Atmospheric gas boilers: TOP-15 rating of the best models and selection tips

Creating the perfect microclimate and maximum comfort in the house is the main task that is solved when the heating system is installed. Agree that it will not be superfluous to find out a set of characteristics that atmospheric gas boilers must have in order to choose a model that is right for you.

There are many units on the market with various technical data and functional features. We will help you understand all the intricacies and understand which technological capabilities are the most important and which can be neglected. And you can easily choose a model that will last for many years.

The article presented by us in detail parses and explains what kind of device it is - an atmospheric gas boiler, on which its operating principle and installation specificity are based. And the rating compiled by us will help determine the best option and acquire a fairly powerful model with high reliability at an affordable price.

Among the presented models there are boilers that differ in the installation method - mounted and floor units. Also, boilers are divided into two segments: single-circuit - designed only for heating and double-circuit - in addition to heating, they are responsible for the organization of hot water.

The cost of the boiler is not the most important quality criterion, so we will pay attention to the technical features of each model, highlighting the most important of them. To make it easier to understand, we will first understand what a boiler with an atmospheric burner is and what its features consist of.

The principle of operation of the atmospheric boiler

Typically, atmospheric gas boilers are used when heating a private house or when arranging individual heating of an apartment. The average power of the units is in the range of 15-40 kW. Such an indicator is considered sufficient to heat a room with an area of ​​up to 400 sq.m.

The atmospheric burner is the main heating device, it consists of the following parts:

• Nozzle;
• Burner head;
• Ejection tube with burner holes;
• Burner;
• Flame detector

Atmospheric burners are of the following types:

• Single-stage - work in the "on" and off modes.
• Two-stage - able to work in reduced or full power mode;
• With flame modulation function - provide optimal gas flow mode.

To make it easier to understand the principle of operation of an atmospheric boiler, imagine that a heat exchanger is installed above a lit gas stove, and a ventilation duct is located above.

The boiler, in which air enters, works similarly, the combustion products are removed under the influence of natural draft. The presence of the chimney is the main condition for the installation and operation of the "aspirated".

The main purpose of an open gas burner is to pre-mix the gas with air, followed by supplying the resulting mixture directly to the combustion zone.

Atmospheric gas burner provides gas mixing with air followed by supply of the mixture to the combustion zone

Efficiency is due to increased flame due to oxygen and reduced fuel consumption.

Single-circuit and dual-circuit devices - what is the difference?

A single-circuit heating device differs from a double-circuit heating only in that it is responsible only for heating the room. At the same time, a double-circuit boiler, in addition to heating, is also called upon to solve the problems of providing hot water.

Owners of single-circuit boilers solve the problems of hot water supply by installing additional equipment. Most often this is an indirect water heating boiler connected to the boiler. What is more efficient single-circuit boiler or double-circuit? We will understand this now.

The main advantage of a single-circuit boiler in conjunction with a storage heater is that water is heated to a comfortable temperature without cooling the home. While with significant water consumption in double-circuit boiler in automatic mode, the circuit responsible for heating is turned off, and the unit only works to heat the water.

A single-circuit gas boiler with an indirect heating boiler completely solves the issue of hot water supply without disrupting the operation of the heating system

Before choosing a heater configuration, the following factors must be considered:

• Heated housing area;
• The number of water intake points;
• The distance from the points of intake to the boiler;
• The number of residents.

In a house with a small heated area with the economical use of hot water and the close location of the water intake points, the best solution would be to install a double-circuit boiler.

With the simultaneous consumption of hot water from several points of intake, the water temperature may be lower than required. In addition, with a large area of ​​housing, additional inconvenience occurs.In double-circuit boilers, the priority is DHW, when hot water is consumed, the circuit responsible for heating is turned off.

But even these issues have been resolved at the level of unit design. There are double-circuit boilers that heat the water in flow mode, and equipped with a built-in boiler.

The latter provide a supply of hot water at the level of 30-60 liters, but at the same time, gas consumption increases slightly. In addition, the weight of the boiler and its overall dimensions significantly increase.

Floor gas boiler with built-in indirect heating boiler provides an adequate supply of hot water

We can conclude that when meeting needs, the optimal solution would be installation of a double-circuit boiler flow type. If you want to have a sufficient supply of hot water at a comfortable temperature at any time without cooling the home, then it will be preferable to install a bundle of a single-circuit boiler with an indirect heater.

In addition, if necessary, increase the need for hot water, boiler You can always replace a boiler with a larger capacity. As a result, the price of such a bundle will be higher than the cost of a double-circuit boiler, but the issue of hot water supply and heating will be reliably resolved.

Differences between floor and wall boilers

As a rule, a wall-mounted single- or dual-circuit atmospheric gas boiler is a kind of mini-boiler with a built-in expansion tank, a circulation pump, an electronic control board. There are options for equipping a valve for connecting an indirect heater and weather-dependent programmers.

Main advantage wall boiler - this is its compactness, low weight, high functionality, ease of installation. Such a unit is ideal for installation in cramped conditions, operation in a residential area is allowed. Modern mounted boilers have sufficient power for heating a house with an area of ​​up to 200 sq.m.

The compact wall-mounted gas boiler fits perfectly into the modern interior of the room

Floor-standing boilers have large overall dimensions, and their weight can be 3 times the weight of a wall-mounted boiler with similar parameters. This is due to the fact that floor units, unlike wall units, are equipped with cast-iron heat exchangers.

