Despite the possibility of installing gas heating, wood heating is still relevant. It is made in the absence of gas pipelines and in the presence of cheap wood energy sources. But how to organize wood heating of a private house on a professional level with your own hands? Descriptions of boilers, diagrams and reviews will help solve this problem.
How to make wood heating correctly
Modern wood heating of a country house differs significantly from the old schemes. For this, large brick ovens are practically not used anymore. They served as a heat exchanger - when heated, their surface transferred heat to the air in the room. However, they were replaced by modern wood heating at the dacha with the installation of boilers, piping, radiators and batteries.
A special feature is the ability to use several types of structures for burning wood - stoves, fireplaces or boilers. It all depends on the area of the house, the possibility of placing heating devices and the budget of the entire event. In order to make wood heating of a private house with your own hands, you will need to take into account the following factors:
- Required heat output of the system... Depends on the degree of thermal insulation of the house, its volume and climatic features of the region;
- The need to organize a separate boiler room... It is important to know that a wood-burning boiler for heating a house must be installed in a separate room, which has special requirements;
- A place for storing a stock of firewood... According to safety regulations, it is prohibited to store solid fuel in the same room as the boiler.
What is the best choice - a wood-fired heating boiler for a summer residence, a fireplace or a stove? It all depends on the parameters of the building and financial capabilities. The best option is to make water heating, in which the boiler will perform the function of heating the water. For a more detailed analysis, you should weigh all the pros and cons for each type of heater.
Additionally, with heating, you can make a hot water supply system at home. To do this, you need to install a double-circuit wood heating boiler.
Wood heating schemes at home
The key point in the design of wood heating is the choice of the scheme. It depends on it - whether a wood-burning boiler will be installed with your own hands or whether a stove or fireplace will perform its functions. To determine the best option, all possible factors must be taken into account.
First of all, the area of the building and the number of rooms are taken into account. Most often, wood-burning heating stoves for summer cottages are installed if there are a maximum of two rooms. In this case, it is not necessary to make a water heating system.
Let's consider the main factors influencing the choice of the type of heating:
- Water... Consists of a boiler (stove, fireplace) connected to a pipeline. The transfer of heat energy occurs due to installed radiators. The best option for a house with an area of 80 m²;
- Stove... Wood heating stoves are used to heat the air in the room. They are characterized by low efficiency, small heating area. However, their arrangement requires the least effort.The exception is fireclay brick structures. This type is used for heating houses with an area of less than 60 m²;
- Fireplace... Analogue to stove heat supply. The difference is pumped up in the size of the combustion chamber - at the fireplace it is much larger. In addition, heating a private house with a wood boiler sometimes implies the presence of a hob in the design.
As you can see, the choice of option directly depends on the area of the house. It should be borne in mind that the wood heating scheme can be upgraded. It is enough to install a heat exchanger in the furnace to make it possible to make a full-fledged water heat supply.
But the most common option is to install a wood-fired boiler to heat your home. It is much more practical and easier to use than a fireplace or stove.
For the normal operation of wood heating of a country house, it is necessary to think over the chimney system in advance. The optimal pipe diameter and height are taken into account.
Overview of solid fuel boilers
The defining component for water-based wood heating is the boiler. It is on its characteristics that the parameters of all wood heating in a country house or house will largely depend.
Before drawing up a heating scheme, it is necessary to determine the operational and design characteristics of the boiler:
- Construction type - classic or long burning. The cost of the latter is 50-60% higher, but at the same time, fuel consumption is significantly reduced, and the level of autonomy in operation also increases.
- Rated power... To do this, it is necessary to calculate the heat losses in the house, which must be compensated by wood heating for the summer cottage.
- Design features - the thickness of the metal, its composition, the shape and volume of the heat exchanger.
An important factor is the cost of heating equipment. That is why, in frequent cases, homemade wood-burning heating boilers are made, adapted for a specific system.
To build a full-fledged wood-burning heating stove for a summer residence, you will need to fill in a separate foundation that is not related to the main one. This only applies if the mass of the future structure exceeds 600 kg.
Classic wood-fired boilers
Often, reviews of a wood heating boiler indicate their low efficiency in operation. Often this is due to the wrong choice of model and non-observance of the rules of installation and operation. This is especially true for classic wood-fired heating boilers for summer cottages.
Its principle of operation is based on the transfer of thermal energy emanating from burning wood to water in a heat exchanger. For this, the design provides the following elements:
- Firebox... Firewood is put into it for further combustion. Its volume determines the power of a wood-fired heating boiler, made by hand. The same applies to factory models;
- Ash pan... It has two functions. The most important of these is the air supply to support the combustion process. It is she who creates the traction necessary for the normal operation of a homemade wood-burning heating boiler. The second task is to collect the ash. Otherwise, it will clog the furnace capacity;
- Chimney... It is necessary for the removal of carbon monoxide gases, with its help air draft is formed. It is important to choose the correct diameter of the chimney, since without this, wood-burning heating of a private house with your own hands will reduce the efficiency and efficiency;
- Heat exchanger... In classic models, it is the area between the inner and outer boiler drum. It is filled with water from the system. To connect to the heat supply of the house, nozzles are provided in the design.
The main problem in heating a private house with a wood boiler is the inability to influence the power of the equipment.To do this, you can only limit the flow of air through the ash pan, thereby reducing the amount of oxygen surrounded. At the same time, the level of firewood combustion will affect the power to a greater extent.
Before purchasing a boiler, you need to know the maximum length of firewood that can be loaded into the combustion chamber.
Long burning wood boilers
Pyrolysis models are an alternative to classic boilers. They also have the name of long-burning boilers. Their principle of operation differs from those described above and is based on the release of a mass of heat not from the combustion of firewood, but the gas formed during their smoldering.
