Peeling skin can be caused by a variety of factors. To deal with ...
Like any thing gas boilers have their own service life. First of all, it is determined by the operating conditions, technical characteristics, and its direct installation. There are wall and floor gas boilers.
Service life of a wall-mounted gas boiler
Life time gas boiler much less wall-mounted than floor-standing. This is due to several factors:
- in all wall-mounted boilers the heat exchangers are made of copper, while the floor-standing ones are made of steel or cast iron. Despite the fact that copper makes it possible to give lightness to the boiler, it wears out faster and requires high purification of the coolant. If cleaning is not carried out in a timely manner, copper oxidizes. Thus, a copper heat exchanger, if properly used, can last 5-10 years ( great importance has the manufacturer);
- it should be borne in mind that wall-hung boilers, as a rule, have less power. They often have to run at full capacity during operation, which in turn shortens their lifespan.
Service life of floor standing gas boiler
Floor standing gas boilers have an order of magnitude longer service life. This is due to the material of the heat exchanger. So, a steel heat exchanger can last up to 15-20 years, and a cast iron one even longer. In addition, floor-standing boilers rarely operate at full capacity, and if a deep cleaning of the coolant is carried out at the same time, then such a gas boiler will serve you for more than a dozen years. If we recall the "Sovdepovskie" cast iron boilers, their service life sometimes reaches 50 years.
Also, the service life of gas boilers directly depends on the correct installation and further maintenance. Both the floor-standing and the wall-mounted boiler should be installed evenly, and not at an angle, since the uniformity of heating depends on this. Timely inspection of the boiler will help to identify and replace worn-out parts in advance, thereby extending the service life of the unit.
It should be remembered that each manufacturer exposes its own warranty period for the boiler, based on its technical characteristics... Therefore, for greater reliability, it is worth buying boilers of trusted brands, for example, Vaillant, Dakon, Ferroli, while entrusting their installation to professionals.
Any modern household heat generator is a fairly technological and expensive device that has its own service life. In this publication, we will consider what factors affect service life of the gas boiler, and what should be done Special attention when choosing this equipment.
As a rule, the retail price of a boiler is one of the indicators of its reliability. Condensing heating systems are among the most expensive category of heating equipment.
With proper operation and regular maintenance, the manufacturer's declared life of such units is 30 years. This is due to the use of high quality materials, which are necessary for obtaining thermal energy from combustible fuel and condensate.
Convection boiler equipment usually belongs to the middle price category. The average, declared by the manufacturer, indicator of the service life of installations of this type varies from 10 to 15 years. In convection heat generators, thermal energy is obtained exclusively through the combustion of gas, which leads to higher temperature loads on materials.
Mounting method
There is a direct relationship between the service life and the type of gas heat generator, which are floor-standing and wall-mounted.
- Floor standing, more monumental and powerful. Their construction uses materials that are resistant to increased pressure and temperature.
For heat exchangers of floor-standing boilers, steel and cast iron are used, which have high strength characteristics.
- Mounted (wall) - lighter and more compact. Small dimensions and weight of the device are due to the material of the heat exchanger.
- As a rule, wall-mounted boilers use a copper heat exchanger, which, due to its high heat transfer, has a smaller size and weight. But copper is fragile and prone to corrosion, which leads to a fairly rapid failure of the heat exchanger, especially with irregular maintenance.
Number of contours
Everyone attending Russian market models of gas boiler plants are classified according to the number of circuits.
- Single-circuit are designed only for heating the coolant circulating in the heating system.
- Double-circuit ones are designed for heating and creating hot water supply at home.
Single-circuit installations are simpler, which means they are maintainable. Double-circuit, have a mass design features significantly increasing the cost of maintenance and repair in the event of failure of its elements.
Important! Despite the widespread belief that simplicity is a guarantee of reliability, the number of circuits of a heating unit does not in any way affect its life.Gas burner type
In a gas boiler, heat energy is obtained during the combustion of fuel. To create and burn a gas-air mixture, a burner is used, which can have two versions:
- Atmospheric.
- Forced draft burner.
