Boiler room arrangement in a private house

Selecting the appropriate furniture and décor is not the only step in creating a cozy living space in your own home. It’s about making sure your house remains comfortable and warm, particularly in the winter. The effective layout of your boiler room is a critical component in reaching this goal.

The boiler room, which generates and distributes heat throughout the house, is the central component of your home’s heating system. For maximum performance and energy efficiency, the boiler room needs to be carefully planned and designed, whether you’re building a new house or remodeling an old one.

There are a few things to think about when setting up a boiler room. The selection of the boiler comes first. There are several types of modern boilers available, such as system, combi, and conventional boilers. Every variety offers benefits and fits various demands and tastes in a home.

The next step is to decide where in your home the boiler will work best after you’ve chosen the right type. To reduce heat loss from lengthy pipe runs, the boiler room should ideally be situated in the middle of the building. It should also have enough room for upkeep and repairs, as well as adequate ventilation.

Another important consideration when setting up a boiler room is proper insulation. Insulating the boiler room’s walls, floor, and ceiling helps keep heat in and reduces energy waste. Furthermore, insulating the boiler-connected pipes stops heat loss during distribution, guaranteeing that the heated water effectively reaches every area of your house.

What can be placed in the furnace room

The equipment that is intended to be installed in a country cottage must be listed before a boiler room is set up. This comprises, among other things, components that guarantee the heating system, hot and cold water supply (HTW, HTW), and different electrical installations. This is an exhaustive list:

• heat sources – boilers on different types of fuel, internal units of geothermal heat pump;
• units for hot water preparation – electric or indirect boiler, gas heater, flow water heater;
• buffer tank of the required volume;
• hydraulic splitter (hydrostrel) with manifold;
• comb with mixing unit for water heating floors;
• HWW and water treatment equipment – filters, hydro accumulator, pump, automatics (pressure switch);
• piping elements – pipes, circulation pumps, expansion tanks, shut-off and control valves;
• house electric panel.

Note: The furnace room is not the only place where the storage water heater can be placed. A gas heater should be installed in the kitchen, and an electric boiler in the bathroom. Nonetheless, it is preferable to gather all the devices in one technical room if the boiler room’s dimensions permit.

It is also possible to install the electric switchboard inside the heat-generating room, behind a different partition. Free space that remains can be utilised for large domestic appliances like freezers and washing machines.

Choose the required equipment from the above list, keeping in mind the project or the current water and heating supply plan. After creating a scaled drawing of the room, we move on to the design, where we arrange all of the heat and water supply components. However, you must study first.

Regulatory requirements for the boiler room

The following are the most exact specifications of the norms for heat-generating units that run on natural and liquefied gas (LPG). The PUE (Electrical Installation Regulations) govern the installation of electric boilers. Heat generators with a capacity less than 360 kW are exempt from the action of SNiP II-35-76 "Boiler Plants," and there is no clear description of how units are installed on solid fuel.

These documents govern the design of gas boiler rooms:

• SP 62.13330.2011 "Gas Distribution Systems";
• SP 42-101-2003 "General provisions for design";
• SP 402.1325800.2018 "Residential Buildings. Design Rules for Gas Consumption Systems";
• SP 60.13330.2012 "Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning".

Suggestion made. The standards outlined in the aforementioned documents are not consistent with one another. As a result, disparities exist that make facility commissioning more difficult. Visit the local office of the gas supplier organization to ascertain the regulations that need to be adhered to before constructing a furnace room.

When building a boiler room, it is best to adhere to the gas heat generator installation instructions. Reasons

1. The probability of explosion or fire solid fuel boiler is no less than a heater on natural gas or liquid fuel. Accordingly, it is always necessary to observe the rules of fire safety.
2. In the diesel heat generator room there is a sharp smell of diesel, boilers on solid fuel often emit smoke inside the room. So, you need ventilation.
3. All heating units burning various types of fuel need a chimney.
4. Electric boilers work under voltage 220/380 volts, current in the circuit – at least 5 amperes. The heating is switched on/off with the click of a contactor. So the heater needs a separate room with limited access.

Dimensions and other parameters of the room

A private home’s living rooms cannot have the furnace room set up in them. Local air heaters, such as wood stoves, fireplaces, and gas and electric convectors, are an exception. Where to find boiler equipment:

• in non-residential premises – corridor, kitchen, basement, ground floor, provided that the requirements for room size and ventilation are met;
• in the inner room on any floor of the house, specially designed for installation of boilers and water heaters;
• in an annexe or detached building, such as a summer kitchen or garage;
• outdoors under an awning (unless the operating instructions of the particular appliance forbid it).

Vital elucidation. Operating on liquefied gas (LPG), an autonomous boiler room is not permitted to be set up in a cellar or basement. Because the propane-butane mixture is heavier than air, natural exhaust will not remove the gas in the event of a leak; instead, the gas will float above the floor.

Installing gas heaters in restrooms and sanitary rooms is prohibited. Windows are required in the heat generator room. The glazing area is calculated using the following formula: 0.03 m² of translucent construction for every cubic meter of room volume. The boiler room windows’ functional purpose is:

1. Organization of natural lighting during the day.
2. Diverting the shock wave to the street in case of an explosion.

Glazing is a structure that can be readily reset. The glass erupts first and reduces the shock wave load on the walls in the event of a gas or overheated TT boiler explosion. This is particularly valid for light-frame structures. The furnace room door needs to swing outward for the same reason.

Boiler room dimensions and volume requirements for up to 60 kW of heat output:

• minimum ceiling height – 2 m;
• The cubic capacity is at least 8 m³;
• If 2 heat generators are installed, the specified dimensions are increased to 2.5 m and 13.5 m³ respectively.

Note: The standards from the document SP 62.13330.2011 have been cited. The Code of Regulations 402.1325800.2018 or later stipulates that the furnace room must have a minimum volume of 15 m³ and a height of 2.5 m. That’s why there are inconsistencies and awkward details when gas services commission boiler rooms.

Ventilation of the heat generator room

There must be a natural exhaust system and a fresh air supply in all interior, linked, and detached rooms. Particular specifications:

• in the boiler room with gas heat generators the amount of supply and exhaust air is equal to 3 volumes of room during 1 hour (threefold air exchange) plus the supply of air for combustion;
• for turbine boilers equipped with a closed chamber, an external air mixture intake for combustion is provided;
• for units on solid and liquid fuels a single air exchange + additional combustion air supply is made (the amount is specified in the heater passport);
• exhaust is organized through a vertical channel with a cross-section of 140 x 140 mm (or Ø150 mm), the grate is located in the upper zone of the boiler room;
• The supply air is supplied through the entrance door in 2 ways: a ventilation grille is cut into the leaf from below or a gap is left between the floor and the sash (cross-sectional area – 0.02 м²).

In addition. Two exhaust grilles, one under the ceiling and one above the floor, must be installed in the room if one of the boilers uses liquefied propane-butane mixture. LPG is significantly heavier than air, for the reason we mentioned earlier.

For residential boiler rooms, natural ventilation is usually the best option. The working principle is as follows: air is drawn from the upper zone of the furnace room through a natural draught in the vertical exhaust duct. By drawing in fresh air through the air inlet grille or the opening beneath the door, a rarefaction is produced.

Rules of chimney construction

Most boiler rooms use the exhaust pipe for combustion products. The chimney needs to be built correctly, with the right location selected and all requirements met. Chimney laying guidelines:

• diameter (cross-section) – not smaller than the outlet of combustion products from the boiler;
• the maximum allowed number of 90° turns of the pipe is three;
• The vertical chimney shaft is laid directly through the ceiling or along an external wall, the maximum length of the horizontal connection section is 3 meters;
• 2 30° elbows may be used to bypass the roof overhang with the wall chimney;
• the upper cut of the gas duct must not fall into the wind back-up zone, the height of the pipe is determined according to the drawing;
• Chimney heads connected to gas heaters must not be covered with umbrellas and various hoods;
• When designing the boiler room of a house under construction, a separate chimney is provided for each hot-water appliance;
• In the furnace room of the existing house it is allowed to connect 2 boilers to the outlet duct.

To be clear. As shown in the picture, two heat sources are connected to a single vertical chimney at varying heights, leaving a 75 cm space between them.

In homes made of wood or other combustible materials, the pipe is installed 50 centimeters away from the wall. The required distance is lowered to 250 mm if the structure is finished with non-combustible materials (such as mineralite, asbestos, or sheet metal).

The boiler room’s pipe passage unit through the wooden wall is set up using the same idea. A 50 cm gap must be left between the wood and the chimney wall when cutting the opening. By using a sandwich-type insulated pipe, the interval can be lowered to 38 cm.

6 requirements for equipment placement

The boiler room’s integration of heating and hot water appliances follows a fairly democratic set of norms.

1. Boilers, boilers, columns, buffer tanks are located according to the manufacturer"s instructions, taking into account the convenience of operation and repair. That is, it is necessary to ensure free access to the equipment.
2. The installation height of wall-mounted heat generators is determined from the same considerations and lies within 1.5…1.8 м.
3. The width of the free space in front of the front panel of the heater is 1 m, the distance from the side wall of the casing to the building structure is at least 3 cm.
4. If the heater is placed close to the wooden wall of the boiler room or suspended on it, the surface must be protected with non-combustible material. The sheet of metal or asbestos should protrude beyond the dimensions of the housing by 10 cm, from the top – by 700 mm.
5. The wooden floors of the furnace room are protected in the same way when installing floor standing boilers.
6. The minimum technological distance from one heat generator to another is accepted according to the installation instructions for a particular unit, but not less than 100 mm.

Pumps, expansion vessels, and fittings in the boiler room may be placed anywhere; there are no hard and fast rules regarding this. The components on the list are typically mounted to the walls in tandem with pipes.

Overview. Now for sale are block (modular) mini-boiler rooms that have been put together in compliance with all regulations. Either you purchase a pre-made item or you place an order for your own equipment; the manufacturer creates a furnace room specifically for each project. The module is situated close to the house in the yard.

Unit layout options

After reviewing all of the regulatory documentation requirements, we can move on to the furnace room design and equipment layout. If you are going to outfit a private home’s boiler room yourself, you must first make a list of all the heat-power units and measure them. After that, you can try out the various layout options by drawing a floor plan and arranging the appliances in various configurations on paper.

Let’s get right to the suggestions for setting up the equipment in the boiler room:

1. If there is an opportunity to change the dimensions of the room, try to get away from the square shape in the plan. Since water heaters and other elements are located along the walls, the middle of the square room will remain free, that is, unused.
2. A good solution is a rectangular room with a window and a door on opposite short walls. Another option: the entrance and window are made in adjacent partitions, and the remaining 2 walls and 2 corners will be occupied by equipment.
3. If space is limited, choose small-sized or suspended units. Examples: a horizontally mounted wall-mounted boiler or a floor standing slim tank that extends upwards.
4. How to make good use of the space near the window: install a low floor standing appliance next to it, e.g. a gas-fired stationary heat generator. If the chimney is well positioned, the chimney will almost not cover the light aperture.
5. Try to hang the maximum number of units on the walls at a height of 1 cm.6…2 m, under which the underfloor heating manifold and the rest of the heating installation can be placed.
6. Push the bulky heat accumulator into a corner, but leave a gap of 5-10 cm for the piping of the piping system.
7. Any floor standing boiler can be placed sideways against a wall. Then on the other side there will be a passage for maintenance and cleaning of the chimney, as shown in the video below.

Note: An electric storage water heater can be relocated into an adjacent room in the event of a catastrophic shortage of space. Moving an indirect boiler is more challenging because it has a recirculation system and multiple pipes connecting the tank.

The most challenging boilers to install in the boiler room are the two floor-standing, oversized models, like the diesel + pellet boiler with hopper. Try to put them close to the lengthy wall without any windows so that the heating scheme can be assembled there as well. Leave a 0.6 м gap between boilers and other equipment. If you install them next to or against opposing walls, you will need to pull the mains through the space.

