The optimal heating scheme for a 2-story private house is selected taking into account many factors: efficiency, cost and complexity of installation, availability of reliable power supply and frequency of use. In addition, projects of water heating systems must take into account a number of personal requirements of the customer for the interior design of rooms, which not every type of pipe layout and heating devices can satisfy.
Possible options
To choose the right suitable way wiring, it makes sense to take existing schemes heating systems suitable for houses with two floors, and analyze the pros and cons of each of them. The following options are most often considered and implemented:
- single-pipe horizontal circuit (“Leningradka”);
- single pipe heating system storey building with vertical risers and natural movement of coolant;
- a two-pipe dead-end circuit with branches of equal length or a ring associated system with circulation pump;
- collector heating circuit for a two-story house with forced circulation water;
- water heated floors;
- baseboard heating, also two-pipe.
Wiring options that include the installation of radiators can be as follows: open type(communicating with the atmosphere), and closed type(working with excess pressure). Homeowners who want to provide water heating for household needs should know that the heating circuit of a two-story house with a double-circuit heat generator is no different from the wiring connected to to a regular boiler with 1 circuit. The difference lies in operation: any heating system of a two-story house with a double-circuit boiler heats water for radiators and hot water supply alternately. When the tap is open hot water, then heating of the coolant stops, the unit completely switches to DHW.
One highway: pros and cons
Single pipe system heating of a two-story house - the "Leningradka" scheme - consists of one main line laid horizontally along the perimeter of the building, above the floor of each floor. Heating devices are connected to the main line at 2 ends, alternately. This type of heating network is well suited for houses where two floors occupy small area(up to 80 m² each). There are reasons for this:
- The coolant entering each subsequent radiator has more and more low temperature due to the mixing of cooled water from previous batteries. Therefore, the length of the ring is limited to 4-5 heating devices.
- In order to properly heat the second floor and the rooms where the last radiators are located, their heat output should be increased by adding sections.
- The horizontal network of a two-story house with natural circulation should be made with a large slope (up to 1 cm per 1 m running pipe). The boiler is placed in a recess, and in the attic there is an expansion tank communicating with the atmosphere.
The Leningrad heating distribution of a two-story house with forced supply of coolant works much more stable and efficiently than by gravity. For natural circulation in a private house, it is better to make vertical risers that penetrate the ceilings and distribute heat to radiators near the windows. Water is supplied to the risers from a horizontal collector laid in attic, return to the boiler - along the same line running above the floor of the 1st floor.
As in the first case, an open expansion tank is placed in the attic of a 2-story cottage, and the mains are laid with a slope. If the heating system is closed, then minimal slopes are required (3 mm per linear meter pipes), and the membrane tank is placed in the boiler room.
Single-pipe heating distribution for a two-story house, although inexpensive to install, is complex in calculation and execution.
And not every owner will like it when large-diameter pipelines run through some of the premises; they have to be hidden under boxes.
The optimal solution is 2 highways
The good thing about a two-pipe heating system for a two-story house is that the coolant is directed to the heating devices through one pipe and returned through another. In private housing construction, 3 types of such systems are used:
- dead-end, in which the coolant reaches the last battery and flows back, the flows move towards each other;
- passing, where the supply and return flows flow in 1 direction, and the circuit is a closed ring;
- collector, characterized by an individual supply of heated water to each radiator from the distribution manifold.
It is not difficult to do all two-pipe water heating schemes for a 2-story private house with your own hands, this is their advantage. If the architecture of the building is not too complex and the area does not exceed 300 m², then a pipeline network can be assembled without preliminary calculations. The supply from the boiler is made with a pipe of 25-32 mm, branches - 20-25 mm, and connections - 16 mm. It is understood that the coolant is stimulated to move by the pump. No one will like gravity-fed heating of a two-story house, when two large pipes run through all the rooms.
The dead-end and associated schemes are similar in installation, and when installing a collector system, the pipelines will have to be laid directly to the batteries in the floor. This is an option for developers who have high requirements for the interiors of premises, since pipes will not be visible on the walls of the rooms. It can also be implemented in a private house with your own hands, although the equipment and materials will cost more than with a dead-end scheme.
