Which floor gas boilers are the most economical?

Most buyers are trying to purchase an economical floor-standing gas boiler for their home, since gas is not cheap today. But, in addition to fuel consumption, there are many criteria by which the unit is considered economical. This is the service life, and the operation of the weather-dependent system, and the efficiency of the unit.

The efficiency of a gas unit directly depends on its service life. Boilers with cast-iron heat exchangers are able to work the longest - their service life is 30-40 years. However, they can "live" for so long only with careful handling. Cast iron is brittle and must be handled with extreme care. It is also necessary to avoid getting cool water on the surface of the hot heat exchanger, as the temperature difference will lead to cracks.

Floor-standing units with steel contours are not as capricious as cast-iron ones, but they are much more susceptible to corrosion. Because of this, steel elements fail faster.

Also, the operational period depends on the availability of spare parts for sale and the quality of the heating equipment. Therefore, when buying a unit of a certain brand, you should ask if it is easy to find accessories for it. As for the manufacturer, German and Slovak units work the longest. Domestic analogues fail faster, but they are better adapted to difficult Russian operating conditions and will cost less.

Note! Many manufacturers recommend installing a voltage stabilizer for their gas boiler. This is a condition for continued warranty service.

Some owners of floor gas boilers try to save on maintenance and do not call a specialist for scheduled repairs. However, during operation, the focus of the burner may shift, soot may appear and other minor malfunctions may occur. If they are not eliminated in time, then fuel consumption will increase, and the performance of the unit will decrease. Therefore, it is better not to save on service.

How does automation make a gas boiler more economical?

The efficiency of a gas unit is also affected by the ability to reduce and increase productivity during operation. Modern weather-dependent systems are able to reduce the intensity of combustion depending on the temperature outside or in the room. This significantly reduces gas consumption and, accordingly, the cost of it.

Some modern automation systems can be set to work for a day or a week. You can set the operation of the gas unit so that at night the temperature in the room is lower.

There are floor gas boilers with these types of burners:

• single-stage - has one power level;
• two-stage - two power levels;
• modulating - several power levels.

The last type of burner is considered the most economical, as it has the ability to smoothly switch to different power levels.

Efficiency of outdoor gas units

The main indicator when choosing an economical gas boiler for organizing home heating is the coefficient of performance - efficiency. Its value for outdoor gas units lies in the range of 84-99%. Inexpensive devices equipped with a one- or two-stage burner have a low rate. Boilers work more efficiently, in which the power can change smoothly, depending on weather conditions.

The heat that is obtained as a result of gas combustion heats the heat exchanger with the heat carrier. After that, the remaining heat passes into the chimney and irrevocably goes into the atmosphere. The amount of heat lost is shown by the flue gas temperature. If the smoke is heated to 200°C or more at the outlet of the nozzle, then this unit is not considered economical. The best option is flue gas temperature in the range of 100-150 °C.

Condensing gas boilers

The condensing unit is considered the most economical floor gas boiler for the home. This is possible thanks to a special technology for extracting heat from the resulting moisture. To do this, a floor-standing gas boiler is equipped with a cylindrical burner, which is located inside a stainless steel heat exchanger. It is made in the form of a coil with tightly packed coils. Water vapor condenses on the heat exchanger, the heat from which also heats the coolant. Due to this, thermal energy is maximally spent on heating the heat exchanger. The efficiency of such units is 97-99%.

Note! If, due to problems with electricity, you decide to purchase a non-volatile gas boiler, then keep in mind that it will not be economical. For such boilers, the efficiency rarely exceeds 91%.

The cost of floor gas boilers

Another important selection criterion is the price of the device. Condensing models are much more expensive than convection ones. It is better to purchase a boiler that can work on both natural and liquefied fuels.

Basically, devices of an affordable price category include models with low efficiency. More efficient units, especially foreign-made ones, are more expensive.

If you cannot afford condensing-type heating devices, you can purchase a cheap domestic boiler with low fuel consumption.