The service life of such boilers is 20-25 years. At the same time, wall-mounted boilers with steel or copper heat exchangers will last you 8-10 years.

Basic boiler selection criteria

When choosing a boiler with an atmospheric gas burner, you must pay attention to the following main characteristics:

• Power;
• The number of circuits;
• Installation method - floor or mounted;
• Material of which the heat exchanger is made;
• Automation and Security

Let us dwell on each of the criteria in more detail, and consider all the main points associated with the above technical characteristics, with the exception of those that have already been discussed above.

Heating unit power

The quality of heating and the creation of a comfortable temperature in the room largely depend on the power of the boiler.

At calculation of boiler power need to take into account:

• Area of ​​the premises;
• Volume of the room;
• Thermal conductivity of walls, windows and doors.

In order not to dive deep into numbers and calculations, you can go the other, simpler way. It is generally accepted that for heating 10 square meters of housing, 1 kW of boiler power is enough for standard ceilings 2.5 m high and room insulation. Thus, it is enough to divide the room area by 10, and we get the theoretically necessary boiler power.

The resulting figure must be increased by 20% to ensure the normal operation of the boiler during peak loads. To get enough hot water, which is especially important for flow-through double-circuit boilers, the capacity must be increased by 25%.

Heat exchanger fabrication material

The main materials from which the heat exchanger of the atmospheric boiler is made are cast iron, steel, stainless steel and copper. The cast-iron heat exchanger has almost no power limits. It is characterized by reliability and durability, thanks to its excellent anti-corrosion properties.

But here there are some peculiarities - cast iron can crack due to the temperature difference at the water inlet and the heating zone. Structural solutions provide for the prevention of low-temperature corrosion by installing a four-way valve.

Cast iron heat exchangers are installed in floor boilers. Products differ in large dimensions and weight.

The cast-iron heat exchanger has no boiler power limitations, it is the most reliable and durable

Steel heat exchangers are used by domestic manufacturers of boilers because of their low cost. Such heat exchangers are not demanding for installation, they are well resistant to thermal loads, but at the same time they are significantly inferior to cast-iron heat exchangers due to their low resistance to corrosion.

A good alternative to steel is a stainless steel heat exchanger. It combines all the positive qualities of steel and cast iron - it is durable, immune to thermal shock, and has high corrosion resistance. But at the same time, boilers with stainless steel heat exchangers have a higher cost.

Copper is ductile and conducts heat well. The heat exchangers made of it have many fins and are characterized by a small volume, due to which it is possible to achieve a reduction in the dimensions and weight of the boiler.

Used copper heat exchangers in wall-mounted boilers, provide quick heating, which reduces fuel consumption. Due to its compactness and small amount of water, a circulation pump is needed to avoid boiling.

Automation and Security

Automation ensures the safety of the boiler, economical fuel consumption, helps to increase the level of comfort during equipment operation. Cost automatic equipment for a gas boiler determined by the number and complexity of programs and functions.

Some of them are considered basic and must be present in any gas boiler. They are responsible for preventing gas leakage as a result of various non-standard situations - flame attenuation, gas pressure drop.

There are two types of automation - volatile and non-volatile. The first is considered the most reliable, but requires an electrical connection and an uninterruptible power supply. The second is considered mechanical, it is more simple and autonomous.

Non-volatile automation system

It is characterized by autonomy, high maintainability and low price. The temperature range of the thermostat is selected manually using a thermostat having a rod in its design that extends or shortens depending on the temperature. As a result, the gas supply valve opens and closes.

Non-volatile automation is easy to operate, provides basic security systems

The basic automation equipment includes traction and flame sensors. With a decrease in draft or attenuation of the burner, gas flow is blocked. Although non-volatile automation is considered simple and reliable, but it does not make it possible to operate the boiler in optimal conditions, which reduces the life of the equipment.

Volatile device option

Operating parameters or operating modes are entered on the display or from the remote control, after which control and regulation systems are launched.

Volatile automation extends the life of the equipment, and opens up opportunities for a wide functional comfort control

The principle of its operation is based on the operation of electromagnetic valves controlled by a microprocessor unit.

The main functions of modern automation:

• Temperature support for a certain time;
• Adjustment of thermal conditions depending on the weather;
• Electronic flame modulation;
• Heat exchanger protection against overheating;
• System protection against freezing;
• Protection against jamming of the circulation pump;
• Self-diagnosis.

The disadvantage of the system is its volatility; in the absence of electricity, equipment is locked. To ensure full operation requires the connection of automation to an uninterruptible power supply.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Recommendations for connecting a gas boiler to the chimney:

Single-circuit boiler or double-circuit, which is preferable:

It is almost impossible to give a definite answer about the optimal configuration of the boiler. Since the unit must not only meet the size of the room, but also the requirements put forward to it. Based on the most important criteria for choosing a device, you can create a prototype of an ideal boiler, with which it will be easier to choose a specific model.

With similar technical parameters, preference should be given to the model located higher in the TOP-15 of the best gas boilers presented. Since the rating is based not only on the brand’s popularity, but also on the popularity of the product in the modern market. It is made taking into account in-depth market analysis and user reviews.

Want to talk about how you selected and installed an atmospheric gas unit in your own heating system? Do you have useful information on the topic of the article? Please leave comments, ask questions, post photos in the block form below.