Gas boiler room for an apartment building: organization options and design features
What problems do residents of an apartment building often encounter in winter? First of all, this is poor quality heat supply.Also saddening is the hopelessness of waiting for the heating systems to start turning on. A gas boiler room for an apartment building will help maintain a constant temperature in each apartment and save on services.
Residents are forced to freeze from the cold until the start of the heating season. The need to pay a large sum every month to pay for heating is finishing off the most persistent ones.
Installing a gas boiler room on the roof will solve heating problems once and for all. The main obstacles to resolving the issue of installing a gas boiler house are related to obtaining permits from the administration and purchasing suitable equipment.
The content of the article:
Advantages of an autonomous gas boiler house
Typically, an autonomous gas boiler room is installed in apartment buildings in separate rooms. Separate rooms on the roof are suitable for these purposes.
They house all the necessary equipment for continuous operation of the heating system. The power of the installed equipment should be enough to warm up the radiators and heat water in the apartments of the entire building.
Such mini-boiler rooms are equipped with a variety of modern appliances and various accessories.Autonomous systems use the most modern heating technologies. This allows you to use one boiler room even for several houses, which increases the profitability for residents several times.
There are several factors that determine the benefits of installing a rooftop gas boiler in apartment buildings.
First of all, this is a significant reduction in the distance from the heat generator to radiators and pipes in apartments. Due to this, heat loss during water circulation in the system is reduced. Rough calculations show that owners pay for heating 30% higher than the actual cost due to heat loss.
Residents who have installed a gas boiler room once in the basement or on the roof of a multi-storey building note a real reduction in utility costs. They are also much less likely to encounter the need for frequent system maintenance: their repair, installation and reconstruction. Modern communications are of high quality and durability.
Due to the shortening of the path that water must travel from the central energy carrier, the heating rate of the system increases. The temperature of batteries and hot water also increases on average. Although this is largely regulated by the settings of the gas boiler.
If we compare a central heating system with an autonomous one, the second option wins in many respects. This is both efficiency and the speed of heating water in the system.
In addition, central heating is turned on only when certain temperatures are reached.However, cold weather can persist for a long time until it reaches the required minimum. And the residents are forced to endure the cold and suffer.
With an autonomous system, it becomes possible to maintain the desired level of heat all year round and not depend on utility services. Thermostats are usually installed on radiators and circuits, allowing the temperature to be changed depending on the needs of the users. Sometimes setting a comfortable temperature allows you to save additional money.
Disadvantages of modern heating systems
As with any heating system, an autonomous one has its drawbacks. Although there are much fewer of them compared to the centralized one. Due to the fact that gas autonomous boiler houses are not widespread, it is quite problematic to obtain reliable equipment and all the components adjacent to it.
Therefore, boiler room elements will cost customers a tidy sum. Despite the high level of comfort that the systems in question provide, not all developers are willing to pay a lot of money for it.
In addition, gas boiler rooms must be located in separate rooms or buildings. To do this, you need to allocate an area near the house, bring the roof to the required technical conditions, or install a block structure on the roof. All of these solutions require an infusion of additional resources either from the developer or from a common fund created by residents.
Gas heating systems release polluting decay products into the environment.Therefore, when installing boiler rooms, it is necessary to provide for the installation of filtration systems. Cleaning devices must perform their functions sufficiently to comply with SNiP standards. This further increases the cost of purchasing equipment.
When building a new house, the developer has a choice: to build an autonomous heating system or connect to the central highway. In order to crash into a highway, you need to obtain a number of permits. Often, resolving a problem requires a large sum of money. In addition, you will need to wait more than one month until the papers are checked by all authorities.
The high cost of connecting to existing networks, difficulties in coordinating this procedure, as well as the presence of many obstacles that impede the rapid and efficient installation of heating networks reduce the attractiveness of autonomous systems for developers.
Installing autonomous heating is also associated with a number of bureaucratic procedures. Both the initial implementation of systems and reconstruction with redevelopment have their own characteristic features. This is mainly due to the fact that you are going to use gas as a heating resource. All work with gas is strictly regulated by law.
Modern engineering developments effectively combat a number of shortcomings. If you need to heat just one house, an excellent option would be to place a block boiler room in the attic of the house.The attic becomes heated, and residents of the top floor do not experience discomfort.
