Today there are several alternatives to central heating, one of which is the baseboard heater. Despite small sizes system, it may well act as the main source of heat. In this case, the air in the room will warm up evenly.
If we talk about centralized heating, then its operation is based on the principle of convection. Cold air, rising upward, warms up, and cold currents remain below. It turns out that the most warm air is located under the ceiling.
In addition to installing such equipment in residential premises, they are recommended to be used for heating loggias and glazed balconies, offices, hotels, utility rooms, museums, winter gardens, etc. It is very convenient to use baseboard heating for heating country houses, which are not connected to a centralized heating system, and the installation of powerful heating equipment is not possible.
First of all, I would like to note the miniature size of the system. It is located along the walls and does not attract attention to itself. Baseboard heating got its name due to its external resemblance to a wide baseboard. It will fit perfectly into the interior of any style.
There is no excess humidity in the room during system operation, which is the main cause of mold and mildew. In addition, the heat shield that forms on the walls reliably retains heat inside and does not allow cold air to penetrate from outside.
The air in the room warms up quickly enough. Within a few minutes, a heat shield is formed along the walls, from which heat is radiated into the room. In this case, no more than 20% of energy is spent on convection. All the rest of the energy goes to heating the room, which makes the system energy saving. Since there is no active convection in the room, the amount of dust in the air will be negligible.
Regardless of the time of year, it will be warm underfoot flooring. Therefore, you don’t have to spend money on floor insulation or installation heated floors. At the same time, the room will always have a comfortable microclimate.
Another advantage of a baseboard heater is its simple installation. The system comes with instructions, following which installation work It’s quite possible to do it yourself.
It is advisable to use baseboard heating in rooms with high ceilings and a lot of windows. Thanks to the presence of a thermostat, the system is adjustable.
There are two types of baseboard heating on the market: water and electric. Both the first and second have same sizes. The height of the box in which the heating element is located is slightly more than 13 cm, and the width is 3 cm.
The heating element of the water system is water flowing through a PVC pipe enclosed in a corrugation. As for the electric baseboard heater, the heat source is electricity.
Baseboard heating does not have to be installed around the entire perimeter of the room. If the room is low and is warm enough in itself, then it is not advisable to install expensive baseboard heating around the entire perimeter.
The heating elements are located in a box that has a variety of colors. It can be made of metal, plastic, stone, tile or wood. Since wood does not tolerate temperature changes well, it is treated with special means. There is a heating element inside the box.
The water system consists of a collector to which PVC pipes are connected. Along the pipes there are plates made of aluminum or copper. These materials are used due to their high thermal conductivity.
If we consider a room whose square footage reaches 100 m2, then only 8 liters of water will circulate in the baseboard heater. And the difference in coolant temperature at the inlet and outlet of the system will be 5-6 0. If we consider other heating systems, including heated floors, then the difference in coolant temperature at the inlet and outlet sometimes reaches 20 0.
Accordingly, more electricity will be required to heat the coolant. Such a slight temperature difference at the inlet and outlet can be achieved by increasing the speed of coolant movement along contour system heating The temperature of the coolant in the baseboard heater should not exceed 50 0. Otherwise, the walls will heat up excessively and you may get burned by touching them.
In the electrical system, the heating medium acts as a coolant. copper cable, which can be connected to a regular outlet. The system is equipped with a thermostat, through which you can regulate the temperature of the coolant.
If the system is installed in several rooms, then it is advisable to install a separate thermostat for each room. This way you can set a different temperature in each room. Thermomechanical and electronic devices are available for sale. The latter are equipped with servo drives and can automatically change the rate of coolant supply to the system. The first ones will have to be regulated independently.
The system can also be equipped with an external thermostat, which is installed outside the room. Depending on the change in air temperature outside, the temperature inside the room will decrease or increase.
Thus, baseboard heaters, both electric and water, can be connected to the system smart home. They integrate perfectly with smart boilers.
Baseboard heating has only one drawback. This high price. Today, 1 m 2 of such equipment will cost the buyer $100. To furnish an apartment located in multi-storey building, only electrical systems can be used baseboard heating.
In the cold season, despite the proper operation of the heating system, many have to resort to additional heating devices. The thing is that in traditional heating systems the principle of air convection operates: warm air rises to the ceiling, and cold air remains below. This is why people in the household have cold feet. There is a solution to the problem - modern baseboard heating. Such heating is of water and electric type.
Installation of a water baseboard heating system
Among the main heating elements with a water heat carrier are a warm baseboard radiator unit, a distribution manifold, plastic pipes that do not allow oxygen to pass through. The warm baseboard radiator block consists of a heat exchanger and an aluminum box. The heat exchanger is formed from two copper pipes with an outer diameter of about 13 mm and a wall thickness of 2 mm. Vertical lamellas made of aluminum or brass are attached to them. The aluminum box includes three strips, which are profiled by hot extrusion: a strip of upper and lower fastening, a front cover. The box has a width of 22 mm and a height of 140 mm. The distribution manifold includes two parallel steel tubes, which contain leads, inlets, air vents, shut-off and drain thermal valves.