When installing a dead-end system, it is important that all radiators installed in two-story house, divide equally into groups so that branches of the same length extend to them. It is customary to do this: 2 branches on the 1st floor, two more on the second, supplying the coolant upward - directly from the boiler through the riser. The associated scheme is implemented differently: the supply pipeline is laid horizontally from the first to the last device, and the return pipeline starts from the first and is directed to the boiler, collecting cooled water from all batteries. Thus, a ring is formed around the perimeter of the house, serving all radiators.
Two-pipe systems share common advantages:
- supplying coolant with the same temperature to all heating devices;
- reliability in operation;
- ease of balancing, especially in the associated direction;
- the ability to effectively control heating operation using various automation;
- ease of installation, done by yourself.
Heating floor and baseboard
Pipes with hot water, laid in the floor with a calculated step, allow you to uniformly heat the premises over the entire surface of the floor covering. From each heating circuit, whose length does not exceed 100 m, the connections converge to the collector with mixing unit, providing the required coolant flow and its temperature within the range of +35°...+45°C (maximum +55°C). The collector is powered directly from the boiler by one branch and controls heating on 2 floors simultaneously. Positive aspects of heated floors:
- uniform heating of the room space;
- heating is comfortable for people, since heating comes from below;
- low water temperature allows you to save up to 15% on energy;
- Any level of system automation is possible - operation from thermostats, weather sensors, or according to the program embedded in the controller;
- the system with a controller can be controlled remotely - via GSM communication or the Internet.
Similar systems automatic regulation are also introduced into the collector circuit two-story cottage. The disadvantage of heated floors is the high cost of materials and installation work that are difficult to do on your own.
Heating baseboards - suitable option for any private house, not just a two-story one. These heating devices in the form of large baseboards are copper or aluminum convectors connected using a two-pipe circuit. They surround the premises along the perimeter, heating the air from all sides. Baseboard heating is easy to install and satisfies any interior design requirements.
A mandatory condition for comfort for every home in our country is the presence of a reliable and economical heating system. In current conditions, most consumers use gas boilers, since this type of fuel is one of the most affordable and convenient to use.
At the same time, it is important to take into account the nuances associated with the main distribution of coolant throughout the house. One of the most popular and in demand is a single-pipe heating system for a two-story house, the design of which can also be used in buildings with more floors.
Design features
This type of heating does not use in its design the traditional division of branches into supply (removing coolant from the heat generator) and return (returning cooled liquid to the boiler). The division according to this scheme is only conditional; as a rule, half of the line after the boiler is taken as the “supply”, and then the “return”.
The traditional diagram of a single-pipe heating system for a two-story house includes the following elements:
- The body generator (boiler) provides energy transfer to the coolant (liquid in the system). The first one can be gas, electric or even solid fuel boilers. Liquid - prepared soft water or antifreeze.
- Heating consumers - radiator sections. Material for different models Cast iron, steel, aluminum are used.
- An expansion tank that compensates for pressure drops within the system. For open systems is selected open design tank, and for closed systems - membrane containers.
- Components divot line. The kit includes a sufficient number of pipes, valves, filters, taps and other shut-off valves.
The operating principle of this heating system for a 2-story house (diagrams are available on the website) does not depend on the type of boiler used.
Distinctive characteristics
The main feature that distinguishes single-pipe wiring from the variety of two-pipe schemes for the heating system of a two-story house is the absence of return. In fact, all consumers are mounted on a single backbone loop.
The division of one-pipe schemes is also provided according to their design into vertical and horizontal diagrams. IN traditional scheme heating a 2-storey building with one pipe, among other elements, radiator regulators, ball valves, thermostatic valves etc. One of the bonuses is the ability to install main pipes under the floor. In this case, the best aesthetic component is ensured.
Also, the installation of a single-pipe wiring, in contrast to a two-pipe heating system for a two-story house, is a little easier to carry out. At the same time, if pipes are hidden under the floor, it will be possible to reduce heat losses.
Disadvantages of single-pipe water heating systems
The fundamental difference between a one-pipe and a two-pipe circuit lies in the way the radiators are connected in the system - it is serial. This eliminates the possibility of controlling the heat transfer intensity of each of them separately, without reducing the temperature in subsequent ones in the chain. That is, if it is very hot in one room (not the last one), then by lowering the temperature on the radiator in this particular room, the temperature in all the others is thereby reduced.
