Installing a warm floor in an apartment significantly increases the comfort of the home, improves the quality of life of the family. But heating consumes a significant amount of energy. Therefore, it is necessary to accurately calculate the parameters and design of the floor heating system. Despite all the difficulties, it is possible to equip a warm floor on your own. But in order not to make mistakes, it is necessary to learn the rules of engineering calculations, the technology of work, carefully read the instructions from the manufacturers of heating systems.
Some general advice
In an ordinary apartment of a typical multi-storey residential building, it is advisable to install electric heating elements in the floor. Installing an electric underfloor heating does not require fuss with obtaining numerous permits and approvals fromsupervisory authorities in the field of housing and communal services. Therefore, repairs can be carried out quickly and efficiently, without delay, without excessive bureaucratic red tape, while saving significant money. The types of heating elements of an electric underfloor heating differ from each other in the principle of operation (how electrical energy is converted into thermal energy). Such an element can be a conductor of electricity with a high resistivity, the so-called mat and infrared film. Installation of a warm floor under a tile with use of such heaters well proved. Each of the species has certain advantages and disadvantages, which will be discussed further.
Increasingly, people prefer a water heated floor. The installation of such a system involves the solution of numerous problems (both engineering and legal). Such a system can be autonomous (then it is necessary to install boiler equipment), or it can be connected to a centralized heating system. In both cases, the required documentation cannot be dispensed with. It is often very difficult to complete all the documents. On the other hand, the monthly costs for heating such a floor are much lower than for heating an electric floor heating. Such floors, as a rule, are mounted in private houses, where it is necessary to heat a very large surface area.
When self-installation, you should carefully read the installation instructions for underfloor heating from the manufacturer. The whole course of work will depend on the choice of the type of coolant, which is strictlyobserved.
Components and products required for floor installation with electric heater
The main element of the system is the coolant itself (cable, mesh with a fixed cable (mat), infrared radiation film). Installation cannot be done without fasteners (brackets, wire, special adhesive tape). It is necessary to have connecting wires, a floor temperature sensor, a wire for grounding. Without a thermostat, installing a thermal floor loses all meaning and is impractical: such a surface will either burn or be very cold.
Methods of mounting electric heaters
The most common is pouring screed over the heater. As a rule, according to this principle, a warm floor is installed under the tiles in the bathroom, bathroom, or kitchen. A cable (spiral) is used as a heater.
It is also possible to install heating elements on a screed under a tile or under a laminate. But in the case when the room below is not heated, this method is not suitable.
Another variety is possible - laying under the floor covering (installation of an infrared thermal floor). It is mounted under linoleum or under a laminate. Such work can be done by hand. Installing a warm floor does not require the involvement of specialists. Also, you do not need to pour the screed.
Floors with a spiral as a heating element
When an electric current passes through a conductor having a largeelectrical resistivity, the material releases a significant amount of heat. The action of this floor is based on this principle.
Externally, the heating element resembles an ordinary electric cable. A spiral is hidden under the cable sheath.
The industry produces cables with one core, with two cores, as well as the so-called self-regulating cables.
The number of cores, of course, has a direct effect on the heating parameters, as well as on the cost of the cable. The most expensive, for obvious reasons, will cost a self-regulating cable that can adjust to a given temperature.
The type of cable depends on the scheme for connecting it to the mains. So, a single-core cable closes at the connection point. This condition is not met when using other types.
Preparatory work before installing the heating coil floor
It is extremely important to plan in advance, in a calm environment, all the details and nuances of the design. So that the maximum effect is observed at the minimum cost, and at the same time the safety of operation is ensured.
The material used as a finishing also plays an important role. Basically, the heating structure is laid under the tiles and under the laminate. Installing a warm floor under these coatings provides good operating conditions.
Laying works are carried out in strict accordance with generally accepted technology. Installation of a warm floor is possible only after all the necessary preparatoryoperations:
- Surface leveling. It is very important that the surface for laying the cable is perfectly flat. If the floor has a strong slope, significant potholes, a cement building screed will be required. Minor defects are eliminated with putty.
- Thermal insulation is laid on the screed. Moreover, the material should protrude onto the walls by about 20 centimeters. This will increase the efficiency of the system, minimizing the loss of thermal energy. The thickness of the heat-insulating material is from 2 millimeters or more.
- If it is planned to install a warm floor in a room with a high level of humidity (for example, on a balcony, in a bathroom, in a kitchen), then laying the heat-insulating layer is preceded by waterproofing flooring. Otherwise, the heating elements will be exposed to aggressive moisture and quickly fail, and possibly even endanger life.
- After laying the hydro- and moisture-proof layers, the screed is poured again.
- The coupler is covered with a layer of thermoregulating foil. This increases the reliability of the entire system, ensures the distribution of heat over the entire surface of the floor, and eliminates the possibility of overheating of the coil.
- A special tape is glued onto the foil in a certain way (according to the accepted and approved project). The distance between the tape strips is usually 0.5 meters. In the future, with the help of special fasteners, a heating coil is attached to the tape.
- Now you can start laying the heating coil. Upon completion of this work, between turnsput the cable and fix the temperature sensor. The wires coming from the sensor must not cross or come into contact with the heating element.
