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Household heaters help to heat the country house in the cold season. The traditional heating system, due to the need for its constant operation, is not economically justified in a suburban building, where the owners appear occasionally, for example, on holidays. A good solution to the problem is a gas heater for summer cottages, powered by natural and bottled gas.
An overview of the types of gas heaters for residential buildings
There are many types of gas heaters that can be successfully used to heat a country house. An inexperienced person, having come to the store, is lost with the choice of a suitable model. We will now talk about all the popular varieties, and how to choose a good gas heater.
Catalytic heaters
Such a heater is able to work not only from gas, but also from gasoline. Catalytic units are universal in application and can be successfully used in residential premises, garages, workshops and other buildings. Naturally, to heat the house, it is better to connect the heater to the gas pipeline in order to avoid the unpleasant smell of gasoline. One catalytic heater is best used to heat a room up to 20 m2.
In addition to efficiency, catalytic gas heaters for summer cottages are highly safe. The units do not explode, environmentally friendly, able to work even from a cylinder of liquefied gas. The heating element of the heater is a catalytic panel made of fiberglass and platinum. Relatively recently, heaters with deep oxidation catalysts have appeared that do not have platinum elements. To increase performance, some heaters are equipped with a fan for better heat distribution. Such models have increased power up to 4,9 kW.
Ceramic infrared heater
If a mobile heating device is required, then an infrared gas heater with a cylinder for summer cottages will be an ideal choice. Infrared units do without connection to the power supply network or the central gas pipeline. The heater is powered by a cylinder of liquefied propane-butane gas. It is very convenient to take a couple of small cylinders with you into the car, fill them up and bring them to the country.
Infrared radiation helps to efficiently use the thermal energy obtained from the combustion of gas. In addition, a local heat zone is quickly formed around the heater, even if the whole room is still cold. Thanks to this efficiency, infrared heaters help to warm up on the veranda, terrace or in the gazebo. Arriving with a company at the dacha in late autumn, you can comfortably relax outdoors by placing a pair of gas infrared heaters in the gazebo.
The design of the IR heater consists of a metal case with a gas burner. The burner is controlled by an adjusting device and a valve block. The latter, by the way, are responsible for the safety of using the heater. In case of accidental overturning, malfunctions in combustion or fuel supply, the valves will cut off the gas supply from the cylinder, protecting the heater from explosion and the room from fire.
That’s all the general device of the heater, however, you should pay attention to the burner. This is not an easy part with holes, such as a gas stove. The efficiency of such a burner would be weak, since the burning gas would simply heat the air that rose to the ceiling of the room. To make a real heater out of an ordinary burner, it is equipped with IR emitters. Special ceramic panels convert the energy of the burning bottled gas into heat. Instead of ceramics, emitters from other materials and different designs can be used, for example, metal meshes, reflectors, tubes, etc.
Gas convectors
Every year, the popularity of gas convectors is growing not only among the owners of summer cottages, but also among residents of private houses. A household gas heater has a simple design without complex electronics, it is economical and inexpensive. The convector can be used in any room, even for heating a greenhouse. Country houses are a room that does not require constant heating. A gas convector will heat even a large country house in a short time. Some owners of private houses install convectors instead of a traditional heating system. Firstly, this approach is due to the ease of installation and lower costs. Secondly, the efficiency of convectors reaches 90%, which allows you to save on energy bills.
The design of the gas convector consists of a cast-iron chamber, inside which the gas burns. Cold air penetrates through the lower openings on the heater body and, having heated up on the hot heat exchanger, goes up. The circulation of warm and cold air occurs naturally, but for greater performance, some models of convectors are equipped with fans.
The convector is equipped with a chimney made of a two-layer pipe. Through the outer layer of the chimney, fresh air enters the room, and through the inner layer, the products of combustion of gas exit to the street.
Heating of the cottage with a gas fireplace
In addition to its direct duties for heating the room, the gas fireplace still plays a decorative role. It’s nice to sit in the country on a day off and warm up by the blazing fireplace. Moreover, a big plus of a decorative heater is that it will not stain the room and will not let smoke into it, as often happens with a real fireplace. The device can be used as needed at any time. Combustion products do not get inside the room, which is safe for humans.