The second more than significant drawback is the increased coolant pressure so that the system can operate efficiently. If we're talking about about one house, such a drawback is not even noticeable in the presence of a good circulation pump, but in centralized boiler rooms, an increase in pump power entails an increase in operating costs, intense impact on the main line, the risk of damage and leaks, etc. All this requires constant monitoring of water in the system and its pumping. This, in turn, leads to air concentration and increased air jams.
The third disadvantage is vertical wiring, in which the expansion tank is always installed at the highest point. If this is a private household, the attic may well be used to accommodate it, but it is advisable to insulate the tank to prevent it from freezing. IN apartment buildings it is necessary to carry out a number of measures not only to insulate, but also to maintain the temperature at approximately the same level from the top to the bottom floors, which is very problematic. On top floor Residents open their windows all winter, and those below have to use fireplaces, radiators and other tricks to keep warm.
Since the loss of thermal energy to the lower floors exceeds 50%, it is recommended to install special “plugs” on each floor and increase the number of radiator sections on the lower floors.
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General diagram taking into account all elements of the harness
Vertical layout
Before you properly install heating in a two-story house, you need to choose the most convenient type of wiring. Often for such buildings they prefer to select a vertical type. In this case, the heated water rises along the riser, and then it is distributed to the heating radiators.
- In most cases, movement is carried out in a natural way despite the fact that the heated mass of water moves upward due to its physical properties.
- From the top point, the coolant moves through the pipes due to a slope of several degrees formed during installation.
- The return occurs when the lowest point of the system is reached, where the boiler is usually located.
This heating scheme for a 2-story private house is completely independent of the availability of electricity. Although the coolant does not move quickly enough through the pipes, there are savings on energy use.
The disadvantage is that pipes located on a slope are unlikely to be hidden under the floor.
Horizontal layout
This type does not require a vertical riser. The main line can be hidden under the floor or located above its level. If you are installing a heating line for heating a 2-story private house with your own hands with the possibility of hiding it under the floor, then care must be taken to reduce heat losses.
To do this, the pipes are covered in thermal insulating casings. If the pipeline does not have a circulation pump, then the pipeline should also be laid at a slight slope.
Optimal installation of radiator sections
To connect heating radiators Experts suggest using one of the popular methods:
Flow connection
The coolant, moving along the line, enters the radiator through the upper hole, and then, having given off part of the thermal energy, is removed through the lower pipe in the radiator. There is no technical possibility to make any adjustments related to temperature or flow rate in such systems. This option connection is relevant for relatively small heated areas.
With castle plots
This diagram of a single-pipe heating system for a two-story house implies the presence of locking sections of the pipeline. Shut-off valves are usually installed in front of the radiator inlet pipe, as well as on the built-in section of the line connecting the entry and exit points from the radiator. This item wiring is called bypass. This solution allows you to divide the coolant into two streams. One part of it passes through the radiator, and the second is sent through the bypass. In this way, it is possible to regulate the temperature in each radiator block.
VIDEO: Connecting a radiator
System installation algorithm
For correct and efficient work It is necessary to carry out competent installation of all its elements according to the existing heating system design. In this case, you must follow the sequence:
- installation of the boiler on permanent place;
- wall decoration under radiators;
- installation of sections with radiators at an angle;
- installation of main wiring with indication of insertion of radiators;
- inserting radiators according to marks.
The installation work should be carried out sequentially from the first sections located closer to the pipe exit from the boiler to the last ones - mounted on the conventional part of the “return”.
A reverse slope should not be allowed, as this leads to airing of the system.
VIDEO: Single-pipe heating system
In the process of installing a heating system, the owner of a two-story house faces a number of tasks. First of all, the owner must choose optimal project heating a two-story house, based on the specific layout of the building, the available finances and the availability of a certain type of fuel. Step by step, implementing the heating system, which is provided for by the heating scheme of a two-story private house, the owner will have the opportunity to effectively and uniformly heat all key and auxiliary rooms in the building throughout the cold season.
Most often, when doing turnkey heating, contractors give preference to a water heating system, however, depending on external conditions and the wishes of the owners, an electric boiler or wood-burning stove can be used as the basis of the circuit. At the same time, a typical basic heating scheme for a private two-story building, during the work of contractors, is adapted by specialists to the needs of a particular house. Correctly made adjustments to the heating project will allow you to achieve the most efficient operation of the circuit and avoid system breakdowns in the future.
