In recent years, district heating bills have been growing steadily. In this regard, many apartment owners are thinking about installing an autonomous heating system. One of the most affordable options today are underfloor heating. They can serve as an additional, as well as the main source of heat.
Despite the fact that such systems have been used for a long time, many people still have a lot of questions about their operation and installation. Can the underfloor heating be installed independently? How complicated is this process? What are the options for underfloor heating today? We answered all these questions in our article.
What are underfloor heating systems?
Modern floor heating systems are presented in several options. Their difference lies in the type of coolant used. It can be electric and water.
The last option consists of a water circuit and a cabinet in which the regulators of heating intensity are located.
Electric varieties are cable and film. In the first case, the surface is heated by a power cable through which current is circulated. The film floor operates on the basis of infrared radiation.
Each species has its advantages and disadvantages. Laying a warm floor is not considered a particularly difficult process. You can do the work yourself. However, for this you need to know some nuances.
Installation of water systems is considered the most time-consuming process, and any home master can connect film floors. Let us consider in more detail each type, its properties and installation.
Characterization of infrared floors and their application
Infrared floors are considered the simplest and most widespread varieties. They are presented in the form of transparent film cloths on which conductive carbon strips are located every 1.5 cm. On both sides of the canvas is coated with a heat-resistant polymer composition, ensuring the integrity of the product.
Laying a film underfloor heating is considered the easiest. In the process of its installation, you do not need to fill in the screed and carry out a complex connection. The material has a low cost and can be used in any room.
The advantages of this type of heating include:
- ease of installation (without the need for special equipment);
- uniform heating of the surface;
- simplicity of adjustment of the system;
- mobility (in case of moving heating canvases can be taken with you).
The disadvantages include an increase in energy costs and the presence of electromagnetic radiation.
You can use such systems in both large and small rooms. In order to save electricity, linen can not be placed on the entire floor surface, but only in places where there is no furniture and most often residents of the apartment go.
You can mount infrared film for any coating. Laying of a warm floor under a laminate, linoleum, carpet and parquet is possible. In rooms with high humidity, you can also use similar systems.
Features of installing infrared film
If you decide to independently lay the infrared type warm floor, then before starting work, take into account two basic requirements:
- For high-quality space heating, the film should occupy at least 70% of the floor surface.
- In places where massive furniture and appliances are installed, it is not recommended to place the film. This will lead to overheating of the conductive strips and their failure.
- Before you begin installation, make an approximate layout of the strips. It will need to be applied to the base.
Particular attention should be paid to the surface on which the film will be laid. It should be even and smooth. Otherwise, the thin film may be damaged.
Film heating mounting technology
If the floor surface is characterized by large differences, cracks and grooves, it should be leveled with leveling compounds. Start work only when the screed is clean, smooth and dry.
DIY flooring is done as follows:
- Lay insulation material over the screed. If you chose a laminate, linoleum or carpet as a topcoat, you can use soft materials. An exceptionally solid substrate is laid under the tile. Glue the joints of materials with adhesive tape with heat-reflecting properties.
- Measure out the required length of the heating cloth and cut it with scissors. Please note that cutting the film is only possible between carbon heaters.
- Cover the entire floor with foil (according to your layout). The front side is the surface on which the heating strips are fully visible.
- The edges of the copper busbars (located on both sides of the tape) are clamped with special terminals. In this case, the smooth part of the clamp should be between the tire and the film, and the second outside the copper strip.
- Insulate exposed copper strips from the other edge of the canvas with a bitumen tape (the tape is supplied in the mounting kit).
- So that during installation the strips do not "go" through thermal insulation, they must be carefully fixed with tape.
- Stack adjacent canvases. At the same time, make sure that the heaters of adjacent strips are not in contact.
- Strip the edge of the mounting wire from insulation by 5-8 mm. Insert the bare part of the wire into the clip and squeeze it with pliers. Connect the wires to each terminal in the same way.
- Insulate the copper strip and terminal lugs.
