Let’s talk about the heating control unit of a country house

Autonomous heating is an urgent need for owners of country houses who do not have the ability to connect to the highway. Like any piece of equipment, it needs to be fine-tuned to achieve maximum operational efficiency. Modern technologies allow you to install a heating control unit for a private house remotely, using a cell phone, the Internet and other communication methods. This approach makes it possible to receive timely notifications of an emergency, remotely issue commands to turn off the system, adjust the temperature by sending messages in accordance with your own requirements.

Basic working principle

The main detail in the whole scheme is an electronic control unit, which provides slots for installing standard SIM cards for cellular communication. More technological modifications also have a connector where an electronic Internet cable is connected. Similarly, temperature sensors, pressure indicators, fire alarms and other security systems are connected to this module. Of course, to provide feedback, the unit itself must be connected to a heating boiler.

The heating control of a country house is carried out according to a simple, in general, scheme. The initial adjustment of the functioning is carried out, after which the central processor fixes in the memory the correct operating conditions of the system. If one of the connected sensors sends a signal about a change in these conditions, for example, the temperature starts to drop, a text message is sent to the owner’s cell phone. The owner, in turn, can request the readings of other sensors in order to more fully assess the situation, send a response command with a text message to turn off the devices or continue working as usual.

The heating control system can also be based on communication through the use of the Internet. To do this, on a cell phone with access to the global network, you must first install a special application that demonstrates all the current system parameters in real time.

Tangible benefits

*
Consider a few situations in which the scheme is guaranteed to be useful:

• You return to the cottage from a week-long business trip or vacation, during all this time no one lived there. On the way from the airport, you send a text message, send a signal to start heating. By your arrival, the microclimate in all rooms will be as comfortable and pleasant as possible.
• You set the boiler to an economical mode, which excludes freezing of the coolant in the pipes, and leave. Unexpectedly, a failure occurs, the coolant cools rapidly, the module detects an accident, sends you a message. You, in turn, send a response command to restart the boiler. If this measure does not bring results, it is worth calling the emergency service. This method eliminates the possibility of freezing of the coolant in the pipes, which will inevitably lead to a rupture and huge financial costs for restoration.
• If you want to know the current situation in the house, send the appropriate command. The response message contains information about the air temperature in the controlled premises, the level of humidity, and the current temperature of the system coolant.
• A dangerous situation arose with the gas boiler: the fuel supply circuit was depressurized, there is a high concentration of the composition. With a response message, the heating system is transferred to a backup energy source, the problem is eliminated by specialized services.

Set of modules and installation features

Heating control in a country house according to the GSM standard requires the following elements:

• A unit equipped with slots for installing cellular cards and power cables.
• Auxiliary remote antenna that improves signal quality.
• An integrated battery that maintains the device’s performance when the centralized power supply is turned off. Please note that with autonomous power, functionality decreases significantly. For example, the unit will not be able to send a signal to restart the gas boiler, there simply is not enough voltage for this. The built-in battery should last approximately 3 days of operation. Many models require the connection of an additional power source.
• temperature sensors. In most cases, their maximum number is limited to five.
• Additional sensors for security and fire alarms, water supply breakthroughs, unauthorized opening of windows and doors.

Thus, not just a heating control system, but a full-fledged security complex can be formed in the house.

If we talk about the nuances of installation, then there are no particular difficulties. All devices are fixed as easily as possible. To eliminate the possibility of failure, we recommend mounting the control unit in a room where the most stable and clear cellular network signal is recorded. It is also worth contacting the operator so that advertising messages from unknown numbers do not come to the SIM card in the block, such interference often causes failures.

Functionality

*
The minimum set of functions that control and configure the heating system of a multi-storey building is as follows:

• Setting the air temperature in the premises and the temperature of the coolant;
• Formation of a text report indicating all operating parameters and further sending to the owner’s phone;
• Determination of voltage stability in the home power network;
• Control of devices in case of an emergency, including emergency shutdown of the boiler;
• Maintaining the temperature in the premises at a given level, its remote adjustment.

Additional functionality depends on the exact model of the automation unit, a set of connected sensors. Practice shows that the following functions are most useful:

• Control over pressure and fuel level in diesel and wood-burning devices;
• Tracking unauthorized access;
• Activation of a fire alarm in the event of an open fire, smoke, a sharp increase in temperature;
• Leak tracking.

Please note that some blocks involve communication not with one number, but with nine at once, they are designed for storey buildings.

Summarize

It turns out that the automation of the heating system is a profitable and justified solution from all sides. The efficiency of operation increases, the risk of an emergency situation is eliminated, the comfort of living reaches its maximum level. With all these advantages, the cost of setting up such a system is democratic, the devices will pay off in just a season or two!