Water baseboard heating
In the process of constructing baseboard heating, a special plastic tube is used. Thanks to this element, the coolant is delivered to the radiators and is also removed from them. Part of the heating circuit is placed in the floor and passed through the walls, and with the help of an external corrugated pipe (which covers the internal one) it is possible to replace the internal pipe that conducts the heat carrier without opening the floor.
Note that the highest temperature of water or antifreeze in a baseboard heating system should not exceed 85 degrees Celsius, and the operating pressure should not exceed 3 atmospheres. This is due to the fact that the tubes used are plastic.
Also, when building baseboard heating, you may need equipment additional devices– thermomechanical or thermoelectric thermostats for radiators, a servo drive on the distribution manifold, a circulation water pump, a pressure gauge, a thermometer at the coolant inlet to the manifold.
The electric baseboard heating system is built on radiator blocks in which an air electric heater. As reviews on baseboard heating show, installation of such a system is much simpler than with a water heat carrier.
In appearance, such a system is no different from an electric one. Only here there are no tubes supplying the heat carrier, since the heater is built into the bottom copper pipe radiator, and at the top there is a cable electrical supply, which is insulated with heat-resistant silicone material.
The electric baseboard heating system has a power of 200 W per linear meter. The electrical power source is a regular household outlet. Despite the fact that such a system is characterized by high protection from moisture, electric baseboard radiators cannot be installed in rooms with high humidity air.
The principle of operation of a baseboard heating system
The operating principle of baseboard radiators is not based on air convection, but on the Coanda effect. Its meaning is that a zone of low pressure appears near the surfaces, which is due to free access of air on only one side and impermeability. On large area a flow of air spreads, which develops only along the surface.
Skirting-type heating involves installing radiators along external walls that go to outside buildings on one side.
There are two holes in the box, which is formed by aluminum strips horizontal view along the entire length - near the floor and closer to the wall. A cold air stream enters the box, heats up and rises. So, the air spreads over the surface of the wall. Thanks to this, infrared heat is distributed evenly across the wall material, thus heating the room and providing it with optimal temperature, the same at the top and bottom of the room.
Since convection does not take part in the operation of such heating, there is no need to heat the coolant too much. The baseboard-type heating system uses materials in its construction that have good heat conductivity - aluminum, copper, etc.
Installing a baseboard heating system yourself
A baseboard heating system is installed in much the same way as a traditional heating system. The only difference is different nuances. Of course, it’s better to entrust such serious work to professionals, but if you don’t want to bear the extra financial costs or you like to make repairs yourself, then you can do everything yourself. The installation process of baseboard heating consists of the following steps:
- installation of wall strip. Such a plank is placed above the floor and secured to the wall with self-tapping screws or dowels;
- installation and connection of individual convector modules into one system. Special crimp fittings are used for this;
- connecting the system to the heating main. The distribution manifold is used for this purpose;
- checking system functionality. Before closing, be sure to check the system for leaks;
- closing with a decorative panel.
Advantages of baseboard heating
The positive properties of baseboard heating include the following:
- lack of convection effect, which is usually accompanied by dust suspension;
- the presence of infrared heat, which is perceived positively by our body;
- heat is distributed evenly;
- heat does not accumulate near the ceiling, and the entire room has the same temperature;
- eliminates the problem of moisture deposits on the walls and ceiling, which would normally lead to mold;
- quick installation;
baseboard radiators are less noticeable in rooms and fit well into the interior;
- there is no need to heat the coolant too much, which will save resources;
- all elements of the system are repairable, making it possible to carry out repairs without opening the floor and walls;
- Thanks to special thermostats, you can set the required temperature for each room separately.
We also note the fact that a baseboard-type heating system can also be used for cooling rooms. To do this, you just need to fill it with cold liquid. Here it is important to maintain the temperature of the liquid at a level that exceeds the dew point in certain conditions, as condensation will appear on the circuits.
Disadvantages of baseboard heating
Among the negative aspects in arranging a baseboard heating system are the following:
- quite high initial cost, which also includes expensive installation. You can make baseboard heating with your own hands, but the price of heating system elements is determined by the high cost of the materials from which they are made;
the maximum length of one heating circuit should not be more than 15 linear meters. If you ignore this condition, the heating efficiency will be noticeably reduced;
- You cannot install different decorative covers on the radiator, as they can significantly reduce heat transfer;
- radiators must fit very tightly to the wall, which often leads to warping of the film finish of the walls of the room;
- The room in which the warm baseboard heating is installed must be kept freer, and the baseboards and walls should not be blocked by cabinet furniture. This may affect heating efficiency.
Skirting-type heating is not very decorative
Conclusion
If previously the warm baseboard heating system was not so common due to the fact that the structural materials of the buildings ensured strong heat losses, now this problem has disappeared. Construction and finishing materials modern type provide a reduction in heat loss.
Despite the fact that baseboard heating has several disadvantages, very soon it will replace traditional convection-type heating due to the uniformity of heating, decorative characteristics and relative economy.