A standard heating system for a two-story house involves the use of traditional elements. They carry out heating of the coolant, its circulation and heat transfer. Elements heating system are installed according to the instructions of the heating system diagram for a two-story house, drawn up by heating engineers in advance, taking into account the heating needs of the house. 
The main elements of the scheme are:
- boiler or oven;
- piping system;
- batteries;
- regulators and sensors;
- shut-off valves and fittings.
By correctly selecting elements according to power and purpose, the owner will ensure that the heating system of a private two-story house will be implemented at top level and will allow you to establish an optimal indoor microclimate in a matter of minutes.
Scheme selection
At the moment, experts suggest using several promising schemes.
The schemes differ in the way pipelines are laid out, the use various types connection of radiators, features of coolant circulation and options for the location of risers.
Since all houses differ in layout, area and degree of insulation, the heating system layout of a two-story private house must be selected individually.
What type of radiator connection should I choose?
Today, one-pipe and two-pipe connection schemes are most often used. It is worth considering them in more detail.
Single-pipe scheme
Single-pipe heating distribution in a two-story house was popular in those years when fuel was cheap and it was not always possible to find material for circuit equipment. connection assumes the absence of return risers; therefore, its implementation requires a much smaller number of pipes and fittings. However, savings on materials are not offset by the efficiency of the circuit. This scheme does not allow you to regulate the temperature of individual batteries in the circuit and in practice shows itself to be insufficiently functional and primitive heating wiring.
Two-pipe scheme
It is considered more preferable to connect heating radiators in a two-story house, which involves eliminating all the disadvantages of a single-pipe circuit. Of course, the implementation of such a project will require large expenses for the purchase of materials and wages for installers, but the labor intensity of the work on connecting radiators is justified by the efficiency and functionality of the system.
A special feature of the scheme is the supply of a pipeline with hot coolant to each radiator, which, after cooling, is discharged via the return line.
Two-pipe heating systems, horizontal wiring of which is more preferable and require an insulated riser, are currently the optimal schemes for private houses. They ensure uniform heating and smooth cooling of the coolant, and also allow you to regulate the temperature of each radiator connected to the circuit and equipped with a thermostat.
Wiring options
Autonomous heating of a two-story cottage, diagrams of which can be downloaded online, may involve upper and lower piping. Since a private two-story house has an attic and ground floor, then the owner can choose any of the proposed layouts. If the owner decides to use the attic, then the coolant will be supplied through the upper distribution into the installed risers, and then into the radiators. If the owner has chosen a lower distribution of the heating system, then the supply of heated coolant from the boiler is carried out from below, that is, from the basement.
Beam scheme
An effective radiant heating system for a two-story house invites owners to abandon the traditional laying of pipelines along the walls. This design solution contributes to the rapid cooling of the coolant and is a problem when heating a large two-story house. Instead, the scheme beam system recommends using several separate circuits for heating, and the pipelines are laid not along the walls, but along the floor.
A correctly installed radiant heating system has a number of advantages:
Collector circuit
Modern heating projects for a private two-story house can offer owners to use a manifold circuit for connecting devices. Its principle is a two-pipe floor-by-floor connection of radiators, while the pipelines connecting the circuit elements can be hidden under floor covering, window sills or under the ceiling. The scheme can be adjusted depending on the layout of the house. The only constant condition is the installation of the heating boiler on the ground floor, and expansion tank to compensate for the coolant pressure level - on the second floor.
Owners choose the collector option for connecting radiators for several reasons:
Coolant circulation type
The heating circuit may provide for forced and natural circulation of coolant. As a rule, the gravity heating system of a two-story private house, the design of which is drawn up individually, is inferior in many respects to a heating system with forced circulation. Therefore, owners of private houses use optional equipment, such as electric, to pressurize the circuit. The pump provides better circuit performance and efficient heat distribution throughout the radiator system.
Final choice
There is no clear answer to the question: which home heating scheme is more preferable. Owners should remember that designing the heating of a private two-story house is a purely individual process that depends on a number of external conditions and factors. Therefore, they need to choose a scheme that will satisfy the heating needs of the house and will not hit their pockets with huge costs for the purchase of materials.
Every homeowner who has decided to properly install heating in their two-story house is initially faced with the question of choosing the type of system. There are several options for traditional and new schemes, but in order to choose one of them, you need to understand a little about the essence of the issue. The purpose of this article is precisely to consider what the heating scheme of a two-story house is, to reveal the pros and cons of each type of system.
Single pipe or double pipe?
As the name suggests, these systems differ in the number of main pipelines supplying coolant to the radiators. In a single-pipe scheme, all connections from the batteries are connected to one common pipeline; it is both supply and return. A striking example The famous “Leningradka”, shown in the figure below, is considered such a system:
Despite the apparent ease of installation and savings in materials, the single-pipe system has one serious drawback. Since each battery discharges cooled water into a common line, the coolant arrives at the next radiator at a lower temperature, and so on, until the end of the branch. Why is the most recent one heating device may be barely warm. What does it mean?
The room still needs to be heated, which means you will have to increase the heat output of the battery, that is, increase the number of sections. It turns out that we saved on pipes and fittings, but spent money on additional sections. Add here the difficulties with regulation in two-story houses and the impossibility of natural circulation.
The only disadvantage of a two-pipe system is that its assembly requires more materials, since in this case the supply and return manifolds are separated. That is, the coolant comes to all batteries through one pipe and leaves through another. This scheme for the heating system of a private house has many advantages, and therefore is the most popular. This is a reason to opt for a two-pipe system.
Types of two-pipe systems
Currently, the following types of two-pipe schemes are used in private housing construction:
- with natural circulation;
- with forced circulation;
- collector system;
- scheme with a double-circuit boiler.
Each of the above systems has its own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages that determine its scope of application. Let's consider all the schemes in order and reveal their features.
Natural circulation system
The principle of its operation is based on the convective movement of water. The hot coolant leaving the boiler has less density and weight than the cooled water coming through the return line. The latter tends to go down and displace the lighter heated coolant. Due to this, natural circulation occurs. For normal operation the system requires the fulfillment of several conditions:
- due to the low speed of fluid movement, the diameters of the pipes must be increased to ensure the required coolant flow;
- the difference in the densities and masses of water at different temperatures is small, therefore the heating circuit with natural circulation should be installed with large slopes of horizontal sections;
- The pipeline network is under natural pressure; creating excess pressure is unacceptable, otherwise the flow of liquid will stop. This means that the expansion tank can only be of the open type and must be installed above the entire system;
- In order to withstand all the slopes, the boiler often has to be placed in a small recess.
What does such a heating distribution scheme give us in a two-story house, where compliance with all conditions requires careful calculations and leads to high consumption of materials and complexity of installation? The answer is simple: a gravity circuit operating in conjunction with conventional solid fuel or gas boiler, does water heating two-story house independent of electricity. Sometimes it's very important factor, for example, in areas with unreliable electricity supply. This is the scope of application of gravity systems.
Forced circulation system
Here, the movement of coolant through the pipeline network occurs due to the operation of a circulation pump, which creates excess pressure in it. The introduction of a pumping device into the circuit made it possible to achieve the following advantages:
- reduction of pipe diameters. The fluid flow rate has increased, and now a smaller pipe cross-section can be used to ensure the required flow rate;
- increasing work efficiency. If the heating circuit with forced circulation is designed correctly, then high-temperature water will successfully reach both the nearest and the furthest radiators;
- pipes can be laid in the most in a convenient way, which plays a huge role in interior design issues. The lion's share of highways can be hidden using boxes or floor and wall structures;
- convenience and comfort during operation. The fact is that forced circulation makes it possible to implement any projects to automate the maintenance of the climate in the house;
- efficiency in energy consumption. The conclusion stems from the previous paragraph, since automation allows you to heat rooms according to a daily schedule at a time when there are people there;
- the system is easy to regulate.
Note. In two-story houses where the old natural circulation scheme is used, you can always install a pump. This modernization will make it possible to realize, if not all, then the main advantages of the pressure system.
Installing a circuit with artificial stimulation is labor-intensive, but relatively simple; it can be easily done with your own hands. Take, for example, a membrane-type expansion tank, which does not need to be placed in the attic, and even controls the water level, as with gravity flow. Its place is in the furnace room, near the boiler.
