How to properly turn on a gas heater

Gas column

One essential appliance in any apartment is a gas column. It is a quick and efficient water heating device that operates by burning gas. It is important to keep in mind that gas columns, like any other gas-powered devices, pose certain risks. They provide hot water to the house through the combustion of gas.

Upon installation, it is important to learn how to operate the gas heater correctly.

How the gas heater is organized

It is essential for every individual to have a comprehensive understanding of the structure and functioning of a gas heater in order to ensure its safe and proper usage.

The gas heater consists of a metal body and various other components:

Make sure to install the device in both the kitchen and any non-residential room that has a ceiling height of at least two meters. Additionally, it is important that the room is properly ventilated.

Note: Do not place the gas heater above the stove.

The operation of gas devices from the "Beretta", "Electrolux", and "Neva" brands is similar:

• When turned on, water enters the system;
• The pressure causes the diaphragm to expand and open the gas supply valve;
• The burner is ignited and begins to heat the liquid circulating through the heat exchanger;
• The combustion byproducts are expelled through the chimney and ventilation system.

If you happen to detect a gas odor in your apartment, there are a few steps you should take:

• First and foremost, shut off the gas supply valve;
• Next, open a window to ensure proper ventilation;
• Do not attempt to use any electrical appliances until the gas smell has dissipated completely;
• Lastly, get in touch with the gas service to report the issue.

Rules of use

If you have an open type heater, please follow the following recommendations:

• Make sure to provide proper ventilation during installation;
• Under no circumstances should you turn on the device if there is no draft in the chimney;
• Avoid leaving the device on when there is no one at home;
• Do not attempt to modify the design yourself;
• Make sure to close the valve if the burner is not ignited.

Note: It is essential to hire a professional for the reinstallation of a gas heater.

How to check the draught

Open-type gas heaters are being discussed here. The more advanced versions come with an automatic safety system. If the air flow is interrupted or completely absent while the appliance is in use, it will not function.

However, it’s not advisable to solely rely on automatic systems. It is important to be able to check the air flow manually. Gas service specialists are equipped with special measuring devices for this purpose, which can assess the strength of the air movement.

For self-assessment, the following methods can be utilized:

1. Detach the left part of the appliance and hold a small strip of paper near the chimney. If there is any air movement, the paper will be slightly pulled inside.
2. Ignite a match and position your hand near the inspection window on the front panel. If the flame is drawn inwards, there is a draft.

Attention! Sometimes the chimney may be in good condition, but there might be a problem with the airflow. This happens when there is insufficient air entering the kitchen. To test if everything is working properly, close the doors and windows in the room.

How to ignite the appliance

Once the appliance has been installed, the initial startup procedure for the gas column is carried out. The first step is to open the water and gas supply valves. Next, the column is switched on, which can be done in three different ways.

Manually

This method was utilized in an older model of heater. The gas heater can only be activated by using matches. Fireplace matches are considered to be the superior choice for starting the ignition.

When utilizing this method, the following steps are taken:

• First, open the tap on the water pipe that is connected to the column;
• Next, turn the valve for gas supply;
• A match is then used to ignite the wick;
• Finally, turn the fuel supply valve and adjust the water temperature using a specialized lever.

Help! The device will remain on until the tap is manually closed.

The ignition of the old gas column is pretty easy to accomplish. The process of turning it off, however, is exactly the opposite. You must first extinguish the wick, then turn off the gas, and finally shut off the water.

It is essential to handle old model gas columns with utmost caution. Failure to do so may result in an explosion, damage to the device, or gas leakage.

With the help of a piezo ignition

A manually operated device without any batteries, equipped with mechanical knobs as switches. To start it, a spark is required.

The following steps need to be taken:

• Turn on the fuel transfer;
• Keep the electrovalve pressed for twenty seconds to ensure a sufficient amount of gas for the flame;
• Press the piezo ignition button;
• Once the wick is lit, adjust the desired values on the temperature controller.

Warning! It is absolutely necessary to supply water to the device, otherwise the heat exchanger will get damaged.

Instructions for properly igniting the "Bosch" gas column:

• Turn on the water and gas supply valves;
• Set the regulator to the "on" position;
• Push the "piezoelectric ignition" button;
• When the contacts activate, a spark will appear;
• Keep holding the ignition button until the flame ignites, then adjust the desired power settings.

The pilot light should be on at all times. Once the water valve is opened, the burner will start heating up. To extinguish the pilot light, set the control to "Off".

Automatically

One can ignite new models of gas columns by activating Bosch, Ariston, and Beretta gas columns. These devices are equipped with a battery compartment. To put them into operation, one needs to open the gas supply valve and then turn on the mixer. The batteries generate a spark that ignites the appliance.

When activating and operating the gas heater, the presence of a water turbine is required. Once the mixer is open, the water starts to rotate the turbine, which activates the electricity in the burner. However, a drawback of this system is that if the mains pressure is low, the turbine may fail to activate or provide insufficient heating.

Mandatory precautions

Safety is crucial when turning on the device. To ignite the wick or burner, follow the instructions in the user manual.

Important information to keep in mind:

1. Newer models of appliances come with multiple safety features and operate automatically. There are no specific usage guidelines. To ignite the wick, open the hot water tap.
2. Older gas column models have usage issues. These include lighting the device with matches and activating the ignition using piezo ignition systems.
3. Never operate the device without reading the instruction manual first.
4. It is strictly prohibited to modify the speaker’s design by yourself.
5. Avoid igniting the device when there is no airflow or when there is a reverse airflow present.

Should the wick be extinguished at night?

If you have a water heater with a wick, it is recommended to turn it off regularly. This will help you save on gas costs as the appliance will be in on-off mode. Additionally, there is no need to worry about accidents occurring during the night as the gas automatic heater is designed to work safely. The device has safety measures in place to protect against burner ignition. However, if you notice any visible signs of malfunction such as malfunctions, pops, or the burner extinguishing itself during operation, it is important to turn off the wick and contact the emergency gas service.

Every gas heater produced in different years is equipped with an automatic system that prevents the device from turning on by itself. Consequently, spontaneous activation should not occur. The regulating system "frog" prevents the column from igniting without water.

If the column starts up on its own without water, then there is an issue with the hot water pipe. The main cause is typically the occurrence of leaks. Once the problem is resolved, the heater will function as before.

Most users are not confronted with the self-ignition of the wick, but rather with the wick continuing to burn when the faucet is closed. This is due to the diaphragm being damaged by hard water. The diaphragm is located in the water regulator. When the water is turned off, the diaphragm remains in the same position and presses against the gas supply rod. The problem can be resolved by replacing the diaphragm.

At what time the column should be turned on

Everything depends on the type of switch used on the column.

The instructions for the device state the following:

• Columns without a wick operate automatically. According to the gas column manual, it will ignite itself when the hot water tap is opened. Classic brands do not work without water pressure, but advanced models can turn on even with slight water pressure.
• Columns with a wick burn continuously. The gas column operating instructions state that it should be turned on in the morning. Users ignite the wick in the morning and leave it burning until evening.