At the beginning of this century the market heating technology added another innovation. This is the so-called baseboard heating, positioned as another alternative for a long time existing systems. In this article we will try to figure out how such heating functions and whether it is as effective as sellers declare. We will also give a number of recommendations for installing skirting systems.
Warm baseboard system
Imagine an ordinary heating radiator in miniature, stretched along the entire perimeter of the room. This is exactly how it is possible in simple words describe the design of a warm baseboard. Only the most heat-conducting materials are used for the production of this radiator - aluminum and copper. The heating element is a set of aluminum or copper plates attached to pipes with coolant or a heating cable. Accordingly, baseboard heating systems come in two types:
- water;
- electric.
The heater is attached to the rear aluminum plate, which, in turn, is attached to the wall of the room above the floor. The heat exchanger is covered from above with a front aluminum plate, so that in general the entire system resembles a plinth, only larger in size. There are slots for air circulation in the lower and upper parts of the assembled module. The cold flow, entering through the lower slot into the housing, passes between the heater plates, and then goes out through the upper slot, as shown in the figure:
The principle of heating a room is explained by manufacturers of baseboard heaters as follows. The heated air, leaving the warm baseboard and obeying the Coanda effect, spreads vertically along the wall, thereby heating it.
In turn, the wall evenly heats the room with infrared heat over its entire height, as shown in the diagram in comparison with traditional radiator heating. The source of thermal energy in one case is the coolant moving inside the heat exchangers through pipes, and in the other - an electric heating cable laid on the same principle.
Water radiators cannot be turned on sequentially along the entire perimeter; while the coolant travels all the way, it will cool down significantly. Therefore, the heaters are turned on sequentially in pairs, and the connections to them are connected by a beam (collector) method, laid under the floors. With an electric cable the situation is simpler; it can be connected to the network at 1-2 points.
Manufacturers and sellers offering baseboard water heating declare the heat transfer of these and other products at the level of 200 W per 1 linear meter. Only in the case of water systems, the coolant temperature for such heat transfer should be 65 ºС. Surface temperature front panel safe - only 40 ºС. The heat exchangers are connected to each other and to the distribution manifold using polymer pipes supplied in the kit.
Advantages and disadvantages: truth and fiction
Since some of the advantages of these systems declared by the manufacturer are a marketing ploy, we will list them with our reasoned comments:
Thermal skirting boards warm the room with healthy infrared heat coming from the walls.
Judging by the data presented, the wall is heated by the flow of air passing through heat exchangers, which are real baseboard convectors. Wall temperature in different points is 26-30 ºС, and with such heating the radiant component is negligible; this requires a higher surface temperature. This means that the room is simply warmed up evenly from the flow of warm air rising along all the walls, as well as from the radiators.
Baseboard heating is efficient and economical due to the low temperature of the coolant.
The statement about efficiency is contradictory from a logical point of view. According to the manufacturer, there is an intermediary between the heater and the room - the wall. Can the efficiency of the system increase by adding an intermediary to it? Since it is known from practice that baseboard-type heating can quite successfully heat a house, the conclusion arises that there is no intermediary in the form of a wall. Convectors above the floor simply heat the air, as stated in the previous paragraph.
If the declared heat transfer indicators are correct, then the statement about efficiency is true. A simple example: a 4 x 5 m room with an area of 20 m2 and a perimeter of 18 m requires 2 kW of thermal energy. 17 m of thermal baseboard will give 17 x 200 = 3400 W or 3.4 kW (we subtracted the width of the doorway from the perimeter). The heat released is one and a half times more than required, which means that the temperature of the coolant can be reduced from 65 ºС to 40 ºС, and this is a saving.
No mold or dampness.
The presence of fungi in the house depends largely on supply and exhaust ventilation, and not from heating. The statement is incorrect.
The system warms up the lower zone of the room well, as well as heated floors.
The statement is true, aluminum boxes emit infrared heat to the feet, which is very comfortable for people.
Fits perfectly into any interior.
Indeed, a plinth box for heating pipes looks great in a room for any purpose. The only caveat is that the cabinet furniture gets in the way; you won’t be able to get around it. We will not discuss another statement about the absence of dust sublimed by convective air movement from traditional heating systems, because this system also convective. But overall this new look heating system deserves attention because it meets the highest requirements for interior design and takes up absolutely no space.
One problem, which is also the only drawback, is the significant cost of heating and distribution equipment, as well as its installation. It should be noted that baseboard heating pipes are almost the most expensive of all existing water systems.
Another undeniable advantage of baseboard heating is quick installation, but only if you have ready-made connections. As we have already written, the lines are laid in the floor or can come out of the walls of adjacent rooms. But even at the stage of purchasing equipment, you need to ask sales representatives to carefully select heaters according to power and correctly distribute them along the perimeter of the room.
When the baseboard wiring of the heating system is completed and the ends of the pipes (or electrical wires) are brought out at the required points, you just need to install and connect the heat exchangers. To do this, markings are first made, and then the rear panel or decorative corners are installed (depending on the design). It is necessary to lay a layer of thermal insulation between the wall and the heater body; it is glued in accordance with the photo.
