Floor heating system. Underfloor heating - for those who prefer comfort in everything. Consult with us

Underfloor heating is increasingly used for heating industrial and residential premises.

The main advantage of this system is the uniformity of heating of the base. There are water-type underfloor heating according to the type of heat carrier, which can have a high or, on the contrary, low temperature... On this moment the water system prevails underfloor heating equipped with a coolant with a low temperature, which reaches 50 ° C. At the heart of such water heating are heating tubes. In addition to the above, the system includes:

risers and collectors, to which the heater tubes are connected;
control and shut-off equipment;
control cabinet that allows you to automatically maintain the required temperature parameters;
thermostatic regulators built into the system and making it possible to set the operating modes of the entire underfloor heating system.

The device for switching between system modes is a compact device that can be installed in convenient place... So, it can be fixed to the wall surface under the light switch. The hot water heating system is installed using polymer pipes, which are made of polyethylene sewn across. The pipes also contain polypropylene or polybutene with a protective layer, which is designed to prevent the penetration of oxygen.

If underfloor water heating is installed using such a material, then its components will not corrode. Such pipes are distinguished by high strength, flexibility and ductility, they are resistant to thermal aging. These pipes do not form cracks, deposits cannot form in them, which cause an internal narrowing of the diameter.

The underfloor heating system is installed using couplings. Today, the method of connecting pipes by cold pressing has proven itself. This method is able to ensure exceptional tightness of all joints. This allows the heater to be placed in the screed monolithic type... Usage polymer material greatly simplifies not only the design, but also the subsequent installation of the underfloor heating system, which reduces the cost of work.

Features of underfloor heating installation technology

It should be noted that the installation of the underfloor heating system should be carried out in a specific order, and the installation can be carried out at any stage, whether it is building a house or renovating it. First of all, the base should be leveled. The tubes must be laid and connected together. Heating pipes are reinforced with brackets; laying can be done between the projections, which have special panels for arranging a warm floor. The next stage in the installation of the underfloor heating system is the installation of risers and manifold assemblies. After that, you can proceed to the installation of the control unit and the climate control system. Water heating must be tested for tightness. Control and automation systems should also be adjusted and tested.

In order to speed up the installation process as much as possible, the elements of the system must be reinforced with clamps on the surface of the panels. Panels equipped with latches have grooves that provide the most reliable connection... There are ties between the clamps to ensure the maximum possible girth of the pipes.

When water underfloor heating is installed in a room with low ceilings, special mini-blocks should be used. It is possible to mount the heating on the surface of a metal mesh. The mesh must be laid on top of the film, after which the pipes are laid and their reliable fastening is performed. Application steel mesh in the body of the cement screed not only increases the strength of the latter, but also reinforces it.

Heating must be checked for leaks after installation and first connection. Then you can fill the pipes cement mortar... If the use of a concrete screed is not possible, the method of fastening the elements under the load-bearing surface should be used. In this case, it is recommended to reinforce the pipes with aluminum-based plates. This is the so-called. "Dry" method of installation of hot water heating.

Heating must be installed after all plastering works in room. This will prevent accidental damage or contamination of the pipes. The system can be connected 3 weeks after the screed is poured. On a warm floor, you can lay almost any coating (tiles, carpet, parquet, etc.).

Installing a water floor is more expensive than installing an electric underfloor heating. But the initial investment will soon pay off in operation. This is due to the fact that the costs during the operation of the water floor are less.

Nuances when installing a warm floor

The most important characteristics that affect the efficiency of the system are the method and pitch of pipe laying. The condition of not exceeding the permissible subfloor temperature must be met. Experience shows that for any insulated house, the heat loss of which is less than 70 W / m², it is possible to organize a heating system using any water-type floor heating system. If the heat loss reaches 100 W / m2, such heating will be possible to install only with the help of a concrete system, where certain technical solutions... One of the main tasks is the choice of the type of system (floor or concrete), the step and method of pipe laying. These parameters will determine the possibility of using underfloor heating as the only and complete heating system in the room.

