How to save thermal energy at home. On energy saving in an apartment building. It’s very easy to find out where heat is leaving the apartment

The onset of cold weather for most residents of city apartments is associated with an increase in the expenditure item of the household budget. We are forced to pay for heating our homes, regardless of whether we use the services central heating or we have an autonomous heating system in our apartment. There is no free fuel. You have to pay for any fuel that is a source of thermal energy. The total economy mode is activated, which naturally affects living conditions. In such a situation, apartment owners have a reasonable question. What's the best?

How to save on heating in winter, what measures to take to significantly reduce the pressure on your own wallet in heating season. These questions can be sorted out if you carefully study each of the types of home heating that exist today. You can understand the principle of saving by carefully analyzing the existing available types of fuel, as well as by studying technical specifications heating devices.

Independent heating in the apartment is the main condition for saving

Housing that is connected to the system is in most cases heated using the residual principle. What temperature is the coolant entering the house’s piping system from the heating plant, the same degree of heating will be in your apartment. In the centralized main, the temperature of the coolant is in the range of 45-95 0 C. Entering the system apartment building The coolant is distributed through the pipeline, reaching each apartment. Heating in an apartment directly depends on the type of wiring in the house and the configuration of the home heating system. In this case, it is impossible to independently regulate the heating temperature of the heating radiators in your apartment.

This is a significant disadvantage central heating, which works on the “give, take and pay” principle. What kind of savings can we talk about in this case? The only possible way out of the situation in this case is to increase thermal efficiency. Those. It is possible to make the apartment warmer, but on the contrary, it is impossible to reduce costs. Even if you cut off the centralized heat supply to the apartment, you will still have to pay bills for the heated area.

A way out of this situation must be sought in the possibility of obtaining permission to disconnect from centralized heating. Only autonomous will provide financial stability to your budget. Only with this type of apartment heating can you really create the necessary microclimate and optimal conditions for accommodation. The main condition for achieving savings is to increase the efficiency of the heating system.

Methods and options for increasing the efficiency of home heating

Having obtained permission to disconnect from the central heating, we can consider that half of the problem has been solved. Now questions about heating fall on the shoulders of the owner. The efficiency of heating an apartment and the efficiency of the system now depend on which type is preferred. Economically is, first of all, a generalizing, abstract concept. You can achieve efficiency in the operation of heating equipment using all currently known methods and means. For example, the intensity of autonomous heating depends on the following factors:

  • acceptable amount of heat loss in the apartment;
  • what type of autonomous heating is installed in the house;
  • is it worth it heating equipment thermostats, whether the automation is working properly;
  • what is the condition of the main communications of the heating system;
  • population density in the apartment, household needs.

By considering each individual option, you can find real ways to save. Thermal losses of a building are an issue that can be resolved once and for all by carrying out major insulation work.

On a note: Sealing of interpanel joints, insulation of external panels, insulation of window and doorways will increase the thermal efficiency of your home by 15-20%.

You can save on heating in your apartment if you choose the right type of autonomous heating. Gas boiler or electric, convectors or heated floors, household electric heaters - each heating option has its pros and cons. Here it is appropriate to remember how well your home heating system is equipped with automation and equipment for regulating the heating temperature. Today, almost all heating systems used in everyday life, individual heating devices equipped with thermostats, thanks to which you can set the optimal heating mode. From the condition of pipelines and electrical wiring The efficiency of the heating equipment in the house depends.

Important! The correct piping layout and method of connecting radiators depends on a well-designed autonomous heating project. Hydraulic and thermal calculations will determine optimal quantity radiators and installation method. When using electricity for heating, it is important to have electrical wiring of the appropriate capacity. The presence of a three-phase meter and emergency shutdown circuit breakers will make your home electrical network reliable and safe.

Evaluating the above, we can draw the following conclusion. Only a qualified and competent approach to increasing the efficiency of home heating will achieve tangible results.

Economical heating systems for a city apartment

It must be admitted that economical heating- this is not always the case abstract concept. Such systems actually exist today and everyone has the right to make their own choice as to what to give preference to. The main aspect in this case is minimum costs fuel consumed by heating devices and equipment to achieve the required temperature. For residents of city apartments, there is no alternative to gas and electric heating. For private houses and cottages there are much more options with a choice of views. The diagram shows a schematic diagram of gas heating in an apartment.

A city apartment is a space limited by building structures and communications. In addition, when organizing decentralized heating, the opinions of neighbors and other residents of an apartment building should be taken into account. Gas generators and pyrolysis boilers are not suitable for a city apartment, as is the option with air heating. Only possible options– gas, water, or electricity. Gas and electricity in our homes are the only available types of fuel and energy that can be used for their intended purpose.

Traditional for many of us, water heating is considered the most acceptable and practical. Gas, unlike electricity, is almost always available in the mains.

Important! Compared to electricity, the cost of energy consumption when heating with gas is much higher, despite the high efficiency of electric boilers. In this regard, gas significantly outperforms electricity. Moreover, the cost electric heating in accordance with current tariffs is neither more nor less than 4000 rubles/Gcal.

Even if you managed to install a super-economical electric boiler equipped with a control system, your electricity bills will unpleasantly surprise you at the end of the month. You will have to save on your own household needs. Electricity for a city apartment, especially considering the duration heating season in our country remains expensive pleasure for heating residential premises. Electric household heating devices can be used as an auxiliary measure. Electric boilers, convectors and household heat guns They are mainly used to maintain optimal temperature, or to create a high temperature in the apartment at a certain moment.

Be sure to check out: ?

Alternative heat sources for a city apartment

Looking for optimal system, one should change the established conservative point of view and pay attention to alternative options.

Instead of the usual gas pipes and wall convectors, you can use the power of radiant energy. Infrared heaters, which are increasingly being introduced into the heating equipment market today, are capable of creating the required temperature in an apartment in a short time. The operating principle of infrared heat sources is based on the reflective ability of each object in the room to reflect thermal energy, thereby emitting a certain amount of heat into the air space.

Modern infrared heaters Unlike heaters of other types, it is an order of magnitude more economical. Installing an appropriate number of infrared lamps under the ceiling in the apartment will do the trick. You'll get required heat, and the savings in electricity will be obvious.