Externally, the gas fireplace looks like a real one. There is even firewood inside the firebox, but they are made of ceramics and are just an imitation. Some models of fireplaces are equipped with a scented burner that relieves the room of an unpleasant odor. The fireplace is able to work from the main gas and bottled propane-butane. However, the use of liquefied gas creates some difficulties. Under the cylinders, you will have to make a separate niche outside the residential area.
The main structural element of a gas fireplace is the firebox. The combustion temperature of gas is lower than that of firewood or coal, so glass and metal can serve as the material for the firebox, cast iron is occasionally used. The sizes and a form of a fire chamber of restrictions have no. It all depends on the designer’s imagination. A gas burner is installed under decorative firewood. In cheaper models, ignition is done manually. Expensive fireplaces are equipped with sensors for heat, draft, etc. They control the safe operation of the fireplace and can automatically light and extinguish the burner when a certain temperature in the room is reached. There are even models with a remote control.
The chimney for the fireplace is usually made of stainless steel. Due to the absence of soot, 2 angles of 90 are allowedо. If you get a chimney with a large number of corners, be sure to put a forced hood. The external design of the gas fireplace is selected for the interior of the room.
Outdoor gas heater
Coming to the country with friends, you want to relax in the fresh air. This can be done even on a cold autumn day in a gazebo or veranda, you just need to turn on an outdoor infrared heater powered by liquefied bottled gas. Usually such models are made of stainless steel with transport wheels on the body. At outside temperature +10оC, a gas heater is able to heat the air around it up to +25оC. The principle of heating is infrared radiation passing through the air. The IR rays reflected from objects heat them up.
The outdoor IR gas unit works from a 5 or 27-liter propane-butane cylinder. The cylinder in a vertical position is hidden inside the heater body. The burner is equipped with a ceramic panel and is capable of operating in three modes: low, medium and full power. Piezo ignition and a control unit with sensors make the operation of the outdoor heater safe and convenient.
Portable gas heaters
The efficiency of portable gas heaters in the country is quite high. A mobile device with a small cylinder can be quickly installed in any room, even taken with you on a hike to heat the tent.
Portable heater model
Portable gas heaters are considered touristic. They can not only safely heat the air in the tent, but you can even cook food on them. Tourist portable heaters have several design differences:
- the burner is directly connected without a connecting hose to a horizontal cylinder;
- the unit is connected to a remote cylinder using a hose;
- heater-nozzle, screwed on top of a vertically standing cylinder;
- a heater with a radiator ring, similarly wound on top of a vertically mounted cylinder.
Portable heaters are safe thanks to the protective valve block.
gas gun
The analogue of the heat gun is the gas model. The gas gun is powered by liquefied bottled gas, can be connected to a battery or power supply. The portable device is able to heat the room up to 100 m3. The main disadvantage is the mandatory ventilation of the room. It is better not to use a gun in the house, it is suitable for heating outbuildings or a summer cottage construction site.
Depending on the model, ignition can be manual and from a piezoelectric element. Typically, the device is equipped with thermal protection, a flame controller and fuel supply. The minimum weight of the gun is 5 kg. For convenient transportation, a handle is attached to the body of the product.
How to choose a model
To decide which is better to choose a gas unit for a summer residence, you need to read user reviews. They will tell you which of the devices works more efficiently, and where it is optimal to use.
From the models we have reviewed, we can conclude that it is reasonable to buy outdoor heaters only for heating gazebos or verandas. It must be borne in mind that their cost is quite high relative to room analogues. A good option would be to buy a ceramic IR model. Its cost is less, and you can use it inside the house and on the street.
It is better to entrust heating of the house only to gas convectors. Numerous reviews of summer residents will tell about this. A catalytic heater and a fireplace are quite expensive and designed for an amateur. As for portable heaters, it is better not to use them in the house or very rarely if necessary.
The video talks about the choice of heaters:
