Water heaters for country houses: how to choose the best water heater for country houses?

Long gone are the days when living in the countryside meant doing without the benefits of civilization for a long time. Now we can equip a country house almost as comfortably as a city apartment. Many dacha owners have installed heating, sewerage and running water with hot and cold water in their homes. The latter is made possible through the use of boilers.

Boiler is a device that heats water for various needs - washing dishes, washing, etc. About how to choose a water heater, which would be convenient to use in the cottage, read in our today's article.

It's not hard to guess why you need a water heater at the cottage. Even if you only visit your six acres a few times a year, you probably have to wash dishes, vegetables, or at least your hands there. To do all this in the cold water from a well or pump - not very pleasant, and you can easily catch cold.

That is why installing at least a small water heater for several liters is more of a necessity than a luxury. Especially families with children will appreciate such a device. After all, it is much more convenient to wash the baby or wash dirty things without preheating the water with a kettle or kettle.

The heater that you buy for the cottage may be different from the device installed in your city apartment. Experts say that a water heater designed for use in a country house should meet several important requirements:

1. Fuel or energy efficiency. The choice of the type of water heater will depend on what is more convenient and profitable for you - a device running on gas or electricity?
2. The correspondence of the volume of the tank to the needs of the family. For dachas, it is more appropriate to buy water heaters with a small tank volume, as they are more compact and lightweight. But you need to consider how many liters of water will be consumed per person.
3. Easy and convenient operation. Among the many types of boilers, you should choose the one that is suitable for your dacha, taking into account all the features of engineering networks.

Choosing the right water heater is not a simple task, because there are a huge number of models in stores. In order to determine which one of them best suits your needs, you should get an idea of the existing varieties of domestic water heaters.

Depending on the method of installation, all boiler models are divided into wall-mounted and floor-mounted. Which of these varieties to choose - depends on the size of the cottage and for what purposes the device will be used.

• Water heaters, which are mounted on the wallAre considered more convenient, in terms of rational organization of space. They take up less space, so they are suitable for even the tiniest structures. As a rule, they have a smaller tank volume, therefore, they are good for those who do not use a lot of water during their stay at the cottage.
• Water heaters designed for installation on the floor, Are characterized by large dimensions, so for quite cramped houses it is not the best option. But the volume of the tank in such models on average is much larger - it can be up to 200 liters. If you live a long time at the cottage with a large family, be sure to consider floor boilers.

Depending on the method of drawing water, dacha water heaters can be divided into two large groups - liquid and flow-through. Here, your choice will be determined by how exactly the water comes into the house - through the water pipes or delivered from the nearest well.

• Inflowing water heater suitable for owners of cottages not connected to the water supply (and such, unfortunately, in our country the majority). It is equipped with a tank with a lid, in which water is poured manually - through a watering can, ladle, scoop, etc. The device of such devices is very simple, so they cost less. Fill water heaters often come with a sink or even a shower.
• Flow-through boiler - is a more convenient option, but only few people can afford to install it at the cottage. Water is heated at the moment when it passes through the water heater, so for the normal operation of the device it is necessary to maintain a certain level of pressure in the pipes. Otherwise, the water will either be slightly warm, or pour from the tap a thin trickle. Such water heaters are usually equipped with a temperature regulator and have electronic control.

One of the most important criteria by which dacha water heaters are classified is the type of energy used for heating. Four varieties of boilers can be distinguished according to this criterion.

Wood-burning water heaters., or titans - one of the first devices that began to be used en masse for home heating and water heating in suburban areas. Typically, such a water heater consists of two compartments: in the lower is laid the fuel, and in the upper poured water. Disadvantages of such a device are quite a lot, and for most dacha owners they outweigh all the advantages. The two most important disadvantages are the high degree of fire danger and the need to constantly toss wood into the furnace.

Solar water heaters - Are one of the most modern and environmentally friendly options. The devices are powered by solar panels, which store solar energy and convert it into heat. Solar panels are usually located on the roof, and are long glass tubes filled with a special composition.

Gas water heater Is one of the most common solutions. It has a simple device, can operate at a low head of water and, in addition, the fuel for it is much cheaper than all other options (except, except for sunlight). However, devices of this kind are not without disadvantages. The most significant of them are the need for regular preventive inspections and maintenance, as well as a high noise level and unstable water temperature.

Electric water heaters are most often purchased for urban housing, but they can also be used at the cottage, especially if there is no possibility to use gas. Such devices are more convenient to use and maintain, but for normal operation of the boiler must ensure a good water pressure and stable voltage in the network.

There are devices that combine two devices in one - a washbasin and a water heater. Popularly, such devices are called washer-dryers. "Moydodyr" is a kind of pouring water heater, consisting of a sink and a tank attached above it, which is equipped with a heater.

The tank volume of such a device is usually small, but the water is enough to wash dishes, hands or wash your face. The "washer-dryers" are usually powered by electricity. There are more modern models, equipped with additional functions, such as protection from overheating and from turning on the power when the tank is empty.

Choosing a water heater for dacha, you need to know the most important criteria for selection. We have compiled for you a list of parameters that should be decisive when buying one or another model.

• Type of device - storage/flush/flowing;
• water supply method - pressurized/non-pressurized;
• heating method - gas/electric/wood/solar;
• maximum heating temperature - from 55 to 100 degrees;
• tank volume - from 5 to 100 liters;
• rated power (for a country house it is optimal from 1.25 to 2.5 kW);
• mounting method - wall/floor/universal.

When choosing a device for water heating in the country house, in addition to the main technical parameters, you have to take into account many different nuances, including the peculiarities of design.

So, domestic water heaters can differ in the location of the heating element. There are two popular options: the heating element, which is located horizontally and the heating element, located vertically.

Having analyzed the proposals of stores and customer feedback, we have prepared a list of the best manufacturers of water heaters for dacha. The table below shows the most rated models, their key characteristics and average prices.

The company-manufacturer should be one of the decisive factors when choosing a water heater for dacha. In suburban conditions, in the absence of a normally organized water and electricity supply, devices of domestic, Italian, Swedish and Turkish manufacturers have shown themselves well.

In this case, each country is trying to cultivate some specific features. For example, Russian-made water heaters are able to heat large volumes of water quickly and evenly, Italian samples maintain the temperature well, and Swedish devices are characterized by ease of operation.

Independent installation and connection of the water heater - a quite doable task, especially since in the countryside help from professional craftsmen usually do not have to wait. When carrying out the installation, you should follow a few simple rules and recommendations.

• First of all you need to connect the ground, and if necessary - to install water filters (if its quality is questionable).
• Carefully study the characteristics of the device and determine whether the wall can withstand its weight (do not forget to consider the weight of water). A set of fasteners is usually sold with the water heater.
• To reduce heat loss, you need to install the boiler as close to the plumbing fixture as possible.
• Pipes for cold and hot water should be mounted in exact accordance with the installation instructions.
• Be sure to install a safety valve at the inlet of the cold water pipe to protect the device from overheating. It is recommended to treat the connection with sealant.
• After all basic work is completed, you should simultaneously open the valve responsible for the water supply and the hot water faucet.
• At the final stage, connect the water heater to the network, set the desired temperature and wait until the water is heated to the required values.

People craftsmen practically all the equipment for home and cottage have learned to make their own or remake from the outdated equipment. This approach to housekeeping has both advantages and disadvantages. In this case, if we are talking about homemade electric or gas appliances, then the minuses here will be much more than the pluses. Among the obvious advantages of self-made water heaters can be noted only the relative cheapness. To the disadvantages, experts refer to the increased danger associated with the incorrect calculation of various indicators, such as power, pressure, temperature, etc.

The only absolutely safe type of water heater, which you can make at the cottage with your own hands is a tank of natural water heating. It is a large container of water, installed in a sunny location. On warm, clear days the water will be heated naturally. You only need to bring a pipe or hose for water to the tank.

In the following video, you can see how to make a water heater for the country house on your own.

Choosing a water heater for the country, you should be guided not only by the advice of sales consultants, but also by the opinion of those who have already managed to use the device you came across. If among your acquaintances were not dacha owners, look for descriptions and reviews of various water heater models on the Internet.