How to save gas when heating a private home: a review of the best ways to save gas

Due to the high tariffs for the services of gas supply organizations, economical gas consumption is a sore point for most families living in a house with gas heating. The amounts on gas bills, especially in winter, can be simply unrealistic, right? Have you thought about how to save gas in a private home without sacrificing a comfortable microclimate?

We will try to help you solve this issue - in this material we will tell you about real ways to save money, tested by many consumers in practice. We will also consider alternative heat sources that can complement or completely replace gas in a private home.

Effective gas saving options

The issue of economical gas consumption must be approached comprehensively. Plus, it is important to use only legal “white” methods in order to avoid unnecessary troubles with regulatory authorities. Let's consider the most effective ways to wisely use and save gas, tested by more than one consumer who uses gas equipment to heat their home.

Method #1 - installing a gas meter

Let's start with the banal. The first thing you need to do is install a gas meter in your house, if you don’t already have one.Without this device, all other actions are meaningless: gas consumption will be calculated according to average standards, which is obviously unprofitable. The meter will allow you to pay only for the blue fuel actually consumed, and this amount is usually an order of magnitude less.

There are the following types of flow meters:

• rotary;
• turbine;
• membrane;
• vortex.

The required standard size is determined depending on the maximum fuel consumption of all devices in total. You can see the approximate gas consumption per hour of operation in the technical data sheet of the equipment. At choosing a meter you should focus on the number of gas appliances in use in the house

Membrane type meters are most often used in everyday life. They are economical, easy to use, and have high accuracy of readings.

Each meter has its own nominal capacity, marked with a special marking:

• G1.6 pass 1.6-2.5 m³ of energy;
• G2.5 – 2.5-4 m³;
• G4 – 4-6 m³;
• G6 – 6-10 m³;
• G10 – 10-16 m³.

If the house has a gas stove, water heater and boiler, you must choose a device marked G6 or G10.

Before using other methods, you need to start monitoring your expenses and regularly recording meter readings in a separate notebook. These records will help monitor fuel consumption and evaluate the effectiveness of attempts to save gas when heating a private home.

Method #2 - reducing heat loss

The second and main step, which will significantly reduce consumption, is analysis and reduction of heat loss.

This need is due to the fact that part of the heat in the house escapes through the walls, roof and windows.Some amount of thermal energy is lost through the ventilation system along with the exhaust air.

Serious heat loss nullifies the efficiency and economy of any, even the most modern, heating system. The larger the leak, the more equipment energy is spent on heating and the more noticeable fuel consumption becomes

In order to eliminate such a problem, it will be necessary to carry out a set of thermal insulation measures.

All surfaces that can transmit heat need to be insulated:

• floor;
• walls;
• ceiling;
• roof;
• facade;
• doors;
• window.

The simplest option insulation of external walls – foam plastic covering. You can also make a false wall in the room by placing mineral wool behind it. The ceiling is insulated from the attic side with the same materials - mineral wool, polystyrene foam or expanded polystyrene.

To insulate the floor, the material is laid under a screed or wooden flooring. Common sawdust, ecowool, mineral wool, polyurethane foam, and penofol are suitable as insulation.

Roofing sandwich panels will help prevent heat leakage through the roof. They consist of an external cladding in the form of two profiled sheets of metal and a layer of thermal insulation 10-15 cm thick, glued together by cold or hot pressing.

If it is not possible to insulate the house from the inside, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with external insulation technologies.

It is more advisable to replace old wooden windows with metal-plastic structures with double or triple glazing. Window systems with multi-circuit seals and specially coated glass retain heat perfectly.

Entrance doors should also have good energy-saving characteristics.The ideal option is a double model with a vestibule. If purchasing energy-efficient windows and doors is not possible, old structures should be sealed, carefully sealing all cracks.

Mineral wool, although expensive, is the most reliable and high-quality material. This is what experts recommend to use for insulating a private home.

It is important to pay attention to the ventilation rules. It is advisable to ventilate rooms with open windows for no more than 5-10 minutes. During this time, a sufficient amount of fresh air will enter the room and not much heat will escape. If necessary, you can repeat the event once every few hours.

To determine the places of greatest heat loss, a thermal study of the house is carried out. This is what professionals do. After performing an accurate analysis, they provide a detailed map of heat loss in a particular home.

Insulation requires significant financial investments, but this is one of the most effective methods of saving energy. With high-quality work and maximum protection of surfaces from cold air, heating costs can be reduced by up to 50%. An additional bonus will be noise insulation of the premises, which is especially important if the house is located near a busy highway or roads.

Method #3 - automation of the heating process

The temperature in the house depends on weather conditions, type and area of ​​the room. According to research, a comfortable level for humans is no higher than 21 °C. The boiler automation system will help prevent excessive hypothermia or overheating of the room.

