The speed of assembly and the low cost of construction made frame houses very popular in Russia. For comfortable year-round living in such buildings, it is necessary to install a well-designed heating system.
In order not to spoil the appearance of the walls, you can equip underfloor heating. At the same time, it is absolutely not necessary to contact specialists and spend a lot of money on their services. You can do the upcoming work with your own hands. And how to install a warm floor in a frame house and what options can be used in such buildings, read our article.
Varieties of floor heating systems
Today, there are three types of underfloor heating systems in hardware stores. Their differences lie in the type of coolant used. It could be:
- water circuit;
- electric cable;
- infrared film.
Film floor heating in a frame house is the easiest to lay. Such a system does not load the wooden floors and is very quickly mounted.
Water varieties are much more difficult to install, and the cost of equipment for heating operation cannot be called low. Cable systems are more affordable, but they are completely dependent on electricity, which they consume in large quantities.
You don't need complicated tools to install all systems. In most cases, the work uses a regular construction knife, pliers, a pipe cutter and electrical tape.
Features of arranging heating in frame-type buildings
The organization of underfloor heating in frame-type buildings has some features. If any type of heating can be safely used in brick buildings, then in this case, the choice of system should be approached very carefully.
Difficulties associated with the fact that the walls and floor are quite light, not designed for serious loads. For this reason, it is not always possible to fill in a heavy screed. This creates difficulties in installing cable and water coolant.
If you want to use just such heating to install a warm floor in a frame house, you will have to equip the second level of the chipboard floor. In this case, the pipes and cable will be located between the two layers of the floor, and inas a cladding, it will be possible to use porcelain stoneware, ceramics, laminate or linoleum.
In the same way, a warm floor is mounted in a frame house on stilts. Such designs also do not require the presence of a heavy screed, which makes it impossible to install the system using the standard method.
How to choose the right heating option?
When choosing the best floor heating method, consider the climate in your area and the availability of resources. So, systems with a water circuit, although they are considered the most expensive, are more economical in operation.
If your region is dominated by humidity and low temperatures, this option will be optimal. It does not depend on electricity, the supply of which may be interrupted. And gas is much cheaper than electricity.
Experts say that residents of the southern regions, where winters are very warm, will be quite enough with film heating. It consumes less energy and is able to maintain the optimal temperature in the room.
Cable underfloor heating in a frame house is best installed as additional heating. This is due to the high energy consumption. If you heat a large area in this way, there will be big expenses.
Arrangement of water heating in a screed
When installing a water floor in a screed, make sure that the base is able to withstand a large load. The average weight of 1 m2 of concrete is 500 kg, provided that the mortar is poured5 cm layer. If the house is on a foundation, such work can be carried out without fear.
Installation of a water-heated floor in a frame house begins with the creation of a project. If the work will take place in large rooms, the area of \u200b\u200bwhich exceeds 40 m22, then the space should be divided into 2 parts and 2 circuits installed.
Next, the foundation is being prepared. This process includes the following works:
- Laying waterproofing. A film is laid on the rough base so that its edges extend 15 cm onto the walls. The material is fixed at the edges with masking tape.
- Installation installation. Foam-coated polystyrene foam is laid on top of the waterproofing.
- Arrangement of an expansion joint. A damper tape is laid around the perimeter of the room.
Marking is carried out on the surface of the insulation, on the basis of which the water circuit will be laid out.
Installation of the system
To install a water-heated floor in a frame house with your own hands, lay a reinforcing mesh over the insulation. Position the pipes on the surface and secure them to the base with nylon clamps. According to the advice of experts, this is necessary in order to prevent the movement of the pipe during the pouring of the screed.
In frame structures, the distance between adjacent contours should be 10-15 cm. When the pipe is laid, check it. Supply water to the system and check for leaks and otherdefects. If all is well, proceed with the installation of the underfloor heating screed. In a frame house, the thickness of the solution should be minimal. After pouring, the concrete must dry completely and gain strength. To do this, pause work for 20-30 days. Only after that you can continue the arrangement of the floor.