There is no ash pan in the design. Its function is performed by a special air channel, which in most cases has a fan. After loading firewood into the primary chamber, they are ignited. Due to the low oxygen content in this area, the wood does not burn, but smolders, as a result of which wood gas is formed. It moves to the afterburning zone, where it is ignited. In the same part of the double-circuit wood-fired heating boiler, a heat exchanger is located.
What is the difference between wood-burning stoves for a home with water heating from the above-described design? The main advantage is the long combustion time of the fuel. In factory models, one load is enough for 4-6 hours of boiler operation. In addition to this, the following advantages can be distinguished:
- Power regulation capability... In wood-burning stoves, this is done by opening (closing) the ash pan door. In pyrolysis models, the degree of water heating is regulated by the air flow rate;
- Implementation of low-temperature heating operation... The water heating level in classic models can reach + 95 ° С. This regimen is currently considered ineffective. With normal thermal insulation at home, the optimal mode should be 65/50. This will reduce energy consumption;
- Almost complete fuel burnout... Unlike wood-burning stoves for a home with water heating, the intensity of chimney pollution in pyrolysis boilers is much lower.
The main disadvantage of long-burning boilers is their high cost. However, if you calculate the operating costs, fuel consumption - the economic efficiency of their installation will be obvious.
For the normal operation of wood-burning heat supply of a country house with pyrolysis boilers, it is necessary to be equipped with an automatic regulator of the intensity of the fan. It can be connected to external temperature sensors.
Rules for organizing a boiler room for wood heating
The professional organization of wood heating of a private house independently implies the arrangement of a boiler room. This should be a separate room in which the boiler and the means of regulating its operation are located.
If wood-burning heat supply to the dacha is done according to the gravitational scheme, the boiler should be located at the lowest point of the system. There are no such requirements for forced heating. You should also prepare the room in which the heating equipment will be installed. It must meet the following requirements:
- Ceiling height - not less than 2.5 m;
- Useful area - from 6 m². Moreover, its minimum volume should be 15 m³;
- Forced ventilation. The air exchange rate is three times the volume during the operation of the wood boiler for heating the house;
- Chimney parameters. The minimum height is 4 m. The diameter depends on the connected boiler branch pipe, but not less than 100 mm;
- To carry out preventive and repair work, it is necessary to provide free access to all sides of the wood-fired heating boiler for summer cottages;
- Lighting should be combined - natural and artificial.
An important point is to ensure fire safety. To do this, it is necessary to use only non-combustible materials for finishing the premises.If electrical elements are used in heating a private house using a wood-burning boiler, the power line must be supplied. Installation of the ground loop is carried out only at the request of the manufacturer.
One of the problems in the operation of a wood heating stove is the likelihood of back draft. To minimize this effect, it is recommended to install a special structure on the chimney.
Making a wood-burning boiler with your own hands
Is it difficult to make a wood-burning boiler for your home with your own hands? The main condition for this design is the thickness and grade of the steel used. In factory models, the outer casing is made of heat-resistant steel with a thickness of 1.5 mm. For a heat exchanger, these parameters should be larger - from 2 mm.
The best option is to create a welded structure that will be similar in shape to the factory models. However, if you calculate the labor intensity of the work and the cost of materials, the difference between buying and making it yourself will be small. Therefore, as an alternative to wood-burning stoves for a home with water heating, simple steel barrels are often used. The main condition is their wall thickness - from 1.5 mm.
For manufacturing, you need a capacity of about 200 liters. It is cut along and a partition is installed inside. Its length should be less than the length of the barrel. This is necessary for the installation of grates.
Then holes are cut on the front side for door mounting. They should be selected in advance so as not to be mistaken with the size. To remove carbon monoxide, a chimney is cut into the back of the structure. Its diameter can be from 50 to 100mm.
However, judging by the reviews about such a wood-burning heating boiler, the following disadvantages can be noted:
- Low efficiency rate;
- Heating of the case, which can lead to burns when touched;
- Short service life.
Similar designs are used to heat small utility rooms - a garage, warehouse, etc. For home, it is best to purchase a factory quality model. It will match modern wood-fired heating schemes.
| Boiler model | power, kWt | Cost, rub. |
| Buderus Logano G221 | 20 | 69900 |
| Dakon DOR F 24 | 24 | 60300 |
| Proterm DLO 30 | 24 | 58450 |
Before making a homemade wood-burning boiler for the heating system, it is necessary to calculate the optimal dimensions of the firebox.
Reviews about wood heating
One of the ways to choose a complete set of a dacha with a wood-burning stove or a boiler is a detailed analysis of reviews. They talk about the advantages and disadvantages of each of these components. However, it's worth knowing that reviews of wood-burning stoves and boilers are almost always subjective:
- Until recently, there was an old stove at our dacha. We already thought about replacing it with a boiler, but there weren't enough funds for that. On the advice of a specialist, a new chimney was installed - a sandwich. And what a surprise it was when the thrust increased, the consumption of firewood became less. Conclusion - you must first check the rest of the furnace components, and then think about replacing it;
- After installing the boiler for long burning, the consumption of firewood has significantly decreased. The only thing that was not taken into account was the mandatory insulation of the whole house. I had to urgently change the windows to new ones;
- For the dacha, they decided to make wood heating from the stove. After much deliberation, a homemade heat exchanger was installed and connected to the pipes. The result was even better than expected. The house now heats up much faster.
When organizing wood heating, you need to equip a place for storing fuel. This should be a room with normal room temperature and humidity. Otherwise, raw wood will have less heat transfer.
The video material tells about the basic rules of wood heating at home:
