To paraphrase a well-known saying of the classics, we can say that owners of small-sized kitchens in Khrushchev-era apartment buildings have two problems: a refrigerator and a gas water heater. It is difficult for a modern person to live without a refrigerator, and the gas water heater is usually located in such a way that no other kitchen cabinets fit. On the one hand, one can envy the owners of apartments with geysers: they do not have problems with interruptions in the supply of hot water. On the other hand, they own a gas appliance that requires extra space to install in a cramped kitchen. How to place everything you need comfortably and beautifully - let’s look at some design options for standard planning solutions in a Khrushchev-era kitchen.
Why is the gas water heater so inconveniently located?
Recently, blaming the inconvenient layout of Khrushchev-era apartment buildings and micro-kitchens in them has been considered almost good manners. We will not discuss the subtleties of the internal policy of the Soviet state in the field of resolving the housing issue of half a century ago. Let's consider the question of why builders place a device that heats water so inconveniently for the end user. Capitalists, of course, are not very interested in where a particular kitchen owner will have a shelf with dishes. However, gas appliances and communications to them are installed for a reason, but in accordance with the requirements for gas distribution systems and fire safety rules. General requirements and standards relating to gas pipelines and gas distribution devices are collected in SNiP 2.04.08-87 and SNiP42-01-2002.
The speaker in the kitchen must be placed in accordance with safety regulations
Briefly, for the owner of a kitchen equipped with a gas stove and gas water heater, the standards boil down to the following points:
- the distance from the gas pipeline to any building structures must allow for the possibility of dismantling and installing equipment - this means that the gas pipe must pass at a distance of at least 70 mm from the wall;
- Shut-off valves must be installed on the gas pipeline to ensure gas shutoff if necessary, and metering devices;
- the shut-off valve is installed at a height of 1500 mm from the floor and at least 200 mm to the left or right of the stove;
- gas pipeline pipes must be steel, with welded joints, the use of a flexible line is allowed only after the shut-off valve for connecting to devices, the length of the flexible line should not exceed 3000 mm;
Important! To connect gas appliances, it is permissible to use only a special flexible gas connection; flexible plumbing connections are not suitable.
- pipes supplying gas are prohibited from being walled up in walls: connection points, shut-off valves and the meter must be accessible;
- the geyser must be installed so that its lower part is at least 1200 mm from the floor, and the top of the device is no closer than 300 mm to the ceiling;
- the distance from the side surface of the gas water heater to the wall should allow for the possibility of removing and installing a new device;
The speaker should not touch the surface of the furniture
- if cabinets are hung next to the geyser, the distance between the wall of the device and the sides of the cabinets must be at least 30 mm, this requirement also applies to the case of decorating the geyser in a cabinet - the dimensions of the cabinet must take into account the dimensions of the device plus 30 mm on the sides and between the front panel and a door.
All work related to the transfer of gas supply pipes and the installation of gas distribution equipment must be carried out with an agreed project and by professional gas equipment installers. Therefore, if you are planning to move a gas burner or change the gas pipeline layout, you should first of all contact the management company, that is, the housing office.
Everything about the distance from the gas pipe to other elements and buildings
Why were the standards for the distance to buildings and objects from the gas pipe invented? Alas, we often neglect the norms of SNIP, especially in household plots and summer cottages. A particularly disdainful attitude towards the norms is if the threat of a fine is unlikely. But is it the fine?
The standards that specify the distance from the gas pipe are for our safety. Non-compliance or insufficient compliance can result in something worse than penalties. So is life really worth neglecting these indicators, even if it’s not entirely convenient?
Modern standards are suitable for the design of new gas supply systems, as well as the modernization of existing ones. According to them, the main gas outlets for domestic use do not exceed a pressure of 1.6 MPa. According to the same standards, gas supply is designed in dacha and cottage villages.
These standards are not suitable for gas supply systems of industrial organizations, for example, oil refining companies, ferrous metallurgy and others.
Composition of the gas supply system:
- external pipelines;
- internal;
- equipment and units for control, measurement, gas supply, and system maintenance.
Can't be moved, hidden
One of the frequently proposed ways to solve the problem of a small kitchen and place all the necessary furniture and equipment in it is to make drastic changes - combining the kitchen and living room. But if you are a law-abiding citizen, then you cannot do a redevelopment that combines the kitchen and living room. More precisely, it is possible, but only if the stove in the kitchen is electric and the water heater is too. Gas equipment - a stove or gas burner is required to be installed in a room separated from living rooms by a wall with a door.
Just like in a fairy tale, the placement of the comma in this phrase is of great importance. If you decide that the amount of work, approvals and financial costs is not worth modern kitchen interior design, then we will try to solve the problem using decorative methods.
Speaker in the kitchen cabinet
- Geyser as part of a kitchen set . This is the simplest and most obvious way: enclose the gas water heater in a furniture cabinet, then from the outside it will not be noticeable where the device is located - it will be hidden by the cabinet door. When ordering furniture, you should only take into account the requirements for the installation of gas appliances.
Advice. It may be worth changing the model of the geyser if the device in your apartment is still an old model: modern models are more compact and their body is better suited for such camouflage.
- Geyser in a decorative casing. From the advice given above, another solution follows: modern models of gas instantaneous water heaters can have not only a functional, but a beautiful body that you do not want to hide. There are very decorative solutions: with a glass panel decorated with painting or photo printing.
- Geyser and refrigerator . It’s worth talking about a refrigerator in a small kitchen, but now let’s mention the option of a tandem refrigerator and geyser. If the location of the column allows, you can place a small refrigerator under the column. This option also requires the use of modern models of gas water heaters. Their design is such that the burner is located in the upper part and the bottom of the device does not heat up. In addition, they have automatic ignition: the burner flame lights up when the water is turned on, so there is no need to provide easy access to turn on the burner. When placing appliances in this way, you should take into account where the stove is located so as not to damage the refrigerator.
- If you can’t hide it, you need to show it beautifully . In an industrial or loft style interior, a gas water heater, pipes and chimney can become part of the design. Another option is suitable for a country style interior. Hang wooden shelves in a retro style on the sides of the gas water heater, place beautiful dishes or kitchen utensils on them, and draw a shelf with objects on the body of the water heater.
There are many options for hiding a gas water heater in a small kitchen. In the photo you can see various solutions.
Replacing a gas boiler in a private house - installation rules and procedures
Modern gas boilers for private homes
Modern boilers of various configurations and power are available for sale. Below is a list of the most popular boilers and their brief technical characteristics. After studying the proposed list of units, you can buy a double-circuit wall-mounted gas boiler at a very affordable price.
Boiler BOSCH 6000
One of the most popular wall-mounted boilers is the Bosch 6000 gas boiler, the price of which is about 36,000 rubles. All types of Bosch boilers are adapted to Russian conditions - instability of power supply and gas pressure.
Basic technical data:
Gas boiler SIBERIA 11K
Basic data of the SIBERIA 11K boiler:
Heating boiler "Ross"
Heating boilers with a power of up to 50 kW are all non-volatile, and volatile boilers with a power of more than 50 kW are rarely used in private homes.
The main characteristics and technical data are as follows:
Gas boiler from KOREASTAR
Protherm Bear 30 KLOM
Basic data:
Gas boilers from ARISTON
Their characteristics deserve attention:
Removing the old boiler
Having received all the required documents, the company, if it has a certificate for such work, can begin replacing the old boiler. You can significantly speed up the replacement work by dismantling the old boiler yourself, which is not prohibited by law.
To remove the old boiler, you must perform the following steps:
A few words about the refrigerator
The second Achilles heel of small kitchens in Khrushchev-era apartments is the placement of the refrigerator. It is difficult to hide a large unit; as a rule, there is no room left for this device, and it goes into the corridor, into the place of a former storage room, or even into the room. But the refrigerator can hardly be called a living room decoration.
A compact refrigerator model will fit perfectly in a small kitchen.
Perhaps as part of your kitchen remodel, you might want to think about whether you really need a huge two-compartment household refrigerator? There is no shortage of food in stores, is it worth stocking up on frozen meat for six months in advance, or is it better to buy chilled meat as needed?
In addition to refrigerators with freezers, there are appliances on sale that only have a cooling chamber. They are much more compact - there is no need for a thick layer of thermal insulation and a large compressor. Such models are often designed for installation under a countertop.
There are also options for independent appliances: the freezer and refrigerator compartments are designed as independent separate appliances that can be more conveniently placed in the kitchen. Or even leave only the refrigerator in the kitchen area, because it is used more often. And put the freezer in another room.
If you approach the interior design of a small-sized kitchen thoughtfully, then a small area is not a death sentence. There is always an optimal solution for creating a comfortable living space.
At what distance from the gas pipe can you build a house: SNiP norm
The distance from the house to the gas pipe (gas pipeline) is the distance necessary for the safety of the structure, which is selected, depending on several components, according to the standards. The installation method, the level of safety of the gas pipeline, the delivery system and the pressure under which the liquid fuel is supplied all play a role. Determination of the required distance from a residential building on the site to the gas pipe is provided for in SNiP 42-01-2002 in relation to the pressure of the supplied raw material: low, medium or high. The regulatory document entitled “Gas distribution systems” provides the necessary conditions aimed at various situations.
How to place a refrigerator and gas heater in the kitchen: photo
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
Video on how to properly connect and seal pipes:
What are the dangers of connecting a speaker without complying with fire regulations:
The video provides a brief summary of the geyser installation standards with a detailed discussion of the main points:
If a decision has been made to install a water heater in an apartment on your own, then it is necessary to carry out the installation in accordance with all the rules. It is strictly forbidden to skimp on materials for installation. This is the case when it is better to play it safe and overpay. Otherwise, the consequences could be tragic. It is better to invite a specialist and make a one-time payment than to constantly pay fines from the gas service.
sovet-ingenera.com
What can and cannot be done with a gas water heater, the gas supply to it and the ventilation system during kitchen renovations? This is one of the most relevant topics for our visitors. We are publishing detailed explanations from OJSC “MOSGAZ” on this issue.