- Route the wires to the temperature sensor. They can be laid in a shtroba, hidden under the baseboard or stretched in an outer box.
- Make a hole in the wall for the thermostat. It must be installed at least 15 cm from the finish floor covering.
- Place a temperature sensor under the black sector of the film. Bring him to the regulator. Lay the wire in the gate.
- Connect the regulator to the power supply and check that the system is working.
Now you can lay linoleum, parquet or laminate. It is possible to lay electric underfloor heating under tiles. In this case, the film is covered with waterproofing, a reinforcing mesh is laid, after which tile glue is applied.
Description and features of the cable floor heating method
In cable-type systems, a steel or copper power cable is used as the heating element. It can be of two varieties:
In the first version, the cable has one wire made of galvanized steel or brass, and in the second - two wires. Systems with a single-core cable differ in affordable cost, but their installation is a bit complicated. Laying the cable underfloor heating should occur so that both ends fit to the thermostat.
A two-core cable is connected only for one edge, and a special sleeve is installed from its second end.
Among cable floors, another variety is distinguished - heating mats. In such systems, the same heater is used, but it is mounted on a plastic or fiberglass mesh.
During installation, it only needs to be rolled out on the surface and connected to the network. Mats for laying a warm floor greatly facilitate the installation process, due to which they are more popular than a conventional cable.
The scope of such systems is very diverse. Single-core cables are used for heating industrial and storage facilities. Variants with a two-core heat source can be mounted in private houses and apartments with high ceilings. The last condition is due to the fact that during the installation process, the underfloor heating is laid in the screed. Due to this, the height of the walls decreases.
How to install cable heating yourself
For self-assembly of cable floors, remove the old screed layer and clean the base. It is necessary to lay a waterproofing material on the concrete base, which will go 10 cm onto the walls. The edges of the waterproofing are fixed to the wall with a damper tape (around the entire perimeter). After installing the heating system, excess parts of the material are removed.
Before laying a warm floor, a thermal insulation layer is installed. For this purpose, you can use sheets of expanded polystyrene (thickness from 20 to 50 mm) or mineral wool (not already 100 mm). A reinforcing mesh is fixed on top of the insulation.
The technology of laying a warm floor involves the following actions:
- Checking the resistance of the heating cable. If the indicators do not differ much from those stated on the packaging, you can proceed with installation.
- Determine the installation location of the temperature controller and temperature sensor. The first device should be located at a height of 50 cm from the floor. Make a hole in the wall and the strob in the floor.
- "Snake" start laying the cable on the surface. Fastening the wire can be done with cable ties or special tapes.
- If you install underfloor heating in a damp room, be sure to ground the system. Use an ordinary copper cable for this. The electric network must be equipped with an RCD module.
- Position the heating cable so that the distance between adjacent turns is at least 5 cm. The distance from the walls should be 5-7 cm.
- Connect the power cord and heating element 15 cm from the wall.
- When the cable is laid out over the surface of the floor, repeat the resistance test.
- Turn on the thermostat and check the system. If the cable is heating, turn off the power control.
- Proceed with mounting the screed. The layer thickness should be about 5-6 cm.
Do not turn on the heating until the screed has completely dried! When the mortar dries on its own, connect the regulator and begin installation of the finish flooring.
Installation of electric mats is carried out in a similar way. The only difference is that you do not have to lay out the cable yourself.
What materials can I use a warm floor?
In most cases, the craftsmen install electric underfloor heating under the tiles. Such a coating perfectly transmits heat and quickly warms up. When using ceramic or porcelain stoneware, you do not have to carefully choose the power of the cable, since both of these materials perfectly tolerate high temperature.
Nevertheless, often laying a warm floor under the laminate. When choosing this finish, consider its low thermal conductivity. Systems of low power will last longer to heat such a coating, and more powerful options use more electricity.
If this fact does not bother you, get special varieties of laminate. They should be marked "H 2 0". It indicates the possibility of using the material with heating systems.
