film can be installed as a warm floor; it is not afraid of punctures and minor damage. In terms of heating costs for a country house, electric systems are more expensive than gas systems, but more profitable than other options. They are used as a source of main heating of premises, and additionally.

Infrared heater

Heaters are the easiest and most practical option for heating a summer house. You buy a heater, install it in a room, connect it to the network - the heating system works.

Heaters based on infrared radiation are economical and compact. You can purchase infrared heating films or panels. The structures are mounted on the ceiling. They do not take up space in the room.


Some of these heating systems can be programmed remotely using the Internet or SMS. When planning a trip to the country, just send a message. The heating system will turn on at the right time and warm the living rooms for you.

The largest number of our compatriots have dachas in rural areas. But, alas, in some settlements there is no hot water, not even a boiler room, and people have to fetch water from pumps the old fashioned way or drill wells on their property. Due to the fact that many of us like to relax in comfort and warmth, hand-assembled heating systems have been developed by craftsmen.

How to make heating in a dacha with your own hands? Now we will try to answer this question, using people’s experience and ingenuity.

Water heating

The cheapest and most accessible way to transfer heat to the dacha is to install water heating using propylene pipes. The advantages of such a system are a number of cheap heat carriers. In addition, you can use a variety of fuels - liquid or solid.

In general, installing heating in a dacha involves a huge number of all kinds of heating systems, and we will now find out which ones.

Solid fuel boiler

So, in order to independently make a fuel system with a base - a solid fuel boiler, you will need to purchase or find the following components:

  • Boiler base;
  • Special vessel for expansion;
  • Taps, pipes and valves that regulate the flow and pressure level of water.

In such systems, firewood, coal and all kinds of briquettes are used as fuel. All spare parts and components can be easily found in the store. Having looked at any drawing of the assembly of a solid fuel boiler, all you can do is assemble the “constructor set” correctly and enjoy the creation of your own hands.

Solid fuel boilers are popular in areas where there are no gas pipelines or power lines nearby. The low price of fuel makes them simply irreplaceable. But there is one significant “but” - homemade structures cannot work in an automated mode and you will have to put a lot of effort and time into heating a small dacha and providing hot water to it.

If you have money in your pocket, but don’t have the time or desire to design, then you can simply buy a solid fuel boiler. The latest developments from the best manufacturers will pleasantly surprise you.

Undoubtedly, a serious thing. But how to provide heating in a dacha if it is located near the city? Which option will be the most correct and economical? Let's try to figure it out.

Heating systems for a summer residence - choosing boilers

If you go to any specialized store and ask a consultant about heating systems for a summer residence, you will hear a very long lecture on the topic of heating in a private home with a bunch of options and “ideal proposals.”

There are several factors here, based on which you should look for the answer to the question - what kind of heating should you use in your dacha?

  1. Distance from vital lines and communications (power lines, gas mains, boiler room, etc.);
  2. Distance from the city and gas stations;
  3. You also need to find out for yourself how often you will live/vacate at the dacha - come once a month or have a permanent place of residence.

Advice!
If your boiler will not work all the time in winter, it is recommended to drain all water from the heating system before leaving your summer cottage.

Gas boilers

One of the most common and affordable options for those who spend most of their free time in the country. Such boilers are installed in the country only if there is a gas pipeline nearby. When choosing a boiler, carefully read the safety precautions - gas is not a toy!

Diesel fuel boilers

Diesel powered units are another good option for those who love outdoor recreation with increased comfort. If desired, you can assemble such a system yourself, but for this you need to have the skills of a mechanic. But if you are not a general specialist and decide to heat your garden house solely to increase the comfort of your recreation area, then it will be easier to buy it.

The advantages of such units are as follows:

  1. High power levels;
  2. Diesel oil is actually cheaper than electricity;

Flaws:

  1. In order to install such a boiler, it is necessary to look for a separate room for storing fuel (bunker);
  2. It will be necessary to additionally equip the system with a powerful hood and chimney;
  3. Constant worries about fuel supplies;
  4. If there is a power outage, you will have to urgently call emergency services.

In general, heating a garden house should not be so difficult - diesel boilers are installed only by those who do not dig in the beds. Exhaust gases negatively affect your planted vegetables and flowers, and in order not to get stuck by your wife, it is better to abandon this method of heating.

Electric boilers

The easiest to assemble with your own hands - you only need to make heating elements (or buy) and find a boiler in which the water entering the water supply and heating radiators will be heated. Don't forget about the pump, which will create pressure to supply water through the pipes.