Economical heating is a controversial issue. Much depends on how demanding the apartment owners are of themselves. A serious approach to saving heat inside the apartment, combined with efficient and economic systems give tangible results.

Measures to reduce resource loss in a residential buildingyah and provide comfortable conditions residence, and also lead toreducing housing maintenance costs are well known in Russiaand have already proven their effectiveness when used correctly.
In addition to house-level activities that bring basicresource saving effect and tangible benefits, property ownersbuildings in apartment buildings can also do a lot for the environmentnomies of resource consumption and their rational use onapartment level.

1. Activities at home level

Save on a building scale by reducing re consumptionresources, primarily heat, is quite possible and very profitable. Onyou need to start by ensuring the ability to measure heat consumptionhowling energy and monitoring consumption. This in itself is not yetis a savings, but allows you to quantify the usenew technologies and encourages the search for new saving measures. FromIt is known that in almost every home it is possible to reduce heat consumptionfor heating by at least 20%, spending very little money on itneg. More serious energy saving requirements requiremore extensive investments. A prerequisite for the implementation of measures forimprovement is the availability of information about the actual racedistribution of heat consumption throughout the house. Calculations require quite a lota lot of time and effort, but without them it will not be possible to correctly determinenecessary measures for the renovation of the building.
Accurate detailed information about possible savings in eacha specific building can give a high-quality energy audit, withset by a certified auditor. Good prerequisites foradditional savings are created by the use of modern equipmentwith more flexible adjustment options, especially ifold equipment needs serious repair or replacement.
The following resource activities are usually recommended:savings that can be carried out, including within the frameworkoverhaul. Since apartment buildings have timespersonal specifications, prescribe followerthe number or priority of modernization work is inappropriate,since first of all, as a rule, what is repaired is what is currently
The building is in urgent need of repair.
First you need to carry out resource consumption accounting, Anamely, install heat consumption meters and hot water, Aalso a cold water meter in the building. Thus, it will be possibleswitch to paying for actual resource consumption, which will allowsave approximately 50% Money. Installation of common buildingswater meters allows you not only to switch to mutual settlements with watersupplying organization based on actual consumption, but dosrealize cash savings due to the difference between the amountpayments according to consumption standards of premises owners and feesbased on the actual consumption of the entire apartment building. ExceptIn addition, the event allows you to create an additional motivetion of the management organization in reducing leaks in common areasuse. Also as part of consumption accounting activitiesa two-tariff electricity meter is being installed in
in common areas, which will save 40% of the payment
electricity consumption in common areas.When owners see the effectiveness of cost savingsnew meters at the general building level, they are more likelyThis will be used to install apartment metering devices.
An important saving point is thermal insulation of the building. Significant heat losses occur through old windows, uninsulatedlined walls, cracks in interpanel seams, non-closable underdrives, cold attics and basements of buildings, etc. To reduce byheat loss can be applied various solutions how expensiveworthwhile, so inexpensive, for strengthening and insulating structuresbuilding. In addition to saving energy and, accordingly, reducingthe cost of heating non-residential parts of buildings, they will also helpprovide greater comfort in apartments, delay naturaldestruction of structures and increase market value apartments in home.
Installation of double vestibules, installation of automatic closingschiki on the entrance doors in the entrances and basements, putting them in orderdoc door locks and sealing the cracks will reduce heat losslost in the entrances. Replacing old window frames with glassbags in common areas and optimization of ventilation
allows you to reduce the infiltration of heated air from the entranceand reduce the heat transfer of internal exhaust gasessupporting structures (transfer of thermal energy through walls fromair in residential premises to air in common areascalling). In conjunction with the installation of a common house heat meterthis will create an additional effect of saving money onlevel of the entire apartment building.
Insulation of the outside of the building envelope due tosealing seams and cracks leads to heat savings of 1-2 kW/cub.min year. External thermal insulation of walls and ceilings of a building can protectcarried out as part of a major overhaul. Thermal conductivity of flatthe roofs of most buildings are 3-4 times higher than standards, soroofs also need insulation, which can reduce heatloss of the building by 20%.
Energy Saving can be carried out throughinstallation of LED lamps in common areas,Such lamps turn on only after dark, which meansreduces energy consumption by 20-30%. Installation of motion sensorstions for automatic switching on and turning off the lights in placesgeneral use allows you to reduce electrical costsenergy, as well as increase the service life of incandescent lampscommon areas.
Modernization of the heating system leads to significantsignificant savings in heating and hot water supply costs up toma. Replacement of faulty shut-off valves and individual sectionspipelines eliminates leaks of cold and hot water, as well ascoolant in the heating system. Installation of thermal insulation on heatheating system pipelines allows you to reduce heat transfer fromheating system pipelines and reduce heat losses by 2-3 kW/cub.m per year.
Reconstruction of the heating unit- replacement of the heating system unitchanges to modern ones for automated feed controlcoolant in individual heating point give a chanceoptimize thermal energy consumption depending on externaltemperature. This measure reduces heat consumption inhouse by 30% and pays off within 2 - 5 years. Installing a circulation pump time relayregulates the heat output of the heating system according to the daily schedulefiku, i.e. at night the pump does not work, but quickly provides the necessarywater parameters in the morning. Thanks to this pump, depending oncurrent state of the system, you can achieve 10% savings from the totalheating load. When using the timer together withthermostat valves on heating elements indicatorwill improve by 20-30%.
Heating system modernization: balancing of risersheating systems, installation of thermostat valves (replacement of connectionsthread knots heating devices for adjustable) for liftingrecessed and downward distribution pipelines of the heating system(risers), allows you to balance the heating system to equalizechanging the coolant parameters between the lifting and loweringheating system pipelines. Savings are 4-18kW/m3 per year. Installation of thermostatic valves and distributorsnot only allows you to optimize and reduce thermal energy consumptiongies in residential premises, but also to balance the air temperature inresidential premises located on different floors. This will formthe motivation of residential premises owners to reduce individualsignificant expenses of money due to the use of thermostatic ski valves.