The next step is the installation of brackets for fastening plate convectors, which is done with ordinary dowels. The distance between the brackets will not be uniform; it must be adjusted to suit the mounting of each heat exchanger.
Next comes the installation of convectors and their connection to water or electrical networks. It is important here not to bend the pipes, connect everything carefully, using sets of connecting parts. Pairs of heat exchangers are connected directly to each other using couplings.
The last stage of DIY installation is attaching the front panels. This is done using self-tapping screws, first inner surface Heat-reflecting foil is glued to the panel, as shown in the photo:
Conclusion
It cannot be said that baseboard heating is available to a wide range of homeowners. The cost of copper is too high heating elements and other system parts. On the other hand, it is economical and efficient, and most importantly, it harmonizes perfectly with the interior.
But there are also plinth wiring systems for hiding pipes, and for batteries - decorative screens. That is, interior problems can be solved by installing traditional heating, which will cost much less.
In this article: the origins of baseboard heating; installation of a baseboard heating system; water and electric baseboard radiators; operating principle of baseboard heating; why only copper and aluminum are used in the design of baseboard radiators; pros and cons of baseboard heating.
With the onset of autumn cold weather and until mid-spring, we are forced to additionally heat our bodies, despite properly working heating devices. How can this be, since the radiators of the heating system and electric heaters provide maximum heat, but your feet are still cold? It's all about air convection - the warmest air, receiving heat from radiators and heaters, rises to the ceiling, and the coldest air is always located near the floor. The “warm baseboard” system can solve the problem of heating and freezing feet, and the rooms are actually heated not by its radiators, but by radiant heat emanating from the walls heated by them.
History of baseboard heating
Without any doubt the founder this method heating can be considered a Russian heating engineer, Professor Vyacheslav Avgustovich Yakhimovich. At the beginning of the last century, he developed and patented a steam concrete heating system - pipes through which hot steam circulated and, in some cases, water were carried through the walls and along them, covered on top with plaster, concrete or wood panels. Yachimovich's steam concrete heating had a number of advantages over water heating, which was gaining popularity in those days. natural circulation- heat was transferred from the coolant to the gypsum or concrete finishing layer, and these materials retained it well and released it into the premises in the form of radiant heat long time, which made it possible to cope with frequent failures in the operation of heating systems. Disadvantages of steam concrete heating, namely the need overhaul walls in case of any leakage of heating pipes, complex installation of the pipe system, requiring many days of work with stucco, and high heat losses of the buildings themselves prevented its spread in Russia. Meanwhile, in Europe, panel or radiant heating, based on the developments of Jachimovich, was highly popular in the 20th century.
However, in the USSR there were similar heating systems - steel or cast iron pipes laid along the walls along the line of the plinth, covered on top with concrete, from which the plinth was formed. In the middle of the last century, such baseboard heating was used in children's and medical institutions of the Soviet Union.
In Europe, baseboard heating systems have received greater development - hollow panels in the form of a classic baseboard have been developed, covering heating pipes equipped with vertical fins along the entire length. The fins made it possible to increase the heat transfer of baseboard radiators by more than 60% compared to flat and round heating panels without fins.
How does a baseboard heating system work?
Baseboard heating is divided into water and electric. The main components of a water coolant system are a warm baseboard radiator block, a distribution manifold and oxygen-tight plastic tubes placed inside a corrugated cross-linked polyethylene tube.
The radiator block consists of a heat exchanger and an aluminum box. The heat exchanger is made of two copper tubes, the outer diameter of which is 13 mm, the wall thickness is 2 mm, with vertical aluminum or brass lamellas attached to them. The aluminum box consists of three strips, profiled by hot extrusion - a bottom fastening strip, an upper one and a front cover. Box width - 28 mm, height - 140 mm. The heat exchanger is installed inside the box using holders of a special design.
Distribution manifold consists of two steel tubes parallel to each other, equipped with outputs, inputs, air vents, shut-off and drain thermal valves - the upper tube is intended for connection to the coolant supply source and its further distribution through plastic tubes to the heating radiators, through the lower tube the cooled coolant is returned to the heating to the boiler or, in the case of central heating, to the return riser.
When constructing baseboard heating, a plastic tube, with the help of which the coolant is delivered to the heating radiators and removed from them, is placed in corrugated pipe. Since part of the heating circuit will have to be laid in the floor and passed through the walls, the external corrugated pipe will allow you to replace the internal one without opening the floor - simply by removing the latter from the corrugated duct and inserting a new PEX pipe into it. However, the complete absence of air inside the baseboard heating system and the immunity of the plastic tubes to the salts contained in the water will allow it to function trouble-free for a long time.
The highest temperature of water or antifreeze used in a baseboard heating system as a coolant should not exceed 85 ° C, the operating pressure should not exceed 3 atmospheres, otherwise the cross-linked plastic tubes will lose strength. Since the water temperature in the central heating system can be more than 85 ° C, and the operating pressure can exceed 9 atmospheres (when testing the heating system with water hammer), additional measures must be taken. Instead of plastic tubes, you can use metal-plastic or copper tubes, connected to each other by soldering; as an option, you can use a heat exchanger, building it in as a receiver of thermal energy from the central heating network, transferring it to the coolant to the baseboard heating system through copper plates. The last measure is especially effective, because it allows you to maintain high performance characteristics baseboard heating and completely protect it from the temperature and hydraulic effects of central heating.
