Do-it-yourself water-heated floor: device and installation of a warm water floor, step-by-step instructions. Warm water floors: installation scheme and installation Warm floor on the water

Warm floors are useful in all respects: they create additional heating of rooms, increase the degree of comfort. It is not surprising that some owners of private houses have an irresistible desire to assemble this type of heating system on their own. Why overpay a team of craftsmen when you can do everything yourself, right?

Are you also on fire with the idea of ​​equipping a warm floor, but do not fully understand the specifics of this system and do not know all the subtleties of design? We will help you - in this material we will try to figure out under what conditions it is advisable to arrange a water-heated floor with your own hands and what skills you need to have for this.

And to make the whole process of arrangement clearer, we have selected step-by-step installation photos and detailed videos that show the nuances of design, calculations and pipe laying.

There are several options for underfloor heating. The principle of operation of any of them is simple: they are placed under the finishing floor covering, or, which act as heating devices.

Film is suitable for almost all rooms and, mainly for. Let's take a closer look at the last one.

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» Underfloor heating water: do-it-yourself construction

The underfloor heating water system is seen as a relatively simple and effective building structure. The basic components of a warm water floor are a layer of concrete and a tubular coil placed inside it for a water coolant. This kind of "pie" is qualitatively insulated along the lower direction and the sides. The result is an original heating design for the house - water. It is quite possible to make one with your own hands.

Indeed, few of the existing heating systems for residential and industrial buildings are ready to compete with a warm water floor. It is not difficult to explain the advantage of underfloor heating on water.

So, for traditional widespread thermal systems built on the basis of heating radiators, fan coil units, convectors, the convection effect is a characteristic technological principle.

The convection method of heating has a significant disadvantage - the uneven distribution of heat flows, when the air heated by the radiators mainly accumulates in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe ceiling of the room.

The lower part of the living rooms is located in the area of ​​slightly warmed air. The floor part remains cold at all, which is unacceptable for the winter season.

From the point of view of the physiological habit of the body, this approach to space heating can hardly be called ideal.

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Warm floors are great for arranging autonomous heat supply. Increasingly, owners of private houses prefer just such a heating system. At the same time, it is less convenient for apartments, so it is used less often. If you wish and have the skills to handle tools, you can always mount a warm water floor with your own hands.

The owner of the house gets the opportunity to rationally spend resources. With radiator heating, warm air flows upward, not having time to warm up the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room. Rising from the warm floor, the air flow heats objects and people, and only after that it moves to the ceiling.

A house with underfloor heating warms up much faster and more evenly than with a radiator, because. when the heating is turned on, the entire floor area turns into one large heat source. The room is heated from below, which ensures maximum comfort for the people in it.

The device of a water heated floor implies that the system is powered by a conventional heating boiler. However, the fuel consumption for underfloor heating is relatively low, since the coolant does not need to be heated to such a high temperature as in radiators.

Thanks to this feature of underfloor heating, it is more profitable, and the boiler itself operates in a gentle mode, which increases its service life.

It is possible to use a warm floor as an additional heating system. In this case, the heated coolant moves along two circuits: first to the radiators, and then, cooling down, through the pipes of the floor circuit.

In this way, the home owner achieves highly efficient heating without spending extra money on bills. This is ideal for homes in regions with a harsh climate.

A big minus of the system is the high cost of components and installation. On average, for materials for arranging 1 sq.m. underfloor heating must be spent from 1500 rubles. If a team is working, then another 1000-1500 rubles per 1 sq.m. will have to be added to these expenses. based on the wages of workers.

The high cost is due to objective reasons. For laying pipes, you have to raise the floor level by at least 100 mm. In order for the system to work normally, control valves, a distribution manifold cabinet, special valves for venting air from the heating system, etc. are installed.

This is a laborious process, so the work of the masters is expensive.

Do-it-yourself installation of a warm water floor allows you to significantly reduce the cost of the system. You can save up to 30-50% of the total cost

Features of the water heating device

Underfloor heating is a system of pipes laid according to a scheme convenient for the owner of the house. A heated coolant moves through them from the boiler. Its temperature is controlled by thermostats. The cooled coolant returns to the boiler, and the process resumes.

Different coolant flows are combined with the help of collectors - heating control units. Components of the system largely depend on the installation scheme of underfloor heating pipes and the features of connecting circuits in the collector.

As a rule, you have to buy circulation pumps, various types of valves, equipment for automating the operation of the heating system. If the pipes are laid under concrete, then additional building materials, reinforcing mesh will be required.

Especially carefully you need to choose pipes, because. the service life of the system depends on their quality and reliability. Usually metal-plastic and PVC pipes are used. Both types of products are durable and practical, but in most cases, homeowners prefer the first option.

Metal-plastic pipes are considered more reliable. They bend well and take any shape. An important advantage is the reasonable price. Since for heating 1 sq.m. floors need at least 6-7 meters of pipes, their cost significantly affects the total amount of expenses.

