Antifreeze for a country house heating system: which is better, advantages and disadvantages

As a coolant in the heating system of private houses, water is usually used, but antifreeze is also used for these purposes. Before you follow this technology, you need to ask why it is necessary to use the substance, and how to choose it correctly for the heating system.

Advantages of using antifreeze

For a long time, only water was used as a universal coolant for heating systems. This is due to its physico-chemical characteristics, including the specific capacity, which is 4,169 kJ / kg. However, there are a number of factors that can limit the use of water as a universal coolant. Among them, one can single out the moment that the temperature of the transition from a liquid state to a solid state is 0 degrees. Among other things, at the time of freezing, the volume of water increases by about 10%, this certainly causes damage to the networks in which the liquid was before freezing. That is why if the above conditions are likely to occur, antifreeze is used for a country house heating system , which has more flexible properties.

Effective and optimal operation can be ensured by the fact that the above-described substance for the air heating system is applied. In this case, we are not talking about liquids such as ethyl alcohol, transformer oil or automotive antifreeze. When choosing antifreeze, it is important to consider that it must have safety in terms of possible ignition and flammability. Among other things, there are some restrictions that are prescribed by the regulations for living quarters. Antifreeze should not react to the metal surface after interaction with it.

Types of antifreeze for heating systems

If you need antifreeze for a country house heating system, then you should be aware of the chemical characteristics of the substance. It is based on aqueous solutions of propylene glycol and ethylene glycol. These compounds in pure form are quite aggressive in order to use them in heating systems. But there are special additives designed to protect against the appearance of foam, corrosion, scale, as well as damage to the armature and individual elements in the network.

These additives can increase the thermal stability, which is provided in the temperature range from -70 to +110 degrees. It is worth noting that the absence of thermal degradation is noted even at a temperature range from +165 to +175 degrees. You should choose such antifreeze for the heating system of a country house, so that it does not react to plastic, elastomers and rubber.

When to choose ethylene glycol antifreeze

Antifreeze, whose producers are in Russia, is intended for use in a heating system. Such substances are quite widely represented in the market of modern products, they are created on the basis of ethylene glycol. If necessary, you can choose for yourself one of the options. Thus, the substance can freeze at -30 or -65 degrees. In order to fill the system with antifreeze, you must initially prepare the solution. To do this, dilute the substance with water. If you want to save, then you should choose the ethylene glycol composition, since it differs insignificantly.

Such an antifreeze for the heating system of a country house has a significant drawback, which is expressed in toxicity. Harmful to health, the substance can cause inhalation of fumes or skin contact. It is important to remember that the lethal dose of this substance for a person is equal to a volume equivalent to 250 ml. This drawback limits the use of antifreeze based on ethylene glycol in dual-circuit heat supply networks. In them, the coolant can get into the circuit for heated water. For this reason, the use of such substances is limited solely to single-circuit systems. For safety, this coolant is painted in red, which makes it easier to detect its leakage.

When to choose propylene glycol antifreeze

Considering antifreezes of different brands, you can pay attention to propylene glycol varieties. They appeared at the end of the last century and quickly gained popularity for the reason that they are not toxic. As advantages, you can identify complete harmlessness. This characteristic is the most important for two-circuit systems. Today, these coolants can be found in the domestic market, and the instruction allows them to operate at temperatures up to -35 degrees.

To identify similar antifreezes that are made of propylene glycol, they are dyed green. Looking through the point of sale antifreeze of different colors, you can pay attention to the one that was described above. As an additional advantage, it can be noted that propylene glycol even acts as an approved food additive. It can be found in confectionery as an agent, which helps to retain moisture, soften and disperse the substance.

When to choose triethylene glycol antifreeze

If you are thinking about the question of which antifreeze to pour, if the working temperature reaches +180 degrees, then you can use substances made on the basis of triethylene glycol. They are characterized by high temperature stability.

But these coolants can not be called products intended for widespread use. Most often such substances are used in special systems in which radiators for antifreeze are designed for impressive temperatures.

Recommendations for the choice of coolant

If you want to choose the best antifreeze, it is recommended to read the information provided in the article. Before proceeding to pump the substance into the heating system, it is important to study the thermal properties of solutions that are based on ethylene glycol. The main constituents of these compounds are ethylene glycol and water, which in the substance is contained within 95%.

The remaining elements of these liquids are all kinds of additives. If there is a need to choose an antifreeze that will have certain physicochemical properties, then you need to look at the ratio of water and ethylene glycol. These two parameters can determine viscosity, boiling point, freezing point, thermal conductivity, volumetric expansion and heat capacity.

Pros of using antifreezes with additives

The individual properties of a particular type of antifreeze determine the additive package. From these components, the following characteristics will be important: cost, anti-cavitation, life time, as well as anti-corrosion. The main task of additives when using antifreezes is the protection of metals from corrosive processes. As studies show, additives can reduce the corrosion of internal surfaces up to 100 times. The rust layer, which is formed on the internal walls of heating devices and pipelines, has very poor thermal conductivity, it is 50 times less than that produced by steel. Thus, rust acts as a heat insulator.

Due to corrosive formations, the inner lumen of the pipe narrows. For this reason, the hydrodynamic resistance increases, and the velocity of the coolant in the pipeline system decreases. This can lead to an increase in energy costs. The resulting rust particles in the coolant cause depressurization of the bearings of the circulation pumps. They clog the heat exchange channels and elements of the heating boilers. Thus, the user faces damage to the heating system elements.

The use of additives protects metal and heating systems from corrosion damage, thus extending the life of these elements for 15 years. If you use a solution of antifreeze based on propylene glycol or ethylene glycol without additives, this can cause large losses in the economic plan, especially if you compare with the cost of the additive package.

Cons of using antifreezes

After you decide what to fill in the heating system, it is important to take into account the fact that you need to withstand the recommended temperature range when using the described coolant. Regardless of the substrate, antifreeze does not tolerate overheating. Boiling can lead to the destruction of the structure. The average boiling point of this substance is in the range from 106 to 116 degrees. The specific mark will depend on how much the composition is diluted with water at the time of initial preparation for operation.

You should remember that a strong overheating of antifreeze can lead to the splitting of anti-corrosion additives. After this, as a rule, decomposition and boiling out of glycols that form acidic compounds occur. On the inner surfaces of the heating elements, the deposit begins to be deposited, which adversely affects the correct operation of the entire unit. Antifreeze, reviews of which are not always only positive, can be used to prevent such a danger. To do this, it will be necessary to provide increased circulation, which eliminates the possibility of overheating of the coolant.

In addition, it is possible to provide a full coating of antifreeze heaters, which eliminates the possibility of overheating. It is important to note that the features of the operation of the formulations, which are associated with less heat capacity, thermal conductivity and more impressive viscosity, should be taken into account by selecting productive circulating pumps and radiators.

Additional disadvantages

Any antifreeze with ease will find even the smallest cracks and leaks, and at the same time leaks will form. Due to the fact that in the solution medium the swelling of the gaskets and gaskets disappears, there will also be streaks in these places. The reason for this is a lower coefficient of surface tension. If you want to eliminate this trouble, then you need to tighten the connections. It is possible that such actions will have to be repeated many times. However, only this way it will be possible to improve the seals of the system.

This is especially important if we take into account the fact that ethylene glycol can be oxidized by contact with air. With an increase in the temperature of the coolant, the oxidation process will only accelerate by a factor of two per decade of the temperature scale. Next we should expect the already familiar situation described above. Oxidation products will contribute to the destruction of additives, which, in turn, will accelerate the corrosive processes. That is why it is so important to ensure the complete tightness of the system, including the expansion tanks.

Choosing a manufacturer of antifreeze

If you are considering antifreeze, the manufacturers should also be interested in you. The Russian consumer most often chooses a product of domestic manufacture, since it has the most affordable value. Among the most common supplier companies can be identified "Warm House", "Spectroplast", Hot Blood, as well as Dixis.

But the buyer most often refuses from imported samples because of the impressive cost. In most cases, there is ethylene glycol in the base of these antifreezes, the characteristics of which were presented above. The substance will need to be diluted with water to the required freezing point. It is important to consider not only the high cost of this product, but also its biggest drawback, which is expressed in toxicity.

Recommendations for use

If you are interested in the question of how to dilute the antifreeze, then for a concentration of -65 degrees it will be necessary to mix 60% of the coolant and 40% of the water. This will give a freezing point of 25 degrees. The ratio varies up to 54% antifreeze and 46% water to obtain a freezing point within -20 degrees.

In order to know how much antifreeze in the system, you need to add 90% of the substance and 10% of water, this will get a freezing point of -25 degrees, which is true for antifreeze concentrate at -30 degrees. If you use the same concentrate, but to get a freezing point within -20 degrees, you need to mix 20% of water and 80% of the coolant.

Price of antifreeze

Many consumers often ask how much antifreeze is. First of all, you need to take into account that the volume of containers can be different. Thus, antifreeze brand PRIMOCLIMA ANTIFROST, which is based on glycerin, will cost 690 rubles per 10 kilograms. The substance of the same manufacturer, but made on the basis of ethylene glycol, will cost you 1400 rubles for 20 kilograms.

Conclusion

After you have learned how much antifreeze is, you can go to the store to buy a coolant that will last for you for a long time. This point, by the way, must also be taken into account when making a purchase, as well as the fact that it is not worth saving on this substance. This is due to a variety of reasons. First of all, the composition should be safe, this will significantly extend the life of each element of the heating system.