Pipes can be laid with one of 2 possible ways: snake or snail. Among the advantages of the serpentine method of installation, one can single out the simplicity of the design process and subsequent installation, this allowed this way become more widespread today. The disadvantages of this method: a greater temperature difference across the room, which causes the effect of a floor with uneven heating. This effect suggests different temperatures different parts of the floor, which leads to a decrease in the degree of comfort.

In order to reduce the effect of temperature bands, during the design process, a limitation should be introduced on the maximum possible temperature difference of the coolant, which should not exceed 5 ° C at the outlet and inlet of heating circuits, which imposes restrictions on the maximum possible removable power. For this reason, the snake-laying method is used, as a rule, in indoor conditions that are characterized by low heat loss. The serpentine method can be applied to industrial enterprises, because in their conditions this disadvantage is not so important.

Heating can also be installed using a spiral method, which is more widespread today. Disadvantages of this method: more complex design process and time-consuming subsequent installation. Among the advantages: an even temperature distribution, achieved by alternating flow and return pipes. Temperature averaging is carried out in heat distributors, they are concrete screed, while its minimum thickness should be 50 mm, aluminum plates can also be used as distributors. This installation method significantly increases the heating load removed from the floor surface due to an increase in the permissible temperature difference.

Choosing a laying step

Heating must be installed at a specific pitch. The correct operation of the system will depend on this, the heat load that the warm floor will be able to provide, in addition, the step will determine the uniformity of the temperature distribution. If the laying step is supposed to be increased, then it will be necessary to increase the temperature of the supplied heat carrier, this will allow obtaining the required calculated average temperature of the floor surface.

Heating the room with radiators and underfloor heating system

The size of the installation step is 50-600 mm. As a rule, the most frequently used steps are 150, 200, 300 mm. The choice of the installation step should be made depending on the room and the amount of thermal design load... The option of laying with variable and constant spacing is possible. So, if the heating load is less than 50 W / ², then it is allowed to lay a water floor with a constant step of 300 mm.

If there are high heating loads, which exceed 80 W / m², as well as in the conditions of bathrooms and rooms, where rather strict requirements are imposed on the uniformity of the floor temperature, it is recommended to apply a laying step of 150 mm. In other cases, as a rule, a variable pitch is used: in the edge zones, a more frequent laying step is used. This is done in places along the outer walls, since there are high heat losses. A more rare installation step is applicable to the interior areas of the premises.

The number of rows with a smaller pitch will be determined during the design of the future heating system... Installation with a pitch of 200 mm is used for large industrial premises, as well as for water parks and swimming pools. In this case, a pipe, which has a diameter of 20 mm, acts as the contours of the floor.

Tools and materials for installation

couplings;
cement;
sand;
capacity;
pipes;
Master OK;
rule;
lighthouses;
shovel.

Disadvantages of a warm water floor

Warm water floor has certain disadvantages. Some home craftsmen oppose such a heating system for the reason that not every coating is suitable for such a floor. So, it is not recommended to use carpets in rooms that have water heating. Against is the fact that the installation of the floor is problematic to carry out after building, since you will have to dismantle the old coating, replacing it with a new one. This will cost significantly more.

Against such floors and those who do not want to reduce the height of the room by raising the floor level during installation, in addition, raising the level will entail problems that may be associated with the functioning of the doors. Against the arrangement of such a floor and those masters who are afraid of carrying out complex calculations and design, and these steps are necessary in order to avoid reinstalling the system. The design will help to carry out the correct functioning of the heating. In the next article - the connection of vtp pipes in a screed.

Heat production is always getting more expensive. In each part of the Russian Federation, it is necessary to heat the house during a special period. Every sane inhabitant wants to know: how to modernize the dwelling system. On the Internet site the site is hosted a large number of home heating systems that use completely different methods of generating heat. Each heating system can be installed separately or hybrid.