When installing a baseboard heating system, it may be necessary to equip it with additional equipment, such as: thermomechanical or thermoelectric thermostats for each group of heating radiators, a servo drive on the distribution manifold, a circulation pump, a pressure gauge and a thermometer at the coolant inlet into the manifold.
Electric baseboard heating is built on radiator blocks with an air heating element built into them, i.e. its installation is much simpler than systems with liquid coolant. The appearance of electric baseboard radiators is completely identical to liquid radiators, the difference is the absence of coolant supply tubes, the heating element is built into the lower copper tube of the radiator, and the power cable in heat-resistant silicone insulation is laid in the upper one. The power of the heating elements is 200 W per linear meter; the power source for them is a regular household electrical network. Despite the high level of moisture protection, electric baseboard radiators are not intended for installation in rooms with high air humidity.
Baseboard heating radiators are not capable of warming the atmosphere of a room by air convection, since they are located close to the planes of the walls and the convective air flow emanating from them is influenced by the Coanda effect.
On strange behavior jets of hot air from a lit candle - its desire for any nearby surface - was noticed by the English physicist Thomas Young, who mentioned this in a report he gave at the Royal Society of London in 1800.
A detailed study of the effect of “sticking” of air flow to nearby surfaces was carried out by the Romanian scientist Henry Coanda, one of the first researchers of aerodynamics, who accidentally discovered it at the beginning of the 20th century. During experiments with a jet turbine created according to his design, Coanda discovered the same physical effect as Jung 100 years ago - the flow of liquid from the operating turbine rushed to the wall located on the side of it, and seemed to stick to its surface. After conducting additional experiments, the scientist found that the air flow behaves in exactly the same way. In 1934, Henry Coanda named the effect he discovered in his honor, explaining it this way: a zone of low pressure forms near the surfaces, caused by their impermeability and free access of air on only one side. At the same time, an overlying air flow, developing only along the enclosing surface, spreads over a large area.
The radiators of the warm baseboard system are installed along the external walls (one side facing the outside of the building). In the box formed by aluminum slats, there are two horizontal slots along its entire length - one is located near the floor, in the front panel, the second is located in the upper part, closer to the wall. Cold air penetrates inside the box, heats up and rises, as with the operation of any heating equipment, the heating principle of which is based on air convection, but in this case the air flow obeys the Coanda effect and spreads only along the surface of the wall. As a result, heat from the air is transferred not to the air atmosphere of the room, but to the structural material of the wall, which, like IR heaters, emits uniform heat in the form of infrared rays as it heats up.
Since heating of the room does not occur due to convection, there is no need for high heat coolant - in the design of radiators it is only necessary to use materials with a high thermal conductivity coefficient. This explains the use of copper and aluminum, the thermal conductivity of which is equal to 390 and 236 W/mK, respectively. For example, for iron this coefficient is only 92 W/m·K, and for metal-plastic it is 0.43 W/m·K, i.e. copper and aluminum are the most suitable materials for baseboard radiators.
The maximum temperature of the aluminum box of the warm baseboard during operation of this heating system will be no more than 40 ° C, and the surface of the wall near which the radiator is installed will warm up no higher than 37 ° C - you will not be able to get burned on them even if you want to.
Characteristics of baseboard heating - pros and cons
Positive properties of a heating system based on baseboard radiators:
- absence of convection air movement accompanied by dust suspension;
- positively perceived human body infrared heat;
- uniform distribution heat in the room, only light-proof objects in the room are exposed to IR heating;
- warm air does not accumulate near the ceiling, which usually happens with convection heating. The same temperature is established throughout the air volume of the room;
- the surfaces enclosing the room have a temperature acceptable for humans, that is, they do not steal heat from human bodies;
- the problem of moisture deposition on the surfaces of walls and ceilings is completely solved - they will always be dry, which means that neither mold nor the lag of finishing materials threatens them;
- Installation work on a baseboard heating system is carried out quickly, regardless of the age of the building. Plinth radiators, although they have slightly larger dimensions than a wooden plinth, do not catch the eye as clearly as cast iron or bimetallic ones, usually installed under window opening;
- the absence of the need for a high temperature of the coolant allows you to significantly reduce the fuel consumption spent on heating it - the savings will be about 30-40% compared to the needs of classical heating systems. In addition, fuel savings are achieved by reducing the air temperature in the premises - if you warm up the walls to +22 °C, then comfortable temperature air will be +16 °C, compared to +20 °C air and walls with a temperature of +18 °C, drawing heat from households;
- high maintainability of system elements, which makes it possible to avoid dismantling finishing coatings if repairs are necessary;
- Equipping with thermostats allows you to set the optimal temperature in each room equipped with baseboard radiators separately.