An important role is played by product safety. Corresponding coatings are marked "E1" and "E0". Such products do not emit harmful substances into the air when heated, which means that it can be laid on top of a warm floor.
Features of water heating
Water heating is based on the circulation of water along the circuit laid in the screed. This type of heating is familiar to everyone, because it is on this principle that centralized heating works. But, unlike cast-iron batteries, floor heating provides an even supply of heat to the room.
The advantages of systems with a water circuit include:
- environmental safety;
- lack of electromagnetic radiation;
- the possibility of using as the main heating;
- lack of electricity costs;
- possibility of use with any type of flooring.
Laying water floor heating is carried out in the screed. For the proper functioning of the system requires the installation of special equipment. The process of installing heating is also quite laborious. All this negatively affects the cost of water systems. However, reliability, high performance and durability more than cover all of these shortcomings.
The water circuit can be installed in any room, but in apartments it is almost impossible to meet. This is due to the special technical characteristics of water supply systems in multi-storey buildings. Most often, installation of a water heated floor is carried out in private buildings.
If it is necessary to install the system on the second floor of a country house, the heat circuit can be laid between the lag or directly on the rough flooring. Subsequently, it is sewn up with a floorboard. This technology of laying a warm floor is used due to the inability to fill the pipes with concrete. In addition, it reduces the cost of installing heating.
The device of the water heating system and pipe arrangement options
During installation, the water circuit is decomposed in several ways. The laying scheme of the warm floor is selected depending on the area and the specifics of the room. The following configurations are possible:
- a snake;
- double helix;
- double snake.
Double helix laying is used in cold rooms of a large area. Its principle of operation is based on the fact that a hot pipe is interwoven with a colder one, which contributes to uniform heating of the entire room.
The location of the snake is used in medium-sized rooms. Water circulates along the contour from the outer wall to the inner.
A double snake is equipped in those cases when the room cannot be uniformly heated using a single method. The principle of its operation is based on the fact that the heating circuit is stacked with a double zigzag. In this case, the inlet pipe passes close to the outlet.
In addition to the heating circuit, each water system includes:
- pump (for forced water circulation);
- node for mixing the coolant;
- collector;
- waterproofing layer;
- thermal insulation.
If you need to install heating in a basement or basement, you need to pay maximum attention to thermal insulation of surfaces. This is due to the large heat loss to the soil. Without high-quality insulation, it does not make sense to install a floor heating system.
Technology for installing a water heating system
Before laying the pipes for the warm floor, it is necessary to prepare the base. The old screed must be knocked down, the floors cleaned of debris, remove bumps. If the base is very curved, you can level it with a small layer of screed. After the floors have dried, proceed with the installation of the system.
Work technology:
- Install a damping tape around the perimeter of the floor.
- Place insulation on the floor base. You can use polystyrene foam, polystyrene, etc. All glues between the elements of the insulation tape with tape. The height of the insulating layer is selected depending on the climate of the room. It can vary from 3 to 15 cm.
- Place a plastic film over the insulation.
- Lay the reinforcing mesh on the insulation. Pipes will be attached to it.
- Position the heat circuit with the selected method. Fix the pipe on the grid using plastic clamps. Pull pipes tightly tightly! Leave room to expand the material.
- Fasten the beginning of the pipe to the feed manifold, and its end to the return manifold.
After completion of work, the system is compulsorily pressed. This allows you to immediately identify all existing defects and errors in the work. If there are no comments on her work, you can start pouring the solution.
During installation, the screed must be under working pressure. For the manufacture of the mortar should take the cement composition M-300. The height of the screed should be about 50-70 mm.
You can start laying the finish coating after the solution has completely dried. Usually this process takes 3-4 weeks.
Tiles, parquet and laminate can be laid on top of the system. Underfloor heating is also being carried out under linoleum. For this, heat-resistant varieties of roll coatings are selected.
Whatever floor heating system you choose, the main thing is to install it correctly. In this case, you are guaranteed the desired warmth and comfort!