Water underfloor heating is a complete heating system, an alternative to the classic radiator heating system

Prices for installation of a warm water floor... and the price of individual services for the installation of a warm water floor you can find out in the section Prices. Order the installation of a warm water floor from the specialists of our company.

Our company will be able to help you in the design of such systems, and will offer the most optimal options for cooperation in this area. We employ professionals in their field who have extensive experience in the design and installation of such systems, and who can help you achieve the maximum quality conditions in your home. We can find the most suitable for you the best option the operation of the heating system, and we will advise how to achieve minimum costs for heating.

Our services

Performed by our company which depends primarily on the area of the room and its technical characteristics, is a set of works that require a professional approach. First, the technical conditions for the performance of work - the quality of insulation is determined, work is being done to prepare the base, waterproofing work is being carried out. We can carry out all the work required for the heating device, or some of the work can be performed construction company performing construction or renovation.

To make it cheaper installation of a warm water floor price which may seem high when holding construction works you can pay attention to the screed and its waterproofing, and carry out these works by the builders. Firstly, this will save money, and secondly, the preparation of the foundation will be done in advance, and when you contact our company, everything will be ready for work. There, it remains only to carry out work on the installation of the heating system and start it up.

Often, price for installation of a warm water floor depends not only on the area of the room, but also on the selected type of pipelines, the presence of difficult places, a large number of bends, and separate premises where heating is required. The system itself can be connected both to the central heating system of the house and to its own heating system. Which, in turn, can be electric or powered by a separate boiler or boiler.

The simplest option is to connect to the system central heating, and installation price of a warm water floor in this case, it will be lower due to the fact that you do not have to lay separate highways. But at the same time, the level and quality of temperature control will cause some discomfort, since it will not work to heat the system above the temperature of the radiators in the room. Unless you mount the control system by the radiator itself, which will require impressive costs. Therefore, it is better to use two different lines.

Consult with us

But in any case, it is best to consult with the specialists of our company, who will be able to tell you about all the advantages and disadvantages of a particular heating system, and calculate the necessary number of elements with which you can achieve coziness and comfort. We know how to build an optimal heating scheme for a dwelling, and we will be able to offer our customers professional approach to solving the problem of heating living quarters.

Having visited our office, and having decided on at the cost of installing warm water floors you will be able to conclude a turnkey contract, and all other concerns will fall on the shoulders of our employees. We will independently select and purchase the necessary components for the installation of the heating system, deliver them to the object, invite specialists who have experience and have sufficient professional skills. We will also be able to purchase and install control equipment, and configure it.

Only our company employs specialists who have worked both on residential real estate and on commercial real estate, specialists who are capable of implementing the most complex and ambitious plans. By contacting us, you will receive help in installation of a warm water floor, the price of which will be at an acceptable level, and we are achieving this through the coordinated work of all divisions of the company, cost optimization and organization effective work each employee. And we know how to make cooperation with us fruitful and pleasant in all respects, for any customer.

Today, underfloor heating technology is not much inferior in efficiency to radiator heating systems, while it has a lot of advantages. We propose to consider the main advantages of hidden heating systems, installation and connection features.

Benefits of hidden heating

One side of the attractiveness of underfloor heating systems is to hide engineering communications... The harmony of the interior will not be disturbed either by radiators, or by a heating pipeline, or by shut-off and control valves. However, this is not the only plus of the stealth of the heating system.

If in living rooms pipes do not pass through the wall ceilings and along them, this will greatly facilitate the finishing works... For leveling and application decorative materials the entire plane of the walls is accessible, besides there are no difficulties with cutting the floor covering, there is no need to hide the passage of pipes during installation stretch ceilings... Especially beneficial is the absence of visible communications when changing the layout.

In addition to the aesthetic advantages, there are also technical ones: uniform heating of the floor creates an optimal distribution pattern for warm air. Since the main emphasis is not on convective heat transfer, but on its direct radiation, there is no need to warm up the upper uninhabited zone. Due to this, heating costs are reduced by about 10-15%. What is most interesting is that savings here do not compromise comfort: in the leg area, the temperature is maintained at about 20-22 ºС, in the head area - 3-4 ºС lower.

