Owners of apartments and private houses tend to install floor heating in addition to standard heating radiators. After all, no matter how well the room is heated, in the cold season it is much more pleasant to stand on a warm surface, and in houses where there are small children, this issue is especially relevant.
Today, several types of systems are used for these purposes, each of which has certain advantages and disadvantages. We will consider one of the latest developments for home heating - a rod floor, we will pay attention to its performance, features and installation method.
What are rod heating systems
The rod floor system consists of flexible high-tech carbon rods interconnected with stranded wire. Conductive tires are located inside the device and on both sides, and the rods themselves are fixed at a distance of 10 cm. Thus, a “carpet” is obtained that looks very much like a rope ladder.
Inside the conductive elements are silver, carbon and copper, due to which the heating of the surfaces adjacent to the system takes place.
The width of one such thermomat is 83 cm, and the maximum length is 25 meters (with sequential arrangement). The rod floor is equipped with a special thermostat and a temperature sensor.
What the system is based on
The principle of operation of the carbon system is very similar to the process of heating rooms with film floors - it consists in the emission of infrared waves. The length of such a wave ranges from 8 to 14 microns.
Manufacturers claim that the savings of owners when using such devices is about 60%, which is achieved due to the rapid and uniform heating of all objects in the room.
Specifications
The main characteristics endowed with a core floor may vary depending on the manufacturer, but you can still derive averages. They are:
• Standard roll width 83cm;
• The thickness of the mat is 3-3.5mm;
• power consumption is between 110 and 180 W/rm (depending on heating temperature);
• energy consumption per 1 linear meter - from 20 to 50 W/h;
• Powered by 220V mains.
Scope of application
Due to excellent performance, these devices can be used in all rooms of living quarters, on the loggia, inbathroom, winter conservatories, gyms, public spaces, storage areas and as de-icing systems.
The great advantage of the device is the ability to use it with any type of coating. It goes well with natural wood finishes, parquet and laminate. Since the heating elements are mounted on a small layer of cement screed, it is optimal to lay the core warm floor under the tiles and porcelain tiles. It is also possible to install mats on the adhesive used for laying tiles, which allows you to significantly save on repair work.
The main advantages of carbon underfloor heating
Efficiency and high quality of heating are far from all the advantages that a core warm floor has. Consumer reviews speak of the following positive qualities:
1. Long service life - up to 50 years.
2. High degree of fire safety.
3. Light weight.
4. Moisture resistant.
5. Resistance to mechanical stress.
6. Fast and uniform space heating.
7. Ability to eliminate stubborn odors.
8. Does not generate electromagnetic radiation.
9. Great for heating large rooms.
Unlike analog film systems, heavy furniture and household appliances can be installed on an electric underfloor heating (rod). This allows you to safely rearrange the room and make cosmeticrepair work, regardless of the location of the mats.
Their installation can be carried out both on the floor and on the walls and ceiling. The presence of a thermostat prevents the occurrence of overheating of the elements, so that the system serves for many years.
Disadvantages of rod floors
Despite the fact that the underfloor heating is recognized as the most optimal heating method, which has no analogues today, it has some disadvantages.
First of all, they are connected with the technology of installation of such systems. For their arrangement, it is necessary to fill in the screed, which does not allow you to transfer the device to other rooms or take it with you when moving to another home. The same circumstance makes it difficult to repair and replace the rods in case of failure.
The second disadvantage that a rod underfloor heating has is the price of the device is quite high. Depending on the region of sale and the manufacturer, the cost of a carbon heating system varies from 1,500 to 2,500 rubles per square meter.
Preparing to install the system
Beginning the installation of carbon floors, you should check the availability of all components of the device. The set should contain:
• carbon mats;
• wires;
• connection and end kit;
• system installation instructions;
• corrugated tube with plug;
• thermal insulation material;
• thermostat;
• temperature sensor;
• bituminous insulatingmaterial;
• tape.
If all the elements of the system are available, you can proceed to preparing the base for laying.
The carbon core warm floor is laid on a flat surface, in which there are no significant differences in height (more than 3 mm). If there are cracks, depressions and other defects in the floors, they are pre-leveled with leveling compounds.
At the preparation stage, it is necessary to gouge the walls to install the temperature sensor and lay the corrugated pipe with the sensor. The hole for the thermostat is installed next to the power source, at a height of 1 meter from the floor level.
Installation of carbon rod floor
After the preparatory work is completed, proceed to the installation of the system. The technology of its installation includes the following steps:
1. Thermal insulation laying. Insulation (you can use foil) is placed at a distance of 5 cm from the walls and fastened together with adhesive tape. Reflective materials are laid with a foil layer on the outside. To exclude the mobility of the elements, they can be fixed at the base with an adhesive composition.
2. Installation of the heating device. The rods are laid on the prepared surface and fixed with adhesive tape. If necessary, the heating "carpet" is cut, turned over 180 degrees and laid next to the first strip. The distance between adjacent canvases should be at least 5-7 cm, and the length of one strip should not exceed 25 meters.
3. Thermal sensor insert. A special sensor is placed in a corrugated pipe and placed in a prepared strobe. The insulation is cut in this place. To prevent the solution from entering the pipe, its open part is covered with a plug.
4. Mounting the temperature controller. The device is installed in the hole and the wires of the core mat are connected to it (as indicated in the instructions).
5. System he alth check. After connecting the device, check its operation. Turning on the system for the first time should not take more than 15 minutes.
6. Solution pouring. For these purposes, it is better to use dry adhesive mixtures. The optimal thickness of the screed for a carbon floor is 2-3 cm. If tiles are laid on top of the system, the screed for it is not poured. After pouring the solution, the system is not recommended to be turned on earlier than 28 days later.
In conclusion, I would like to say a few words about the manufacturers of such systems. The products of the South Korean manufacturer Excel, HOTmat and EcoOndol are especially popular with domestic consumers.
Excellent quality, but more democratic cost are characterized by systems of Russian production. A vivid example of this is the Unimat core warm floor, which managed to show itself perfectly in operation. Devices from unknown companies that have a too low price tag are not recommended to be purchased, since their service life is much shorter than usual.