If you do everything wisely, then with such heating you will be able to save a lot. This type of boiler is ideal for heating a rural house, as it is extremely easy to operate and less fire hazardous than other systems.

Combined models

Due to the high demand for heating equipment in our country and the high risks during operation (sensors and the boiler itself are quite expensive, and can easily fail due to constant power surges or unscheduled shutdowns), boiler manufacturers found a solution and launched the production of combined models.

These units are made of thick sheet metal, the thickness of which sometimes reaches 3 cm. Installing heating in a dacha is a rather delicate process due to the instability of the supply of fuel resources (water will be turned off, electricity will be turned off, or the gas pipeline will be suspended for repairs).

They combine electric-wood or gas-wood systems, which, in the event of a power supply failure, switch to emergency power supply with solid fuel (wood and briquettes). In fact, this is the most acceptable option than all of the above models, and if you have the means and have the desire to turn your dacha into a luxurious vacation spot, go for it!

Let's sum it up

Well, we figured out how to heat a dacha; now all you need to do is purchase or design a new boiler, with which you can install a heating system in your dacha. Our photo and video instructions will introduce you to this topic more closely and perhaps point you in the right direction with such a difficult choice. Warmth for your home!

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 connected 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

The choice of heating method for a summer house depends on how often and at what time of year it is used. Conventionally, dachas can be classified as follows:

  • A summer holiday home, visited only in the warmer months: late spring, summer and early autumn
  • Holiday home visited throughout the year on weekends
  • House for permanent residence

The main difference between a dacha and a country house is that in dacha villages there are often interruptions in electrical energy, and the supply of main gas is rather a rarity than a common occurrence. In addition, the heating system of the dacha is made according to a simplified scheme and should provide quick heating of the room.

Heating a summer house for summer holidays

For heating a summer house used only in the warm season, stoves and fireplaces are suitable, which can be heated periodically, for example, during cold weather or rain. In addition, fireplaces and stoves complement the interior of the dacha and allow you to admire a live flame, which is so important when relaxing in nature.

A stove or fireplace can be placed between two rooms, heating them at the same time. To quickly heat large-area dachas, you can use stoves with convectors, for example, Buleryan brand stoves, in which heat is transferred by moving air currents.

You can also use it for heating your cottage gas convectors, operating on liquefied bottled gas. They are included only if it is necessary to create comfortable conditions in the house. Convectors quickly warm up the room, are safe and convenient.

For those who prefer to heat their home using electrical energy, we can recommend infrared heating devices, which are attached to the ceiling.

This, not yet familiar, method of installing heating devices allows not only to quickly warm up the room, but also creates conditions as close as possible to the natural habitat. Indeed, infrared radiation, like the rays of the sun, heats not the air, but objects, which then release thermal energy to the air masses.

Weekend cottage

If the country house is used all year round, but not constantly, but only from time to time, it is best to install a reliable water heating system in the house that operates in constant mode. It is best to use antifreeze as a coolant. With this choice, you can be sure that the heating system will not fail even in the event of an emergency stop of the equipment, for example, when the supply of electricity or gas is cut off.

The heating boiler can be anything:

  • Solid fuel
  • Liquid fuel
  • Gas
  • Electric

Solid fuel boilers can be used periodically, for example, when coming to the country for the weekend. They are efficient, reliable and easy to melt even after a long stop.

Liquid fuel boiler, just like a bottled gas boiler, can operate continuously even in the absence of the owners. Their automatic control system is reliable and ensures that the equipment stops in case of any deviations from the specified parameters.

With constant heating of a dacha or country house, the building is operated without sudden temperature changes, which, as is known, have a detrimental effect on the technical condition of the building. In addition, during the absence of people at the dacha, the boiler can operate with minimal fuel consumption, and when guests arrive, its productivity can be increased.

Among the disadvantages of liquid fuel boilers, the high cost of thermal energy generated with their help should be noted. Therefore, it is advisable to use them only in well-insulated houses, where there is practically no heat loss.

Heating a cottage using an electric boiler

An electric boiler can be considered the optimal choice for heating a summer house. It is easy to install, does not require a chimney or a separate room, but, most importantly, the electric boiler can have a gsm unit, which allows you to control its operation using a regular mobile phone.

There is no open fire in an electric boiler, and this is another advantage. It can operate at any coolant temperature and start working after a stop due to a power outage. Heating boilers using any other type of fuel need to be restarted.