The most significant drawback of the scheme is its energy dependence. All you have to do is turn off the electricity to the two-story house, and after a while there is no heat in the rooms. Methods to eliminate the deficiency, although simple, are expensive: purchasing and using an electric generator or, at worst, an uninterruptible power supply unit.
As for the supposedly high cost of materials, we have already discussed this issue when talking about a single-pipe system. Although it should be noted that the cost depends on the number of control valves and automation equipment included in the heating project. In a budget version, assembling the circuit will cost little more than a single-pipe one.
Collector heating system
This is one of the new trends in the field of heating private houses, which appeared relatively recently and originated from two-pipe pressure systems. Only in contrast to them, the collector heating system of a two-story house has many branches converging to one center - the distribution manifold. The circuit resembles many beams diverging in all directions, with a distributor inside, as shown in the figure:
As you can see, the radiant heating system provides separate connection each radiator to a collector directly connected to the boiler. In this case, the “beams” are completely hidden in the floor structure, and the distributor is built into the wall inside a special cabinet. Only the connections to the batteries remain visible, and also the branch coming from the boiler.
It is unnecessary to convince anyone that a collector heating scheme in a two-story home is the most efficient of all. Each radiator is powered separately; they do not influence each other. Any kind of regulation and automation can be implemented. The rosy picture is spoiled by only one circumstance - high cost. This fact is also well understood just by looking at the diagram. There is also a drawback that has been inherited - dependence on electricity.
Heating scheme with a double-circuit boiler
In fact, the heating scheme of a two-story house with a double-circuit boiler is no different from a conventional two-pipe system. The problem is somewhat far-fetched and its solution does not depend in any way on heating networks. The essence of the issue is that the double-circuit boiler is disconnected from the system during water heating and is exclusively engaged in DHW. If this takes a long time, the building begins to cool down and becomes cool inside.
This situation is a consequence of incorrect selection of boiler power; heating installation has nothing to do with it. The power of the heat generator should be determined taking into account the heating of hot water. If this is not done and the boiler is already installed, then there is only one way out - to reduce the heating temperature of the water and use it sparingly.
Which heating system is best for a two-story house?
The answer to the question depends on individual conditions and wishes. If you want to not depend on electricity, you will have to make a gravity-fed system with all its disadvantages. When there is a desire and opportunity to build an effective and economical circuit, then a system with a manifold connection is at your service.
In practice, heating distribution in two-story houses is most often two-pipe with forced circulation. In terms of cost and efficiency it is optimal solution, it allows you to realize a lot of possibilities and economically heat your home, incurring average costs. Yes and for self-assembly this scheme is quite convenient.
In order for water heating of a two-story house to be effective, reliable and convenient, it is necessary to choose the right type of system and pipe routing diagram, taking into account all the design features of the building. Very often chosen two-pipe system heating of a two-story house, pipe routing diagrams and methods of ensuring circulation in which can be very different. Therefore, below we will look at the most common of them, their features, advantages and disadvantages.
Types of two-pipe systems of a two-story house
Before choosing one or another option for a two-pipe heating system for a two-story house, the pipe layout and the type of circulation, you need to find out what they can be.
Firstly, depending on the spatial location of the inlet and outlet lines, a two-pipe system, just like a one-pipe system, can be made according to two schemes:
- With horizontal wiring- when the main pipes on each floor form separate conditionally horizontal ones (in compliance with required slopes) contours or loops;
- From vertical- when the supply of heated coolant to the radiators is different levels and the cooled water is removed from them using vertical risers.
Schemes with horizontal wiring can also be divided into:
- Simple- with serial connection of radiators to the supply pipe and the return pipe;
- Beam or collector- when each radiator is connected separately using two pipes to a special distributor (comb, manifold). It can be separate for each floor, located in a niche or cabinet, or it can be common for the entire house, located in the boiler room.
Schemes with serial connection of radiators can be either with lower or upper distribution of the supply pipe. Collector or radial schemes, as a rule, involve lower pipe routing, and, very often, they are laid hidden, under the floor.
In addition, diagrams of two-pipe heating systems two-story houses may differ in the way the coolant circulates. Such circulation can be:
- Gravity or natural– when it is provided only by the difference specific gravity hot and cold coolant and the presence of slopes of main pipelines;
- Forced– when a special circulation pump (or pumps) is used for this purpose;
- Combined– when the system has the ability to work according to both schemes, depending on the circumstances.