Such structures are developed in detail by engineers, are lightweight and are installed on load-bearing walls. For such options, a flat roof option is required. This subtlety is usually taken into account at the design stage. Designers carry out calculations and determine in advance the location for the boiler room on the roof of the house.
However, despite all the shortcomings, ultimately, the residents of the house will significantly improve their living conditions and get rid of discomfort. In addition to all the obvious advantages, autonomous systems have an increased level of security.
The new systems are equipped with threat and emergency alarms. Varied sensors for gas boilers monitor many indicators. In the event of a breakdown, the backup boiler and additional pumps are activated.
Classification and features of roof boiler houses
If we talk about heating one particular house, then one of the best options for locating a boiler room with a decentralized system is a flat roof. The text of SNiP describes in detail all permitted types of boiler houses. In technical documents, special attention is paid to the requirements for heating equipment intended for installation on the ceiling.
The operation and installation of heating systems are negotiated separately for two types of structures: built-in and block-modular. Separate requirements, technical conditions and restrictions apply to each option.Also, these two types of boiler houses have their own characteristics: advantages and disadvantages.
Speaking about the advantages of installing an autonomous boiler room on the roof, the following should be highlighted:
- There is no need to purchase a plot for a boiler room next to the house;
- The hydraulic load to which boilers are exposed is reduced;
- There are no difficulties associated with design calculations and installation of chimneys;
- The task is greatly simplified ventilation of the boiler room;
- Rooftop boiler houses have no restrictions on the type of fuel, and the use of gas is one of the most profitable options.
The combination of advantages of installing the structure in question on roofs determines the high frequency of use of this solution when planning autonomous heating.
Installing a boiler room on the roof is only advisable if all the requirements and restrictions described in SNiP and PPB are taken into account. Let us next consider each of the available types of roof-mounted autonomous boiler rooms.
Block-modular boiler rooms
Block or modular boiler rooms are compact in size and occupy a small area. Special blocks are brought to the site on the roof of the house, which are then connected into a ready-made and workable structure. Each element of the structure is completed at the factory and equipped with all the necessary equipment, which is connected into a common system.
After assembly, the thermal station is ready for operation. All necessary equipment is provided by the manufacturer and mounted in the module. There will also be separate rooms for service personnel.
All equipment is selected to the required technical parameters and complies with the standards. The blocks are usually equipped with high-quality insulation and a reliable ventilation system.
They can also have an attractive appearance and unusual design. During installation, the main task of specialists is to correctly connect all components and check the functionality of all elements.
Designers and engineers provide in advance for the future installation of a boiler room for gas equipment on the roofs of multi-storey buildings. They minimize the weight and dimensions of the building frame. Typically, professionals assemble a boiler room within a few working days.
Installation of a block-modular roof boiler room consists of several stages. First of all, it is necessary to conduct an examination that will determine the load-bearing capacity of the building and the necessary procedures to increase it. If it turns out that it is necessary to strengthen the structure, then these procedures are carried out first.
Then a platform is installed that will rest on the load-bearing walls of the building. This is necessary for the stability of the block. The next step is to create a fire-resistant coating under the gas boiler room.
Typically, a layer of concrete is poured to solve this problem. You should also ensure safety by installing railings around the perimeter of the roof. Sometimes procedures to improve sound insulation are necessary.
Block boiler rooms are suitable for installation in buildings that originally had centralized heating. However, to set them up, it is necessary to purchase equipment with acceptable technical conditions and have a project.
Built-in boiler room on the roof of the house
The layout of such boiler houses is included in the design documents in advance. Even at the design stage, each element of the built-in roof boiler room is thoroughly described. Engineers calculate many different indicators and, based on the calculations, design a safe and efficient heating system.
Such indicators include the value of the load on the walls, the level of fire safety, the required boiler power and others. Carrying out these calculations at the design stage is much easier and cheaper than converting a centralized system into an autonomous one.
Simultaneously with the construction of the building, a number of activities are carried out. These include:
- ensuring sound insulation and suppression of noise emitted by heating equipment;
- protection of the boiler room from vibrations;
- providing protection against fire, explosions and gas leaks.
Carrying out these procedures during the construction phase increases their effectiveness. Most houses were built with a centralized heating system, and only in the last 5-10 years have projects included built-in boiler rooms.
Experienced engineers design built-in boiler rooms. This is due to the need to comply with safety standards and legal regulations.
The advantages of such boiler houses include the absence of the need to spend money and time on capital construction. The customer also purchases a ready-made, tested and adjusted structure that will heat the residents of the house for many years.