Balancing the heating system. Pipeheating system wires and heating elements in the house, likeare generally in satisfactory condition.The problem is that the heating systemsthey do not have the ability to regulate heatheat consumption and distribution, absentbalancing valves on risers and howusually there are no reregulating valves on heating elements. Therefore, in manyIn many houses it is impossible to provide a controlled flow of coolantla, and significant differences in room temperature are inevitable.This means that it is necessary to balance the risers and replace them withconnections of the heating device to adjustable ones. Balancingheating system is the most necessary measure to reduceunderstanding the difference between internal temperatures in different roomsbuilding arising as a result of unregulated distributionwater flow in pipes; it can reduce energy consumption in the home by up tothirty%. As is known, to increase the internal air temperatureevery 1 degree requires an increase in energy consumption of approximately5%. In the case of an unbalanced heating system, the intensityheating is regulated according to the temperature of the coolestpremises, as a result of which a significant part of the premises is transformeddrains and wastes excess energy. Values ​​of cost and ocuThe acceptability of balancing measures depends on which valveswe have already been installed on the elements of the heating system and from time to timenits internal temperatures before balancing. Adjustable distributiondivision of the coolant flow along all risers can be ensuredusing linear valves with metering capabilities, whichafter tidying up or replacing other locking deviceswill provide the conditions necessary for the implementation of regulation andsavings. To do this, install and adjust the balanceThe main valves on the return risers are usually replaced andsupply flow pore valves. Thermal savings are achievedenergy up to 6%. At the same time, it is advisable to replaceconnections of heat outputs from heating devices to adjustable ones.
Reconstruction of the heating system, including perestroikaconversion of the old single-pipe system into a double-pipe system, as well as installationcontrol valves with the possibility of preliminaryconstruction on risers and heating elements, provides the requireddistribution of carrier flow throughout the system. Achieved savingsfluctuates between 10 - 30 kW/m3 per year.
Reconstruction of an individual heating point with refrigeration using a closed heat supply scheme for the building. Majorityapartment buildings are connected to a centralized systemheat supply, the heat sources of which are thermal power plants orlarge boiler houses that provide warm cookingcarrier, its transportation along a common backbone network and distributiondivision by consumers - heating systems, hot water supplybuilding buildings. From the heating mains, the coolant is supplied to thedistribution networks through heating points whereThey include mixing pumps and automation that ensurecontrol of coolant distribution, and individual buildings are alreadyare connected, as a rule, not to the main line, but to distributionnetworks. Directly in homes, to prepare the necessary parameterscoolant (temperature and pressure) for the operation of the systemheating and hot water preparation themes are installed indivisual heating points. In individual heating pointsheating systems of buildings are connected to heating networks from towith the power of mixing plants - elevators, mixingpumps, or through surface heat exchangers.
At the same time, a distinction is made between open and closed heating systems.building buildings. The difference lies in the method of preparing hotwater. IN closed systems heating water for hot watersupply is taken from the city water supply and heatedcarrier in surface heat exchangers to the requiredmy temperature. Heat exchangers are located in central orindividual heating points. Heat circulating in the systemwater supply is used only as a coolant: after givingits heat for heating the building and heating water, it returnsgoes to the heat source (CHP) for the next heating.
In open heat supply systems instead of heat exchange systemsmixing devices are installed in the apparatus. Heated in isIn the heat source, water is taken from the supply and return heatwires into the mixer, where it is brought to a temperature of 65 degreesand then supplied to hot water tapsfor consumer use. Required mixing ratioprovided by temperature controller The rest is hot
water is used for heating and ventilation.
To achieve greater efficiency of the heating systemTherefore, it is advisable not only to modernize the heating unit, but alsocarry out the reconstruction of an individual heating point with refurbishmenton the move from open system heat supply to closed. Installationplate heat exchangers in an individual heating pointallows for savings by adjusting parameterssupply of coolant to the local heating system (especially in thedrinking season due to the exclusion of overheating 2-3 kW/cub.m per year).Installation of automated heat supply control equipmentcarrier in an individual heating point allows optimizingincrease the consumption of thermal energy at different times of the day and reduceaccount for this heat consumption in apartment building.
In addition, the heat exchanger separates the building heating systemfrom the central heating distribution network, allows you to useturn on analysis of expensive heating for hot water supplyheating system, reduces the risk of heating corrosionsolid pipelines, regardless of the quality of the coolant.
Thus, the house achieves the greatest energy savingsresources (and funds to pay for them) and at the same time continues to be heatedfrom the system district heating saving allits advantages (compared to the transition to a local heating systemsupplies), which consist in the possibility of using morecheaper fuel, high reliability of its supply, lessenvironmental pollution.
Construction of a local heat supply system. Installationroof boiler house in an apartment building or construction duringbuilt boiler house for a group of buildings if there is a sourcegas supply and corresponding power reserves allowsswitch to decentralized heat supply. If available I havecurrent imbalance in prices for thermal energy and gas (expensive thermalenergy and/or cheap gas) this will save moneyat the level of the entire apartment building.Before deciding to choose one or another of the recommendedof planned activities, costs should be calculated, withsupply them with current costs and calculate the payback period.Those measures that have a payback period ofwhich does not exceed 3 - 5 years. In addition, you should pay attentionthat the effect of implementing some measures depends on
implementation of individual previous activities. ThereforeThe costs and payback period of such activities should be linkedto be carried out in conjunction with previous activities.
Evaluating the effectiveness of the implementation of the own activitiesroom names can be created independently (for example, whenavailability of relevant specialists among property ownerstions), however it is recommended to involve independentspecialized organizations.