In the first type of device, the formation of a mixture of air and gas is carried out in a natural way by means of traction.
In the chamber of an atmospheric boiler, gas combustion does not occur completely: combustion products remain on the air duct, electrodes, heat exchanger, which reduce the efficiency of heating the coolant. Thus, a boiler with an atmospheric burner operates with a higher load, which significantly reduces its service life.
The design of forced draft burners provides for the presence of two chambers: in the first, air is mixed with fuel; in the second, the direct process of combustion of the mixture takes place.
In turbocharged boilers (equipped with forced draft burners), the fuel burns completely, which increases the efficiency and reduces the load on the unit. This fact gives the right to conclude that turbocharged boilers have a slightly longer service life compared to their atmospheric counterparts.
Heat exchanger maintainability
As noted above, the heat exchangers of modern gas boilers are made of: copper, of stainless steel, cast iron. According to reviews, with the right conditions exploitation life time steel heat exchanger in a gas boiler is 15-20 years, and cast iron up to 30 years. The life of a copper coil is limited to 5-10 years.
In single-circuit heating heat generators, one coil is installed, which transfers the thermal energy obtained during the combustion of fuel to the coolant. Depending on the design, in double-circuit boilers, two heat exchangers (primary and secondary) or one bithermal one can be installed.
- In the first version, the primary coil is responsible for heating the coolant and is installed in the upper part of the boiler plant (above the burner). The secondary is responsible for creating DHW.
- Bithermichesky has a tube-in-tube design. In the space between the outer and inner tubes, the coolant for the heating system moves; water flows through the inner tube of the heat exchanger to provide hot water supply.
Any heat exchanger is prone to scale formation. This is especially true for devices through which rigid tap water... A separate coil is simply enough to flush or replace a failed section.
In a bimetric heat exchanger, scale forms much faster than its separate counterpart. Deposits that have appeared in the inner tube of such a device are almost impossible to eliminate. Heat transfer will gradually decrease, which means that to maintain the desired temperature regime water will need to increase the amount of fuel burned. Continuous operation of the boiler in this mode will significantly reduce its service life.
It should be understood that the repair of a bithermal heat exchanger is practically impossible, it is required complete replacement the whole module. And this is a rather expensive process that can pull up to 50% of the initial cost of a heating installation.
In it, the manufacturer's representative talks about the types and varieties of heat exchangers used in boiler installations.
Electronic components and power supply
Today, all models of gas heating equipment present on the domestic market are equipped with automation, which can be non-volatile or require connection from a household network. alternating current... One of the factors that leads to breakdowns and a decrease in the service life of gas boilers is the unstable operation of the power grids. A normal voltage surge can easily damage the elements of the control unit, controller, ignition system, gas valve, other electronic and electrically controlled components.
Advice: If you want the life of your boiler installation not to be lower than that declared by the manufacturer, then choose models with a built-in voltage stabilizer or use an "uninterruptible power supply" in the power supply circuit of the device.The intensity of work and the nuances of operation
Before purchasing, it is necessary to carry out necessary calculations concerning the capacity of the boiler plant. As a rule, in the design organization, specialists “throw in” 15-20% of the power to reduce the load on the boiler at the time of peak loads. If the choice of the boiler unit is made independently, then often, in order to save money, a model is purchased, the power of which "end-to-end" corresponds to the calculated one. Continuous operation at maximum load significantly reduces gas boiler service life, therefore, when purchasing a device, you should ensure a power reserve of at least 20%.
Corrosion can destroy a copper heat exchanger in a few years. To increase its service life, you need to get rid of the presence of air in the heating system, since oxygen is a powerful oxidant. To do this, use air vents, regularly identify and bleed air from the radiators through the Mayevsky taps. We recommend that you read the video.
In it, the specialist talks about the relationship between the service life of the boiler plant and corrosion in different types heating systems.
The service life of the boiler is influenced by the pressure in the heating and water circuits. The stability of this parameter in the heating system is carried out by a competent selection of the volume of the expansion tank. Because of low pressure of water, its volume may not be enough for continuous operation of the burner. Having reached the required temperature, the burner will periodically turn off, and when the temperature drops, it will turn on. With prolonged operation in this mode, the resource of the device is developed much faster, which affects the life of the entire boiler unit.
