Gas heating with a gas tank - is it worth it? Overview of all the nuances, advantages and disadvantages of such a solution

Almost everywhere, natural gas is the cheapest energy source for heating a house. And if you can’t bring a pipe to the cottage, gas companies offer an option in the form of LPG. At first glance, gas heating with a gas tank looks like a good alternative, isn't it? Autonomous gasification guarantees independence and does not require coordination with the long-term receipt of technical specifications. However, everything has pitfalls.

We examined all the pros and cons of liquefied petroleum fuels and tell you how good it really is. Our study will certainly help you determine exactly whether it is worth installing gas holder equipment in your area.

How beneficial is heating from a gas tank?

Heating the cottage with natural gas is considered the cheapest solution possible. However, this is true only if the boiler or boiler is connected to the main gas pipeline.

Liquefied petroleum gases - LPG are poured into gas holders. This mixture is very different from the one that is brought to the house through a pipe in terms of both chemical composition and cost. In the first case, methane-based fuel is supplied to the gas equipment, and in the second - consisting of propane and butane.

Given the calorific value and efficiency of the respective boilers, based on the net fuel costs, the cost of 1 kJ or 1 kW * hour from LPG will be 5-6 times more expensive than from natural methane gas

Much depends on the region of residence, but almost everywhere in Russia at the price of fuel, the propane-butane mixture wins only in diesel fuel and electricity. Heating a house on wood, pellets or coal in the vast majority of cases will be more profitable than through the use of LPG.

At the cost of equipment for heating the coolant in the cottage heating system, liquefied gas also loses to almost all other types of fuel. And you also need to consider the costs of the gas tank itself and its installation on site.

In some situations, LPG may come out cheaper than the main gas in terms of capital costs. And that is only on condition that the owner of the house will pay for the laying of gas pipes in full. But usually the gasification of villages is partially carried out at the expense of the state budget. And the gas holder for autonomous gas supply in any scenario will have to pay completely independently.

Installation and operation of the tank for LPG

Each heating option has its own nuances in matters of design, installation, commissioning, fuel purchase and further maintenance of the system. For example, to organize home heating using electricity and gas, it is mandatory to obtain technical specifications from the supplying company. Not always and not all electric or gas networks have additional power for connection.

Heating a private home ownership with a mini-gas tank does not require approvals from state bodies and generally notifying them, but such equipment has its own mandatory safety requirements

The installation of a gas tank in the adjacent area should be done by a specialized company. You cannot do this on your own. Then it will be extremely difficult to find a supplier of LPG, because in case of problems when pumping liquefied gas into a tank, he is responsible for all. It is unlikely that anyone would want to be responsible for the mistakes of others in the installation and selection of gas valve fittings.

In terms of simplicity of coordination, design and execution of installation works, the gas tank is second only to solid fuel boilers. They only need to be delivered to the house and installed in the boiler room.

The choice on the site of a place for a gas tank

One of the most problematic moments in the organization of gas heating is the choice of location for an underground tank with LPG. It is important to take into account fire and technical safety regulations, as well as the features of the soil and the gas equipment itself.

Structurally, gas holders for autonomous gas supply are:

• vertical
• horizontal
• mobile (land on the cart).

They also vary in shape into cylindrical and spherical.

For gas supply of cottages, it is recommended to choose horizontal cylindrical gas holders, they are large in width / length and take up a lot of space, but they are not laid too deep in the ground

Mobile installations for the storage of LPG in the Russian climate are generally of little use. In a gas tank, the propane-butane mixture is partially liquefied and partially in gaseous form. Moreover, if propane retains its gas properties to -35 ° C, then butane at -0.5 ° C turns into a liquid.

At low outdoor temperatures, it will be impossible to obtain butane in the required state for burning in the boiler from the ground tank. To do this, it will have to be heated, which will additionally increase the cost of heating the house.

In the gaseous state, propane and butane are heavier than air, so gas tanks should not be installed near wells and basements. With a leak, gas will begin to accumulate in these depressions and explode sooner or later.

The place for the underground gas tank is selected so that:

• distance from a residential building to a tank with LPG with a capacity of not more than 10 m³ there was a minimum of 10 m;
• the capacity was located at least 2 m from the buried foundations of buildings;
• there was unhindered access to the drive for refueling from a tanker;
• the tank was buried below the freezing point of the soil;
• there were no buildings, electric cables, concrete walkways, trees, etc.

On top of the gas tank, only lawns are allowed. At the same time, they even have to mow the grass in the old fashioned way - oblique, and not with an electric or gasoline lawn mower. The smallest spark, coupled with the accumulated gas due to a small leak, will certainly lead to a fire or cotton.