Before the final filling, it is necessary to thoroughly test the operation of the system. The spiral is poured with a layer of cement 5-8 centimeters thick. After the mortar has hardened, you can safely proceed to the decor of the floor.
In the above described way, a warm floor is installed under the laminate (hall, bedroom, hallway) and under ceramic tiles (bathroom, bathroom).
Using thermal mats as an alternative to spiral heaters
Installing a warm floor based on a heating coil involves a number of difficulties. Filling the screed will inevitably reduce the height of the ceiling, visually narrow the space. And among other things, it requires a significant investment of time and money for design preparation and implementation.
Installing underfloor heating on mats is a good alternative. Such a device is the same cable (only of a much smaller diameter) attached to a synthetic fiber mesh. Installation time is greatly reduced.
It is required to provide a place on the wall to install the floor heating thermostat. Access to the device should not be difficult. This is the main condition.
Laying mats is preceded by laying thermal insulation and, if necessary, waterproofing. The synthetic backing of the mat can be cut for optimal laying and maximum surface coverage. The main thing is not to damage the cable itself. For attaching mats to the baseyou can use glue or special adhesive tape.
The screed over the mats, as already mentioned, does not need to be poured. It is enough to cover them with a thin layer of a special adhesive composition, after which it dries, you can begin to finish the surface with the selected material.
Infrared heated floor
When voltage is applied to the film, it becomes a source of powerful infrared radiation. It must be said that this is a rather expensive solution. But it saves space as well as installation time. The rays of the infrared spectrum are absolutely harmless to humans.
Installation of infrared floor heating is simple and easy for everyone.
Helpful tips for installing electric floor heating
- You can not power the floor directly from the outlet. This is a violation that can be severely punished.
- On the plan of the apartment, it is necessary to mark the place where the floor wiring is connected to the power system. This information will be useful when carrying out repairs in the apartment, when replacing wiring, and will allow you to avoid wasting time searching.
- If the floor for laying is more or less even and has only minor defects, then it is not necessary to fill the screed. It is enough to lay two layers of insulation.
- The temperature sensor must lie on the substrate. Otherwise, it will give false readings due to accelerated cooling at the point of contact withconcrete.
- A damper tape is installed along the perimeter of the wall. This measure will extend the life of the screed, prevent its premature cracking and destruction.
- The heat-reflective backing is recommended to be mounted on double-sided adhesive tape. All joints must be glued with lavsan tape with a thin coating of metal. Foamed polyethylene or expanded polystyrene is used as a substrate (when the floor is warm and the room is heated from below). If the room is not heated from below, or if there is soil under the floor at all, then it is advisable to use mineral wool as a heater.
Water heated floor and main elements of the system
Floor heated by circulating hot water through pipes has several advantages over traditional electric floor heating. First of all, it is economy and safety.
It is better that the calculation of the laying density, pipe diameter, flow rate is carried out by the design organization. Specialists have at their disposal expensive software products that will calculate all the parameters of the heating system.
Pipes used are seamless polypropylene or welded polyethylene. Preference should be given first. Such pipes are reinforced, so they do not deform and do not change the section under the influence of temperature and pressure. The pipe must withstand a pressure of 10 bar, a temperature of 95 degrees Celsius. The diameter varies from 16 to 20 millimeters.
Water, which is supplied through pipes built into the floor,heated in the boiler. The volume and power of the water heating boiler directly depend on the surface that needs to be powered (on the total length of the pipes). A pump is needed to circulate water around the circuit. Some equipment manufacturers integrate the pump into the boiler so that it is not a separate element of the system. Ball-type water supply valves are installed at the boiler inlets. The floor temperature is controlled by a so-called collector. The main element of the entire system are pipes through which water circulates. The pipes will be connected to the boiler and to the collector by means of fittings.
Procedure for installing a water heated floor
Installation of a hydraulic (water) floor is carried out in the following sequence:
- First of all, the collector block and the mixing unit are installed. Installation is carried out at an equidistant distance from all circuits.
- Directly the collector itself is installed in the housing. Case dimensions may vary. They depend on how complex and extensive the heating system is (number of sensors, drain holes). The housing and the collector itself are mounted strictly above the level of the heated floor. Otherwise, the system will constantly ventilate and the air exhaust mechanism will not function properly.
- The old coupler, if any, must be dismantled. If there are differences of more than 10 millimeters, the floor surface is leveled.
- The leveled surface is covered with a waterproofing layer. To the walls, around the perimeter, a tape is glued,the purpose of which is to compensate for the thermal expansion of the screed (concrete layer).
- The floor is insulated. Depending on whether it is a private house or an apartment in a high-rise building, various types of insulation are used: polystyrene foam of different thicknesses, expanded clay layer, etc. Moreover, many plates of insulation material have grooves on the outside for laying pipes in them.
- A reinforcing mesh is laid on top of the insulation.
- The tightness of the entire system is checked, after which the concrete screed is poured. It is necessary to wait a month after installing underfloor heating before starting to operate the heating system.
Helpful tips for installing a hydraulic floor
- Pipes begin to be laid from the outside of the walls along the perimeter and in a spiral to the center of the room. This way of laying allows you to evenly distribute the temperature over the entire surface.
- Open sections of pipes must be insulated, apply heat insulation.