The only drawback of an electric boiler is the high cost per unit of generated thermal energy. Therefore, every calorie of heat generated by an electric heating boiler must be spent usefully. To do this, the dacha needs to be insulated, eliminating any unnecessary heat loss, but this is not enough. It is also necessary to use more efficient heating devices, replacing the usual radiators with them.

Warm baseboard for heating a summer house

One of these heating devices is a panel-radiant heating system, mounted around the perimeter of the room, and called “warm baseboard”. When using it, the heat generated by the heating device is distributed along the wall and rises up it. This creates a heat shield along the external walls, preventing the outflow of heated air from the room, as well as the formation of condensation on the walls.

It should be noted that when using a warm baseboard, the walls warm up evenly. There are no cold zones or frozen corners on their surface. Moreover, heated walls begin to radiate heat inward, creating comfortable indoor conditions.

How does a warm baseboard work?

The warm plinth is an aluminum box (collapsible), the height of which is 140 mm, and the width is 30 mm, mounted instead of a regular plinth. This is a completely new, efficient heating device that runs on coolant (water or antifreeze).

Inside the aluminum box there is a heat exchanger made of two copper pipes with brass lamellas strung on them. Connecting a warm baseboard is the same as for a regular radiator.

Also, “warm baseboard” heating devices are produced in a special design designed to be connected directly to the electrical network.

The warm baseboard in each room is connected to the supply and return lines supplied from the collector. PVC pipes, as well as heating pipes made of cross-linked polyethylene, can be used for connection. Each “plinth” can have a thermostat, which allows you to maintain a minimum temperature level in the room in the absence of the dacha owners and save heat.

Such a heating system, consisting of an electric boiler and warm baseboards using antifreeze as a coolant, allows you to maintain a minimum temperature in the dacha in the absence of the owners and create comfortable conditions during their arrival.

At first glance, it requires a lot of money, but in reality, an electric boiler for a small well-insulated cottage is a real godsend, you can install it yourself, it is absolutely safe and reliable, and all heating costs will pay off in a short time.

Video review - do-it-yourself autonomous heating of a dacha

If you intend to equip your dacha with a heating system, then first decide on heating equipment. To do this, you need to analyze the following parameters:

  • material used in the construction of the house;
  • available energy resources;
  • distance from the site to the nearest power line.

Based on this, select the type of future system.

First, decide what the heating system will be like. In this case, everything depends on the specific circumstances, so we will consider the most common options.

Option #1. Small country house

If the cottage is small and is used only in the summer, then you can equip the simplest system.

Attention! You can do electric heating. Firstly, it is quite easy, and secondly, the costs will be insignificant, since the system will be used infrequently.

There is another option - install a small-sized convection oven (for example, “Buleryan”). Such units can operate for quite a long time, and one load is enough for a long time. And if we take into account power outages, then this heating method is preferable.

Option #2. Two-story house (area less than 150 m²)

Such cottages can be used for year-round living. If there is no gas supply, you can choose one of two possible options:


In the second case, antifreeze must be used as a coolant, otherwise the system will need to be drained before each departure and refilled upon return.

Attention! In order to reduce heating costs, it is worth insulating the cottage with high-quality thermal insulation material.

Option #3. A complete country house

If the house is located in a cottage community and has all the amenities (including gas), then it can be used for permanent residence. In this case, water heating is more suitable.

If possible, you can additionally equip a “warm floor” system.

Attention! As you can see, in most cases it is advisable to use water heating. It is important that it be as autonomous as possible, so it is better to opt for natural circulation.

The system can be of two types:

  • open;
  • closed.

If antifreeze will serve as the coolant, then choose the second option.

By the way, you can also read about installing heated floors yourself on our website.

Stage 2. Calculation of equipment power and number of radiators

It is better to entrust this procedure to specialists, but if you wish, you can make all the calculations yourself - using the formula (1 kW x 10 m²).

Increase the resulting figure by the coefficient of reference to the location of the site:


If you plan to use hot water for domestic needs, then add another 25% to the resulting value (the boiler in this case must be double-circuit), then another 20% for unforeseen situations.

Attention! The easiest option to implement is considered to be a single-pipe closed system, popularly known as “Leningradka”. About her in a thematic video.

Video – “Leningradka”

Stage 3. Installation of the boiler

Installation of the heating system begins with the installation of the boiler. If possible, place the boiler in a separate utility room - this will allow you to equip a ventilation system. This is especially true for solid fuel devices, which emit a lot of soot during operation. If you install such a boiler in your house, you will have to breathe soot all the time, and the interior decoration will be hopelessly damaged.