The main disadvantages of a water heated floor

The main disadvantage of the underfloor heating system is the complexity of its design. The process of laying heating elements on the floor is quite technological and time consuming, but if we are talking about a water heating system, additional difficulties arise with organizing the piping and adjusting the heating operation.

This is not at all a reason to refuse to use a warm floor. Using quality materials and installation systems, compliance with the technology of laying pipes in the floor and flooring devices, all efforts will pay off handsomely. Underfloor heating is a really effective, economical and durable heating system, but, we repeat, only if it is arranged in compliance with a number of key requirements.

Of the complexities of the device, it is worth mentioning separately the need for a careful choice of material for the floor screed. In addition to strength qualities, it must meet the standards for heat capacity and thermal conductivity, as well as the ability to emit heat in a certain spectrum - about 9-10 microns. In principle, when heated to 40 ° C, almost all cement-based materials emit heat in this range. It remains only to achieve the maximum possible density of the coating and uniform distribution of thermal energy in the warm layer of the screed. For this purpose, steel fiber can be used, liquid glass or special polymer additives for underfloor heating screed - plasticizers C-3, HLV-75, BV 3M and the like.

Materials for the device

As already mentioned, underfloor heating systems require an extremely careful selection of materials. Even one and a half to two decades ago, everyone was content with laying a metal-plastic pipe in the floor, convincing themselves that apart from corrosion, the heat exchanger in the floor was not in danger. This approach has a number of disadvantages that are revealed during the first 3-5 years of operation.

In order not to repeat other people's mistakes, pipes should be used for underfloor heating, which, if damaged, are able to restore the polymer structure over time and have the highest thermal conductivity. It is impossible to guarantee that during the installation of the pipes they will not be broken, but for metal-plastic it is, without exaggeration, a death sentence. The best way in this regard, cross-linked polyethylene behaves, the alternative to which is copper. In the latter case, there is a series additional benefits: even higher thermal conductivity, negligible coefficient of thermal expansion and the ability to remember the shape during deformation.

For open heating systems, the absence of excess pressure can lead to the ejection of gas molecules through the walls of the tubes; over time, gas particles can collect in rather large plugs. To exclude such phenomena, modern pipes for underfloor heating are made composite with a built-in oxygen barrier.

Of the materials for the device of a warm floor, insulation cannot be ignored. Its choice is of decisive importance for the durability of the heating system and the floor as a whole. The thermal barrier must be incompressible, retain its shape and, of course, with a high resistance to heat transfer. Of all the options, extruded polystyrene foam and polyurethane foam are most suitable for use as a thermal cutoff, less often polyisocyanurate plates are used.

Do I need a backup heating system

You can often hear the opinion that water floor heating systems are unreliable, and therefore, when they are used as the main source of heating, there is not an illusory risk that over time the house will be left without a single source of heat. This misconception is associated, first of all, with the experience of operating floor heating systems, which, in essence, are budget fakes of the original technology.

Judge for yourself: in the case of using low-quality pipes for the heat exchanger, the risk of their clogging, breakage and destruction of the screed due to thermal expansion increases significantly. It really makes sense to combine floor heating with the installation of radiators, although this version of the heating system is fraught with difficulties in setting: you constantly have to adjust the flow, otherwise the temperature in the room rises to truly uncomfortable values.

However, if the underfloor heating is designed taking into account all technological requirements, it can work as the main heating system for many decades. Attentiveness and sensitivity at the stage of installation of thermal insulation, pipes and when pouring the screed eliminates the main risk factors for both the appearance of leaks and damage to the floor covering or the base on which it is laid. In general, the costs of organizing backup system heating and correct device water floor heating are approximately equal.