Thermostatic devices automate the heating process in the house - they will help avoid overheating of rooms, and automatically reduce the load on the boiler when the sun begins to heat up outside the window.

The devices included in its composition regulate the fuel supply, maintaining a stable temperature taking into account changes in external factors.

These include:

1. Weather dependent sensors. Installed outside the house. They monitor the outside air temperature and, if there are any changes, send a signal to the control system about the need to increase or reduce the fuel supply in the gas boiler.
2. Indoor thermostats. They record the air temperature in the room, monitoring the level of heating of the coolant in the radiator. When the specified levels are reached, the boiler turns off, and after a drop of 1-2 °C, it turns on again.
3. Programmers. Allows you to set the desired temperature levels in rooms by hour, time of day, day of the week. With their help, you can program work according to a convenient schedule. For example, in the period from 8.00 to 16.00, while no one is at home, set one indicator, in the evening from 16.00 to 22.00 - another, at night from 22.00 to 8.00 - a third.

The devices are installed on the wall near the gas supply source or directly on the heating radiator.

Thermostats on radiators will allow you to maintain a certain temperature in a specific room without heating all rooms with the same power. For example, set lower levels at night in the living room and higher levels in the bedroom, and vice versa

Installing thermostats is one of the easiest ways to save gas.By interacting with the coolant supply source, these devices contribute to more rational use of resources. The level of fuel consumption of equipment with an automation system is reduced from 10 to 20%.

Method #4 - replacing ineffective equipment

Gas consumption is largely determined Efficiency and the efficiency of the main heat source. Therefore, if the house has an old boiler or an unprofitable model that consumes an excessive amount of fuel, it is better, if possible, to replace such equipment with more energy efficient ones. This is especially true for Soviet boilers, the efficiency of which barely reaches 60%.

How you choose a boiler determines whether gas consumption in the house will decrease. The unit must completely burn fuel, producing the maximum amount of heat.

When purchasing you need to consider:

• efficiency value;
• burner and heat exchanger design;
• flue gas temperature;
• thickness of thermal insulation;
• type of allocation;
• cost of the device.

Don’t be fooled by cheap models: the 1-2 stage design of their burners can limit the amount of heat produced. Devices with modular burners equipped with an electronic control system show greater efficiency.

The efficiency of modern heating devices is from 90%. This means they consume much less fuel while operating more efficiently.

Among modern models, the leader in efficiency is considered condensing gas boilers floor and wall type with efficiency up to 96%.

Compared to other types of gas equipment, they save up to 20% fuel. High-tech appliances use waste gases to produce additional heat.

The main advantages of condensing boilers are low exhaust gas temperature, minimal amount of harmful emissions, the possibility of stable operation with insufficient gas pressure, increased level of noise insulation

In addition to choosing an economical boiler model, you need to pay special attention to the installation diagram of the heating system in the house. It is important to accurately calculate the optimal power of the equipment (10 m² of heated area should have 1 kW of energy), and select the correct pipe distribution system for distributing the coolant.

Method #5 - modernization of the ventilation system

Another effective way to save money is installation air handling units with recovery. These devices effectively remove waste air masses and return heat to the room, allowing you to optimize the fuel consumption required for heating.

Here's how gas consumption can be reduced using a recovery system:

• heat exchangers are installed in the inlet ventilation openings, which remove moist and warm air masses outside;
• heat exchangers-recuperators are connected to the inlet ventilation pipes;
• as warm air moves, recuperators warm up the cold flows coming from outside;
• fresh air enters the room already slightly heated.

Thus, recovery system preserves natural air exchange, maintains optimal temperature and humidity conditions, and does not release excess heat into the pipe. By reducing heat losses, less energy is required to maintain a normal indoor microclimate.

Method #6 - using alternative sources

As an option, take a more radical path and abandon the use of gas in favor of more economical alternative heating sources.

Depending on the types and characteristics of specific equipment, alternative sources can be used separately or as an addition to a gas boiler. In the second case, the boiler will cover the main power, and other sources will support its operation in the off-season, at times of peak load, after the planned gas consumption has been exceeded

Let's take a closer look at the optimal alternative heat sources.

Natural energy from the sun

Recently, instead of the usual systems for heating houses, solar panels or collectors have often begun to be used. The operation of such devices involves energy of sun – the natural and most environmentally friendly form of energy.

System solar heating comprises vacuum manifold, pump, controller, storage tank for hot water. Using collectors installed on the roof, the sun's energy is converted into electricity, stored in batteries and heated water, which reaches 70 °C and circulates through the system.

Using solar panels or collectors, owners of private houses organize not only heating, but also hot water supply to the premises

The efficiency of this heating method is directly proportional to the number of sunny days and the intensity of sunlight. When properly organized, such heating helps to significantly save on the main heating system of the house. To do this, it is necessary to integrate solar system elements into the traditional scheme.

