Today, more and more people are beginning to prefer underfloor heating to traditional Soviet-era heating radiators. It is comfortable, practical and modern. On the market, these products are represented by two types - electric and water. Both of them have their advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, a natural question arises before the consumer: what to choose a warm floor - electric or water?
What is the description object?
Underfloor heating is a modern method of heating a room or a separate part of it. It has a device that contributes to the simultaneous heating of the heated room, so that it warms up evenly. Unlike radiators, when using warm floors, the air does not dry out, but the floor and the air warm up, which creates additional comfort when moving barefoot on the surface, when babies crawl on the floor, when lowering their feet ontiles after taking a bath.
There are a variety of underfloor heating, which are combined into two types. Underfloor heating water or electric - which is better? Consider the advantages and disadvantages of these two types.
"Honey Barrel" for water view
- considerable length;
- no electrical potential;
-
low cost;
- as an energy source used to heat the coolant, both boilers and collectors powered by the sun can be used - any equipment that works according to this principle.
For many consumers, the main factor in choosing between water and electric underfloor heating is price. The coolant "water" is characterized by a lower cost. With a good choice of components and proper installation performed by professionals, this type of object in question can last a very long time.
Dignity of electrical appearance
This underfloor heating can be installed in a renovated apartment. Its cable variety has a longer service life compared to that of the water one; it is characterized by low power consumption, comparable to other household electrical appliances. The film infrared floor can be placed not only under the screed, but also under the floor covering, as well as under the carpet.
The core variety of the consideredtype withstands loads of heavy furniture and other items (unlike other types of the object in question), can be filled with tile adhesive, placed under a screed, on the street, that is, it is resistant to high humidity and harmless. Thus, on the merits of the potential answer to the question of which underfloor heating - electric or water - is better, of course, it will be electric, if there is no dependence on subsequent monthly additional payments for electricity.
Waterview Disadvantages
The main drawback is this type of concreting, which makes it difficult to repair if necessary. In addition, during the execution of the screed, damage to the pipeline may occur, which will not be detected in time. It is necessary to constantly maintain this species in working order during the heating season, otherwise the water will freeze and the pipes may burst.
Not for all owners these shortcomings are significant. So, to the question of which warm floors in the apartment - water or electric - are better to use, you can give an unequivocal answer that if the heating is central, then it is impossible to install a water view without the appropriate permits from the operating services.
"Fly in the ointment" for electric look
The view in question can create an additional electromagnetic field, although, according to manufacturers, two-core cables for underfloor heating with a shielding braid have much less radiation compared to apartment wiring,and, therefore, lower in relation to regulatory requirements. In homes where there is insufficient power, can be used in a limited area.
Installation of an electric floor is quite expensive. For the infrared variety, its main advantage - the possibility of placement under the carpet - is offset by the fact that all contacts must be somehow hidden; in addition, the contact between the wire and the film is provided by a connector crimped with a flat press, which is not always applicable.
The stem variety is quite expensive. Thus, according to the shortcomings, the answer to the question of which warm floor - electric or water - is better, everyone must determine for himself. In an apartment with central heating, it is preferable to use an electric type. Which one to use - electric or water heated floor in the house, the owner must decide.
Electrical Type Characteristic
As already noted, a number of varieties are characteristic of the electrical object of consideration:
- cable floor. Here, the cables contain special alloys that convert electrical energy into thermal energy. For this variety, a thermostat is required. Confirmation of safety is the certificate of conformity for the ISO 14000 cable and for KIMA products;
- film floor. The carbon film heats up. When connected to electricity, IR rays are emitted andanions. Electricity is supplied through copper-silver conductors, the main working parts are soldered with two layers of polyester;
core floor. Here, the main elements are carbon rods, which are connected to each other, connected to the thermostat and the network. Implemented as mats.
Waterview feature
Here the coolant is water. In the case of operation without a pump, it is necessary to take into account the laws of gravity, it is better to use with a special water pump. Metal-plastic pipes, through which the coolant moves, are mounted under the screed, and then poured with concrete.
If there is already a floor in the room, but there is no warm water floor, it can be placed on the surface of the existing floor, which will raise the level of coverage by the amount of concrete screed. Underfloor heating water or electric? What's better? Consider these types of cost.
The cost of purchasing a warm floor
The cost of the object of consideration depends on many factors: the price of acquisition, installation, repair and other points. The question of which warm floor is cheaper - water or electric, involves an integrated approach when looking for an answer.
44 and 37 euros per 1 sq. m - the average cost, respectively, of water and electric underfloor heating. Installation costs can vary greatly. As a rule, when buying and installing an electric floor, it turns outa little cheaper.
Cost of owning a warm floor
In addition to the cost of the warm floor itself, you need to take into account the costs that arise during operation. When burning 1 cubic meter of gas, about 10 kWh of energy is released, while the cost of 1 cubic meter of gas is approximately 1.5 times higher compared to the cost of 1 kWh of electricity, so monthly payments for using a water heated floor are 6-7 times lower compared to electric. During operation, a situation may arise when it is necessary to repair the underfloor heating.
In case of damage to the electrical type, you can find the damaged area with an accuracy of several square centimeters and replace only it. If an accident has occurred in the water system, then most likely it will have to be replaced completely and a new floor covering may be required. These costs are difficult to take into account when laying a warm floor. Here it is necessary to hire professional installers and take into account the quality of the water. Underfloor heating electric or water - which is more profitable? There is no single answer to this question. For trouble-free operation, water view is more beneficial.
Preliminary results
After reading most of the article, the reader may still not make his choice. Underfloor heating electric or water? This article does not attempt to cover the immensity. Which warm floor to choose - electric or water - everyone should think for himself. If you are willing to incur significant one-time costs, expecting not to receive them, if you live in a house located in an area where power outages are not uncommon, if youfear for your he alth, your choice is a water species.
If you are willing to bear the increased monthly electricity costs without assuming significant repeated one-time costs, if you live in an apartment with central heating, if the apartment has already been renovated, if you have a small house or a house with a large area, but with a stable power supply, then your choice is the electric kind. A comparison of a water heated floor and an electric one shows that the latter is mainly preferred by we althy consumers, while the former is preferred by the middle class segment.
Reviews about warm floors
In this age of the rapid development of the global network, many users are looking for answers to their questions on the Internet. One of these questions is: "Which underfloor heating is better - water or electric?". In search of an answer to this question, one can meet with diametrically opposed points of view. Many users on the forums are discussing underfloor heating - water and electric.
Reviews are also largely determined by the character of a person, his financial situation, worldview. Very often, aquatic species perform their function perfectly and maintain high temperatures in homes. People who have installed electric underfloor heating are also generally satisfied with their choice, although occasionally there are complaints that after a while the floor starts to heat unevenly, and then it can completely fail.
In closing
Which warm floor to choose - electric or water - the consumer must decide for himself,after weighing all the advantages and disadvantages of one and the other types, and in the case of choosing an electric floor, you must consult with professionals and choose a variety.