A detailed device of the underfloor heating system is described in the video below:

Requirements for installing underfloor heating

• Before starting the laying of pipes, it is necessary to carefully prepare the base. The surface must be perfectly flat, which will ensure uniform heating of the floor and, accordingly, the premises in the future.
• In addition to the materials necessary for the installation of the system itself, it is necessary to purchase thermal and waterproofing. It is laid on the subfloor before laying pipes.
• Laying loops are made with a single pipe with a section of 16, 17, 20 mm. This is necessary to prevent leaks at the joints.
• If a warm floor is mounted under a screed, then the system should be postponed until the material has completely solidified - 4 weeks. After that, the system is started, and the temperature of the coolant is gradually increased. It will take 2-3 days to start the system at full capacity.
• The design temperature of the outer surface of the floor is regulated by SNiP 41-01-2003. It should average 26 degrees for rooms where people are constantly staying, and 31 degrees - where people are not constantly present and there is a need for a special temperature regime.
• The maximum coolant temperature is 55 degrees. The system must be designed and installed in such a way that there are no significant temperature differences in individual areas of the floor. The allowable difference is 5-10 degrees.

The thickness of the thermal insulation layer depends on the calculated thermal load. The larger it is, the thicker the heat-insulating layer should be.

Arrangement methods - concrete and flooring

There are two main ways of mounting the system: concrete, flooring. The first type of pipe laying is also called wet, jellied. It is used if a concrete screed is planned over the floor heating system.

The concrete installation method is reliable and efficient, because. the finished system is characterized by the best heat transfer, which completely covers the heat loss. Heating operation in a wide temperature range is possible.

The concrete system is capable of withstanding loads of 500 kg per 1 square meter, which allows it to be installed in any type of premises, including residential and industrial. Its service life can exceed 50 years.

The flooring method is used if the pipes are mounted under a wooden or polystyrene coating. Installation is carried out without "wet" processes, so that work can be completed faster, because you do not have to wait for the building mixtures to dry.

First, hydro-, thermal insulation is laid, the perimeter of the rooms is trimmed with adhesive damper tape. When calculating the thermal insulation layer, all heat losses must be taken into account. Insulation is mounted on the entire surface of the floor

The pipes are laid on top of the thermal insulation, fixed with brackets, dowel hooks, clamps or fastening strips. The ideal option is to use ready-made heat-insulating plates, in which fasteners are provided in advance.

A reinforcing layer is laid on top, after it - a carrier one. As a topcoat, it is best to choose ceramic tiles, natural or artificial stone, laminated parquet.

As a result, a heating "pie" is obtained, the thickness of which can reach 10-15 cm, depending on the pipe section, the thickness of the layers of thermal and waterproofing, and the finishing coating.

Below is a brief and clear description of the entire procedure for installing the system:

System calculation and design

How can you make a water heated floor with your own hands? You should start with the calculation and design of the system. This is the most important stage of work, on which the features of heating installation, heating efficiency and durability of the entire structure depend.

When designing, the following factors are taken into account:

• the volume to be heated (area, height, shape of the room);
• features of the temperature regime;
• materials to be used in the work.

When developing a scheme, all the nuances are taken into account, including the location of collectors, expansion joints. It is important that the deformation space and pipeline elements do not intersect.

It is also desirable to know in advance where and how the furniture and / or plumbing fixtures will be located. If furniture is planned above the pipes, then it should be made of materials that tolerate high temperatures well. It is better not to use a tree, because. it dries up.

For each room of the house you need a separate circuit. If non-residential premises are heated (for example, a loggia or a veranda), then the circuit should not be combined with adjacent living rooms. Otherwise, the heat will go away to heat the non-residential area, and the living rooms will be cold.

In order not to make a mistake when designing, some nuances should be taken into account. An expert says this:

Underfloor heating installation technology

Consider in detail the installation of a warm water floor under the screed. This is the most time-consuming work, but the finished system is much more efficient than the one laid by "dry" methods - using modules or rails.

Stage #1: preparatory work

Before starting the installation of the heating system, the room must be fully prepared: windows, doors are installed, all rough finishing work is completed, communications are connected, niches for collectors are prepared in places where they will be freely accessible.

Floor markings need to be done. The base must be perfectly flat, differences over 0.5 cm are unacceptable, otherwise the heating will be disrupted, the hydraulic resistance will increase, the heating system will air.

If necessary, the floor is additionally leveled with a screed. If it is adjacent to the ground, carefully waterproof

Stage #2: laying vapor or waterproofing

Polyethylene film is used as vapor and waterproofing. Its thickness must be at least 0.2 mm. This layer is necessary to protect the insulation materials from moisture, which significantly reduces their properties.

Waterproofing is required, because. moisture can come from both the ground and the cold floor. The film is laid with an overlap of up to 10 cm and the joints are fixed with adhesive tape. She also covers the joints of the floor and walls.

To prevent a thermal bridge from forming between the screed and the walls, a damper tape is used. It is laid along the walls, and it should rise at least 20 cm above the marking of the warm floor level. A special moisture-proof "apron" of the tape prevents water from entering the joints between the heat-insulating plate and the tape itself.