Thanks to modern developments, it is possible to almost completely automate control. This allows you to have a minimum number of maintenance personnel. The environmental friendliness of built-in gas boiler rooms is ensured by modern filtration systems.
Integrated or built-in boiler rooms are usually installed within a few days, which is very profitable for the developer.
Installation of an autonomous boiler room
Residents do not always buy a ready-made block boiler room. In some cases, the assistance of specialists in assembling an individual system is required.
The installation of a gas boiler room plays a vital role in its efficient operation. It is necessary to allocate a separate area on the roof. There should be no flammable materials around the site.
For safety reasons, boiler rooms do not have more than two boilers: the main one and the backup one. Boilers are usually installed in the center of the room. This makes it easier to approach the equipment for systematic maintenance and repair.
The walls, and with them the entrance doors, are sheathed with non-combustible materials, for example, steel sheets. The floors are poured with concrete screed, then a non-flammable, non-slip coating is placed on top of it.
The operating principle of an autonomous gas boiler house is to process natural gas.Thanks to automatic installations, uninterrupted fuel supply is ensured. The boiler room's safety system shuts off the gas supply if the sensors detect a leak or breakdown.
Key components of the boiler room
The operation of an autonomous boiler room is ensured by the presence of the following elements:
- Gas boilers providing heating;
- Central gas main supplying gas to the system;
- Ventilation system and chimney that removes gas combustion products;
- Cold water and electricity supply system;
- Security system with a number of instruments and sensors that measure various indicators;
- Built-in automation.
To heat an apartment building, the power of a wall-mounted unit is not enough, so in this situation, floor-standing gas boilers are used. Single-circuit boilers only provide heating of the coolant to supply it to the radiators. Double-circuit boilers simultaneously used for heating and supplying hot water.
The boiler can have a closed or open combustion chamber. For the open type, it is necessary to install a smoke channel. And closed-type boilers are equipped coaxial chimney.
Thanks to modern technologies, it has become possible to almost completely remotely control the heating system while maintaining a high level of safety.
The advantages of remote control include:
- Possibility of setting individual temperature conditions for each apartment;
- Availability of a notification system about the values of the main indicators of equipment operation;
- Innovative weather-compensated control system.
Modern smart boilers have outdoor sensors that measure the temperature outside the home. If the air temperature drops, the boiler automatically begins to increase the water temperature in the system and vice versa.
What do you need to consider?
Before installing an autonomous boiler room, it is necessary to take into account a number of factors. If you purchase a single-circuit gas boiler, then to supply hot water you will need to install a storage type of water heater - a boiler.
A branched system of an apartment building will definitely require a distribution manifold. Thanks to this device, constant pressure and temperature will be maintained in all circuits. Installed together with the collector circulation pumps and hydraulic guns.
When the water in the system heats up, it expands. In order to maintain constant pressure and compensate for expansion processes, a expansion tank.
It is important to consider the layout of the chimney to remove gas decay products. To ensure safety it is installed safety valve, as well as a mechanical or automatic air vent. A make-up tap must be installed in front of the heating system.
If automation is built into the system, then the need for human maintenance of the system will be reduced to routine checks of the system’s performance.
Installing an autonomous gas boiler room has a number of nuances and difficulties.However, this version of the heating system for an apartment building has a number of comparative advantages compared to a centralized system.
The main problems that developers and future residents will have to face are related to obtaining permits from the administration and gas industry for the installation of a gas boiler house.
This takes time and requires certain resources. Residents of houses with central heating will face even greater problems. First of all, they will have to obtain an agreement to disable old systems and obtain technical conditions for installing new ones. Utility services do not always cooperate on such issues.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
Review of the roof boiler house of the TDK “New City”:
The installation of a gas boiler house in Svetly led to large cost savings:
Purchasing modular boiler houses is one of the profitable options for developers. Their delivery and installation takes a short period of time, and the prices for the equipment are reasonable. This allows you not to devote a lot of time to this issue.
Residents who decide to install autonomous heating protect themselves in the future from the shortcomings of centralized systems and guarantee themselves continuous heating and hot water supply all year round.
Please write comments in the block below, post photos related to the topic of the article, and ask questions. Tell us about your experience in installing and/or operating an autonomous gas boiler room in a high-rise building. It is possible that your advice will be extremely useful to site visitors.