2. Activities in the apartment

The homeowner is interested in reducing hisenergy costs and utilities. The task ispartnership - not only help reduce general expenseshouse level, but also to suggest to the owner in what waysYou can save money in your own apartment and help with this.
Thermal energy
Since heating costs are 40% or more oftotal expenditures of the population on housing and communal services, onthe conclusion is that saving thermal energy is a prioritytet before saving other types of energy resources. Although accounting forApartment metering of heat consumption is not yet available, however,heat conservation in apartments remains a priority for many householdsparents, since apartment insulation measures allowcompensate for losses through energy-inefficient fencingbuilding structure (prevent the already paid heat from escaping and preventfreeze) and avoid additional waste of electricity andgas to heat the air in the apartment to a comfortable temperature.
If we consider the heat balance of a home, it becomes clear thatMost of the thermal energy of the heating system goes toto cover heat loss. They are in a home with a central heatingcaptivity and water supply look like this:

Losses due to uninsulated windows and doors 40%
Loss through window glass 15%
Losses through walls 15%
Losses through ceilings and floors 7%
Losses in use hot water 23%

The simplest measure to save thermal energyis the repair or replacement of windows. About 40% of the heat goes outsideprecisely through them, so you need to prepare the windows in a timely manner forin winter, tidy up your window shutters before the cold weather sets in.Replace cracked or broken window glass, seal cracks inold frames or install double-glazed windows. In this case, one should take into accountIt turns out that the old ventilation system is based on natural traction Byfresh air flows in through the window slits. If the ventilation systemremains the same, and the window cracks are sealed hermetically, in athe dash will be uncomfortable. Therefore, new windows should have a warningthe possibility of influx was considered fresh air indoors - veinstilation gaps. When repairing old windows using...the tray should be left approximately 30 cm at the top of the window without sealing.
You can stick it on the wall behind the central heating radiatorsspecial heat-reflecting screens that will helpIt is important that the heat goes to heating the room, and not a section of the wall inclose proximity to the battery. Buying such screens, by the wayty, can be carried out centrally with the help of a partnershiphomeowners.
Entrance doors can be insulated and gaps betweendoor and jamb. During apartment renovation can be replaced by a hundredold unregulated batteries with new ones, with temperature regulators.
This will help maintain comfortable temperature indoorswithout constantly opening the windows.

You should think about how to reduce the cost of heating a house or apartment in the spring. Then we will have enough time to carry out work, thanks to which we can significantly save on heating. There are also methods that we can use during the heating season.

Below we will talk about simple ways to reduce energy consumption, and also look at modern technologies, which can be implemented in your home in the spring and summer to prepare for the next heating season.

Economical heating of a private house and apartment - the simplest ways

Winter is approaching by leaps and bounds, and when the first frosts appear, it is worth thinking about how to save on heating in the autumn-winter period. Those who live in an apartment building and have a heat meter can save a lot of money using the methods listed below.

Owners of private houses will also notice considerable savings in fuel and, accordingly, in the funds for its purchase. So, how to save on heating in an apartment and in a private house? For savings family budget During the heating season, you can follow the following recommendations.

When to start heating an apartment or house?

Turning on the heating too late can lead to economic losses, because if the house or apartment cools down too much, you will have to spend extra energy to warm up the frozen walls. Therefore, in the hope of saving money, you should not delay the start of the heating season too much.

Indoor air temperature control

By adjusting the temperature for each room separately, you can save a lot of energy. It should be warmer in the bathroom, cooler in the bedroom and kitchen. A modern solution that allows you to conveniently control the degree of heating of the air in the room is.


In winter, in rooms where we spend a lot of time, it is advisable to maintain the temperature at 19-21 ºC (at the same time, small children and elderly people may need to increase by 1-2 °C or more). This is enough to feel thermal comfort.

Of course, with the help of thermostats on radiators it is easy to adjust the operation of the heating system as desired, but we must remember that the higher the temperature, the higher the costs. In addition, too high an air temperature in the house not only causes increased costs, but also negatively affects the health of its residents.

When we leave, we should reduce the temperature on the thermostat on the radiators, but not very much if we return soon. The temperature in the apartment should not be lower than 16 ºC. Otherwise, after our return, the radiators will work intensively. Too much low temperature will also provide Negative influence on a building, for example, can lead to the development of fungi.

First of all, it is necessary to limit, or better yet eliminate, completely uncontrolled penetration of cold air into the premises.
Most often, such places are located in the windows, or rather at the junction of the transom and window frame. Sufficient for closed window Slowly move your palm along the frame, and you can feel where the street air penetrates.

These places should be sealed with a sealant, and the problem will disappear. Currently there are many modern materials allowing you to effectively insulate windows for the winter. It should also be remembered that we often forget about insulating mounting holes in the walls, for example, those that appeared as a result of introducing an antenna cable into the room. It is easy to cover such places with gypsum putty.

External roller shutters for windows are an expensive investment, but if funds allow, then it is justified. IN evening time they perfectly insulate windows from heat loss to the outside; in addition, they also serve as protection against the penetration of “uninvited guests” through the windows in the absence of the owners. This solution, especially in the city, is being used more and more often because it has another advantage: it absorbs noise well. Living on a busy street, closing the windows with roller shutters, you can not only save on the cost of heating, but also pamper yourself with silence, taking a break from the hustle and bustle.

Ventilating the apartment with the window open

Fresh air in an apartment is the basis of a healthy atmosphere, so even in winter you should not forget about ventilation. It is necessary to regularly ventilate the apartment, but remember to set the thermostat at this time to the lower level or turn it off completely. Letting in fresh air frequently, but for a short period of time, will allow for effective air exchange, but will not cool the room. In this case, after closing the window and opening the radiators, thanks to air circulation, the temperature in the room will quickly return to normal.

It is optimally recommended to ventilate the room 2-3 times a day (morning, afternoon and evening) for about 5 minutes, but if water vapor condenses on the windows from excess humidity, it is necessary to ventilate more often. Proper ventilation indoor heating is not only a way to save energy and reduce heating costs, but also avoids problems associated with waterlogging and increases the comfort of housing.

It is also necessary to ensure that direct sunlight passes through the windows unhindered. To do this, on sunny days you should not forget to open curtains, shades, roller shutters or blinds. Conversely, when the sun goes down or it’s cloudy outside, you should close the curtains, because glass becomes the coldest place and absorbs a lot of heat.


Open radiators

There is no need to cover radiators with furniture, curtains, or other objects or dry clothes on them - batteries covered in this way reduce their operating efficiency by 20%. This is due to the problem of heat removal from their surface. Warming up a room in which the heating radiators are obscured by something is more difficult and requires a higher coolant temperature, which in turn increases costs. It should be remembered that the furniture should be located at a distance of at least 10 cm from the radiator, which will ensure free transfer of heat into the room and will not lead to its loss.

Drying clothes on radiators, in addition to complicating the flow of heat into the room, can create excess moisture, which leads to the appearance of mold on the walls. The efficiency of radiators is also reduced by curtains if they cover them, as well as decorative elements, for example, radiator grilles. If the batteries are built-in, it is advisable to remove the panels for the heating season.


