In most cases, traditional types of energy sources are used for the operation of heat supply: firewood, coal, gas, electricity, diesel fuel. However, along with them, other sources of thermal energy have found application - solar radiation and geothermal systems. How to properly make an alternative heating of a private house with your own hands and what should be taken into account when completing and drawing up an installation diagram?
Features of alternative home heating
For the operation of any heat supply, a source of thermal energy is required. All types of fuel are used for this. But alternative heating of a country house works on a different principle. Heating of the coolant occurs due to the influence of solar energy or temperature difference in the soil.
At first glance, alternative types of private house heating are the most efficient and economical financially. Their efficiency is rarely below 98%. However, in fact, the use of alternative energy sources is associated with the following difficulties:
- Dependence on weather factors. This is especially true for solar collectors;
- Relatively low power. This must be taken into account if do-it-yourself alternative heating is the only source of heat;
- High cost of equipment;
- The complexity of installation and further maintenance.
Why, given these factors, do they make alternative heating with their own hands? In addition to them, the main positive point should be taken into account - low maintenance costs. In fact, they are expressed only in the consumption of electricity required for the operation of pumping equipment and electronic control units.
The feasibility of installing an alternative heating of a private house with your own hands should be calculated in the first place. For this, a number of important factors inherent in each alternative heating system should be taken into account. Therefore, before purchasing and installing equipment, it is recommended that you carefully familiarize yourself with the features of its operation and technical characteristics.
Alternative heating methods for a cottage can be used in conjunction with traditional systems. This will reduce the ongoing costs of maintaining the system.
Auxiliary heating schemes for a cottage
What alternative heating methods for a private house are best suited for a particular building? When considering the possibility of installing new equipment for heat supply, a number of factors should be taken into account.
The main ones are the characteristics of the heat source in a particular region. Currently, 2 types of alternative methods of heating a house are widespread:
- Geothermal... Works due to the temperature difference between soil layers - alternative heating of a private house with a heat pump. Depends on the degree of its freezing, the composition of the soil, as well as the total area of the land plot. The latter affects the choice of the installation scheme;
- Solar system... The heating medium is heated by solar energy. This technology will be effective only in regions where there is a large number of sunny days a year, and the temperature in winter does not drop below -7 ° C.In most cases, solar systems are not used as an alternative method for heating a house, but for hot water supply.
In addition to these systems, there are a number of new ones that cannot be fully attributed to low-budget ones. First of all, these are alternative heating boilers operating on the principle of electrode or induction heating of the coolant.
To operate any type of alternative heating of a country house, you will need an uninterrupted power supply. Therefore, it is recommended to complete the system with electricity generators.
Geothermal heating at home
The basis for the operation of this type of alternative heating of a private house is an increase in the temperature in the ground as it deepens. On average, the growth is about 2.5-3 ° C for every 100 m. At first glance, this will not be enough for heating. For the practical use of this effect, you will need special equipment - a heat pump.
Its principle of operation lies in the practical application of the effect of increasing the temperature of the refrigerant with increasing pressure. To do this, the following elements should be included in the composition of the alternative heating of a private house with a heat pump:
- Primary circuit... It is located underground or water. It is important that the ambient temperature is not lower than + 8 ° С;
- Inner contour... It is located directly in the heat pump and is connected to the primary through a heat exchanger. It contains gaseous refrigerant, which is heated by the coolant. Subsequently, with the help of a compressor, the refrigerant is compressed and its temperature rises to + 55 ° C;
- Secondary... It is designed to transfer heat from the refrigerant to the coolant flowing in the internal heating systems of the house.
In practice, when designing an alternative heating of a private house with their own hands, they are faced with the problem of arranging the primary circuit. The volume of the coolant in it, as well as the degree of heating, must correspond to the technical characteristics of the heat pump. To do this, you can apply several methods of installing the primary circuit:
- Vertical with boreholes... When arranging alternative heating with your own hands on a personal plot, a drilling site is selected taking into account the composition of the soil. The depth of the well can be up to 50 m. The circuits with the primary coolant are lowered into it;
- Horizontal... Less efficient as the temperature difference between soil layers will be minimal. In some cases, ponds can be used.
It is best to use polymer pipelines as highways. They have an affordable price, which will affect the cost of this alternative heating method for the cottage. Most of the costs will be the purchase of a heat pump.
Making it yourself for this alternative method of heating a private house will be very problematic. The difficulty lies in calculating the power of the compressor, the circulation pump, as well as the manufacture of the internal circuit in which the refrigerant is located.
| Model | power, kWt | Cost, rub. |
| GeoTERM VWS 101/2 | 10 | 460160 |
| Logatherm WPS 17 | 17 | 825520 |
| Viessmann Vitacal 300-G BW 301.A17 | 17 | 542800 |
You can purchase similar installations for alternative heating of a country house of domestic production. But their quality and performance are poor.
The installation of a heat pump for alternative heating of a private house is best done in the basement of the building. In this way, unnecessary heat losses can be avoided.
Installation of solar heating systems
It is much easier to make alternative heating of a private house on your own using the energy of the sun. To do this, you will need to install a special heating element on the roof of the building.
Its design is a network of vacuum tubes through which the coolant flows. They are protected from negative temperatures by a transparent sheet.After heating in the sun, water or antifreeze begins to move towards the heat exchanger in the heat accumulator.
In practice, this DIY alternative heating is highly dependent on the current weather conditions. So, at a rated power of 600 W / m² in sunny weather, the following deterioration in heat transfer occurs:
- White clouds in the sky - 200-100 W / m²;
- Dark gray or gray clouds - 50-70 200-100 W / m².
Such conditions will not allow considering solar systems as the basis for an alternative form of heating for a private cottage. Therefore, they are installed as auxiliary, or to provide hot water supply in the summer.
| Component | Appointment | Cost, rub. |
| SVK-Nano 30 | Vacuum manifold, 1.8 kW / h | 45160 |
| SR868C8 | Controller | 6520 |
| TRM-300 | Heat accumulator, 300 l. | 44580 |
In addition to these components, when choosing this method of alternative heating of the cottage, it is necessary to install a pumping system. Its power depends on the volume of the coolant and the duration of the line.
When installing the solar system, the angle of inclination of the panel must be observed. It depends on the specific model, its area and pipe design.
Arrangement of alternative heating
Having chosen the optimal scheme for alternative heating of a private house, you can proceed with its installation. To do this, it is best to use the services of specialized companies. Moreover, in many cases, the warranty for the equipment only applies if its installation was carried out by representatives of the selling organization.
It is much easier to install alternative heating boilers. They are installed in an existing piping system. However, for correct operation, you must select the appropriate heat carrier (electrode boilers) and set its heating mode.
In general, the installation technology largely depends on the type of alternative heat supply and the specific model of the heating installation. But besides this, you need to take into account the following factors:
- Minimization of heat losses through the use of modern heat-insulating materials. This is especially true for geothermal heating;
- Mandatory availability of an uninterruptible power supply (diesel or gasoline generator), as well as a current stabilizer;
- Installation of automated control of the heating system.
By following these simple tips and carefully studying the technical characteristics of alternative heating, you can significantly save on costs.
In the video, you can see an example of making a solar system with your own hands:
