Installation and operation of a gas roof boiler room in an apartment building

Maintaining comfort and lowering energy expenses in our homes requires adequate insulation and heating. Heat is produced and dispersed throughout the building in the boiler room, which is one of the essential parts of an effective heating system. Conventional boiler room setups in apartment buildings are often complicated by issues of space and safety. However, a workable fix for these problems is the installation and use of a gas roof boiler room.

A neat and small heating system that is mounted on an apartment building’s rooftop is called a gas roof boiler room. It retains effective heating for every unit while conserving valuable building space by making use of vertical space. This arrangement does away with the requirement for a separate boiler room indoors, which can be especially useful for structures with a small ground floor or basement.

Adhering to safety regulations and implementing meticulous planning are essential during the installation of a gas roof boiler room. Expert technicians evaluate the building’s structural soundness and choose the best location for the boiler units and related equipment. In order to guarantee that the gas-powered boilers operate safely, adequate ventilation and exhaust systems are also installed.

To guarantee optimum performance and safety, a gas roof boiler room needs to be maintained and observed on a regular basis after installation. Routine inspections are carried out by qualified experts to look for problems like leaks or malfunctions. Building managers and owners also need to follow the maintenance plans that are suggested by the manufacturers in order to extend the equipment’s life and reduce the likelihood of malfunctions.

To sum up, installing and running a gas roof boiler room is a practical and room-saving way to heat apartment buildings. This system offers dependable heating while optimizing the amount of usable space inside the building by making use of vertical space and doing away with the requirement for a separate indoor boiler room. A gas roof boiler room can help residents live more comfortably and energy-efficiently while maintaining safety and regulatory compliance with proper installation, upkeep, and monitoring.

In setting up a gas roof boiler room for an apartment building, careful installation and maintenance are crucial for optimal performance and safety. The efficient operation of such a system not only ensures comfortable living conditions for residents but also contributes to energy savings and environmental sustainability. Proper insulation and ventilation play key roles in maximizing heat retention and minimizing energy loss. Regular inspections and prompt repairs help prevent breakdowns and ensure the longevity of the boiler equipment. Additionally, clear communication and cooperation among building occupants, maintenance personnel, and gas service providers are essential for safe and effective operation. By prioritizing safety, efficiency, and communication, a gas roof boiler room can provide reliable heating for apartment buildings while minimizing environmental impact and operating costs.

Types and construction of roof boiler rooms

• There are no costs for construction of a separate technical building.
• There is no need to build a high chimney.
• Hydraulic load on boiler units is reduced.
• Safety of operation of heating equipment is increased.

A rooftop boiler house installation’s viability is determined by considering the current limitations outlined in SNiP and PPB.

Block-modular roof-mounted boiler houses

The purpose of gas modular rooftop boilers for apartment buildings is to lower the mechanical load on the building’s roof and the overall weight of the completed structure.

The installation is expected to involve the following measures:

• A platform resting on the bearing walls and other building structures is installed. Before installation, an expert examination is carried out to determine the load-bearing capacity and determine measures to strengthen the structurally significant elements of the building.
• The covering under the boiler room is made of non-combustible materials. As a rule, a concrete pad with a thickness of 20 cm is poured for this purpose.
• Separate measures are provided to ensure safety (making a railing around the perimeter of the roof) and increase the sound insulation of modules.

Block-modular heating equipment installation is a one-time project that works well for buildings where using this kind of heating was not the original plan.

The modular boiler house is a ready-to-use heating station that comes fully furnished. The module contains all of the equipment. In addition, BMK has rooms furnished for staff members.

Built-in roof boiler houses

Installing built-in roof boilers on residential building roofs is only feasible in situations where the installation of a heating plant has been planned for during the project documentation preparation stage. This solution considers fire safety, the bearing load on the building’s walls, and other operational details.

A built-in boiler room project is far simpler to produce and manage. When anti-vibration, noise-absorbing, and soundproofing measures are installed concurrently with wall construction and finishing work, their efficacy is greatly enhanced. Indeed, built-in boiler rooms are uncommon; they are mostly found in newly constructed homes, the majority of which were begun within the last five years.

Boilers for roof boilers

As per SP 89.13330, boiler equipment that is permitted to be installed on the roof is highly automated, meaning it can adequately supply heating for the building without requiring constant staff and technician presence.

Despite all of their benefits, domestic thermal units lack autonomy. As a result, the following products from German, Italian, and other European manufacturers are primarily chosen:

• Futera.
• Rendamax.
• Wessex.
• Viessmann.
• Buderus.
• Protherm.
• Ferroli.
• Vaillant.
• Lochinvar.

When selecting an appropriate boiler, consider factors such as thermal capacity, cost, compatibility with unique operating characteristics of the home, and the existence of a Rostekhnadzor registration and license.

Design standards for gas-fired rooftop boilers

"Boiler installations" (SP 89.13330). However, the introduction of new technologies and changes to the heating system resulted in the creation of an addendum (P 1-03 "Design of autonomous and rooftop boiler rooms") that contains a detailed description of every requirement.

The following guidelines are included in the fundamental specifications and design guidelines that still apply to roof boiler rooms:

• It is not allowed to install the technical room directly on the ceiling of the living rooms.
• Boiler rooms must not be adjacent to the walls of residential premises.
• Operation of a fully self-contained plant is allowed.
• It is obligatory to have an alarm system and a system that signals for disconnection in case of emergency situations.

Chimney pipe minimum height above the roof: at least 0.5 meters above the building’s highest point and any structures that are affixed to it. Considerations include the kind of heat generator and its capacity. The pipe’s elevation may change based on surrounding structures and other technical factors.

Four key design requirements—location, gas supply, electricity provision, and PPB compliance—are impacted by the specified SNiP.

Requirements to roofs for boiler rooms

The following types of buildings are not permitted to use this type of heating, according to normative documents used in the design of the roof block boiler heating unit:

• Public buildings – it is forbidden to locate a built-in boiler room above premises with the intensity of simultaneous stay of more than 50 people. Hospitals, polyclinics, sanatoriums, schools, crèches, etc. fall under the ban.п.
• Apartment buildings – regulations governing the operation of a boiler room in an apartment building indicate a direct prohibition of installation of a plant exceeding a total heat output of 3 mW.
  The capacity restrictions also apply to built-in heating plants. The general rule is that it is forbidden to exceed the heat output by more than 15% of the total heat demand of the building.

The ensuing categories of limitations are specified individually:

• Height limitation – in the old SNiP II-35-76 (it is still referred to by designers), there is a limit on the height of the building on which the installation of a roof boiler room is permitted. The maximum height is 26.5 m, which equates to a 9-storey house. The height restrictions are not specified at all in the currently valid SPs.
• Size restrictions – the boiler room must not exceed the size of the building itself. It is not allowed to increase the width of the walls and other activities associated with the conversion of the roof and increase the weight load on the load-bearing walls.
• Restrictions on location – roof gas boilers for apartment buildings are installed only after expert examination and measures to strengthen the load-bearing structures. It is not allowed to install them on floor slabs or to place them next to the walls of residential premises.

Any deviations from the technical requirements for the installation and operation of natural gas rooftop boilers result in the station’s inability to be commissioned and being declared inoperable until the infractions are fixed.

Gas supply to the boiler room located on the roof

Moreover, SNiP 2 is attached to the design guidelines described in SP 89.13330.The "Safety Rules in Gas Industry" (repealed) document 04.08-87 includes a number of provisions pertaining to the gas supply to the heating plant.

• Pressure in the main line must not exceed 5 kPa.
• Gas piping is carried out along the outer wall of the building. It is not allowed to cut into the pipe to connect other sources of gas consumption.
• Laying of the gas pipeline on the roof and walls must be open. It is not allowed to cover the main pipeline with grids, removable and non-removable structures.
• To regulate the flow and cut off the gas supply, shut-off and regulating valves are installed at the mains entry into the house and at the connection of each heat generator. In the place of installation of the valve, it is obligatory to have artificial lighting.
• Blow-off pipelines with a diameter of at least 20 mm are provided.

Separately, the thermal scheme is developed, considering the gas supply:

• Heating – a dependent scheme with a mixing unit for heat supply is used. For each facade or zone of the building, a separate heat arrow shall be installed. In the roof boiler room, the temperature of the heat carrier should be no more than 115 ° C.
• DHW – for hot water supply, it is allowed to install a separate heat generator. Hot water supply is carried out according to the closed scheme, by means of heat exchangers.

The building’s gas pipeline must not cross where the boiler room’s heating and DHW pipelines are laid. The location of each pipeline is decided upon during the design documentation development stage in accordance with the guidelines outlined in the SP and PPB.

Electricity supply to the roof top boiler room

The current regulations for electrical installations (PUE) are followed in the development of the electrical design. Rooftop boiler rooms are classified as belonging to the second class in terms of the necessary power supply reliability.

The following actions must be taken:

• Lightning protection – the project is developed with the norms described in RD 34.21.122-87 . At the same time, earthing of both the gas pipelines and the heating equipment connected to it is provided.
• Lighting is performed by means of sealed luminaires with a metal protective grid.
• Provision is made for the necessity of backup power supply of the roof boiler room. In the event of a power failure, power shall be provided to energize the standby circulation pump and to ensure the operability of the automation, alarm and warning system.
• To disconnect the boiler room from the power supply, a switchboard is installed outside the heat plant premises.

Fire extinguishing of the rooftop boiler room

The boiler room’s fire suppression systems are inevitably taken into consideration in the technical specifications for the device and its operation. In line with SP 89.13330:

"A building exceeding 12 meters in height that lacks an internal firefighting water supply system for fire extinguishing and has a roof boiler room is required to have a "dry pipe" that terminates on the roof and has fire hose heads measuring 70 mm in diameter."

Two 50 mm diameter taps are installed in the boiler room in case an internal fire extinguishing system is anticipated.

In order to accommodate a roof gas boiler room in an apartment building, there are a number of specific fire safety requirements that must be met. These recommendations include the following ones:

• In the internal gas piping of roof-top boiler rooms, gas pressure of no more than 5 kPa is allowed.
• Placement of the boiler room directly above the residential premises is prohibited. Installation is carried out on load-bearing structural units, provided that the weight load corresponds to the technical parameters of the building.
• The maximum height of a boiler room according to Russian norms is not more than 26.5 meters. Recently, the requirement has been successfully challenged in various instances, but, according to the current SNiP, this norm still exists.
• The explosion and fire hazard category for a gas-fired heating plant is equated to class G, with all the additional requirements that this implies. Ceiling height of the boiler room is not less than 2.65 meters. Door opening width of at least 0.8 meters. The door is calculated on the basis of the need to leave the room freely in case of emergency.
  Location requirements limit the installation of a boiler room on a public building. Fire partitions and gaps must be built and a separate emergency exit must be available.
• The boiler room is equipped with a fire alarm system and emergency fire extinguishing equipment.

Since the goal of all requirements norms is to reduce the likelihood of potential emergencies, local supervisory authorities may occasionally suggest taking extra safety precautions. It is essential to get clarification on the terms listed in SNiP, PPB, and SP from the regulatory bodies before beginning to produce project documentation.

Commissioning of the roof top boiler plant

The boiler plant’s commissioning and startup are outlined in the technical operation rules, which also split all tasks into two phases:

• Production of project documentation and approvals.
• Carrying out technical work on the installation and arrangement of the heating plant.

When setting up the boiler house and doing the necessary preparations, the following actions are taken:

• Measures aimed at damping and noise insulation – it is not allowed that noise pollution exceeds 60 dBA inside the boiler room and 35 dBA, in nearby residential premises. The result is achieved in two ways:

• Selection of heating and other equipment equipped with soundproof enclosures.
• construction of noise-absorbing and vibration-reducing barriers.

The onus of producing project documentation and approvals rests solely on the building contractor or the housing cooperative representative who has been given permission to sign the required paperwork.

In an apartment building, installing and maintaining a gas roof boiler room is a big choice that needs to be carefully thought out. Building owners can reap various advantages by choosing a gas roof boiler room, such as effective heating and hot water supply. To optimize safety and performance, however, it is imperative to guarantee correct installation and maintenance.

The space-efficient design of a gas roof boiler room is one of its main benefits. A rooftop installation frees up space for storage or recreational uses, in contrast to conventional boiler rooms that take up valuable floor space. For apartment buildings with limited space, this compact design can be especially useful.

Furthermore, when considering energy efficiency, gas roof boiler rooms are more favorable than older heating systems. Modern boilers are made to reduce heat loss and maximize fuel usage, which saves homeowners’ energy costs. Building owners can support environmental sustainability and cost savings by installing a gas roof boiler room.

However, when setting up and running a gas roof boiler room, safety must come first. To guarantee adherence to manufacturer instructions and safety regulations, the installation procedure should be handled by qualified specialists. To identify and resolve any possible problems as soon as they arise, routine inspections and maintenance are also required.

In conclusion, there are a number of advantages to installing and maintaining a gas roof boiler room in an apartment building, including reduced space requirements, increased energy efficiency, and lower operating costs. To guarantee optimal performance and avoid potential hazards, it is imperative to give priority to safety and proper maintenance. Building owners can reap the benefits of a gas roof boiler room for many years to come by making educated decisions and investing in expert installation and maintenance services.

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