Permit the remaining space to be used for the hydroaccumulator-equipped water treatment system along the partitions. There will be space in the boiler room for a sink, a small bath for shoes, or a washing machine if you are able to use only wall-mounted heating units.

Technological scheme of the boiler room

It is now time to connect the device to the country house’s engineering networks, which include the heating, water, and electrical systems, after the heat generators have been arranged. Although it won’t be feasible to take into account every potential plan, the following are the primary choices for water heaters and boiler piping in the boiler room:

1. The simplest option is to connect one two-circuit wall-mounted boiler. Since the unit is initially equipped with its own pump, expansion tank and automation, it can be placed in the kitchen or in the corridor, and the communications are hidden in the walls. There is no need to separate or annex the room.
2. Scheme of the boiler room with solid fuel boiler provides protection from cold "return" and condensate precipitation inside the fuel box. The key role is played by a three-way valve, which does not let the coolant from radiators into the jacket until the circuit with bypass is heated up to 50-55 °C.
3. Connection with a heat accumulator increases the efficiency of the TT-boiler, which works in maximum mode, giving most of the energy to the buffer tank. The second three-way valve limits the water temperature at the radiator inlet, the balancing valve is used to adjust the layer-by-layer loading of the tank.
4. Typical scheme of connection of a wall heater with an indirect heating boiler. The temperature in the tank is monitored by a thermostat that signals the boiler controller. The electronics switches the three-way electric valve and alternately directs the coolant into the coil of the water heater or heating battery.
5. If necessary, the indirect boiler is included in the small circulation circuit of the TT boiler, as shown in the following picture.
6. Scheme with two boilers – electric and wood – is often used when there is no gas in the house. Wood heat generator is the main source of heat, electric boiler is an auxiliary one (automatically switched on after solid fuel burns out).
7. When it is necessary to combine several power units and consumers in a boiler room, a scheme of primary and secondary rings is practiced. In small and medium-sized residential buildings, this variant successfully replaces the more expensive hydrostrelka with a collector.

The relevant articles provide a more thorough explanation of each technological scheme, including how to tie heat generators and install electric boilers by hand.

Setting up a boiler room in a private residence is essential to guaranteeing effective insulation and heating. Homeowners can increase overall safety, reduce heat loss, and maximize energy efficiency by carefully planning and designing the boiler room layout.

The boiler room must be placed in the ideal area, first and foremost. To avoid any risks, it should ideally be placed away from inhabited areas in a well-ventilated area. In order to maintain appropriate air circulation and stop dangerous gases from building up, adequate ventilation is essential.

Two important considerations for boiler room design are accessibility and efficiency. The arrangement should make it simple to access the boiler and other crucial parts for upkeep and repairs. In addition, adequate insulation for the floors, walls, and pipes can minimize heat loss and lower energy usage.

Homeowners should also spend their money on high-quality heating systems and boilers that meet their unique requirements. Proper equipment selection can have a big impact on energy efficiency and long-term savings, regardless of whether the boiler is a modern condensing boiler, a traditional gas boiler, or a renewable energy system.

The boiler room should have fire extinguishers, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, adequate lighting, and other safety features in addition to the boiler itself. To guarantee that all safety precautions are operating as intended, routine maintenance and inspections are crucial.

In summary, the layout of a boiler room in a private home necessitates careful planning and consideration of a number of variables, including location, layout, equipment choice, and safety precautions. Homeowners can experience comfortable and economical heating all year long by devoting time and effort to creating an effective and well-equipped boiler room.

When installing a boiler room in your home, it’s important to prioritize cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and safety. Proper insulation and heating throughout your house are guaranteed by a well-designed boiler room, which also reduces energy waste and potential risks. Think about things like the right kind and size of boiler for your home, adequate ventilation to avoid carbon monoxide accumulation, and efficient insulation to hold onto heat. Smart technology integration can also improve monitoring and control, optimize energy use, and lower utility costs. Setting these components as your top priorities when designing your boiler room ensures that your home is safe, secure, and financially stable.

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