It should be noted that a baseboard heating system can also be used to cool rooms if it is filled with a cold liquid carrier - the Coanda effect will work in this case, only with less efficiency. When using a system for cooling, it is important to maintain the temperature of the liquid in the system at a level above the dew point under given conditions (depending on air humidity and its temperature), otherwise condensation will form on the surfaces of the circuit, which must be discharged somewhere.
The disadvantages of the system include:
- high cost - about 3000 rubles. per meter of heating system with its installation. However, this price is explained by the expensive materials that are extremely necessary for baseboard heating;
- installation of the system is carried out only by professionals who have the appropriate certificates from the manufacturers of baseboard heating systems. An amateur approach to installation will not allow achieving the required thermophysical characteristics and will significantly reduce the service life;
- the maximum length of one heating circuit should not exceed 15 linear meters - one of the reasons why the system is necessarily equipped with a distribution manifold. With a greater length of the circuit, the heating efficiency decreases noticeably;
- Installation of various decorative overlays on the radiator box is not allowed, since they reduce heat transfer;
- a tighter fit of baseboard radiators to the wall surface, which allows full use of the Coanda effect, over time leads to warping of the film finish of the walls;
- it is necessary to keep the room heated by baseboard radiators as free as possible, without blocking the surfaces of baseboards and walls with cabinet furniture, since this interferes with convection and infrared radiation, distorting the air flow and absorbing IR heat emitted by the walls.
In the last century, baseboard heating, like radiant heating in general, was not very popular due to high heat loss construction materials buildings - it was easier to heat the air by convection, which made it possible to quickly compensate for heat loss, despite obvious shortcomings such heating. By the way, it was for this reason that heating radiators were installed under window openings - the cold penetrated especially quickly through the cracks in the frames and the glazing area.
Today, there are building and finishing materials for facades that can significantly reduce heat loss through building envelopes, and modern window frames, equipped with heat-retaining double-glazed windows, do not allow air to pass through at all. All this allows us to move away from classic convection heating systems to more efficient radiant heating, while significantly improving the quality of living in our houses and apartments. In the coming years, heating pipes and radiators, common for systems with forced and natural (gravitational) coolant circulation, will disappear from our homes - they will be replaced by more advanced heating equipment.
Video on the topic
An unusual heating technology, fundamentally different from conventional systems with radiators under the windows, has come to us from European countries recently, although it has been used there for more than twenty years. The name of the innovation speaks for itself - a warm baseboard, the demand for it is growing thanks to technical merits and modern design.
You will learn everything about the types of baseboard heating and the features of its operation by reading the article we have proposed. We will talk about the design specifics and rules for constructing all types of baseboard heating systems. Here you will find out where heating baseboards are used and which models are popular among consumers.
A baseboard heater is heating device 140 mm in height and 30 mm in thickness, which is placed along the walls above the floor around the perimeter of the room.
Imagine that the large heating radiator we all know has been reduced and stretched - the design can be described in a simplified way just like that.
The required power is collected from heating sections of different lengths; a warm baseboard not only heats the room, but also dries the damp bottom of the walls and corners
The materials used for production are the most heat-conducting and, accordingly, expensive - aluminum, copper, brass. Externally, the thermoplinth is a box made of aluminum; a heating element is placed inside it - two copper tubes with brass, copper or aluminum plates (lamellas) strung on them.
The outer diameter of the tubes is 13 mm, the inner diameter is 11 mm. The heating modules are butted together, the joints are connected by copper soldering or crimp nuts, special rotating parts are used in the corners - polyethylene or copper
Depending on the coolant, liquid and electric warm baseboards are distinguished:
- in liquid liquids, water or antifreeze circulates, there is 0.34 liters of liquid per 1 linear meter, the temperature range is from 50 to 85 °C, the temperature is set manually on the manifold or automatically;
- in electric ones, heating elements are connected in parallel; their operation is regulated by a thermostat with a built-in temperature sensor that determines the degree of heating of the air in the room.
The heating modules fit onto a back aluminum plate that is mounted to the wall directly above the floor. From the outside, the structure is covered with a front plate - also made of aluminum.
The coolant is supplied from the distribution manifold. The distribution manifold is equipped with flow meters, taps (drain, shut-off), automatic air vents, thermometers, pressure gauges - all this is needed to control and adjust the heating system. Safe heating of the baseboard surface is 40°C, maximum - 80°C, the air in the room warms up to 20-24°C.
At the bottom and upper parts slots are provided. The cold air flow enters the housing from below, heats up there, passing between the hot plates, and exits again, but through the upper slot.
In a water thermal baseboard, the coolant moves inside the heat exchangers through tubes, and in electrical function The coolant is supplied by a heating cable laid in a similar way
Manufacturers of baseboard heating equipment claim heat transfer within 200 W per 1 meter of length, but to achieve this figure in a liquid system, the temperature of the coolant must be raised to 65 ºС, and such heating of the front panel cannot be called safe.
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Features of baseboard heating
From the moment of its invention to the present day, heating has been divided into two types - convection and panel-radiant. In the first case from hot surface heating device(radiator battery, convector) the air is first heated, after which it circulates in the room and gradually heats it up.