We also recommend that you read our other article, where we talked in detail about how to properly place gas holder Location on.

Inspection, Refueling and Maintenance

The volume of the gas tank is selected with the expectation that it would have to be refueled at most two to three times a year. With this refueling machine, it is not necessary to drive directly to the underground tank. Most of these tanks for the transportation of LPG are equipped with hoses 30-40 meters long.

LPG on the market is sold in the "summer" and "winter" versions. They differ in the proportions of butane and propane, and also have different heat capacities. At the same time, “winter” gas is more expensive, but “summer” gas cannot be used in cold weather.

If you install a large roomy gas tank for one annual refueling, you can save by buying a cheaper version of LPG. But there is a risk of remaining completely without fuel in the winter due to the inability of the propane-butane mixture to go into a gaseous state for supply to the boiler.

With proper installation, proper supervision and refueling with high-quality gas mixtures, the gas holder can properly last 20-30 years, then the capacity will have to be changed

After installation is completed, the owner of the house should monitor the state of the gas tank. Typically, the maintenance and repair of this equipment is carried out by the LPG supplier, for which a corresponding contract is concluded.

Rostekhnadzor specialists do not check private gas tanks intended for gas heating of cottages and summer cottages. This is not their profile at all. Inspection can come only from the Ministry of Emergency Situations, firefighters for prophylactic purposes constantly check fire hazardous facilities and boiler equipment.

Comparison of all the pros and cons

Among the advantages of gas heating are:

1. Full autonomy of the heating system (while there is gas).
2. The long service life of the gas tank - 30 years is not the limit.
3. Environmental friendliness and lack of soot burning.
4. Minimum time for installation and connection (a couple of days for "turnkey" works are enough for experienced installers in excess).
5. Lack of coordination and the need to wait for connection to the gas pipeline.
6. Safety subject to proper operation.
7. Silent operation of gas equipment.

In comparison with diesel fuel and electricity, heating a private house with gas from a gas tank is more economical. And in coal and firewood, LPG is much better in terms of environmental friendliness.

In no case should you buy a used gas holder. The metal of the tank located in the ground gradually corrodes, no one will give a guarantee against gas leakage from an already used tank

At the plant, gas tanks are tested at pressures up to 25 atm. At the same time, safety valves are designed for them, designed to operate at 15-16 atm. And the liquefied gas inside the gas tank creates a pressure of only 4-6 atm.

The equipment in question is completely safe to break. It is only necessary to ensure that propane and butane do not seep through the valves and do not accumulate nearby until a dangerous concentration is formed.

The disadvantages of heating with a gas tank are as follows:

1. High initial cost.
2. The presence of a potentially explosive area on the plot near the house.
3. A sharp "gas" smell when refueling the tank.
4. The need to pump out the tank and dispose of non-evaporated condensate at least once a year.
5. The risk of low-quality gas when contacting an unverified supplier.
6. Due to the low prevalence of gas holders, the absence in all regions of Russia of competent installers and specialists for the proper maintenance of this equipment.
7. The susceptibility of the LPG tank to corrosion due to the effect of condensate on the metal inside and groundwater outside.

Another important point - for a house in 200 m² a horizontal cylindrical gas tank with a volume of about 3,000 liters will be required.Under it, you will need to allocate a plot of size in the region of 2x3 meters. Plus, nearby you still need free space for a car with LPG at the time of filling the tank.

If near the cottage there are only 3-4 acres of house territory, it will be difficult to allocate even a small piece of land for gas holding equipment on them.

If a poor quality propane-butane mixture is poured into the gas holder, its service life will be greatly reduced. Buy LPG should only be from trusted suppliers

In order for the gas tank to serve as long as possible, it is recommended to equip it with active or passive electrochemical protection. Such systems slow down corrosion and justify their costs.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Pros and cons of autonomous gasification using a gas tank:

Gas from a gas tank is an excellent alternative to other types of fuel for heating a house:

All the nuances of autonomous gas supply of LPG:

After installation, it is not necessary to take special care of the gas tank. If it has good corrosion protection and quality certified fittings, then its operation will be safe. At the same time, it is also not worth neglecting regular technical inspections with the involvement of competent specialists. Otherwise, gas heating is expensive in terms of capital costs, but in many cases it is an economically viable solution.

And if you have experience using gas tanks for heating a private house, please share it with our readers. Tell us what advantages and disadvantages you personally noticed during the operation of the equipment. Leave your comments in the block under the article.