We direct the heat flow to the middle of the room

To ensure the most effective air circulation in any room, it is advisable to install a shelf or protruding window sill about 20 cm above the radiator, which will direct the warm air flow to the middle of the room, instead of sending it under the window. This effect occurs due to the lightness warm air. Rising upward and encountering a protruding window sill on its way, the air flow is directed to the middle of the room.

Air removal from radiators

If the radiator is set to maximum heat, but despite this, it is warm and not hot, you should remove the air from it. The process of releasing air is not complicated, but if you do not have enough skills, it is better to invite a more experienced person, otherwise there is a risk of flooding the apartment.

Heat-reflecting screens on the wall for heating radiators

You can save on heating a private house or apartment by installing screens on the walls behind the radiators, which consist of aluminum foil and a layer of foam insulation. This type of screen can most often be found in construction supermarkets. Its action is to reflect heat from the wall and direct it towards the room, which does not allow heat to escape outside. Such screens are especially useful in situations where the walls of the house are not insulated enough. They are easy to install, have a reasonable cost, and their use can help reduce heating costs by 4%.


Heating through heating risers

In apartments old building The heating risers were always open. For aesthetic reasons, they often try to hide them from view, for example, behind plasterboard walls. However, if we are looking to save on heating costs, we should think twice about whether this is really worth doing. Heating risers can produce a lot of heat even with radiators and the tap closed.

Floor type and heating savings

A cold floor in an apartment or most of it has a bad effect on heat savings. For example, if the floor in a room has beautiful, expensive, but cold tiles, the floor will be very cold and uncomfortable. The solution may be a warm carpet or a warmer floor covering such as parquet or laminate.


Costs for heating the common areas of the house

This advice is intended for people living in apartment buildings. Sometimes, even on staircase it gets quite warm. This indicates that the radiators in the staircase heat too intensely. It is worth slightly reducing their heating, and heating costs during the heating season can be significantly reduced.

  • Closing doors in rooms that are slightly cooler will reduce heating costs. It makes no sense to mix air between rooms with lower and higher temperatures.
  • Shared leisure time benefits not only the interests of the family, but will also reduce the cost of heating rooms that are empty in the evening, since the whole family has gathered in one room for dinner, playing games or watching TV. By staying together in the main rooms, such as the living room, we can temporarily reduce the heating intensity of the radiators in other rooms.
  • Reducing the power of radiators at night. Sleep better in cool air; the ideal temperature for sleep is about 18 degrees. Therefore, it is advisable to turn down the heater thermostats at night and return them to normal in the morning. But before that, you should buy a warm blanket. If there are blinds or curtains on the windows, it is better to close them before going to bed. This will create an additional barrier that will prevent heat from escaping to the outside of the room, while the loss of thermal energy will decrease by approximately 4-5%.
  • Saving when no one is home. It often happens in almost every family that no one is in the house for several hours. It is worth reducing the heating power during this time. The first family member to return home will turn on all the heaters that are needed, and thus everyone else will return to a warm home.
  • Support optimal level humidity in the apartment. It should be around 40% to 60%. The higher the air humidity level, the more heat will be used to warm it up; however, too dry air dries out the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, especially in children, so you should strive for optimal values.
  • Heating of housing with heat from neighboring apartments. It happens that an apartment is surrounded on each side, above and below, by neighboring well-heated apartments. In this case, sometimes the air temperature can reach 21 ºC even without heating. Neighbors who have a “warm floor” system “help” are especially effective.
  • Dressing warmer can save money! In winter, there is no need to walk around the house in a T-shirt and shorts. To feel comfortable in summer clothes, you need to heat the air in the apartment to 23-24 degrees. It is much more profitable to maintain the room temperature at 21-22 degrees by dressing a little warmer, for example, in tracksuits.

Thanks to the tips above, you can save quite a good amount of money during the heating season. You can use all the recommendations given to save as much money as possible. The proposed methods will give the expected effect if the windows are sealed and the ventilation works effectively.

Of course, in order for the home heating system to be perfect and very economical, in some cases it is impossible to do without repairing and replacing heating devices. Currently on the market building materials and heating systems, you can find many modern and innovative options.


A well-insulated house is the basis for rational energy consumption and, therefore, this is where you should start. With good thermal insulation, savings on home heating can reach 50%. It is worth insulating the external walls of the house, as well as the roof and floor. The scope of work depends on the condition of the building. If funds are limited, in order to feel the difference in the cost of heating, it is enough to at least insulate the walls; for example, you can relatively inexpensively insulate the house with polystyrene foam from the outside. However, it is worth remembering that in order to get the desired effect, you need to choose the right type and thickness of thermal insulation, and the work must be carried out in accordance with the technology. The most popular materials for insulation are mineral wool or polystyrene foam.


Modernization of the heating system and replacement of the boiler

A central heating system that has not been modernized over many years with an old boiler in a private house means large energy losses. Such a system is usually made of steel pipes, with cast iron or steel radiators. It is characterized by a large diameter of uninsulated pipelines, the need for heating large quantity water and boilers with low efficiency.

Old type boilers cannot respond quickly to changes in outside air temperature. Their efficiency drops significantly (by tens of percent) when operating at low loads, for example in spring and autumn, which leads to high heating costs.

This is not a problem for new type boilers with high efficiency work both at low and at maximum load, since they can quickly respond to changes in outside air temperature and smoothly regulate the amount of heat supplied, maximizing fuel economy. For example, this could be a condensing boiler.


Modern heating systems have low inertia. First of all it's good insulated pipes small diameter, as well as radiators with thermostats that make it easy to control the air temperature in each room separately. Modern boilers have significantly higher efficiency, which allows them to produce much more energy with the same amount of fuel than with old-type boilers.

Heating your home is the most economical way

It is also worth thinking about modern environmentally friendly heat sources, these could be, for example:

Installing this type of device is a relatively expensive investment, but is well worth it in the long term. The most profitable heating of a private home is always comprehensive solution.

Low heating bills with a heat pump

Heat pumps provide low heating costs and operate automatically. Free energy stored in the soil is used for heating. groundwater And atmospheric air. Using electrical energy, it is converted into heat to heat the house.

Modern heat pumps heat the water entering the building's heating system to a temperature of 65 °C (sometimes even up to 70 °C). The heat pump can work with radiators, while it is possible to leave the old batteries, which reduces investment costs and eliminates unwanted repairs.