Preferred types of boilers

The main disadvantage of water floor heating systems is considered to be their extremely low resistance to overheating. Basically, this rule applies to heat exchangers made of polyethylene - this material has one of the highest coefficients of linear thermal expansion. For copper pipes this figure is much lower.

Due to such restrictions, it is required right choice the boiler unit and the corresponding setting of the mode of its operation. The most suitable boilers are considered to be natural gas and electricity. Their thermoregulation system allows you to exclude the supply of too hot coolant to the underfloor heating system.

The least suitable for connecting a water floor heating system can be safely called solid fuel boilers... Their peak power is nearly impossible to limit, especially when changing fuel from time to time. That is why such systems require the inclusion of special devices in the hydraulic circuit that maintain the water temperature in the heating circuit by mixing in liquid from the return.

Connection diagram

The final argument against underfloor heating systems is the complexity of the organization of the coolant distribution scheme. If there is more than one underfloor heating circuit in the system, the installation of hydraulic manifolds with flow controllers is required.

House heating scheme with underfloor heating. A - gas heating boiler; B - combined mixing unit and collector group; B - underfloor heating contour. 1 - boiler with built-in circulation pump; 2 - security group; 3 - expansion tank; 4 — three-way valve mixing; 5 - circulation pump; 6 - ball valve; 7 - a needle valve or a valve with a servo drive; 8 - pressure reducer; 9 - flow meter

On the one hand, the installation and commissioning of such complex networks is comparable to the additional costs. However, all efforts to organize underfloor heating are more than compensated for by the comfort of its use: each room can easily adjust its own thermal regime, while the entire system can be easily and efficiently balanced even with several dozen "loops".

Otherwise, the underfloor heating is connected according to the classical organization scheme. closed system heating with overpressure... The only addition is a water treatment unit at the make-up inlet: since the heat exchanger is represented by rather narrow channels located at the lowest point of the system, it is required to remove from the water all mechanical impurities that can settle and eventually completely clog the tubes.

Sooner or later, the homeowner will face the question of the use of modern heating systems. This is due to both the constant increase in utility rates and their practicality.

Moreover, it is not only economical in a financial sense, but also creates a comfortable living environment. Underfloor heating is possible using water and electrical systems.

A thinner screed is suitable for electric floors.

What type of underfloor heating to choose is up to the homeowner. However, in order to decide in favor of a particular underfloor heating system: water or electric, it is necessary to clarify all the positive and negative sides each of them:

Specialists involved in installing systems in country houses, recommend to apply water system for underfloor heating. In this case, you can heat using natural gas, electric energy, as well as boilers operating on wood and solid fuels.

Heating systems can be combined depending on the structural features of the building. In some rooms, use water heating, and in small ones, for example, kitchens, bathrooms and toilet rooms apply electrical system warm floors.

Floor arrangement with water heating on a concrete base

Hot water heating will require a permit if you live in apartment building, and serious calculations

To use this type of heating at home, it is better to turn to specialists who will initially develop a thorough project in compliance with all the norms provided for by SNiP.

Design is necessary in order to calculate the number of required components, take into account geometric parameters each room of a residential building, calculate the optimal temperature regime and the costs of each type of energy carrier for heating the premises from 20 to 24 degrees.

It is advisable to lay the water circuit on a leveled base.

Underfloor heating as the main heating is easiest to install on a concrete floor base. To do this, a foam insulation with a thickness of at least 30 mm is laid on a pre-leveled surface.

A film or multi-foil layer is laid on top of it, on which it is laid out reinforcement mesh for fixing the tubes of the heating element.

As an obligatory element along the walls along the perimeter of the room, a damper tape is laid. Its width will have to completely overlap the thickness of the floor covering with installed system heating.

Laying the contour with a snake is the easiest

After the heating pipes are laid out with a snake or snail, they are led out to the manifold cabinet. Laying with a snake is simple to perform, however, at the exit, the coolant will cool down significantly.

Laying the pipe with a snail complicates the work, but this method of heating distributes the coolant throughout the pipe with the same temperature, therefore, in most cases, developers use this method of laying pipes to heat houses with a warm floor.