Many thermal insulation materials lose their properties when exposed to moisture. For example, when damp, foam plastic protects much worse from noise and cold.

Stage #3: installation of thermal insulation boards

The efficiency of the entire underfloor heating system largely depends on the choice and installation of thermal insulation boards. Proper thermal insulation directs heat flows from the heating elements up into the room. The main characteristics of the system depend on it - power, degree of resource saving, bearing capacity.

As a heat insulator, you can use foil polystyrene 3 cm thick. With all the advantages of this insulation, it has significant drawbacks, so it’s better to give preference to more modern and technologically advanced materials and choose special heat-insulating boards.

Thermal insulation boards are ready-made systems for laying underfloor heating pipes. They are extremely durable and have special projections that make it easy to fix and bend the pipes, giving the contour the desired shape.

The plates are securely fastened with special locks, they are distinguished by high rates of heat and sound insulation, and smooth out minor floor irregularities. They are mounted in the direction from the far left corner from left to right. If the layout of the room provides for ledges or niches, the plates are cut or built up.

Plates are laid over the entire surface of the floor of the room, without gaps. Such installation ensures uniform heating of the room, as well as the mechanical strength of the system.

Stage # 4: laying the heating circuit

Pipes are laid in increments of 10-30 cm, depending on the amount of heat loss. Most often, 30 cm is enough. The distance from the wall is 15 cm. The pipes are laid between the protrusions of the heat-insulating plates, pressing them tightly to the floor. At the joints they are protected by special metal sleeves.

Each circuit requires a separate pipe section of the appropriate length: up to 80 m if the pipe diameter is 16 mm, and up to 120 m for pipes with a diameter of 20 mm. If the pipe length is too long, then the hydraulic resistance will increase. It should be borne in mind that it should be approximately the same in all circuits that are connected to one collector.

The two most popular pipe laying technologies are:

• bifilar ("snail") - the contour has a spiral shape;
• meander ("snake") - the contour of the warm floor looks like a zigzag.

Options are possible. So, a double "snake" is appropriate in rooms where you need to achieve the highest heat flux density.

You can combine different ways of laying pipes. For example, for large rooms, use a "snake", and for less spacious rooms - a "snail".

Laying the "snake" has some disadvantages, but there are cases when this method of pipe installation is indispensable, for example, if the floor has a linear slope. Another plus is the lower load on the heating pump than when laying pipes with a “snail”

Step #5: pipe crimping and screed

After laying the heating circuit and connecting to the distribution manifold, it is necessary to carry out pressure testing of the pipes. To do this, the heating circuit is filled with coolant and air is removed by releasing it through drain valves. The pressure for pressure testing of metal-plastic pipes should be 6 bar, time - 1 day.

You can warm up the system to 80 degrees for half an hour, and after cooling, pour the pipes under pressure with a concrete screed

Crimping of pipes made of cross-linked polyethylene is more difficult. After reducing the pressure, the system is pumped up, after half an hour the procedure is repeated. Then, after another hour and a half, the pressure is restored for the last time and the heating system is left for a day. During this time, the pressure should decrease by no more than 1.5 bar.

For screed, mixtures with the addition of plasticizers are used, which improve the elasticity of the finished layer. After complete drying and hardening (28 days), you can plan to start the operation.

The procedure for installing a warm water floor with your own hands is well described below:

Conclusion

When the main work on the installation of a warm water floor is completed, it is put into operation. This is necessary to remove air from the heating circuit. Warming up starts from 25 degrees, gradually bringing the temperature to working.

The system is started with a pressure above the working pressure of about 15%, and all branches, except for the one being checked, are blocked. The pumps must run at minimum power. The procedure is repeated for each branch separately.

Why choose water systems? They are practical, versatile, economical. They are cheaper to run than electric ones. The only negative is the laborious installation. However, the costs of effort and money pay off due to the ease of use, the durability of the system, and savings on heating.

Now many residents of private houses install a water-heated floor for basic or additional heating. It has a lot of advantages: it increases comfort, heats the room evenly, does not require additional energy costs (because it works from one boiler with radiators). The instructions in our article will allow you to install water-heated floors, even without experience. However, before that, it is worth studying all the nuances.

Best of all, the warm water floor system is combined with laying under and tile.

• First, both materials are strong and durable.
• Secondly, they do not emit harmful substances when heated.
• And thirdly, heating perfectly complements the tile (the material itself is cold), and you can even walk on it barefoot due to its high heat capacity.

Of course, underfloor heating can also be done under linoleum, PVC tiles and even carpet, with a special mark.

But, for example, it makes no sense to heat the carpet, and the surface temperature must not exceed 31 ° C, according to SNiP 41-01-2003. Otherwise, it will provoke the release of harmful substances.

Installation in an apartment

Probably, many residents had the idea to independently connect “for free” water heated floors to the central heating system or hot water supply. And some even do so, but in most cases it is prohibited by local law.

For example, in Moscow there is a government decree No. 73-PP dated February 8, 2005, in Appendix No. 2 it is clearly written about the ban on the conversion of public water supply systems for underfloor heating.

