There are many varieties of heating systems. They differ in efficiency and energy consumption. Today it is very important to choose a system that will heat the house quickly and at minimal cost. This type of heating is underfloor heating. There are several types of such systems on the market. Which underfloor heating to choose to heat your home will be discussed in detail below.
System Features
Heating your home with underfloor heating is the right solution. This type of system compares favorably with the usual convectors, UFOs, electric panels, etc. The heating elements are located at the base of the floor. They evenly heat the surface of the coating. The heat rises and concentrates mainly near the floor. At the ceiling, the air is colder. This allows rational use of energy resources.
For comparison, the convector heats the air mainly in the upper part of the room. Near the floor, the temperature will be lower. Therefore, more resources will be required towarm the whole room to the very foundation. After all, it is in this part of the room that people are located. Near the ceiling, the temperature will be high, but the owners of the dwelling will not feel it.
The use of underfloor heating allows you to save money on utility bills. This explains the growing popularity of this type of heating. Its advantages also include high comfort. In a room with a warm floor, you don’t want to put on slippers at all. On the contrary, there will be a desire to take them off and walk on a warm surface. It's like summer and warm sand on the beach.
Also, indoors, you do not need to choose a place to install large batteries. This allows you to create a stylish, unusual interior. You can make panoramic windows, etc. There are several types of underfloor heating. They differ in installation technology, principle of operation, cost and performance. Which warm floor to choose depends on a number of factors.
Varieties
Various system options are on sale. There is a warm floor electric and water. In the first case, wires or a film are located under the floor surface. They are heated by electricity. Water heated floor is a system of special pipes. They pass in the screed layer. These pipes supply an energy carrier - water or a special compound like antifreeze.
Each of the presented types of underfloor heating has its own advantages and disadvantages. A water heated floor cannot be installed in an ordinary apartment of a multi-storey building. This will require rescheduling. However, the floor levelit will rise at least 15 cm. This is an unacceptable luxury in standard apartments. But for a private house, a water floor will be quite acceptable. You will need to choose the right boiler. It can run on solid fuel, gas or electricity. This allows the owners to choose the best type of energy with which they can heat the house.
There are no special kits for installing a water floor. All system components are purchased separately. It is necessary to purchase a boiler corresponding to the required power (in accordance with the area of \u200b\u200bthe house). Also purchase special pipes. The heating control system of each circuit is a comb. It will supply the heated coolant to the system.
Electric warm floor is much easier to install. It is sold in special kits. By purchasing such a product, the owners will be able to mount this system on their own. At the same time, almost all manufacturers retain the right to receive warranty service even with self-assembly. You will need to strictly follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Electrical systems
Electric type heating system may be different. This depends on the specifics of the installation. On sale are cable, film and mats for underfloor heating. These are effective systems that allow you to create a cozy microclimate in the room.
One of the most inexpensive is the heating cable. It must be laid in a screed 3 cm thick. The cross section of such a wire is about 6-7 mm. Cablemay be double-core or single-core. The first option is preferable. In this case, there are wires for connection on one side of the heating system, and a plug on the other. This simplifies installation. In a single-core wire, wires for connection come out on both sides of the heating system. The cost of a single-core wire will be 20-25% lower than that of two-core varieties. However, it is much more common to purchase a two-wire wire.
Another interesting system is floor heating mats. They are mounted without a screed. Tiles are laid on top of the mats. The height of the floor will rise by a maximum of 1.5 cm. This is one of the best options for urban paintings. In your own home, this option also has a place to be. The heating wire has a thickness of 3-4 mm. It is fixed on a PVC mesh with a certain pitch. This greatly simplifies the installation process.
Another system that has already been appreciated by buyers is a film underfloor heating. It is less than 1 mm thick. Between the two sheets of film is a paste that conducts current. It heats up by emitting infrared rays. This type of flooring is mounted under a laminate or parquet board. Do not put a solution on the film.
Producers
Customers have to make their choice of underfloor heating manufacturer among a wide variety of brands. Electrical systems are produced by both foreign and domestic companies. The cost of a warm floor depends on its type and the manufacturer that produces it.
Among foreign companies thatare in demand in our country, stand out Davi (Denmark), Nexans (Norway), Ensto (Finland). The products of these brands are of high quality. Each company uses a specific cable manufacturing technology. At the same time, each of these manufacturers produces heating cables and mats.
The Finnish company Ensto also produces a thin heating wire (as on mats) without a grid. The cost of such systems will be an order of magnitude lower than that of mats. It is also worth considering that the price of heating systems depends on their length and power. On average, a foreign-made screed cable can be purchased at a price of 1,500 rubles/m².
It is worth considering that the longer the system is purchased by the buyer, the less it costs per square meter. So, for example, the average price of a bay, which is enough to cover 4 m² of floor surface, is (foreign production) about 7 thousand rubles. At the same time, you can purchase a system with a size of 1 m² at a price of 4 thousand rubles.
Considering the review of underfloor heating, you should pay special attention to domestic manufacturers.