The table shows some data for a water floor device:

Some specialists practice the use of a combined pipe laying system on the base of the floor. After fixing the tubes, they are filled with a special solution and hidden topcoat.

Arrangement of a floor with water heating on a wooden base

Lay chipboard with grooves under the piping on the sub-floor

It is most difficult to perform hot water heating in wooden houses as well as buildings with wooden floors. This is due to the fact that the pipeline through which the coolant will circulate should not be located on cement screed... It is laid on top of the sub-floor, which is made of boards or sheets of particle board or cement-bonded particle boards.

The sub-floor is covered with special modules made of wood-based panels, in which special grooves are cut for laying pipes.

However, this is an expensive pleasure, and craftsmen suggested using slats that are stuffed onto the subfloor, forming the necessary channels for placing the pipeline.

For the manufacture of slats, both a board and wood-based panels are used. The width of the guide rails corresponds to the distance between the heating pipes. Detailed instructions for arranging a water floor on wooden covering see in this video:

After attaching the pipes to rough floor the entire structure, which makes up the warm floor, as the main heating, is covered with a topcoat made of a planed floorboard or laminate of maximum thickness.

Floor arrangement with electric heating

The film floor is the most convenient for installation

Market building materials offers owners underfloor heating without a radiator by installing different systems for the arrangement of electric underfloor heating. They are installed only on a concrete floor base.

Cable. In the form of a heating element, a cable is used that transforms electrical energy in heat. The cable is also laid in the form of a snake or snail. At the same time, the cable is not laid in the places where furniture and plumbing fixtures are installed. A screed is poured over the cable.
Cable on the base. It is a mesh mats with an expanded heating element, the cross-section of which is 2.8 mm. For its installation, it is enough to simply lay out the mats on the rough base of the floor and fix them. The a heating element also hides under the screed.
The infrared film heater is dry-installed and can be fixed to the sub-floor at no extra cost. On top of the foil heater, you can immediately apply floor covering or laminate. For more information on which type of heater is better, see this video:

To choose the most optimal type of electric heating for a residential building or apartment, you should take into account the technical characteristics of heating systems and the living space itself.

The main argument in favor of the "warm floor" system is the increased comfort of a person's stay in the room, when the quality heater the entire surface of the floor protrudes. The air in the room warms up from the bottom up, while at the floor surface it is somewhat warmer than at a height of 2-2.5 m.

In some cases (for example, when heating shopping malls, swimming pools, gyms, hospitals), underfloor heating is most preferred.

The disadvantages of underfloor heating systems include the relatively high cost of equipment in comparison with radiator systems, as well as increased requirements for the technical literacy of installers and the quality of their work. With the use of high-quality materials and adherence to the installation technology of a well-designed water underfloor heating system, there are no problems with its subsequent operation.

The heating boiler operates on radiators at 80/60 ° C. How to connect the "warm floor" correctly?

To obtain the design temperature (as a rule, not higher than 55 ° C) and the specified flow rate of the coolant in the "warm floors" circuit, pumping and mixing units are used. They form a separate low-temperature circulation circuit, into which hot heating medium from the primary circuit is mixed. The amount of added heating agent can be set both manually (if the temperature and flow rate in the primary circuit are constant), and automatically using thermostats. To fully realize all the advantages of a "warm floor" allow the pumping and mixing units with weather compensation, in which the temperature of the coolant supplied to the low-temperature circuit is adjusted depending on the outside air temperature.

Is it allowed to connect a "warm floor" to the central heating system or hot water supply of an apartment building?

It depends on local legislation. For example, in Moscow, the installation of underfloor heating from common building water supply and heating systems is excluded from the list of permitted types of re-equipment (Moscow Government decree No. 73-PP dated February 8, 2005). In a number of regions, interdepartmental commissions, decisive question agreement on the installation of a "warm floor" system, require additional expertise and calculated confirmation that the device "warm floor" will not lead to a disruption in the operation of common house engineering systems(see "Rules and regulations technical exploitation housing stock ", p. 1.7.2).