Violating the rules, at best, you can get a fine the first time you visit the plumbers. And at worst, the risk of leaving neighbors without heating.

In some regions, the ban does not apply, but an examination is required to connect in order not to disrupt the system.

In general, from a technical point of view, such options are possible, but only if a separate pumping and mixing unit is connected and the outlet pressure in the system is maintained.

Note! If there is a jet pump (elevator) in an apartment building, then metal-plastic and polypropylene pipes cannot be used.

Floor installation methods

There are several ways to arrange a warm water floor.

• The most popular and reliable of them is a concrete screed. Unlike electric types, 16 mm pipes cannot be hidden in tile adhesive, and it will not work. Therefore, a screed is poured at least 3 cm above the pipes.
• The second way is laying pipes in the cut out grooves of polystyrene foam. The grooves are made by hand, pipes are laid inside, then the screed is poured.
• The next option is often used in houses with wooden floors, although it requires a lot of labor - this is laying in wooden grooves. To do this, boards are stuffed on the floor, which create a gutter of the desired shape for laying.

Types of pipes used

Three types of pipes are suitable for a warm water floor.

• Pipes made of cross-linked polyethylene (PEX-EVOH-PEX) are inconvenient to use, because it is difficult to give them the desired shape (they straighten when heated). But they are not afraid of liquid freezing and are maintainable.
• Metal-plastic pipes - the best option: low price, ease of installation, stably keep their shape.
• Copper pipes are expensive; when used in a screed, they must be covered with a protective layer to prevent alkaline exposure.

Calculation of a warm water floor

Before installation and purchase of materials, it is imperative to calculate the underfloor heating. To do this, they draw a diagram with contours, which will then come in handy during repair work in order to know the position of the pipes.

• If you are sure that furniture or plumbing will always stand in a certain place, pipes are not laid in this place.
• The length of the circuit with a diameter of 16 mm must not exceed 100 m (maximum for 20 mm is 120 m), otherwise the pressure in the system will be bad. Thus, each circuit approximately occupies no more than 15 square meters. m.
• The difference between the length of several circuits should be small (less than 15 m), that is, they should all be of uniform length. Large rooms, respectively, are divided into several circuits.
• The optimum pipe spacing is 15 cm when using good thermal insulation. If in winter there are often frosts below -20, then the step is reduced to 10 cm (only possible at the outer walls). And in the north you can not do without additional radiators.
• With a laying step of 15 cm, the consumption of pipes is approximately 6.7 m for each square of the room, when laying every 10 cm - 10 m.

The graph shows the dependence of the flux density on the average coolant temperature. Dotted lines indicate pipes with a diameter of 20 mm, and solid lines - 16 mm.

The graph shows data that is valid only when using a cement-sand screed with a thickness of 7 cm, covered with tiles. If the thickness of the screed is increased, for example, by 1 cm, then the heat flux density decreases by 5-8%.

• To find the flux density, the sum of the heat loss of the room in watts is divided by the pipe laying area (the distance from the walls is subtracted).
• The average temperature is calculated as the average value at the inlet to the circuit and the outlet from the return.

The optimum temperature at the inlet and outlet should not differ by more than 5-10 degrees. The maximum temperature of the heat carrier must not exceed 55°C.

According to the above diagram, you can only perform a rough calculation and make the final adjustment due to the mixing unit and thermostats. For accurate design, be sure to contact professional heating engineers.

Heated floor cake

The technology of laying a warm water floor consists of several layers, which are laid in a certain sequence. The total thickness of the cake is 8-14 cm, the load on the floors is up to 300 kg / sq. m.

If the base is a concrete slab:

• waterproofing;
• insulation;
• reinforcing mesh;
• water floor heating pipe;
• coupler.

For waterproofing, it is permissible to use ordinary polyethylene film or special materials. The damper tape is made from cut strips of thermal insulation 1-2 cm thick, or they buy a ready-made version with a self-adhesive base.
The choice of insulation depends on several factors: region, base material. For example, for floors on the ground, extruded polystyrene foam with a thickness of at least 5 cm (optimally 10) is also used, and if there is a warm basement under the floor of the first floor, then thinner options from 3 cm can be used.

The main purpose of the insulation is to direct the heat from the heating up and prevent large heat losses.

If the base is floors on the ground:

• bulk soil 15 cm;
• crushed stone 10 cm;
• sand 5 cm;
• rough screed;
• waterproofing;
• damper tape around the perimeter;
• extruded polystyrene foam not less than 5 cm;
• reinforced screed with heat carriers.

It is important to carefully compact the preparatory layers for the rough screed in layers. With a dense compaction of the base and the use of extruded polystyrene foam, it will not be necessary to make a rough screed.

Installation of a warm floor

Let's say a good foundation has already been prepared: a flat concrete slab or a backfill layer without strong drops. The differences should not exceed 7 mm when checking with a two-meter rail. If there are irregularities, they can be covered with sand.