Lower heating costs with solar collectors


Free energy is also used by additional source heat, can work in conjunction with a heating boiler or heat pump. These devices are an ideal complement to the main heat source.

Solar collectors that support heating and hot water supply save up to 60% of the cost of heating water throughout the year. At the same time, the service life of high-quality collectors is at least 20 years.

Mechanical ventilation and recovery

Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery consists of controlled ventilation. In this case, stale air is removed from the premises, but its heat is transferred through a heat exchanger to fresh air coming from the street. The heated and purified air is distributed through air ducts throughout the building. Ventilation with heat recovery provides fresh air to rooms within required quantity, but allows you to reduce energy losses, which significantly reduces the cost of heating the building. You can read more about how ventilation with heat recovery works in our article at this link.

Thus, upgrading a heating system is not only about replacing an old, worn-out heat source, but also about replacing a relatively new device with low efficiency with a more efficient one. This applies, in particular, to the replacement of traditional atmospheric boilers with condensing boilers. The difference in efficiency between such devices in practice reaches 20-30%, and the return on investment, as a rule, ranges from 3 to 6 years.

When choosing a heating method for a particular building, it is important to determine the cost of the investment and the amount of heating savings that we will receive thanks to the modernization. The amount of funds may vary depending on decisions made and the amount of work required. Heating a house in an economical way involves the use of modern boilers in combination with heat recovery, a heat pump and solar collector.

If you conduct a survey about which housing and communal services service is the most expensive, almost everyone will name heating.

  • This line of the receipt often contains the most significant amount. In a small apartment - up to two thousand, and in a large apartment it can easily exceed three thousand.
  • It is not always clear where these numbers come from. And why does anyone pay for heat in the summer?
  • When the heat is on in full force in the fall and spring, you have to pay for the heat and stuffiness. Or turn off the radiators and open the windows - and still pay.
  • Sometimes, on the contrary, they drown somehow unconvincingly. If in winter the batteries couldn’t cope and you had to buy heaters, the amount on the receipt is especially annoying.

If your heating is extremely bad (in the apartment it is less than 18 °C during the day or 15 °C at night), you can try to get a recalculation.

Let's figure out how the heating fee is calculated and whether it can be somehow reduced.

What is the amount on my receipt?

The heat energy that enters your home is measured in calories. A calorie is a tiny quantity; that’s exactly how much energy is needed to heat 1 gram of water by 1 degree. Since any home needs a lot of heat, we are usually talking about gigacalories (abbreviated as Gcal). One gigacalorie is the amount of heat that can heat one thousand tons of water by one degree.

Heat bills are billed in gigacalories per square meter premises. To make it clear what quantities we're talking about: one gigacalorie is enough to heat 40 to 60 m2 for a month. And it costs, depending on the tariff, 1500-2000 rubles.

How is the heating fee calculated?

It depends, firstly, on whether you have heat meters - communal and individual. If not, then you pay according to the so-called heating standards.

Secondly, heating fees can be charged (at the choice of the city or district administration):

  • only during the heating season - five to seven months a year, when they really heat;
  • or monthly in equal parts throughout the year.

Without counter

If there are no meters, the fee is calculated based on “heating standards per 1 m2” (they are simply multiplied by the tariff and the area of ​​the apartment). The standards depend on the region, the time the house was built and the number of floors. However, they have nothing to do with the temperature outside the window or the quality of heating. That is, frankly speaking, they have nothing to do with reality.

There are simply standards, and they are not beneficial to you. For example, they implicitly include heat loss in old mains - that is, you pay for the heat that went into the ground.

The Ivanovs live in an apartment with an area of ​​45 m², the “heating standard” in their house is 0.02 Gcal per m2 per month, and the tariff is 1950 rubles. per Gcal.

It turns out that they pay per month: 45 m2 × 0.02 Gcal/m2 × 1950 rubles/Gcal = 1755 rubles.

With house meter

If a common house meter is installed, residents pay only for the heat that actually reaches their home. The amount in the receipt depends on what proportion of the apartment’s area is from the total area of ​​the house.

A heat meter was installed in the house where the Ivanovs live. The apartment is the same (45 m2), the same tariff - 1950 rubles. per Gcal. The total area of ​​the house is 9000 m2. The meter shows that last month 170 Gcal of thermal energy was received.

The Ivanovs pay (45 m2 / 9000 m2) x 170 Gcal x 1950 rubles/Gcal = 1657.5 rubles.

With apartment meter

If all apartments have individual heating meters, each tenant pays only for the heat consumed. Plus your share for heating common areas (stairs, landings, etc.).

Let's return to the Ivanovs. Tariff - 1950 rub./Gcal, apartment - 45 m2, house - 9000 m2. In addition to the common one, all residents installed individual meters. It took 18 Gcal to heat the stairs and landings - the difference between the readings of the house meter and all apartment meter readings.

The Ivanovs have 0.7 Gcal on their meter. They pay “for themselves” (0.7 Gcal x 1950 rub./Gcal) = 1365 rub., plus “for stairs” (45 m2 / 9000 m2) x 18 Gcal x 1950 rub./Gcal = 175.5 rub. Total - 1450.5 rub.

Why do I pay for heating in the summer?

Heating charges can be charged either only during the heating season (as in the examples above) or all year round.

The same amounts are obtained per year, but the first one is simpler and, most importantly, it is transparent for the recipient of the receipt. The second method is quite complicated and often causes confusion among residents. In this case, all heating costs for the year are added up and divided by twelve.

The Petrovs have the same apartment as the Ivanovs, but the local administration chose the second method, payment during the calendar year. There are no meters.

Let the heating season last 7 months. Divide 7 by 12 to get approximately 0.58. Let's multiply by the number obtained in the first example: 0.58 × 1755 rub. = 1023.75. This is the amount you will have to pay for heating every month throughout the year.

If there is a house or apartment meter, and the fee is calculated in the second way, everything is not so simple. It is not the latest meter readings that are taken into account, but the average monthly heat consumption for the past year (total heat for the entire heating season divided by twelve). Or, if the meter has just been installed, the same “heating standards”.

The result, naturally, never coincides with reality, and at the beginning next year you have to correct it. Therefore, deductions or additional payments appear on receipts - so that the amount that appears on the meter is obtained.