From a technical point of view, connecting a "warm floor" to a central heating system is possible provided that a separate pumping and mixing unit is installed with limited pressure returned to house system coolant. In addition, if there is an individual heat point equipped with an elevator (jet pump), the use of plastic and metal-plastic pipes in heating systems is not allowed.

What is the best material to use as a floor covering in a "warm floor" system? Can parquet floors be used?

The "warm floor" effect is best felt when floor coverings made of materials with a high coefficient of thermal conductivity (ceramic tiles, concrete, self-leveling floors, baseless linoleum, laminate, etc.). If carpet is used, it must have a "suitability mark" for use on a warm substrate. Other synthetic coatings (linoleum, relin, laminated boards, plastic, PVC tiles, etc.) must have a "sign of absence" of toxic emissions at an elevated base temperature.

Parquet, parquet boards and boards can also be used as a "warm floor" covering, but the surface temperature should not exceed 26 ° C. In addition, a safety thermostat must be included in the mixing unit. Moisture content of flooring materials from natural wood should not exceed 9%. Work on laying a parquet or plank floor is allowed only at a room temperature of at least 18 ° C and 40-50% humidity.

What should be the temperature on the surface of the "warm floor"?

The requirements of SNiP 41-01-2003 "Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning" (p. 6.5.12) in relation to the surface temperature of the "warm floor" are given in the table. It should be noted that foreign regulations admit several large values surface temperatures. This must be taken into account when using calculation programs developed on their basis.

How long can the underfloor heating pipes be?

The length of one loop of the "warm floor" is dictated by the pump power. If we talk about polyethylene and metal-plastic pipes, it is economically feasible that the length of the loop of a pipe with an outer diameter of 16 mm does not exceed 100 m, and with a diameter of 20 mm - 120 m. It is also desirable that the hydraulic pressure loss in the loop does not exceed 20 kPa. The approximate area occupied by one loop, subject to these conditions, is about 15 m2. With a larger area, collector systems are used, while it is desirable that the length of the loops connected to one collector be approximately the same.

What should be the thickness of the heat-insulating layer under the pipes of the "warm floor"?

The thickness of the insulation, limiting the heat loss from the pipes "underfloor heating" in the "downward" direction, should be determined by calculation and largely depends on the air temperature in the design room and the temperature in the underlying room (or ground). In most Western design programs, heat losses "downward" are assumed to be 10% of the total heat flux. If the air temperature in the design and the underlying room is the same, then this ratio is satisfied by a layer of expanded polystyrene with a thickness of 25 mm with a thermal conductivity coefficient of 0.035 W / (moK).

What pipes are better to use for the installation of the "warm floor" system?

Pipes for the device "warm floor" must have following properties: flexibility, allowing the pipe to bend with a minimum radius to ensure the required laying spacing; the ability to keep in shape; low coefficient of resistance to the movement of the coolant to reduce the power of pumping equipment; durability and corrosion resistance, since access to pipes during operation is difficult; oxygen tightness (like any pipeline of the heating system). In addition, the pipe must be easy to handle simple tool and have a reasonable price.

The most widespread systems are "warm floor" systems made of polyethylene (PEX-EVOH-PEX), metal-plastic and copper pipes. Polyethylene pipes are less convenient to work with, since they do not retain their given shape, and when heated they tend to straighten out ("memory effect"). Copper pipes, when embedded in a screed, must have a covering polymer layer in order to avoid alkaline action; moreover, this material is quite expensive. Reinforced-plastic pipes meet the requirements most fully.

Do I need to use a plasticizer when pouring a "warm floor"?