Waterproofing

Someone lays waterproofing under the bottom of the insulation, someone, on the contrary, upstairs, and some use it both here and there.
If extruded polystyrene foam is used, it practically does not need waterproofing, so its position is not so critical. But it will not allow cement milk to penetrate between the seams of the insulation and go into the slab and will additionally retain moisture from below.
If you fix it to the bottom of the insulation, then you can fix the pipes on the warm floor directly to the insulation. If the waterproofing is laid up, then laying the mounting grid will be required to fix the pipes.

We lay waterproofing with an overlap on the walls by 20 cm, and on top of each other. We glue the joints with adhesive tape for sealing.

damper tape

If you bought a finished tape, just glue it around the perimeter. It usually has a thickness of 5-8 mm and a height of 10-15 cm. The height should be above the fill level, the excess is cut off with a knife. If the tape is made by hand, then be sure to glue or screw it with self-tapping screws to the wall.

The linear expansion of concrete is 0.5 mm per meter when heated to 40°C.

insulation

Sheet insulation for a warm water floor is laid with offset joints so that it is tightly connected.

Reinforcement

The first layer of reinforcing mesh is usually laid on the insulation and used as a base for fixing the contours and evenly distributing heat over the surface. The grids are tied together with wire. Pipes are attached to the grid on nylon clamps.

The diameter of the mesh bars is 4-5 mm, and the cell size is depending on the pipe laying step, for easy fastening.

In addition, it is imperative to lay reinforcement on top of the pipes, because even when using mesh from below, it will have almost no effect if it lies at the very bottom. Or, during pouring, put the grid on stands, creating a gap.

Pipe Fixation Methods

Water heated floor can be laid in several ways, we list them.

• Clamp made of polyamide. Used for quick fastening of pipes to the mounting grid. Consumption - about 2 pieces per 1 m.
• Mounting wire made of steel. Also used for mounting to the grid, the flow rate is exactly the same.
• Stapler and clamps. Suitable for quick fixing of pipes to thermal insulation. The consumption of clamps is 2 pieces per 1 m.
• Fixing track. It is a U-shaped PVC strip, which serves as a base for laying 16 or 20 mm pipes into it. Attaches firmly to the floor.
• Mats for a warm water floor made of polystyrene. A pipe is laid in the middle of the grooves between the posts.
• Distribution aluminum plate. Used when installing in wooden floors, reflects and evenly distributes heat over the surface.

Pipe laying

The pipes are laid with an indent from the walls of 15-20 cm. It is highly desirable to make each circuit from a single pipe without welding, and their length should not exceed 100 m. The step between the pipes at the walls is 10 cm, closer to the center - 15 cm.

The scheme of laying a warm floor is different, for example, a spiral or a snake. At the outer walls, they try to make the laying step more often or draw a contour from the feed next to the cold walls. An example of a scheme for enhanced heating of external walls is shown in the photo, this option is best used in cold regions:



In other cases, the contours are usually laid in a spiral (snail), this is a universal option.

In places with a large accumulation of pipes, in order to avoid overheating of the surface, some of them are covered with a heat-insulating tube.

Metal-plastic 16 mm and 20 mm can be easily bent by hand, without the use of special tools. In order to evenly bend the pipes with an angle of small radius and at the same time prevent it from cracking, the corners are bent in several passes (arm interceptions).
Approximately 5-6 interceptions will be needed at an angle of 90 °. This means, at first, resting with your thumbs, make a slight bend, then slightly shift your hands in the direction of the bend and repeat the actions.

The presence of kinks on the pipes in places of sharp turns is unacceptable.

Polypropylene pipes are much more difficult to bend because they are springy. Therefore, they are heated or made to bend, but in the case of a warm floor, they are simply attached to the grid, making the bends less sharp.

We begin the installation of a water-heated floor by connecting the first end of the pipe to the distribution manifold, and after laying the room, the return line (the second end) is immediately connected.

Connecting circuits

In most cases, the circuits are connected through a distribution node. It has several functions: increasing the pressure in the system, adjusting the temperature, uniform supply to several circuits, combining with radiators.

There are many connection schemes to the boiler, which we wrote about in the article about: with manual adjustment, with weather automatics and auto-adjustment using servos and sensors.

Pipes are connected to the manifold using Eurocone clamp fittings.

Crimping

When you have completed the installation of all circuits, be sure to conduct a pneumatic test of the system for tightness. To do this, pressure is applied using a compressor. For testing, a small household compressor with a pressure of more than 6 bar is suitable. The pressure in the system is brought to 4 bar and left for the entire time until the system is started.

Since air molecules are much smaller than water molecules, even a small depressurization can be detected. In addition, the water can freeze if you do not have time to turn on the heating, and nothing will happen to the air.

Underfloor heating screed

Filling the screed is done only after the installation of all circuits and hydraulic tests. It is recommended to use concrete not lower than M-300 (B-22.5) with crushed stone with a fraction of 5-20 mm. A minimum thickness of 3 cm above the pipe is made not only to obtain the desired strength, but also to evenly distribute heat over the surface. Weight 1 sq. m. screed with a thickness of 5 cm is up to 125 kg.

