When developing the interior of modern houses and apartments, designers often use non-standard solutions. Sometimes ordinary heating elements do not correspond to the general style of the interior. Therefore, inconspicuous batteries built into the floor of an apartment began to be used more and more often. Such units work no worse than classic counterparts, while being appropriate in any interior. What are floor heating radiators and what are their features? Consider in our article today.
System Features
Thanks to the built-in radiators, it is possible to organize heating in any room - residential or industrial. Also, these systems are able to provide a certain temperature regime for plants. In which rooms can floor heating radiators be used?
It:
- Houses with panoramic windows.
- Galleries.
- Museums
- Greenhouses.
Due to its versatility and versatility, these systems (floor-mounted batteries) can also be used in office premises.
How does it work?
The system has a convection principle of operation. So, cold air flows fall to the floor, in the bottom of a niche with a radiator. Then they move between the ribbed surface of the radiator and gradually rise up. In this case, air still moves through the plates of the heat-conducting channel. Further the flow goes up. And the air cooled by this time is moving down. There are systems where circulation is forced. These are floor convection-forced batteries. They include an electric fan. The blades accelerate the movement of air. Thus, the room heats up faster. But keep in mind that floor-mounted batteries with a fan emit a certain amount of noise. In this case, dust may form in the room, since it accumulates over time between the fan plates. But it can be turned off if necessary. It may not work all the time.
By the way, some systems have additional functions:
- Automatic regulation.
- Condensate drain.
- Programmable climate control.
Pros and cons
What do they say about the batteries built into the floor in the apartment, reviews? The hosts note the following benefits:
- Easy to care.
- Space saving (you can put a table, chair or something else on these batteries).
- Ability to install anywhere in the room.
- There is no danger to children.
Among the shortcomings of floor heating radiators built in, reviews note:
- Difficulty in installation.
- Possibility of spreading dust around the room.
- The need to raise the floor level (and this is an additional cost for building materials).
- Great cost compared to classic wall mounted radiators.
- Low efficiency in rooms with high ceilings (more than three meters).
Design
These systems have a fairly simple device. So, the design includes a metal casing, consisting of a heating element. in the latter there are several convective ribs. From above, the box is closed with a grill, which is located at the floor level in the room.
To reduce the noise level in systems with an electric fan, inserts made of porous rubber are used in the design. The box also has controls and sensors. This allows the system to automatically control the temperature and speed of the electric fans.
Since the built-in radiator is inconspicuous in the floor, the quality will not be determined by the appearance, but by the material from which its elements are made. If you plan to install the system in a room with high humidity (for example, in a bathroom), stainless steel appliances should be preferred. In the remaining rooms, galvanized radiators can be used. But I must say that these batteries are protected from corrosion - they are covered with powder paint on top.
Lattice
After installing such a radiator, the only noticeable detail is only the grill. It can be made of such materials:
- Stainless steel.
- Tree.
- Aluminum.
- Marble (a rather rare and expensive option).
- Cink Steel.
In addition, grilles can be:
- Linear (rise only entirely).
- Roll (they can be rolled).
The latter can only be with cross bars. In linear gratings, the trims can be both across and along. By the way, if in the future they will step on the radiator, the grilles should not include plastic.
Heaters
They can be of several types:
- Electric. Equipped with closed-type heating elements. On these heating elements aluminum plates are installed. Sometimes they are made of steel or copper. These plates are designed to increase the area of contact with cold air flows. A high-quality heater is made only of stainless steel. Judging by the reviews, it serves for a long time. Also note that all electric batteries built into the floor do not conceal a lot of heights. And in addition, they are equipped with fuses for safe operation.
- Water. This is a classic option. Such heaters are a metal tube with a set of plates. They are connected to the central heating system by means of pipes. These floor heating units can be made of copper, aluminum, galvanized steel or stainless steel. In conditions of centralized heating, copper structures are not used. But in private homes they are more popular.
Tips for choosing heating systems
Experts recommend choosing models with a built-in fan. It can be present on both water and electric radiators. But for the fan to work, it needs a source of electricity. Do not be afraid of noise, since many models use special vibration-proof supports. Systems with a fan heat up the space faster and prevent condensation on the windows (which can happen on models without a fan).
Please note that individual systems can act both as a heater and for cooling the air. Some are even able to provide the room with fresh air. But often these systems are used in large rooms. So, the air is taken from the street and fed inside (preheated in winter).
If you need to install floor-mounted batteries in a non-standard room, it is better to make them on order. Such radiators may have a curvature of a certain radius. And so that care is easy, you can equip the system with heaters that are removed or cranked.
If the room has high humidity, you need to purchase stainless steel parts. In this case, electrical equipment must have a high degree of protection against water. Condensate is then discharged through the drain for drainage.
It is recommended to take models with an electronic regulator. It serves to control the temperature regime. The kit may include a remote control. Such systems can be controlled programmatically (a certain mode is set for two to three days in advance).
What to consider when buying?
If it is an electric radiator, it is enough to determine the desired power and size of the device.
So, for a small room with an area of up to 10 square meters, a 1-kilowatt unit is enough. If this is a 20 square room, you need a 2 kW system. It is recommended to take units with a small margin of power.
If these are water-based batteries built into the floor, in addition to the dimensions, you need to consider:
- Water pressure in the heating system. There is a big difference between a private and an apartment building (especially if it is a building on 10-14 floors).
- Heating element parameter. The radiator must generate the right amount of heat in the most possible cold weather.
- Type of heating system. It can be single or double pipe. The method of mounting the structure further depends on this.
- Diameter of connection. If the holes diverge in diameter, this is not critical. You can always get the right adapters.
- Humidity indoors. As we said earlier, for wet rooms special radiators are selected (from stainless steel).
Ways to connect the battery to the heating system
There are two mounting options:
- Connection on flexible hoses. Among the advantages of this option, it is worth noting the ease of care for the convector. In this case, you can always raise the grill and remove accumulated dirt. In addition, flexible hoses allow you to make connections in case the pipe does not enter correctly. Due to the flexibility, the joint can be aligned.
- Tough. Assumes connection via feed valve. It can be any crane - ball, manual radiator, thermostatic. A shut-off valve is mounted on the "return". This type of connection is more reliable since it reduces the risk of leakage (no flexible hoses). Since the pipes do not move, this design lasts much longer and prevents leakage.
If you have chosen a system with a fan, you must remember to provide power for it. An additional module (transformer) is purchased for each convector. It starts up 220 volts. And then this current goes to the fans (voltage 220 volts, or through the converter 12, depending on the model). The same module can control the thermostat. The latter can also automatically turn on the electric fan if the air temperature drops below the programmed one. Another module can regulate the speed of rotation of the fan blades and control servos. By the way, for those who do not want to buy this item separately, you can consider buying convectors with an integrated module. These are the models Mohlenhoff and Verano. On them, the transformer is mounted directly in the box.
Some requirements
At installation it is necessary to consider that:
- The radiator could withstand pressure up to 2.5 atmospheres in a private house and 15 in an apartment building.
- The system had the required power (1 kilowatt of energy is needed per 10 square meters).
- The distance from the battery to the floor was 10-80 centimeters.
Following these recommendations, you can get a high-quality and productive heating system in a house or apartment.
Conclusion
So, we found out what are floor-mounted batteries. As you can see, this is a very good way to provide room heating without installing wall radiators. Significantly saves free space and does not spoil the appearance. That is why these designs so often began to be used in country houses (but they are also found in apartments).