High efficiency heat pumps

One of the most economical types of heating is heat pump systems.Installing such devices is expensive, but after a certain time a significant economic effect will be noticeable.

Compared to gas boilers, the cost of heat generated by pumps is 2.5 times less. Using only 1 kW of electricity, the heat pump produces an average of 3-5 kW of thermal energy.

There are different types of heat pumps, differing in the type of heat source used:

• water – pumps take heat from underground, surface water, and earth;
• air – ambient air temperature is used;
• Earth – they take renewable heat from the earth and install the system below the freezing level;
• derivative (secondary heat) – for example, heat from central heating pipes.

The equipment is capable of providing full heating and hot water supply to the home. In addition, the installations can air condition the room in the summer.

The operating principle of heat pumps is based on the use of thermal energy from groundwater, reservoirs, soil, and air. Like refrigeration units, they take, accumulate, and enrich heat, transferring it to the coolant

If the area has frequent power outages, it is not worth installing heat pumps, since they require electricity to operate the compressor.

Method #7 - arranging a heated floor

Heated floor systems are highly efficient and economical. They are used both as the main and additional heat sources in a private home, including when heating with a gas boiler.

Underfloor heating systems allow you to achieve more efficient heat transfer from the energy carrier. They can be combined with different floor coverings, installed on DSP and other materials

Warm floor can be water, electric or infrared. To choose correctly The optimal option for a heated floor should take into account a number of criteria, including, among other things, the characteristics of the room and the type of floor covering.

It consists of several layers that form a “pie” of the following elements:

• base surface;
• a layer of waterproofing and heat-insulating coating;
• pipe and communication system;
• fixing concrete solution;
• flooring.

The device evenly distributes heat over the entire area and provides a comfortable microclimate in the room. Due to the absence of convective currents, the amount of dust in the air is significantly reduced.

Method #8 - optimizing water heating costs

In addition to heating, in most private homes gas is used to provide hot water supply. To reduce overall costs, you need to reduce the amount of resources used in this direction as well.

In this case, you can use one of several effective methods. The first option is to connect a separate flow-type gas heater. It allows you to avoid wasting gas, as it only works when the hot water valve is opened.

In order to save gas, you can use thermally insulated storage tanks that operate on the principle of a thermos. Due to the fact that they maintain the temperature for a long time, the water will not need to be constantly heated

The second option is to install indirect heating boiler in one circuit with the heating system or use solar collectors for water supply. If you use different methods in combination, gas costs can be reduced by 20-25%.

Additional savings tips

In addition to the methods discussed above, there are several other related tricks that can be used to achieve the desired savings.

The following rules should be followed:

• Radiators should not be covered with decorative panels, thick curtains, furniture, or clothing;
• at least once a year it is necessary to clean the boiler heat exchanger from accumulated dirt and dust;
• if the equipment is installed in an unheated room, it is recommended to perform high-quality insulation of the boiler, boiler and outgoing pipes;
• It is advisable to install special energy-reflecting screens made of aluminum foil between the radiator and the wall;
• when using gas to heat water, it is worth installing economical shower heads;
• if the gas water heater is not working, the burner should not be active.

Before the start of the heating season, you need to check the system every time and eliminate all identified deficiencies. Common problems include air jams, leaks at the junction of structural parts.

In order to save gas as much as possible, it is necessary to constantly monitor the condition of places where heat leaks are likely - seal cracks in windows with foam strips, tighten door hinges, additionally upholster doors, blow foam around the boundaries around the inlet and outlet openings of pipes

Saving should be economical, so it is important to control gas consumption everywhere, including in the kitchen. When cooking on the stove, you should adjust the flame at each stage of cooking, reducing the burning intensity at the right time.

For faster cooking and less gas consumption, it is recommended to always cover the dishes with a lid, use special pans with grooves on the bottom, and kettles with a whistle.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Consumer life hacks to reduce heating costs for a private home by up to 60%:

Advantages of using a thermostat, features of connecting to a gas boiler:

Review of alternative heat sources:

There is no universal solution for saving gas. You need to experiment, apply different methods and evaluate their effectiveness by comparing previous meter readings with current ones. The implementation of the proposed options involves a whole range of works, sometimes expensive and labor-intensive. But it’s worth it, since much smaller numbers in payments will soon recoup the investment.

According to experts, thermal insulation of a house provides up to 40% gas savings, installation of thermostats and programmer – up to 10-20%, installation of a high-quality boiler – up to 20%. By combining several methods, you can achieve significant results and save a considerable amount of money on heating in the future..

What saving methods do you use? Share your secrets of low gas consumption with other visitors to our site in the comments section.

If you still have questions after reading this publication, or you cannot understand the intricacies of implementing one of the savings methods discussed, ask our experts for advice - the feedback form is located below.