With a screed thickness of more than 15 cm or with high loads, an additional calculation of the thermal regime is required.

With an increase in the thickness of the screed, it takes more time to heat it up to a certain temperature after switching on, and the inertia of the system also increases. The lower the thermal conductivity of the screed, the higher the temperature of the coolant will need to be made.

expansion joints

The absence or incorrect position of thermal gaps is the most common cause of screed failure.

Shrink joints are made in the following cases:

• The premises are over 30 sq. m.;
• walls have a length of more than 8 m;
• the length and width of the room differ by more than 2 times;
• over expansion joints of structures;
• the room is too curved.

To do this, a damper tape is laid around the perimeter of the seams. At the seam, the reinforcing mesh must be divided. The expansion gap must be 10 mm thick at the base. The upper part is treated with a sealant. If the room has a non-standard shape, it must be divided into simpler rectangular or square elements.




If the pipes pass through expansion joints in the screed, in these places they are laid in a corrugated pipe, 30 cm of corrugations in each direction (according to SP 41-102-98 - 50 cm on each side). It is recommended not to separate one circuit with expansion joints; supply and return pipes must pass through it.

When laying tiles on expansion joints, the likelihood of its peeling off increases due to different expansion of adjacent tiles. To avoid this, the first part is laid on tile adhesive, and the second part is attached to an elastic sealant.

Partial profile expansion joints can be used for additional separation. They are made with a trowel, 1/3 of the thickness. After the concrete has hardened, they are also sealed with sealant. If pipes pass through them, they are also protected by corrugation.

Cracks in the screed

A fairly common occurrence is the appearance of cracks on the screed after drying. This can be caused by a number of reasons:

• low density insulation;
• poor compaction of the solution;
• lack of plasticizers;
• too thick screed;
• lack of shrinkage seams;
• too fast drying of concrete;
• incorrect proportions of the solution.

It's very easy to avoid them:

• insulation must be used with a density above 35-40 kg / m3;
• the screed solution must be plastic when laying and with the addition of fiber and plasticizer;
• in large rooms, shrink joints should be made (see below);
• also, concrete should not be allowed to set quickly, for this it is covered with plastic wrap the next day (for a week).

Screed mortar

For a warm floor, it is imperative to use a plasticizer to increase the elasticity and strength of concrete. But you need to use special types of non-air-entraining plasticizers for underfloor heating.

Without experience, it will not work to make a cement-sand screed for a warm floor without crushed stone / gravel, and the correct branded DSP will cost more than factory concrete. Therefore, in order to avoid cracks due to a violation of the composition of the mortar, concrete with crushed stone is poured.

A solution of M-300 from cement grade M-400, washed sand and gravel is made in the following proportions.

• Mass composition C: P: W (kg) = 1: 1.9: 3.7.
• Volumetric composition per 10 liters of cement P: W (l) = 17:32.
• From 10 liters of cement, 41 liters of mortar will be obtained.
• The volumetric weight of such concrete M300 will be 2300-2500 kg / m3 (heavy concrete)

There is also another option using granite screenings instead of sand, the following elements were used for its preparation:

• 2 buckets of crushed stone with a fraction of 5-20 mm;
• water 7-8 liters;
• superplasticizer SP1 400 ml of solution (1.8 liters of powder is diluted in 5 liters of hot water);
• 1 bucket of cement;
• 3-4 buckets of granite screenings with a fraction of 0-5 mm;
• bucket volume - 12 liters.

High-quality concrete should not release water during laying (delaminate). If everything is done correctly and the air temperature is 20 ° C, it should begin to set after 4 hours, and after 12 hours it will not leave marks from the heels.

After 3 days after pouring, the screed will gain half its strength, and will completely harden only after 28 days. It is not recommended to turn on the heating system until this moment.

Mounting on a wooden floor

Wood does not conduct heat as efficiently as concrete, but mounting on it is also feasible. For this, aluminum distribution plates are used. The pipes are laid in wooden grooves made by attaching pre-prepared boards.

For the installation of linoleum, carpet and other materials that require a flat surface, a leveling layer of chipboard, plywood or GVL is laid over the pipes. If parquet or laminate is used as a topcoat, the design of the warm floor can be slightly simplified without the use of a leveling layer.

When choosing plywood and chipboard, make sure that they have hygienic and thermomechanical parameters that allow them to be used with underfloor heating.

Prices for underfloor heating

The price of a warm water floor is formed from several components:

• cost of materials (pipes, insulation, fasteners, etc.);
• the cost of the pumping and mixing unit and the collector;
• work on leveling the base and pouring the top layer of the screed;
• the cost of installing underfloor heating.

On average, the price of a water-heated floor during turnkey installation, together with all materials and work, will cost about 1,500-3,000 rubles per 1 sq. m.

Below is an approximate estimate for a house of 100 sq. m., but the prices for water-heated floors are highly dependent on the region, so it is best to drive in your data there and make an independent calculation. It does not take into account the costs of installation and purchase of radiators, a boiler, topcoat and screed.