Is it profitable to install meters?

Household meter

According to Law No. 261 “On Energy Saving”, all apartment buildings must have communal meters, except for dilapidated, unsafe ones and those subject to demolition. Previously, an exception was made for houses that spent less than 0.2 Gcal per hour on heating (that is, 144 Gcal per month), but now this clause is no longer valid.

So, if your house is not completely on its last legs, you need to install a common heat meter. There are two news, good and bad.

Good: it really helps to save on heating bills - from 5 to 30%. The total bill for heating the house in which the meter is installed always decreases. If only because you no longer need to pay for heat loss on the way from the boiler room.

The Ivanovs paid “according to the standards” 1,775 rubles. per month, and with a common house meter they pay 1657.5 rubles. Let us assume for simplicity that this figure is constant (although, of course, in practice, each month turns out differently).

It turns out that they save 97.5 rubles. per month - approximately 6%. It's a small thing, but nice.

The bad news: the residents pay for the meter, and this is not a cheap pleasure. It is difficult to even predict the amount that the device itself, installation, and possible replacement of the heating unit will cost - two hundred thousand? half a million? This is not the limit - some complain about “golden” meters costing one and a half to two million.

Costs will be shared among all residents. Not quite equally - in proportion to the size of their apartments. This amount will either be given as a separate line on the housing and communal services receipt, or added to the heating fee. If the house is large, it will quickly pay off. But if the house is small and there are few apartments...

There are 180 apartments in the Ivanovs’ house (even if they are all the same, to make it easier to count). Suppose the meter costs 300 thousand. Then each apartment costs 1,667 rubles.

The Ivanovs save 97.5 rubles monthly, which means they will cover the cost of the meter in 17 months.

The Sidorovs live in small house for 20 apartments. When they made an amendment to the law “On Energy Saving”, they had to install a meter. The management company settled on 150 thousand, but it’s still 7,500 per apartment.

Even if the Sidorovs save 200 rubles. per month - the meter will pay off only after three years. It’s good if by then it doesn’t need to be repaired - and these are new expenses.

Simply put, in big house the meter pays for itself quickly, and if it’s small, it punches a hole in the residents’ budget, promising benefits someday in a bright future.

Note! The meter is useless if the house loses heat - you pay for heating the street. So try to insulate the entrance, install an entrance door with a closer, and tidy up the windows. Ideally, it is good to sheathe the facade of the building with polystyrene foam; this will help save up to 30% of heat energy.

Individual counter

Go to registration by apartment counters it is possible only with the whole house, although the legislation on this matter is not entirely clear. If you want to install a meter, but your neighbors are not particularly interested, contact the management company or the board of the HOA. Couldn't reach an agreement? Organize a general meeting of homeowners and put this issue to a vote.

The house as a whole will continue to pay according to the common house meter. The difference between his readings and the sum of the apartment readings is heating of common areas, they pay for it together.

Some residents will benefit from installing individual meters and some will lose. Those whose apartments are well insulated will pay less. And some of the neighbors - with old radiators and cracked windows - more.

Tidy up the windows. Replace old batteries with new ones with adjustment valves. Place screens made of foil or metal behind the radiators - this way the heat will not escape into the walls. It is also useful to insulate the balcony - it will create air cushion between the street and the apartment.

An individual meter costs from 2 to 20 thousand rubles. - depending on the type, model, etc. It will pay for itself in a few years, but only if you really don’t waste heat energy.

The Ivanovs, as you remember, eventually acquired an individual counter. It seems that everything is in order with windows and radiators, because they save, as can be seen from the second and third examples, 1657.5 - 1550.5 = 107 rubles. per month.

Not bad, but, let’s say, a meter costs 5,000 rubles. will pay for itself in four years.

An apartment meter will make it possible, by turning off the batteries during a thaw or during a winter holiday, not to pay for heat that you did not use. Well, not counting your share for heating the platforms and stairs, but it’s just tiny.

Note! Unfortunately, according to the law, individual meters cannot be installed in old houses with vertical pipe distribution (many risers, each with one battery). There they would still not pay for themselves - they are not cheap, and they would have to be installed on every radiator.

New homes usually have horizontal wiring- one heating riser enters the apartment, and all the batteries are powered from it around the ring.

What else can you do?

Sometimes you pay more than you should simply because you are being scammed. For example, they record the same service twice under different names. Or Management Company pays the heat supplier according to the meter, and demands from residents according to the standards per square meter. The difference is in your pocket. If you manage to catch the crooks by the hand, demand a recount.

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Savings in the sauna

If the house is not new or was built without taking into account the climate in the region, then it is advisable to insulate it. For this purpose they are now releasing a lot good materials: both cheap and not very cheap. In any case, thermal insulation of the building, with the installation of normal windows and doors, will significantly reduce the loss internal heat. The main way to reduce heating costs is to optimize the heat supply system.

Thermostats

The simplest thing you can do is to put it on the heating radiators thermostats (thermostats). Their cost is low, and the return will be a reduction in fuel consumption by 15-20%. Accordingly, the “life” of the boiler will be extended. These are, so to speak, pleasant side effects, the main function of thermostats is to set the temperature required for each room. Now, due to the heat, there will be no need to open the windows, releasing expensive heat to the street. 101.74% At night, the temperature can be slightly reduced, and this is not even for the purpose of saving, it’s just that it’s healthier to sleep - doctors recommend. If there is a room (maybe more than one) in which no one lives, then why maintain + 20-24°C there, + 6-8°C is quite enough.

Balancing valves

Living in a house with more than one floor, you will notice that it is much warmer downstairs than upstairs. To properly heat the second and subsequent floors, turn on the boiler and/or circulation pump at full capacity. As a result, a normal temperature is established upstairs, slightly above 30°C on the ground floor, and fuel and electricity consumption increases significantly. To eliminate this situation, it is worth setting balancing valves. With their proper installation and adjustment, savings on heating can amount to 30-40%.

This is how just a few simple techniques can help you achieve cost reductions of up to 50-60%. And the amount saved in one heating season is quite capable of recouping the costs of optimizing the heat supply system.