If you cannot use a separate room for some reason, install the boiler in one of the non-main rooms - for example, in a pantry or hallway.

Stage 4. Piping

Wiring is perhaps the most important and responsible stage.

To complete it you will need:

  • radiators (according to the number of windows);
  • building level;
  • pipes (more details about their choice are at the end of the article);
  • pencil;
  • shut-off valves;
  • brackets;
  • expansion tank (its volume should be equal to 110% of the volume of the entire circuit);
  • circulation pump (to determine the power, multiply the total area of ​​the house by one hundred watts).

Attention! Bimetallic radiators or aluminum products are most suitable for dachas. They heat up fairly quickly and are light in weight.

The wiring procedure is as follows.

Step 1. Using special fasteners, pipes are installed (according to a pre-drawn plan).

Step 2. Heating radiators are hung.

Step 3. Shut-off valves are installed.

Step 4. An expansion tank is installed at the highest point of the system.

Carry out all work in exactly this sequence and move from the heat generator to the radiators. Upon completion of installation, remove the film from the radiators and perform piping (its technology depends on the material from which the pipes are made).

Attention! The distance between the radiator and the window sill must be at least 7 cm, and between the radiator and the floor - 10 cm. In addition, the gap between the device and the wall must be at least 5 cm.

Stage 5. Installation of “warm floor”

As an additional source of thermal energy, you can use a “warm floor” system. It is advisable to purchase an infrared system, but there are also water ones.

Before starting installation, take care of:

  • hydro- and thermal insulation material;
  • infrared film;
  • thermostat;
  • final coating (the best option is laminate).

Step 1: Clean and level the floor surface.

Step 2. Install a thermostat on one of the walls of the room (at a height of 0.7 m).

Step 3. Place the thermal insulator and secure it with mounting tape.

Step 4. Lay down the infrared film. Leave the areas where large stationary furniture will be placed “empty”. Insulate the joints with bitumen tape.

Step 5. Connect electrical cables to the outer sheets of film.

Step 6. Connect cables to the thermostat and test the system.

Step 7. Cover the floor with laminate.

Read about more detailed instructions for installing film heated floors on our website.

Alternative - “warm baseboard”

An alternative to water heating can be a radiant panel system, which is installed around the entire perimeter of the room and is called a “warm baseboard”. The thermal energy generated by such a system is distributed along the walls and rises along them. A kind of heat shield is formed that prevents heat loss and moisture condensation.

Attention! When using a “warm baseboard”, the surface of the walls warms up evenly, without any cold zones. At the same time, the walls themselves begin to radiate heat, which creates the most comfortable conditions in the house.

About the working principle

This system is a prefabricated aluminum box. The height of the box is 14 cm, width is 3 cm. “Warm plinth” runs on coolant (it is advisable to use antifreeze) and is installed instead of a regular plinth. In the box itself there is a heat exchanger - a pair of copper tubes on which brass lamellas are strung. The system is connected in the same way as conventional radiators.

Attention! There are modifications of the “warm baseboard” that can be connected directly to the electrical network.

After installation, the “plinth” is connected to the hot water supply and “return”, for which you can use polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride pipes. Each “plinth” can be equipped with a separate thermostat, thanks to which the minimum temperature will be maintained in your absence. This way you will save significantly on electricity.

Such a system in combination with an electric boiler is a real godsend for a summer house. “Warm baseboard” is reliable, safe, and will pay for itself in the shortest possible time. Its only disadvantage can be considered its dependence on electricity, the supply of which, as is known, often fails.

Pipe selection

When choosing pipes, consider not only your financial capabilities, but also the area of ​​the house, the material used in its construction, as well as the type of heating system chosen. The modern range of such products is quite wide, but all products can be divided into three large groups.


Results. How to save on heating your dacha

As you know, the efficiency and speed of heating a room largely depend on heat loss. It has been proven that approximately 1/5 of all heat escapes through old wooden windows, the same amount through doors, about 2/5 through walls, and another 1/10 through the floor. Therefore, before the start of the heating season, try to eliminate all sources of heat loss and insulate the dacha. In this case, within an hour after arrival you will feel no less comfortable than in a city apartment.

And one last thing. In terms of consumption, the most economical fuel is gas. Therefore, if it is possible to connect to the central gas supply, then take advantage of it.

Video - Do-it-yourself heating at the dacha