Installing the contour on wooden boards
If the house is on piles, the heat carrier is placed on boards. The base is preliminarily covered with waterproofing material, insulation mats are laid.
Boards or chipboard boards are installed on top of the thermal insulation. Grooves are cut in them for arranging a thermal circuit. To prevent the wood from spoiling from constant heating, metal plates are installed in the slots made. The pipe of the heating system is subsequently laid in them.
When the water circuit is mounted, the system is checked for operability. After that, the floor is covered with OSB boards. A finishing decorative coating is laid on top of the resulting flooring.
If you believe the recommendations of experts, this method of installation allows you to install the system with the least weight of the frame and allows you to start heating immediately after completion of work.
Installation of cable type electrical systems
Cable electric floor heating in a frame house is installed in two ways: using a coupler and on logs. In both cases, waterproofing and insulation should be laid on the subfloor.
If the design of the house allows you to mount a screed, then a special mesh is installed on top of the insulation for mounting such systems. The cable is fixed on it with a wire. The distance between the turns of the heating element is 15-20 cm. You should also retreat about 15 cm from the walls of the room. This will allow you to mount the floor skirting without fear of damaging the cable.
Professional tip: If you are using a single core cable, then plan its location so that the second end of the heating element is in the same place as the first. Two strand wires do not require this rule.
After installation, check the cable for operability, then fill it with a thin layer of concrete mortar.
Laying on wooden joists
The principle of installing a cable and water floor using a screed is the same. But how to make a warm floor in a frame house in which it is impossible to pour a screed? In this case, laying on the logs is carried out. Works are performed in the following sequence:
- Waterproofing and insulation materials are laid on the logs.
- In places where the cable will pass through the board, cuts of the appropriate size are made.
- The heating cable is laid between the lags. In this case, the location "Snake" is used. When the floor in one section is covered with a cable, the heating element is led to the next section and positioned in a similar way.
Further, plywood or chipboard is laid on top of the log. On the resulting base, the front finish is mounted in the form of tiles, laminate, linoleum, etc.
Installing a thermostat
The operation of floor heating cable systems is regulated by a special device - a thermostat. It can be presented as a simple switch or a complex device with a touch screen.
The thermostat supplies electricity to the heating element and controls the temperature of its heating. The device is installed on the wall, near the power source. The controller is mounted so that it is at a height of 30-50 cm from the floor level.
If you are installing the heating system in a damp room, move the thermostat installation location outside of it. This will prevent device malfunction.
Installation of film type systems
Infrared (film) heating is the easiest to install. It can be laid directly under laminate or carpet. If necessary, the mats can be rolled up and moved to another place. However, for the main heating of a room, film systems are rather weak, especially when it comes to the northern regions of the country.
Nevertheless, the warm floor in the frame house deserved positive reviews. Most often, such systems bribe with their accessibility and simplicity. They do not weigh down the structure and can be laid at any stage of the repair.
Installation of infrared heating is as follows:
- On the surfacea plastic film is laid, its edges are fixed to the wall with masking tape.
- A foil reflector is mounted on top of the waterproofing.
- The film is laid on the floor (copper element down) and cut to the desired length. The distance from the film to the wall is 1-2 cm. The cut is made only between the heating sections: in those places where the dotted lines are drawn.
- The second strip is laid next to the first strip. So cover the entire surface of the floor. At the same time, adjacent lanes should not overlap each other.
- The bare edges of the copper heater are insulated with bituminous film.
- A clamp with a cable is put on the free end of the copper wire. Using pliers, it is securely fixed to the copper conductor. The cable is connected to the thermostat, the system is tested.
Laminated panels, carpet, laminate, ceramic tiles are laid over the warm floor. In the latter case, the lining is laid on a large layer of glue.
Summing up
Any underfloor heating system can be used in frame buildings, it is only important to responsibly approach its installation and take into account all the features of the structure. The duration of operation for each variety has its own. The warm water floor (in a frame house) will last the longest. Consumer feedback speaks of the high reliability of such systems.
Film and cable varieties are a bit demanding to operate. Do not place on top of heating elements.heavy furniture that will cause the system to overheat. Otherwise, everything depends on the reliability of the manufacturer.