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When the temperature outside the window is steadily approaching zero, we take out warm sweaters and gloves from the wardrobe. The time of cold weather has come and utilities (or you) turn on the heating, which, unfortunately, becomes more and more expensive every year. When the heating season begins, owners of houses and apartments sigh heavily because they begin to worry about the crazy run of heat meters. Heating costs have been rising steadily over the past 10 years. In this article you will find useful tips, how to effectively save on heating and sleep peacefully.

Eat some are quite simple, but very effective ways keep your heating bills from being too high. It depends on you whether the house will be warm and at the same time you will not faint when receiving the next receipts. So what should you do? Find out soon)

Our bills depend primarily on the building's heating needs. This factor depends on the age of the house, its condition, the size of the windows, the number of external walls, etc. All these parameters affect the speed at which and in what quantity heat goes outside without any benefit.

In Russia, most houses were built in 1961-1980. These buildings, even after insulation, are not as energy efficient as buildings built to the latest standards. Despite this, thermal modernization of the building is a key factor - it will help save up to 40% on heating costs.

The window has great importance for heat management. On average, we lose 15-25% of heat through them. The tightness of windows and their surfaces affect the amount of heat loss. Anyone who has or had old windows knows how drafty they are and what kind of heat leakage this entails.



Hence, thorough sealing of old windows or replacing them with modern ones- these are reasonable expenses that will soon pay off. There is another option to install external blinds, which will also limit the loss of thermal energy, as well as cover the windows from prying eyes after dark.

It is worth remembering that the degree of glazing of a room (that is, the ratio of window area to wall area) significantly affects the need for heat. In practice, this means that in a room with a large glazed entrance to the terrace, we need to design heating with a higher output than for the same room with one double-hung window.

Modern installations and efficient heating devices

The next elements that you should pay attention to during thermal modernization are heating and ventilation systems. Improving both of these systems will help us fight to save heat at home.

Modern boilers, environmentally friendly heat sources, efficient system ventilation with heat recovery is the key to success.


You should also remember about regularly inspecting and testing these systems to identify and correct problems. Get one like this good habit- and inspect everything annually before the heating season.

You need to take care not only of the boiler, but also of the radiators to ensure they are fully operational and well ventilated. Keep your entire installation running optimally and reap the savings.

Type of radiators and their location

Regardless of the heat source, heaters are the last link in the home heating system. They transfer heat directly to the rooms in our homes, and their location and use has a significant impact on monthly bills.

If the apartment is still working old type radiators, necessary invest in replacing them. Consider, for example, modern energy-saving panel radiators. Old type radiators have large capacity for water and this means that much more water is circulated in the installation that needs to be heated. Accordingly, you pay more.



It is necessary to install radiators with appropriate thermal inertia, with the possibility of using thermostatic valves. A radiator with appropriate thermal inertia responds faster to changes: this means that the device cools faster when the flow of hot water through the radiator is limited, and heats up faster when operating at full power.

To save heat It is important to position the radiator correctly in the room. Here we go by the basic principle that it works best where the most heat loss occurs. Such places are primarily external walls and glazing (windows, balconies). Remember that placing the heater on interior wall reduces its power by 10%. Therefore, the device should always be located under a window.

If we have large windows in an apartment or house, or even glazed walls (for example, with doors to a terrace), consider using low heaters or perhaps a warm field.

Avoid blocking heat sources

Regardless of the model, the radiator should be installed so that nothing comes into contact with it - for example, never place it next to furniture or cover it with decorative covers without adequate ventilation!

Long curtains, covering with furniture, drying bulky laundry - all this can cause up to 20% heat loss. Free radiators under normal conditions ensure that heat can be distributed in rooms without obstruction, achieving the heating output planned by the plant designer.

Heated floors - it pays off!

Thermal comfort and low maintenance costs are the main reason why heated floors are very popular in Russian and European houses. Lower heating bills completely offset the high one-time cost of installing this system.



Underfloor heating increases thermal comfort so that you can reduce the air temperature in the heated room by up to 20°C, which will save significant energy.

It is estimated that if the temperature is maintained at 18°C ​​instead of 20°C, the savings are around 12%. An important argument in favor heated floors is low working temperature installations. It should not exceed 55°C, so it can be successfully supplied with heat obtained using modern solutions that further save energy: highly efficient condensing boilers or heat pumps.

Thermostats – low investment and many benefits

An economical radiator must be equipped with a thermostat. Meanwhile, according to statistics, they are found in no more than half of the houses! What an oversight!

The most popular are thermostatic valves installed on radiators (37% of homes). Thermostats that regulate mixing temperature are found in 5.8% of homes, but individual controls for each room are found in only 2.9% of homes. It's a shame because without a thermostat the flow of hot water through the radiator is constant and therefore our heat consumption and our bills won't change.



Even when the room is too hot, the heaters still heat intensely. Controlling the flow of water using thermostats helps you save heat and, as a result, pay less for them. At the same time, this allows you to maintain a constantly comfortable temperature. Thanks to the thermostat, we set the desired temperature that is comfortable for us, for example, 21°C.

There are automatic electronic thermostats. If the room temperature exceeds this value, the flow of hot water is limited by the radiator itself. As a result, the desired temperature is maintained, and the radiator does not constantly work at the same power - this is how we save.

Optimal room temperature - comfort and savings

Take advantage ability to regulate temperature throughout the day and customize this cycle according to the user's lifestyle and requirements. In residential premises optimal temperature is 20-21°C. Don't heat your apartment above this level because when the outside temperature hovers around zero and the apartment is 23°C, we lose 15% more heat than at 20°C.

Try a smart thermostat system and limit heating in less-used areas. Set daily heating cycles that best suit your household style.

In addition, it is much easier and healthier just wear a home jacket and pants. In an overheated, dry room, leather deteriorates much faster than in a cool room.


In the same time Don't let the apartment cool down too much. Reheating takes a long time and consumes much more energy than simply maintaining the set temperature. Try to keep the temperature in your apartment relatively constant.

Ventilation is a must. But according to the rules!

If you have an automatic thermostat, then you have a device flow control hot water in the radiator to maintain a constant temperature. Before you start ventilating, don’t forget to turn off the radiators. If you don’t do this and start ventilating the room right away, the thermostat will activate the heater to maintain the set temperature and your heating bills will rapidly creep up.

Non-automatic radiators will simply continue to heat up the open room, blowing all the heat out completely pointlessly. Let's be consistent and economical.