The use of a plasticizer allows you to make the screed more dense, without air inclusions, which significantly reduces heat losses and increases the strength of the screed. However, not all plasticizers are suitable for this purpose: most of those used in construction are air-entraining, and their use, on the contrary, will lead to a decrease in the strength and thermal conductivity of the screed. For "warm floor" systems, special non-entraining plasticizers based on finely dispersed flaky particles are produced. mineral materials with a low coefficient of friction. As a rule, the consumption of the plasticizer is 3-5 l / m3 of mortar.

What is the point of using aluminum foil coated thermal insulation?

In cases where "underfloor heating" pipes are installed in an air gap (for example, in floors along logs), foiling of thermal insulation allows you to reflect most of the downward radiant heat flux, thereby increasing the efficiency of the system. Foil plays the same role in the construction of porous (gas or foam concrete) screeds.

When the screed is made of a dense cement-sand mixture, foiling of thermal insulation can be justified only as an additional waterproofing - the reflective properties of the foil cannot manifest themselves due to the absence of the "air - solid" boundary. It must be borne in mind that the layer of aluminum foil, poured with cement mortar, must necessarily have protective covering from a polymer film. Otherwise, aluminum can collapse under the influence of a highly alkaline solution medium (pH = 12.4).

How to avoid cracking of the "warm floor" screed?

The reasons for the appearance of cracks in the underfloor heating screed may be the low strength of the insulation, poor-quality compaction of the mixture during installation, the absence of a plasticizer in the mixture, or too thick screed (shrinkage cracks). The following rules should be adhered to: the density of the insulation (expanded polystyrene) under the screed must be at least 40 kg / m3; the mortar for the screed must be workable (plastic), the use of a plasticizer is mandatory; in order to avoid the appearance of shrinkage cracks, add polypropylene fiber at the rate of 1-2 kg of fiber per 1 m3 of solution. For power loaded floors, steel fiber is used.

Is waterproofing required for underfloor heating?

If a vapor barrier is not provided for in the architectural and construction part of the project, then with the "wet method" of installing the "warm floor" system along the ceilings, it is recommended to lay a layer of glassine on the leveled floor. This will help prevent the laitance from flowing through the overlap during the pouring of the screed. If the project provides for an interfloor vapor barrier, then it is not necessary to arrange additional waterproofing. Waterproofing in wet rooms (bathrooms, toilets, showers) is arranged in the usual manner on top of the "warm floor" screed.

What should be the thickness of the damper tape installed around the perimeter of the room?

For rooms with a side length of less than 10 m, a 5 mm seam is sufficient. For other premises, the seam is calculated according to the formula: b = 0.55 o L, where b is the seam thickness, mm; L is the length of the room, m.

What should be the step of laying the pipes for the "warm floor" loop?

The step of the loops is determined by calculation. It should be borne in mind that a loop pitch of less than 80 mm is difficult to implement in practice due to the small bending radius of the pipe, and a pitch of more than 250 mm is not recommended, as it leads to a noticeable uneven heating of the "warm floor". To facilitate the task of choosing the step of the loops, you can use the table below.

Is it possible to install heating only on the basis of the "warm floor" system, without radiators?

To answer this question in each specific case, it is required to make a heat engineering calculation. On the one hand, the maximum specific heat flux from the "warm floor" is about 70 W / m2 at an air temperature in the room of 20 ° C. This is sufficient to compensate for heat losses through enclosing structures made in accordance with thermal protection standards.

On the other hand, if we take into account the heat consumption for heating the outside air required by sanitary standards (3 m3 / h per 1 m2 of living space), then the capacity of the "warm floor" system may be insufficient. In such cases, it is recommended to use edge zones with elevated surface temperatures along the outer walls, as well as the use of sections of "warm walls".

How long after pouring the screed can the "warm floor" system be started?

The screed must have time to acquire sufficient strength. After three days in natural hardening conditions (without heating), it gains 50% strength, after a week - 70%. A full set of strength to the design grade occurs after 28 days. Based on this, it is recommended to start the "warm floor" no earlier than three days after pouring. It should also be remembered that the "underfloor heating" system solution is filled with floor pipelines filled with water at a pressure of 3 bar.