Warm floors until relatively recently seemed something unattainable, but today it is an ordinary thing that can be purchased at an affordable cost. Any home master can carry out installation work.
It is recommended that you select an electric underfloor heating for your home in such a way that the purchased device is able to generate the right amount of heat, while saving energy. If you do not want to spend money on the services of specialists, then you should buy a system of underfloor heating, which you can install yourself.
Cable floor device
Considering the device of a warm floor (electric) cable type, you can understand that its main functional element is a heating wire, which is able to transform electricity into heat. It consists of a pair of conductive cores, a polyester film, fiberglass reinforcement, an aluminum screen, a copper conductor, and a protective PVC layer.
Of all the alternative solutions, the cable system is the most time-consuming and difficult to install. This is due to the fact that the installation work here requires certain steps to be followed. And among other things, at the final stage it will be necessary to fill in the screed. But if you fill in an additional 5-cm layer, then this will cause a loss in the height of the room.
Another significant drawback of this underfloor heating is the lack of the possibility of laying under plumbing fixtures and furniture, but you can use such a heating system in rooms with a complex perimeter, as well as for heating outdoor elements by the type of drains, ebbs and roofs.
Cable floor device on the base
Each master before starting work should consider the device of a warm floor (electric). This also applies to the cable system, which is located on the base. This design has a small thickness and is represented by a mesh mat, on which heating elements with a section of 2.8 mm are mounted.
If we make a comparison with the cable system, this version is easier to install, since the heating wire is laid and fixed on the base. Installation work will include the layout and reinforcement of mats.
This type of floor is suitable for installation under tiles, since the thickness of the adhesive solution will be enough to hide the mats under the finish. If it is supposed to use laminate, carpet or linoleum as the finishing material, concrete pouring will be required, but its thickness should be about 3 cm.
Infrared film device
The device of the warm floor (electric) infrared type provides for the presence of a two-layer film with carbon heating elements. Its thickness can be equal to 0.5 mm, which allows you to keep the height of the ceilings unchanged. This feature is the main advantage of infrared film over similar systems.
In its composition, you can find two layers of electrical polyester, between which are carbon heating conductive copper foil. Moreover, infrared systems are the most energy-efficient among other warm floors. Savings during operation reaches 60%. The laying of such paintings is as simple as possible, the strip of film will need to be divided on the basis, not taking into account the arrangement of furniture. And the flooring can be installed without filling the screed.
Foundation preparation
After the device of the warm floor (electric) you know, you can begin to familiarize yourself with the technology. It provides for the preparation of the base of the floor at the first stage. For the reason that the installation of electric underfloor heating can be classified as finishing work, the process is carried out after plastering the ceilings and walls, as well as pouring the screed. This indicates that the initial stages of construction should be completed initially.
It is characteristic that after the completion of these works, the base of the floor is covered with a layer of dirt and dust. That is why its surface must be cleaned of cement mortar, hardened plaster and foreign elements. To do this, you can use a special solvent or putty knife, and then moisten the floor with water. The brush will allow to get rid of the remains of construction debris and mixtures.
For reference
The technology of electric underfloor heating provides for the most even surface, the only way you will achieve the correct functioning of the system. That is why at the preparatory stage it is important to rid the base of level differences.
Thermal insulation
By the way, as a feature of the underfloor heating system, it can be distinguished that its work is accompanied by the spread of heat in all directions. This means that not only the floor surface of the room will be heated, but also the concrete floors with which the heating elements come into contact.
If you want to save money by minimizing heat loss, the floor must be installed on a heat-insulating material. This will eliminate unnecessary heating of floor slabs. With the help of thermal insulation, it is possible to shield the flows, reflecting them inside the heated zone.
The device underfloor heating (electric) under the tile provides for the use of foil roll heat-insulating material of insignificant thickness. If the floor is insulated where a heated room is located below the floor, then 4 mm foil material can be used, the strips of which are located and fixed by a stapler.
Sheets need to be carefully joined, having strengthened them to the base basis. This will eliminate the displacement of the material relative to the surface. Experts advise to additionally glue the joints with assembly tape.
The nuances of thermal insulation
When making a warm electric floor with your own hands in a private house, where the heated room is located above the unheated room, then foam plastic or any other insulating plate material can be used as thermal insulation. Its thickness can vary from 5 to 10 centimeters. Additionally, a heat insulating layer of foil can be used.
Connection of temperature sensor and temperature controller
Installation of heating elements cannot be started if the temperature controller and temperature sensor have not been installed. Using the first of them, the temperature regime of the system changes.
It must be installed on the wall in a convenient place. It should be removed 30 centimeters from the floor surface.
A device that will measure the current heating temperature should be laid in the thickness of the warm floor, removing 70 centimeters from the wall where the thermostat is located.
When an electric underfloor heating device is made in a wooden house, you need to bring the cable to the thermostat. It will go from the heating elements in the corrugated tube. When you turn on the system in heating mode, the indicator should light up on the front panel of the thermostat, and the heating elements will generate heat.
Installation of heating elements
Laying the floor must begin from the wall, departing from it 5 cm. If there are other heating devices, then the distance from them should be 10 cm.
Depending on which version of the heated floor was chosen, installation should be done over the entire area or only in a certain part where it is not intended to install furniture and other interior items, including plumbing fixtures.
Specialist recommendations
The device of the heated floor (electric) under the laminate is made using double-sided tape, this applies to the heated floor on the grid or infrared systems. Between themselves mats should be fixed with assembly tape.
When using a cable floor, to the base surface you need to fix the segments of the mounting tape, providing a pitch in the range from 0.5 to 1 meter. In this case, self-tapping screws or dowels are used. Then the heating cable is laid with a certain step and fixed on the tape.
The nuances of the work
The device of the heated floor (electric) under the tile, the photo of which is presented in the article, provides for the layout of the cable in the form of a snake, where the distance between the turns should be 8 cm or less. And in order to correctly determine the step, 100 should be multiplied by the area of the room, dividing the result by the length of the cable.
During installation, it should not be stretched, its bends should be made as smooth as possible, excluding internal stress and kinks. The final step will be to fill the screed, which settles for 30 days. Only then can installation of the flooring be started.
Conclusion
The estimate for the installation of a warm floor (electric may) provide for a price of 500 rubles. per square meter. However, if you decide to carry out these works yourself, then when laying the infrared floor you will save even more, since the formation of the screed is not needed.