Depending on the type of expansion tank and the method of creation overpressure in the system it can be:
- Open– when an open expansion tank is used, usually located under the ceiling on the second floor or in the attic, and the pressure in the system is determined only by the height of its placement. Often such a tank is also used as a central air collector (as in Fig. 1). This is possible if it is connected to highest point supply pipe. If it is connected to the return pipe (for example, when installing a circulation pump on the “return”), then it is additionally necessary to install an air collector or air valve on the supply pipe;
- Closed– when a sealed membrane tank is used as an expansion tank. The excess pressure in such systems is calculated and is usually at 1.5 bar (0.15 MPa). Such a tank can be located anywhere on the supply or return line, but most often it is located near the boiler. A mandatory attribute of a closed system is the presence of a so-called “safety unit”, including safety and air valves and a pressure gauge, since there is a need to control excess fluid pressure and automatically release it if it increases above a set safe level.
An example of a closed heating system for a two-story house
On a positive note is that in closed systems the access of air to the coolant during operation is closed, which reduces the corrosion of their elements, especially those made of “black” steel.
Having become familiar with the main types and features of two-pipe heating systems, we will consider some of the most common schemes that can be used for a private two-story house.
Schemes of a two-pipe heating system for a two-story house
Here we will look at several simple, most common two-pipe water heating schemes for a two-story house, which can be done with your own hands:
- with associated connection of radiators, which in turn can be horizontal or vertical, top or bottom wiring;
- radial or collector.
Each of them has its own characteristics, its pros and cons, and can be either open or closed, with natural or forced circulation of the coolant.
Open, with parallel connection of radiators via horizontal top wiring and natural circulation
This scheme is simple and assumes the presence of two horizontal contours (loops) on each floor. At the same time, in order to maintain conditions for natural (gravitational) circulation of the coolant, the main pipes of the circuits, both supply and discharge (return), must be installed with a slope of 3-5. With the top distribution of the supply pipe, this is quite simple. Disadvantage: the supply pipes somewhat spoil the interior.
In addition, the use of an open expansion tank helps saturate the coolant with oxygen. And if water is used as a coolant, which happens most often, then this leads to corrosion of elements made of ordinary (“black”) steel.
Fig. 1 Diagram of an open two-pipe heating system for a two-story house with horizontal wiring and natural circulation
This option will be most suitable for a non-volatile solid fuel boiler when they want to achieve maximum autonomy and independence from the availability of electricity. For wiring according to this scheme, both metal (preferably) and plastic or metal-plastic pipes. In the last two cases, it is necessary that the supply line (in in this case riser) at a distance of 1.5-2 m from the boiler, was metal.
Open, with vertical distribution and combined circulation
In this scheme, radiators on different floors are connected using vertical risers. The system is designed so that it can operate with natural circulation, but a bypass with a circulation pump and shut-off valves is embedded into it, in front of the boiler. Thus, the system has the ability to work with both forced and natural circulation.
Rice. 2 Scheme two-pipe heating two-story house with vertical wiring and combined circulation
Closed, with horizontal bottom distribution and forced circulation
This scheme assumes use as an expansion, sealed membrane tank and the presence of excess pressure in the system (usually about 1.5 bar (atm.)). If an electric or gas boiler is used as a generator, which automatically turns off in the absence of electricity, then this option may be quite acceptable. The lower routing of the supply pipe allows it to fit more aesthetically into the interior of the room. In addition, with such a layout, pipes can be laid in a hidden way, for example, under the floor.
Rice. 3 Scheme of a closed two-pipe heating system for a two-story house with forced circulation
Closed beam (collector) with bottom wiring
This is another two-pipe option, which differs in that each radiator is connected separately, using special distribution combs - manifolds. Such distributors are usually mounted separately for each floor, in niches or other accessible but inconspicuous places. It is also possible to place the collector for the whole house in the boiler room or basement. But this will require the consumption of an additional number of pipes, which is already one of the main disadvantages of such schemes. But, on the other hand, they allow you to most conveniently regulate the heat supply to each radiator and distribute heat most evenly throughout the house. When using a collector wiring diagram for a heating system, most often the pipes are laid in a hidden way, under the floor or in niches.
Rice. 4 Scheme of a collector (radiant) heating system for a two-story house