Russian underfloor heating
Considering the types and characteristics of underfloor heating, it is worth paying special attention to Russian-made products. Teplolux is the leader in this industry. It produces various types of electric heating systems, which it supplies not only to the Russian market, but also to neighboring countries.
Experts say that the quality of the warm floor brand "Teplolux" is not inferior to foreign counterparts. Atthe cost of production will be much lower. The company produces single- and two-core wire for laying in a screed. Its price is about 800-1000 rubles / m². At the same time, new, modern equipment is used. The quality of each coil is tested, checked during the production process.
The company also produces mats. Their cost will be higher than that of the cable, by 25-30%. However, foreign-made mats will cost 2 times more. "Teplolux" also produces a thin wire without a grid. Its cost will be about 1000-1200 rubles/m².
The company is also engaged in the production of film underfloor heating. The price of such products is about 800 rubles / m². The Teplolux company also supplies temperature controllers and related products to the market. Feedback from customers who have purchased this product is always positive. With proper installation, such systems can operate for over 50 years.
Calculation
Each company endows its wire with a certain power. This indicator is indicated on the packaging of the cable, mat or film. To purchase enough heating wire, you should consider existing building requirements and perform an underfloor heating calculation.
If an apartment or house has a ceiling height of no more than 2.7 m, you can focus on the standard recommendations of manufacturers. So, for heating rooms with large window openings, you need to purchase a system with a power of 180 W / m². If the windows are ordinary, and the heat loss in the room is minimal, you can give preferencesystem 150 W/m².
Low power 120 W/m² systems are also on sale. They cannot be used as main heating. They are laid to create a warm zone on the floor in the presence of a different type of heating. For example, this could be the area in front of the sofa (where people constantly step on their feet) or the area under the dining table, etc.
Experts say that the calculation of underfloor heating is an important procedure. To do this, it is advisable to call the company's expert home. He will measure the heat loss, evaluate all the nuances of the room and be able to choose the best option for the system. On average, to create autonomous heating using an electric heating system, it will need to cover at least 70% of the room. It should be noted that this type of material is not laid under furniture.
Installation of the heating cable
There is a certain technique for how to lay a warm floor. First you need to develop a plan of the room and indicate on it the location of the furniture and the heating element. This is a manufacturer requirement. If the furniture has high legs, a warm floor can be mounted under it. Such a system cannot be installed under solid cabinets, wardrobes. Otherwise, it will overheat here and fail.
To mount the heating cable, you will need to prepare the base. It is cleaned of all unnecessary materials. A layer of insulation is laid down (polystyrene foam at least 3 cm thick). It needs to be waterproofed. Further mountedreinforcing mesh with cells 10 × 10 mm. A special tape is laid out on it to fix the wire.
The cable unfolds like a snake. The step between the turns should be 10-12 cm. After that, a strobe is made in the wall to carry the sensor from the thermostat to the floor. This device will control the heating temperature. A corrugated pipe is placed in the strobe. It should run in the center of one of the turns of wire. A sensor from the thermostat is inserted into the corrugated pipe. The design of the warm floor does not involve adjusting the heating level. This function is performed by the thermostat.
The wires from the floor are ringing with a multimeter. If the resistance readings match the value specified by the manufacturer, they are connected to the thermostat.
After that, the system is filled with a 3 cm thick screed. It includes sand, cement, and a plasticizer. The last of these components is needed so that air pockets do not form in the thickness of the solution. They can disrupt the wire. When the screed dries (3-4 weeks), the finish is mounted. It will be possible to operate the floor no earlier than in a month.
Installing the heating mat
The technology of installing a warm floor under a tile without a screed is much easier. In this case, you need to level and clean the floor. If the room is not located on the ground floor, you can do without the use of insulation. Otherwise, it is easier to mount the cable in a tie.
Mat roll has a width of 50 cm - this is the standard. Also draw a floor plan. According to the created project, they beginspread mat. First, roll it out to the desired length. The mesh is then cut with scissors. Cutting the wire is strictly prohibited. The mat is turned and a second strip is laid next to the first. You can also create, if necessary, a figure in the form of the letter "G" from the heating system.
A thermostat is also mounted, to which the system is connected. Tiles are laid on top of the mat as usual. The thickness of the tile adhesive is 5-7 mm. You can operate such a system a week after installation. It heats up faster than a cable in a tie. However, the mat cools faster.
Installation of thin wire
Considering how to lay a warm floor, you need to explore another version of the systems. This is a thin wire. It is no different from the heating element on the mat. However, the kit is not assembled on a grid. It will need to be posted manually. This option is optimal for small rooms or rooms with an original configuration. The cable is mounted as a mat, but the laying step is chosen 7-10 cm between the turns.
Infrared floor
When deciding which underfloor heating to choose, you need to mention an option such as infrared film. It is mounted without mortar under laminate or parquet. First, a substrate is laid on which the film is laid out. The places of its connection with the wires are recessed in the insulating material. Next, lay the flooring on top. This type of floor is assembled in just an hour. However, in terms of energy-saving indicators, it lags behind cable varieties.
After considering the recommendations of experts, which underfloor heating to choose, everyone will be able to choosebest option.