In the second case, objects in the room are initially heated, and the air warms up usefully from them. infrared radiation, which does not dry out the air or remove oxygen from it, and this process is secondary.
Among the ancient examples are ovens in village houses, tiled stoves in ancient mansions, in a modern interpretation - heated floors, but what about baseboard heating and what type of heating does it belong to?
Heating a room using a warm baseboard allows you to ensure a uniform supply of heat throughout the height and area of the room being treated
Let us turn again to the opinion of the manufacturers. They unanimously claim that the heat radiated along the perimeter rises from the floor to the ceiling along the walls, warms them evenly and creates a kind of curtain from the cold penetrating from the outside. Once warmed up enough, they themselves begin to give off heat.
In fact, the temperature of walls at different heights fluctuates in the range of 26-30 ºС, and in order for heat to transfer from them, the surface must be heated much more strongly. Therefore, talking about what is desired infrared heat emanating from the walls is not so much the truth as a marketing ploy.
The planes of thermoplinths emit maximum heat at the level of the feet. It’s not just pleasant, but also optimal for well-being and health (+)
It is more correct to say that thermoplinths are also convectors with high temperature surfaces. It’s just that the room warms up more evenly from warm temperatures. air flow, both directly emanating deep into the room and ascending along the walls. Heated walls are a guarantee that you will not find dampness or mold anywhere on them.
It is also fair to note that as you move upward, the amount of heat decreases, and this is good. It is evenly distributed in the room in the lower and middle zones, reaching the ceiling to a lesser extent. For people, such a microclimate is considered the most comfortable - they do not freeze or feel chilly, but at the same time breathe fresh and cool air.
Objectively about all the advantages and disadvantages
The ascending heat flow, according to Coanda's physical law, is pressed against the wall. Without mixing with the rest of the air in the room, it heats vertical surface. At a height of up to one and a half meters, the wall temperature is several degrees higher than in the room, and this creates thermal comfort for the people in it.
During heating season the heating system is used for 6-8 hours every day. By multiplying the total power by the number of hours worked per month, we get the monthly energy consumption indicator.
The distribution manifold evenly distributes the coolant among the individual circuits. Its choice is determined by a number of factors - the material of the product, throughput combs, pressure, energy consumption, possibility of further expansion
Do baseboard heaters really save energy resources due to the low temperature of the coolant?
The answer would be this example:
- Room area - 3.5m x 5m (17.5 sq. meters), perimeter - 17 m (minus the doorway - 16 m).
- Room volume with a ceiling height of 2.7 m: 17.5 * 2.7 = 47.25 cubic meters. meters
- The outside temperature in winter is on average -10 ºC.
- To maintain +20-22ºC in a room with normal thermal insulation, 1.5 kW/hour is required. The heating will operate 7 hours a day.
Taking into account 200 W per 1 meter of length when heating the coolant to 65 ºС (see above), we get 200 W * 16 m = 3200 W or 3.2 kW. Since this flow rate is twice as high (3.2 kW/1.5 kW = 2.1), it is possible to reduce the coolant temperature in the same proportion: 65 ºС / 2.1 = 31 ºС.
Let's calculate the monthly electricity consumption: 1.5 kW/hour * 7 hours. * 30 days = 315 kW. More reliable results are obtained by detailed thermal engineering calculations based on complete initial data on the object.
If we compare the efficiency of heated floors and baseboards, then we can argue, if only for the reason that convectors from the floor immediately heat the air, and part of the warm air from the baseboard is taken over by the outer wall, which is constantly fed by the cold outside.
The heat spent on constant heating of cold external walls is a kind of loss. Is their dryness, absence of mold, and dampness a compensation for this? There is also a debate on this issue: some say yes, others point out that the humidity in the room is regulated, not by heating.
If water radiators are connected in series, the coolant will cool while it goes around the entire perimeter. Therefore, the modules are combined in parallel, each pair of incoming and outgoing pipes is output to the collector separately
As for the appearance, the baseboard boxes that cover the heating really look beautiful in the interior, but when there is cabinet furniture in the room, problems arise - it is not possible to go around it in front, and behind it the warm air does not have freedom of movement.
And regarding the absolute absence of dust in the air, it is worth objecting - perhaps there is less of it than with air circulation in traditional heating systems, but it is there, since convection is present.
In general, we can conclude that baseboard heating radiators already have buyers, and over time their number will increase. The limiting factor is the excessively high cost of equipment, which is explained by the use of copper, brass, aluminum in production, i.e. expensive materials.
And installation, if you order it from professionals, is not cheap. Skirting pipe routing is the most complex of all available water pipes. heating schemes, but there are many nuances in the assembly of electric skirting boards.
Installation of warm baseboard
For installation you will need tools: adjustable wrenches in a set, a drill with an impact function (or a hammer drill), a hammer, wire cutters, pliers, scissors (to cut plastic). A baseboard heating system can be quickly installed if the connection points are prepared in advance.
Even before purchasing necessary equipment you need to plan and how to place them around the perimeter of the room.