As a conclusion
In this article, we have analyzed in sufficient detail what affects the life of a gas boiler. Summarizing the above, we can draw the following conclusions:
- Expensive economical heating systems are more reliable and durable.
- Boiler plants with separate steel and cast iron heat exchangers have the maximum service life.
- Better and longer-lasting performance ensures heating equipment with an inflatable burner.
- The longest life is for boilers provided with a voltage stabilizer or UPS.
And the last thing. The boiler can be operated exactly as long as all its components and elements work. According to the legislation of the Russian Federation, a manufacturer of heating equipment must ensure the production of components for 10 years after the model is removed from the assembly line. That is why we recommend paying attention to the installations of domestic manufacturers. By purchasing a domestic product, you can be at least a little confident in the maintainability of your boiler, which cannot be said about European and (God forbid) Western models.
Today, gas boilers to maintain a comfortable temperature in winter time are widespread. On the market for such equipment, you can choose any model that is ideal for both the size of the consumer's wallet and for his personal preferences. These can be wall and floor units, single and double-circuit, with forced and natural draft. However, the undeniable majority of people buy outdoor ones.
Advantages and disadvantages of floor heating elements
One of the advantages of gas floor heating boilers is ease of use.
The design of gas heating equipment, which is mounted on the floor, is so perfect that it has practically not changed since its inception.
The only exceptions are some modern improvements that have simplified control over their work.
Today, almost 50% of the heating devices that are sold are floor-standing units. This is understandable.
The advantages of these devices:
- ease of use. Some models can work for weeks without external control;
- high efficiency;
- can provide warmth to the house, while cooking required amount hot water;
- floor-standing appliances are suitable for heating both small houses and large structures.
Floor standing gas boilers require a specially equipped room or place with good ventilation.
The disadvantages include the mandatory presence of a chimney and a specially equipped room for a boiler or a place with good ventilation.
This equipment must be accompanied by permits and a certificate.
Classification of floor-standing gas heating devices according to the structural material of the heat exchanger.
According to this parameter, boilers are divided into containing steel and equipped with cast iron heat exchangers.
Today there is a dispute about which of the types of heat exchangers is the best, but the consumer still prefers, despite the slightly higher price, over steel counterparts.
Why do people prefer cast iron over steel?
Firstly, it is the service life. Cast iron products will last about 30 years, when steel products are in operation for only 15-20 years. This is due not only to positive characteristics the metal itself, but also by the design features of the product.
The service life in floor-standing gas boilers made of cast iron is longer than that of steel ones.
So, cast iron heat exchangers are made with thick walls, which prevents burnout.
In addition, they are made from good brands materials that, on the positive side, have proven themselves in domestic operating conditions.
Secondly, cast iron is less susceptible to corrosion than steel. The heat exchanger metal begins to corrode when the wall temperature of the product falls below the condensation point. In this case, moisture forms on the heat exchanger, which leads to corrosion.
Advice! The wall temperature of the heat exchanger must not fall below 60 ° C. Cast iron cools down slowly compared to steel, therefore, even with a sharp drop in the temperature of the coolant, the first option is easier to protect from destruction.
Cast iron heat exchangers can crack if handled incorrectly.
Thirdly, the cast-iron product looks like sections, therefore, if it loses its integrity, it is possible to change not only the entire element as a whole, but only a separate part of it.
And now about the disadvantages. Cast iron heat exchangers are fragile, so they can crack if not properly transported or due to temperature changes. But today this flaw has been removed. Experts add special additives to the alloy of iron and carbon, which made the cast iron stronger.
Now he is not afraid of mechanical impact. In addition, models of such products can withstand temperature differences from 25 ° C to 30 ° C, and some of them up to 45 ° C.
Cast iron boilers have a powder-coated lining, which retains its integrity for a long time and acts as an excellent decorative coating.
Specificity of gas boilers that do not depend on the consumption of external energy
A prerequisite for the operation of floor-standing gas heating boilers is the presence of a gas pipeline.