Installation of warm water floors is shown in the video:

Water or hydraulic floors are the most common type of insulated floors. Firstly, the water floor is lower in price during installation and subsequent operation. Secondly, you can do it yourself, without resorting to the help of professional stackers, which means reducing costs. Thirdly, the water floor is considered safer for human health, compared, for example, with electric, infrared, where electromagnetic radiation is an inevitable consequence.

The water floor has two types of installation.

1. First - concrete system, at which the concrete screed becomes the base, it accumulates heat. Such a system is good in individual low-rise buildings with strong ceilings.
2. Second - decking system, which is used in wooden "light" houses, attics, where a concrete screed cannot be used, since the ceilings cannot support its weight. The flooring system is also used in multi-storey buildings, especially in “Khrushchev”, where the floors are made of slabs with a limited load.

The floor becomes a source of heat in the room, providing horizontal uniform heating in any part of the room. Heat travels vertically, creating a natural "feet warm, head cold" effect, unlike radiator heating where heat travels up and then back down.

Such a heating system works especially well where there are high ceilings. The air does not dry out, the apartment warms up evenly. Aesthetically, hydraulic floors also benefit, since there is no need for wall-mounted radiators, and space is freed up. In addition, a water heated floor is economically beneficial in operation, its energy consumption is lower, which means that the cost of maintaining the system is reduced.

Disadvantages of hydraulic floor

When choosing a water floor, heat losses should be taken into account, which should not exceed 100 W / m2. To reduce them, you should take thermal insulation seriously. If heat losses are high, it is better to combine water floors with wall-mounted radiators.

Laying underfloor heating in toilets and bathrooms has its own challenges. Often, the water heating pipe is connected to the heated towel rail pipe, which leads to increased temperature, the floor overheats unnecessarily.

Difficulties arise where the ceiling is low, since the screed above the pipes must be significant in thickness, you have to raise the floor to a height of approximately 10 cm. And if the bathroom is located above a cold basement, the rise reaches 15 cm. Additional costs also fall on strengthening floor slabs and other load-bearing structures, as well as for the reinstallation of doors.

What is required for installation?

To install a hydraulic underfloor heating you will need:

• boiler for water heating;
• pump for pumping water (often built into the boiler, but sometimes you need to purchase additionally);
• pipes that are heating elements (it is better to choose metal-plastic ones, with an approximately twenty-millimeter diameter);
• distribution pipes and valves to bleed air from the heating system;
• fittings for connecting pipes and all hydraulic mechanisms;
• a collector or several collectors (in a wall-mounted box, with supply and return pipelines and a control mechanism);
• shut-off valves that connect pipelines to the manifold;
• heat-insulating and waterproofing materials, reinforcing mesh, special damper tape;
• additionally - self-leveling building mixtures or building materials replacing them and means for leveling the subfloor.

Floor preparation and leveling

Laying a water floor heating system requires careful preparation of the base. To begin with, you will have to completely, to the base, dismantle the old floor screed and level the floor horizontally. The surface after dismantling the screed must be thoroughly cleaned of debris, particles of the old screed, dust, dirt, deposits.

The cleaned base of the floor must be covered with a heat-insulating, and then a waterproofing layer. After the necessary manipulations, a damper tape must be fixed around the entire perimeter, then laid according to the lines passing between the pipe contours.

Warming is necessary so that there is no heat sink down. Foamed polyethylene (penofol) covered with foil is best suited. If there is a heated room one floor below, any insulation will do, the most reliable is polystyrene foam in sheets. Its thickness is approximately 20-50 mm. If you insulate the floor on the ground floor, which is located on the ground or above a cold basement, you will have to resort to an expanded clay mound, and choose thicker polystyrene sheets, approximately 50 - 100 mm.

Modern building materials offer special heaters with special channels for pipes. They are more expensive, but more reliable and less troublesome to install. When the insulation is laid on the floor, a reinforcing mesh must be laid on top. Thus, it will be possible to fix a new, still raw, layer of screed covering the entire pipe system.

In addition, it is convenient to attach the hydraulic floor pipe to the grid using plastic ties. This method is more convenient than the design of many mounting strips, clips.

Collector - its selection and installation

Before proceeding with laying, it is necessary to install a collector. It is set after contour calculations.

The selection of a collector (or several collectors) is made after the calculation of the number of circuits. When choosing a collector, you need to decide in advance how many leads you need to connect circuits to it. In addition, the apparatus must have a drain for draining waste water and an air vent valve.

The purpose of the collector is to distribute hot water flows, as well as adjust, turn on and off the heating hydraulic system.

Choosing a collector, you should not save. The simplest, cheapest, collector has only shut-off valves, and this makes the operation of underfloor heating not convenient. Manifolds with built-in control valves, of course, are an order of magnitude more expensive. But by regulating the flow of water in the premises, in each hydraulic loop, as well as the temperature of a particular room, you can save much more.

If we are talking about an industrial building, a large office, or a similar type of premises, then the ideal option would be a collector with pre-mixers, as well as with special servo drives. What are mixers for? They will allow you to regulate the temperature of the water supplied to the pipes, while mixing hot water with the already cooled.