Assembling a water heating system
Stage 1. We measure the distance from the point where it will be located to the location of the plinth. We cut two lengths of the protective pipe and two lengths of the connecting pipe with an allowance of 20 cm. We insert the connector into the protective one, and seal the ends with adhesive tape to protect it from dirt.
Installation of a water baseboard heating system: red - main flow, blue - return. The return flow pipe must be located higher
Stage 2. We pull the pipes along the floor without tension so that if extensions are necessary, one or more can be laid nearby. We fix mounting tapes, cover it with a protective solution, protecting it from damage, and place it in the right place on the wall 6 cm above the floor and 10-15 cm from the edge of the wall or corner, fix it with cement.
Stage 3. After laying the finished floor, we continue work. We glue an insulating strip along the entire length. We stretch the aluminum edge (also along the entire length of the heating), covering the junction of the wall and the floor. Screw it or secure it with adhesive tape or silicone.
Stage 4. We lay a special profile along the top line, put holders on it at a distance of 15 cm from the corners and every 40 cm along the wall.
Stage 5. For connection heating pipes and heating elements we use couplings with nuts, bushings and spacers, in the corners - 90º corner rotary tubes, in the ends - 180º end rotary tubes and plugs. We connect the thermal sections with adapters.
When connecting the heating module, you need to remove 2-3 lamellas from the edge and put connecting nuts, crimping parts, and rubber gaskets on the tubes
Stage 6. We carefully press the connected heating sections into the holders. We put on decorative panels (attach with screws or snap on) and decorative corner elements. We connect the system to the manifold, fill it with water, and test it at operating and maximum pressure.
Like all collector systems, the heating baseboard requires stimulating the movement of the coolant. Without a pump, it is difficult for heated water to circulate along an extended circuit. However, the use technical devices affects total cost systems.
The plinth will work if all technological operations were performed without violations. If there is a leak, the problematic connections must be tightened wrench. The coolant is supplied through the collector circulation pump from the boiler or from the general (centralized) heating system.
Electric heating system assembly
For a warm baseboard in the electrical panel, you need to make a separate one. Its power is determined by the number of heating modules.
Stage 1. We supply power to distribution box, which should be near the location of the system at a height of 4-6 cm from the floor.
Installation of an electric heating system: most often, an electrical system is used where it is possible to supply power required power, or in small rooms as additional heating
Stage 2. Apply insulating tape to the wall.
Stage 3. Install the lower aluminum profile(edge) and the top one, on which we place the holders at the same distance as for the water system - 15 cm from the corners and in increments of 40 cm along the wall. We install a remote thermostat. It should be located at a height of about 1.5 m opposite the system modules and at a distance of at least 2 meters from them.
Stage 4. We insert electric heating elements (heating elements) into the lower pipe of the heating module, secure the modules in the holders so that they do not touch the wall.
The electrical contacts of the heating elements have a thread, two nuts, a retaining ring on a spring, and a heat-shrinkable tube for additional insulation. The modules are connected in parallel using a heat-resistant power cable coated with silicone and heat-resistant up to 180°C.
Stage 5. We close the system with a plastic box on top.
To connect heating modules, a 3-core cable is used: brown vein- phase, blue - zero, green (yellow) - grounding. The cable must be grounded
It is best to entrust the connection of the installed heating system to the power supply to an electrical specialist. He will check the reliability of the insulation measuring instruments, will supply electricity and adjust thermostats.
Design, scope, price
Thin, elegant, heaters that harmonize with the overall decor allow you to implement the most non-standard design ideas.
The peculiarity of the baseboard heating system is that it does not take away from the room at all. free space, and it can be placed next to furniture, antiques, household appliances, and musical instruments.
The material from which the flooring and walls are made also does not matter - there will be no damage or harm.
A palette of hundreds of colors and shades makes it possible to choose appearance housings to your liking. The texture can be smooth and smooth surface or imitation of granite stone, marble, wood.
A baseboard radiator will equalize the temperature in colder corner and end rooms; owners of cottages and country houses are interested in this technology, seeking to create exquisite interior. And in high-rise buildings, many people want to heat loggias and balconies, and this task is also easily solved using a similar heating scheme.
Wherever baseboard heating is used - in greenhouses and winter gardens, swimming pools and gyms, in museum buildings, concert halls, etc. Panoramic construction is in fashion, but you can’t install it along a wall that is solid glass.
A wide range of textures and shades of the warm baseboard body allows you to use it as a decorative element. In this case, it merged into a single whole with the door frames
Traditional heating also loses in rooms with high ceilings. No matter how much you heat them with radiators, warm air will still rush up to the ceiling, leaving the lower zone cool, and with the help of a thermal baseboard the situation can be easily corrected.
As for the price, the purchase and installation of a warm baseboard is comparable to the cost. Both will not be cheaper than installing a classic heating system with batteries.
Unfortunately, all energy-efficient devices cannot be called cheap, but the costs are worth it. In order not to overpay, you need to complete the system in advance - each of its elements has its own price. Only a specialist can do this correctly.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
Video #1. How does a warm baseboard work:
Video #2. Installation of a baseboard heating system:
Let's summarize: warm baseboard is a new, aesthetic and reliable type of heating equipment that deserves attention.