The presence of other sources of energy or electricity is not required. Indeed, today, along with improved models (equipped with pumps that circulate water forcibly, automatic control safe work, regulators of the temperature regime of the coolant and modulation of the burner), that is, volatile, there are non-volatile floor-standing gas boilers. They are bought in those regions where there are power outages.
Features of equipment operating without electricity
These boilers are economical in terms of fuel consumption.
In order for the boiler to work only on gas, modern manufacturers took two paths. In the first case, they completely simplified the design of the unit. That is, they made it more powerful, but without an automatic and electronic part for managing the work. With the help of such a device, the home owner can maintain the temperature in the house only at a certain level, that is, there is no automatic adjustment. Modulation of this parameter depending on conditions the environment occurs only after external intervention in the operation of the boiler.
The second way is a heat generator, which is able to independently generate energy for the functioning of the control system. In this case, in the flame gas burner there is a thermocouple. As it warms up, it generates sufficient voltage for the control system to operate above the valve. When the gas supply suddenly stops, the voltage drops, then the valve closes.
Important! Since non-volatile boilers do not provide for the presence of circulating sediment, the movement of the coolant is carried out due to natural circulation (expansion / contraction of the liquid), therefore such heating systems should be organized with a slight slope of pipes.
Modern manufacturer of gas boilers - Protherm. What are its advantages?
The products of Protherm (Slovakia) are popular in the domestic market for a reason. All this has been achieved due to the high performance characteristics of the equipment, its reliability and durability.
A wide range of floor-standing, variety of models and software pricing policy, and by configuration, great amount service centers - all this had a positive effect on the demand for the equipment of this company.
Protherm product range
Today, the following lines of gas boilers manufactured by this company are on sale:
- PLO bear is floor models with piezo ignition. They are volatile, that is, they have an electronic work control system;
- KLMO bear - these models have electric ignition and work autonomously, that is, without human control, as they are equipped with power modulation;
- the KLZ bear is a floor-standing unit, it has two circuits, therefore, in addition to heating the room, it is also designed for preparing hot water;
- bear TLO - floor standing boilers with electronic system control over work are designed for heating small areas, since they have a power of 44.5 kW;
- grizzly KLO - a floor-standing unit, in addition to heating large (up to 1.5 thousand square meters) areas, they will prepare hot water for home and office.
A gas boiler of even the simplest design works excellently only if the components act in concert. When the equipment is configured and debugged, the result is always perfect, the house is warm, and the equipment does not require constant attention from residents. However, any device over time spends a resource of strength and reliability, therefore maintenance of gas boilers with full check the operability of the units of the unit, cleaning, adjusting, etc.
Can't trust service gas equipment not to a specialist. The first and the most main reason- this is the preservation of the guarantee for boiler equipment. The manufacturer agrees to comply with the warranty obligations only if the installation and maintenance of the boiler equipment will be carried out by one of the service centers with the appropriate license and permission to carry out installation and operational activities.
The main advantage of a service agreement in a licensed service center is a guarantee of the quality of the work performed and a decrease in operating costs during the period of the boiler's operation. Service workers undergo training from manufacturers and are supplied with all the necessary diagnostic and repair equipment. This means that the visits of service workers will not be delayed, and the boiler will always be in excellent condition.
Breakdowns in a gas boiler may be due to defects that were not detected during the standard testing procedure in production or due to improper operation, lack of proper care, when accumulated problems lead to breakdown. Warranty and post-warranty service protects against both problems, and the house is provided with high-quality heating for many years.
List of works
To understand what exactly should be cleaned, checked and adjusted in the boiler, with what frequency, it is enough to look at the instructions and technical documentation, in mandatory supplied with the boiler upon purchase. These documents indicate full list components and components involved in the equipment, service requirements and the frequency with which the status should be checked, service performed and settings updated as necessary.
It is categorically impossible to rely on this information for self-cleaning of a gas boiler. This information gives a clear idea of what to expect from a service company with which a gas equipment service contract is to be concluded.