Of course, collectors of this technical level will “eat up” the bulk of the funds that will have to be spent on installing a water floor. Of course, in an ordinary apartment or a private house, where the loads are constant and one operating mode of the system is enough, you can get by with simple-type collectors.

The collector is placed in a special box, it is mounted on the wall. Under the box should be empty, here it will be necessary to bring the pipes of the circuits from all rooms. The cabinet, for interior aesthetic reasons, can be painlessly “drowned” in a wall or in a niche, its width is 12 cm.

An important rule: the pipes must be below the collector box. This is done for free air venting.

When assembling the entire system together, it is important to follow the instructions that accompany the manifold. And only after the box with the collector is installed, you can start laying pipes.

How to correctly calculate and distribute water floor pipes?

The first step is to calculate the exact route for laying pipes. It is best to order an estimate for laying a water floor to a specialist estimator or do it using specialized computer calculation programs. It is difficult to calculate manually, and an error in the calculations will be expensive and will cost a pretty penny when reworked.

The consequences of incorrect calculations, for example, can be undesirable effects: insufficiently active circulation of water inside the pipes, heat leakage in certain areas of the floor, uneven heating of the room, alternation of cold and hot areas of the floor (the so-called "thermal zebra").

The most important rule when calculating: if a warm floor is installed in several rooms, then the calculation of the total length of the pipe is made separately for each.

What parameters must be taken into account in the calculations?

1. Room area.
2. The material of which walls and ceilings are composed.
3. The presence of thermal insulation, its quality.
4. Heating boiler power.
5. The diameter of the pipes and the material from which they are made.

Based on these parameters, the length of the pipe and the distance between its segments during laying (“pitch”) can be calculated so that the heat transfer is optimal. The step is usually 10-30 cm. The higher the heat loss in the room, the narrower the step should be (10-15 cm). If the room does not lose heat, there are no cold walls, huge windows, balconies, then the step, respectively, can be made wider - 30 cm.

Pipe distribution

When distributing pipes, it is necessary to lay a route for laying. Passing through the pipes, the water heated in the boiler cools down, and this circumstance should be taken into account when determining the route for laying the pipe contours. You should remember a few rules, the violation of which can later affect the quality of heating and the inconvenience of operating the entire heating system. What are these rules?

Heating boiler and pump

The main thing to consider when choosing a water-heating boiler for a warm hydrofloor is power. It must correspond to the sum of the capacities of all sectors of the floor, plus - there must also be a power reserve of 20% (at least 15%, but not less).

To circulate water, you need a pump. Modern boilers are designed so that the pump is included with the boiler, built into the boiler. One pump is enough for 100-120 sq. m. If the area is larger, you will need an additional one (one or more). Additional pumps require separate manifold cabinets.

The boiler has an inlet/outlet for water. Shut-off valves are installed at the inlet/outlet. They are necessary to turn off the boiler in case of minor breakdowns or stop the boiler for preventive purposes, so as not to completely drain the water from the entire system.

If several collector cabinets are provided, you will need a splitter for the central supply so that the water is distributed evenly through the hydraulic system, and narrowing adapters.

Pipe installation and screed

For laying a water floor, you will need fixing profiles with nests that are convenient for keeping a step, which will allow you to fix and fix the pipes. The fastening profiles are screwed to the subfloor using dowels and corresponding screws.

The pipes must then be pressed against the reinforcing mesh and secured with a plastic tie. Do not tightly tighten and pinch the soft pipe, the loop should be more or less free. Pipes to be laid must be bent in the necessary places carefully, carefully, but must not be pinched. This is especially true for polyethylene pipes that are vulnerable to deformation processes.

If a white spot or a stripe appears during pinching, the material cannot be used, it is deformed, and during operation a crease or stretching may form. A damaged pipe goes into marriage, it cannot be laid in a water heating system in order to avoid a breakthrough and leakage.

After the floors are laid, the ends of the pipes are brought to the collector. If necessary, pipes are laid through walls (only non-bearing ones). Then a heat-insulating layer (polyethylene foam) is wound around the pipe. Convenient for connecting pipes is the so-called eurocone system, and also, as an option, a compression fitting.

So, after installing the system, it is necessary to check its operation under high pressure. The test takes place when water is supplied (pressure 6 bar), the test period is 24 hours. The system is tested ideally with cold water and heated water. Both during cold and hot pressure testing, care must be taken to ensure that all elements of the system are in working order, function properly, and that the pressure does not drop by more than 1.5 barv.

After making sure that there are no failures, leaks, pipe expansions in the system, you can complete the process of laying a water-heated floor by pouring a screed over the pipes.

It should be noted that with a screed designed for tiles over a warm floor, the thickness of the fill should be in the range of 3 - 5 cm. Under a laminate or similar coating, the screed is made thinner.

Filling should be done with the water heating system running, at pressure. Finally, after pouring the screed, you need to be patient and wait at least 28-30 days. And only after the expiration of this period, you can continue the repair - do the flooring.