Heating devices in apartments and private houses usually use heating radiators, and the first question that arises when installing heating systems - which batteries are better to put in the apartment? The answer to this question depends on many factors, and in order to thoroughly understand it, it is necessary to consider the features of the device and operating conditions of all types of radiators currently on the market.
What batteries are better to put in the apartment
To date, there are four most popular types of radiators:
- Cast iron;
- Aluminum;
- Steel;
- Bimetallic.
Based on the difference in shape and material, each type of radiator has its own characteristics, and they determine their use.
Cast-iron radiators
Familiar to all cumbersome cast-iron batteries, painted with paint, are a thing of the past. To replace them in the shops there are modern versions of radiators made of cast iron, which have not only an attractive appearance, but also reliability, proven by decades.
Cast iron radiators for the apartment
Features of cast iron radiators:
- Working pressure from 6 to 10 atm., Test - up to 18 atm.;
- Can work in systems with any pipes;
- Can be permanently used in central heating systems with a pH value of 7-9;
- The partitioned structure allows you to select the required number of sections, and in case of reconstruction - add or remove them.
Cast iron radiators have a number of advantages. They are less prone to corrosion - as a result of the primary interaction with water, a black insoluble precipitate forms on their inner surface, which prevents the penetration of oxygen dissolved in water to the metal. The destruction of cast iron pipes from the inside with proper operation is extremely slow. Outside, the radiators are covered with paint and are protected against destruction. In cast iron radiators extremely low gas formation, they do not bubble, do not require constant bleeding of air.
One of the main drawbacks of cast-iron batteries is their heavy weight, making it difficult to install them. The drawbacks of cast iron radiators can also be attributed to inertia - cast iron slowly heats up and slowly cools, so rapid regulation of air temperature in a room with cast iron radiators is impossible.
Steel radiators
Steel radiators are in the form of a ribbed plate, inside which is a hermetically sealed circuit filled with a coolant. A large area of radiators and a ribbed surface form provide good heat transfer and convection conditions for warm air. The material is steel, it has practically the same thermal conductivity as cast iron, but the thickness of the walls of steel batteries is smaller, so they heat up faster. Steel radiators are designed for operating pressure from 6 to 10 atm.
Steel radiators for heating
Advantages of steel radiators:
- The shape and appearance allow to successfully insert steel radiators into any modern interior;
- Steel radiators, like cast-iron ones, with correct water treatment in central heating systems, serve 15-25 years;
- Can be used in systems with any pipes. As in single-tube, and in two-tube;
- They are inexpensive and convenient to install.
Before installing steel radiators it is necessary to calculate the required number of radiator plates - the closed circuit does not allow to increase them and change the thermal characteristics.
Under high pressure conditions, steel panel radiators may lose their integrity. Therefore, you should not use them in houses with the number of floors over 5 - the system in them is designed for a pressure of more than 6-8 atmospheres.
Aluminum radiators
Aluminum radiators have a neat, compact and modern appearance, they are also sold in form of sections, so you can choose the optimal number of them, determined by calculation. The height of aluminum radiators is also different, so they can be placed in convenient places of the room. Working pressure of aluminum radiators from 6 to 12 atm., Testing - up to 25 atm.
Aluminum heating radiators
Advantages of aluminum radiators are obvious:
- Have a modern appearance;
- Heat dissipation is high compared to other radiators and can reach 200 watts per section;
- Aluminum radiators are considerably lighter than other types of batteries, due to this they are easily mounted;
- You can select the required number of sections;
- On the outside are protected with a polymer coating, which protects the radiators from damage.
The most basic disadvantage of aluminum radiators is that they can be used for a long time only in closed systems with strict control of the pH of the coolant. Do not use pipes and fittings made of other metals. Aluminum is an extremely active metal, and when it interacts with copper and brass it forms a galvanic couple that can cause electrochemical corrosion and the appearance of surface currents. Therefore, it is better to use plastic pipes for radiator supply to aluminum radiators, and to ground the radiators themselves.
In addition, when exposed to fresh, oxygenated water, aluminum reacts with hydrogen gas as the product. Bubbles of gas, getting into the system, cause unpleasant sounds. Because of this feature, when installing aluminum radiators, it is necessary to provide a gas removal system and to install the Maevsky crane.
Based on these features, we can conclude: aluminum radiators, despite the low price and excellent heat dissipation, in urban apartments with centralized heating is better not to put. If it is impossible to control the quality of the coolant, you can not be sure of a long service life.
Bimetal radiators
As the name implies, these radiators consist of two metals - steel and aluminum, while the advantages of both these metals are used. The internal circuit, conductive coolant, in bimetal radiators is made of steel, which allows to use them in systems with any pressure and with different types of pipes and fittings. External plates that transmit heat to the room space are made of aluminum and, thanks to its high thermal conductivity, perfectly heat the room.
Bimetal radiators in the apartment
Advantages of bimetal radiators:
- High working pressure - up to 35 atm.;
- Resistance to corrosion at any quality of coolant;
- Small inertia - the radiators quickly heat up, just cool down quickly, and with the help of the regulation of the flow of the heat carrier, you can quickly reduce or raise the temperature in the room;
- Attractive appearance;
- Light weight, easy to install;
- A sectionalized design that allows you to select the desired number of ribs.
The drawbacks can be attributed, perhaps, to the higher price of bimetal radiators. Which is soon compensated by their reliability and long service life. It should also be noted that when installing bimetal radiators, you must always observe the distance to the wall, floor and window sill - it should be at least 4 cm.
In summary, you can say: for installation in an apartment with central heating it is better to choose cast iron or bimetallic radiators, andfor low-rise buildings - also steel. Aluminum radiators are best used in closed systems connected to a heating boiler, that is, where it is possible to verify the quality of the coolant.