The works are conventionally divided into three groups:
- Regular work carried out before and after the start of the heating season, preparing the boiler for summer inactivity.
- Capital service. Work carried out every few years and aimed at servicing elements with an initially long-term operation (flushing the heat exchanger, replacing oil seals and valves, maintenance of fans, etc.).
- Repair in case of breakage. The order of actions and mandatory work in the event of an emergency situation, breakdown or the consequences of external factors.
Seasonal service regulations
Before the start of the heating season, the boiler should be put into proper working condition, the operation of the sensors responsible for safety should be checked. Only then is the boiler switched on for operation.
If the manufacturer is allowed to carry out routine maintenance only once a year before starting, then in addition to commissioning, the main elements of the boiler are cleaned, with the exception of flushing the heat exchanger and a complete bulkhead of the control units. If then ( Maintenance) is carried out after the season, then cleaning is assigned to this stage.
Required list of works:
- General inspection, removal of dirt from internal and external surfaces.
- Cleaning of filters (air, gas, coarse water filters).
- Cleaning and checking the burner.
- Cleaning the firing section of the combustion chamber.
- Checking the tightness of the internal gas channels.
- Checking the ignition electrodes (piezoelectric element and burner).
- Test and diagnostics of the electronic control unit.
- Test and diagnostics of sensors and automation responsible for safety.
- Boiler parameters adjustment, combustion adjustment. The process is accompanied by a waste gas analysis. According to the composition and concentration, the master judges the accuracy of the boiler setting.
- Checking the condition of the shut-off valve.
- Checking the supply gas pipeline from the main to the gas equipment.
- Checking and adjusting the pressure in the expansion vessel.
Major overhaul
In addition to routine maintenance carried out every season, when overhaul gas boiler, replacement of elements with a limited warranty period, cleaning of the inner surface of the heat exchanger, the banners of the oil seals and valves are performed. The main task is to replace elements that are not subject to maintenance during routine maintenance, but still have a service life.
In case of breakdown
V emergency when a breakdown occurs during operation, it is very important to react to the problem as soon as possible and return the boiler to working condition. If breakdowns do appear, then it is just during the heating season, for example, if the boiler has been operating for a long time at maximum power during the coldest period of the year. At this time, find a specialist for quick repair extremely difficult, but with a service contract all that is needed is to leave a request so that the repair team in short term has already arrived to troubleshoot the problem. Since the service center keeps records of boilers, a specialist already arrives at the customer with a set necessary tools and spare parts for a specific model of a gas boiler.
How often
Without fail, routine maintenance is performed before the heating season in order to check the efficiency of the boiler and its elements, if necessary, clean and adjust. The manual for many imported boilers also specifies the procedure for mothballing equipment in the off-season to eliminate the risk of corrosion of materials and save the life of key components.
Overhaul periods are set by the manufacturer, moreover, separately for each lineup... Often, a heat exchanger flush is scheduled for every fourth to fifth year of operation. However, the service center in which the service contract is signed may change the terms, for example, based on the actual characteristics of the coolant or gas used.
Choosing a service organization
It is expensive for a boiler manufacturer to open a branded service center in each region of the country. Instead, existing maintenance firms are licensed to conduct necessary work with equipment installed in the area of responsibility of the service center. Licensing requires a certificate to perform a certain range of works, full access to technical documentation for the products of the manufacturer's company, the opportunity to receive new components of the boilers for warranty replacement.
The actual information voiced determines the choice of the service center, in which it is worth concluding a contract for the maintenance of a gas boiler:
- It should be located in the same region or city as the house with the installed boiler in order to reduce the response time of the service personnel.
- The center must be certified by the boiler manufacturer.
- The presence of an agreement that clearly spells out the obligations and rights of the parties, indicating all the necessary work performed by the service center in relation to a specific boiler model.
The list of certified service centers is available on the manufacturer's website, and any visitor can get acquainted with it. it the best way check the appropriate approvals and certifications with your local service center.
Heat exchanger BEFORE and AFTER flushing and maintenance average cost
Service centers usually provide the following options for cooperation:
- One-time visit for inspection and repair of the boiler, diagnostics.
