Heating in Russia today is not a luxury, but rather a necessity. The central system is able to provide a temperature that varies within 20 ° C, however, the distribution of heat throughout the room is not always uniform. Heated air rises, while cold air stays below. However, today there is an option that provides space heating without additional costs for the installation of underfloor heating. And this is plinth heating.
Features of baseboard heating
Plinth heating can not be called an innovative development, it was invented back in 1907, then it was patented by a heating engineer. The essence of the system was that steel pipes were installed at the floor along the perimeter of the walls. Communications were covered with concrete, wooden plates or plaster. This method became widespread in Western Europe, where they began to call it panel, or radiant heating. The benefits were obvious, among them:
- operational safety;
- uniformity of space heating;
- low cost in comparison with electric and water heating.
However, there are drawbacks that are expressed in the impossibility of repair without the destruction of the partitions, as well as the complexity of the installation. Plinth heating today is a modified version of concrete. It is installed in the thickness of the wall instead of skirting boards.
What else you need to know
The principle of operation is similar to a warm floor system. Under the decorative case are copper tubes with fins. The heater is an electric heater or a thermal carrier. The device looks attractive, has a compact size and fits into any interior. Systems are used in public and commercial buildings. It can be offices, stations, airports, medical facilities and warehouses. These systems are not so common in residential buildings.
Disadvantages of liquid baseboard heating
Plinth heating can be liquid, while the system includes:
- radiator block;
- distribution manifold;
- pipes made of polyethylene.
The first component is a copper tube heat exchanger, on top of which aluminum lamellas are fixed, which provide convection. The distribution manifold consists of two tubes through which coolant is introduced and discharged. Additionally, the collector is equipped with air vents, drain valves and fairings. Pipes made of polyethylene are worn in corrugation, liquid is discharged through them.
Installation of these pipes is carried out along the floor or wall. The maximum working pressure in this case is 3 atmospheres. Skirting liquid heating has some disadvantages. The system is sensitive to increased pressure and water hammer, therefore, copper communications or metal-plastic products are used to connect to the central system instead of polyethylene hoses. Fastenings are made using soldering technology.
Experts recommend the use of an intermediate heat exchanger, which will take on all the excess. This type of heater is protected against stress, and its service life is 10 years.
Plinth water heating is accompanied by costs. To install the system in a private house, you will need to purchase a warm baseboard, the price of which is 4000 rubles per linear meter. Manufacturers recommend installing a circuit whose length does not exceed 15 m. Otherwise, you may encounter low system efficiency. The standard surface temperature should be approximately +50 ° , with each additional place this indicator will decrease by an average of 3 ° .
Advantages of liquid baseboards
Although liquid heating installed in the form of pipes along the walls or floor is expensive, consumers find it efficient. Some of them, who have already installed the system, note that after 20 minutes the room becomes warm and cozy. And in the future, only half of the productivity can be used to save, only to maintain the results achieved. But if your house is located on the shore near a reservoir, then on the site and inside the building you will always feel damp. In this case, it is important to seriously choose a heating system. The advantages here are immediately noticeable: a flat temperature is set in the room throughout the room, there is no effect of superheated air, as is the case with radiator heating.
Advantages of electric skirting
Baseboard electric heating is also used today by some consumers. It refers to air systems, and the unit design is similar to liquid devices. At the top is a power cable. The maximum power level is quite large and amounts to 280 watts per linear meter. The price of such heating can start from 2000 rubles. per linear meter. The installation height and width are 16 and 4 cm, respectively. As for the length, it can vary from 1 to 2 m.
Another advantage is the possibility of choosing plinth heating, which is adapted to any kind of heat generators. For example, the THERMODUL heating system functions in conjunction with oil and gas boilers, as well as solar panels. The design provides the ability to adjust the temperature through thermostats. On sale you can find options with an infrared system, here you can include Russian heaters, whose power reaches 200 watts, as for the heating area, then one running meter will be enough for 8 m 2 .
The scope of use is not limited, it can be apartments, country houses, industrial and office premises, as well as greenhouses and garages. The warranty period of operation reaches 10 years, and the cost will depend on the model, manufacturer and additional functions.
Electric baseboard heating, reviews of which are often quite positive, is great for areas where there is no gas supply and there is no way to equip an efficient heating system. In just 15 minutes, a room with an area of 18 m2 can be heated using such systems, while a person will not experience the effect of stuffiness and heavy air.
Cons of electrical skirting boards
An electric baseboard heating radiator has many advantages, however, before purchasing such a device, you need to familiarize yourself with the disadvantages. According to customers, this type of heating is not as economical as the manufacturers claim, and ease of installation does not always imply efficient operation.
If you decide to do the work yourself, you should try to exclude a violation of the uniformity of heat transfer. If the devices are installed close to vertical surfaces, this can lead to defects on the finish. Some electric skirting boards can be used under conditions that do not differ in voltage drop and periodic shutdown of electricity. Sometimes this becomes the cause of the failure of the units.
An electric baseboard heating system may not always look aesthetically pleasing. Manufacturers offer decorative pads, but they reduce the efficiency of the devices.
Skirting Board
Plinth heating distribution is considered the simplest installation technology that can be used in rooms where finishing work has already been completed. For implementation at the point of connection of the floor and the wall, the back of the baseboard heating element should be mounted. In the same place there is a fixture on which radiators will be fixed. Such devices may have a different design, mainly hooks. Heating devices are installed on the fasteners, which are pre-connected to the return and supply piping, if we are talking about liquid devices.
It is important to monitor the tightness of the joints. If leaks were found, then they should be eliminated. At the final stage, the plinth radiators for water heating should be covered with decorative panels, but before that it is necessary to test the system.
The cost of liquid and electric baseboard heating systems by manufacturers
If you also decide to use the option that provides for the installation of a plinth heating system, then you should familiarize yourself with the prices. The Austrian company Best Board offers liquid electrical appliances at a price of 4800 and 7700 rubles, respectively. If you prefer Italian products, then you should pay attention to THERMODUL products. Liquid and electrical devices of this company will cost 5800 and 7200 rubles. respectively.
Conclusion
Domestic plinth systems of liquid and electric type from the company Mr.Tektum cost 5,000 and 7,000 rubles, respectively. The cheapest in the Russian market are Megador electrical baseboards. For them, the consumer will have to pay 3,000 rubles.