- One-time maintenance of equipment during the first start-up or before the start of the heating season.
- Annual service, including preparation for heating season, optionally scheduled visits for inspection and diagnostics, as well as prepaid departure in case of breakdown.
The cost of each type of work includes payment to an employee, a service center fee, and overhead costs. If the first two aspects are approximately the same by region and depend on the boiler model, its capacity and manufacturers, then the overhead costs often differ significantly. It depends on the distance between the service center and the client, working conditions, the number of specialists in the center and many other factors, which introduces a large difference between the price tags of various service companies.
The table shows the average prices for different kinds works depending on the power of the gas heating boiler.
Basically, the table takes into account the maintenance of imported gas heating boilers. service centers with the presence of a corresponding certificate from manufacturers. Domestic boilers, both in purchase and in maintenance, are cheaper, parts are easier to find and replace. However, their main feature is simplicity and unpretentiousness, so that comfortable heating or extensive functionality does not have to be expected from them, in fact, as well as trouble-free service.
Any modern household heating device is quite expensive equipment, which is characterized by its service life. There are a large number of different models of gas boilers on the market, which differ in different performance characteristics, price, manufacturer.
In the article, we will consider what factors determine the service life of a gas boiler.
Find out the price and buy heating equipment and related products you can visit us. Write, call and come to one of the shops in your city. Delivery throughout the territory of the Russian Federation and the CIS countries.
Gas boiler
Gas boiler service life
As practice shows, on average, economical gas boilers produced today can operate successfully for 8-15 years. Their service life is most directly affected by the quality of working parts in contact with water, such as circulation pump and a heat exchanger.
User reviews! I have a Kiturami floor-standing boiler, there it is written in the operating manual that the estimated service life is 18 years. It has been successfully operating for 10 years.
If the water hardness is too high, salt deposits can form on the walls. In order to improve the quality of the coolant, it is necessary to install. They contain polymer salts, due to which the water hardness is reduced to normal.
The cost of heating the coolant will be less and, accordingly, less fuel will be consumed. The duration of the service life is affected by the intensity of the work of the mechanical elements, for example, in the pump. That is why you will have to constantly regularly carry out maintenance and replace gaskets, oil seals and rubbing parts.
User reviews! The service life of the Baksi boiler pleases. For 9 years the unit has been functioning without failures and malfunctions.
In addition, the service life depends on the quality of the electrical energy. Too weak or, on the contrary, excessive tension equally negatively affects the work:
- automation;
- ignition module;
- etc.
You can solve this problem by means that are able to withstand indicators with an accuracy of 3-5%, thereby protecting the boiler from failures and malfunctions.
It is also better to install uninterrupted power supply unit or at least network filter... These parts will keep the electronic part of the boiler from failures during strong voltage fluctuations.
Nuances arising during operation
V heating system you need to try to prevent the appearance of corrosion, and when it occurs, you need to get rid of its foci. This is facilitated by the removal of air from the lines and radiators. Most of all it concerns open systems heating.
In order to remove rust particles, you need to use special inhibitors ( additives who come into chemical reaction in problem areas).
In the summer, you need to monitor the system to see if there is airing. Many users use for closed systems and - for open systems. Practice shows that such procedures are quite effective.
In order for the gas boiler to be able to successfully operate not at the maximum of its capabilities, you should purchase a device with a certain power reserve.
If there are frequent pressure drops in the heating system, then an urgent need to look for the root of the problem. If you do not pay attention to this and drag out the time, then your heater may simply fail. The reasons for this may be:
- Deficiencies in the installation of the system, in the case when the required slopes are not observed, in this regard, the radiators are airy.
- Incorrect mounting points for automatic air vents.
To ensure a stable pressure in the system, it is necessary to select the correct expansion tank... For a coolant volume of 60 liters, a tank will be required, the volume of which will be 6 liters. If the amount of water exceeds the norm, then in the cooling / heating cycles, pressure drops may appear, which will negatively affect the characteristics of the parts included in the system.
Thus, only compliance with all operating rules can extend the service life of a gas boiler.
